ELECTIONS / THOUSAND OAKS COUNCIL : Sheriff Says He Didn’t Endorse Loh Despite Brochure

Responding to a campaign mailer from Thousand Oaks City Council candidate Trudi Loh, Ventura County Sheriff Larry Carpenter issued a statement Thursday saying he has not endorsed Loh, even though the brochure features a large photograph of Carpenter next to a glowing quote from him about the candidate.

“I have not endorsed anyone for the council race in Thousand Oaks, nor will I,” Carpenter’s statement said.

The sheriff was unavailable for further comment, but Undersheriff Dick Bryce said Carpenter had asked him to read the statement for him.

“I wouldn’t say he is mad,” Bryce said. “I just think he wants to set the record straight.”

Over the photograph of Carpenter is a caption that says “Trudi Loh is Our Voice,” and under it are pictures of three civic leaders who have endorsed the North Ranch attorney.

Next to the photograph is this quote from Carpenter: “Trudi Loh has proven her commitment to public safety by working with me and many others to guarantee that Proposition 172 funds are used only for public safety. Trudi Loh is a strong voice for keeping our streets, neighborhoods and families safe from crime.”

In his statement, Carpenter said that the quote is a paraphrased excerpt from a letter sent to the circulators of a petition asking that Proposition 172 revenues be used only for public safety, a group that included Loh, county Supervisors John Flynn, Judy Mikel and Frank Schillo and Moorpark City Councilman Scott Montgomery.

“Those excerpted comments are as stated in the letter, but were obviously made to her and not about her,” Carpenter’s statement concludes.

Loh confirmed that the original quote did not include her name. Where it now says “Trudi Loh” it actually said “you.” The changes were made for clarity’s sake, Loh said.

“It simply didn’t make sense to print it the other way on the flyer,” she said.

Mike Markey, one of Loh’s five opponents in the heated City Council race, was indignant about the flyer. Markey is a Compton homicide detective and has made public safety a key issue in his campaign for the June 6 special election.

“I knew he hadn’t endorsed anyone because he said he wasn’t going to get involved in the election,” Markey said.

“The way it was done on the flyer, I thought it was real deceptive because it looked like an implied endorsement,” he added.

In a city that prides itself on its commitment to public safety, Carpenter’s endorsement would be considered a plum. But Bryce said the sheriff makes it a policy not to get involved in local races.

Loh defended the mailer, saying the reaction was politically motivated.

“Mr. Markey is trying to make something out of nothing,” Loh said. “He knew very well that was not an endorsement. Had it been one it would have been in 40-point type.

“Mr. Markey is just trying to twist this for his benefit,” Loh said. “He is just very annoyed at my support in the public safety area.”

Loh said one of her campaign advisers, Otto Stoll, had discussed using the photograph and quote with Carpenter before it was printed.

“The sheriff certainly was not unaware that she was going to use it in a brochure,” Stoll said. “I talked to him about it.”

Loh said she has a good working relationship with Carpenter.

“I put a call into him yesterday,” Loh said. “My feeling is there is no problem there, certainly not between him and I.”