Baugh, 2 GOP Aides Plead Not Guilty

Assemblyman Scott Baugh and two GOP aides pleaded not guilty Monday to charges stemming from Baugh’s successful campaign last year to replace former Assemblywoman Doris Allen.

Baugh (R-Huntington Beach), who is charged with four felonies and 18 misdemeanors, was silent during the brief proceeding, remaining seated in the courtroom audience while his attorneys entered his plea.

Baugh is charged with felony perjury and misdemeanor violations of falsely reporting or failing to report campaign loans, contributions and expenditures, as well as the improper use of cash in the campaign to secure the 67th Assembly District seat.

“What we believe is going to happen is that he will be found not guilty,” said Ron Brower, Baugh’s co-counsel.

The district attorney’s case is not a strong one, Brower said, ruling out a plea bargain. “You will not find us sniffing around for a deal,” he said. “We’re going to go to trial. We’re going to win.”

Rhonda Carmony, who worked in Baugh’s campaign and is campaign manager for Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach), also pleaded not guilty Monday to three felony charges stemming from her alleged role in orchestrating the candidacy of a Democratic spoiler in the race.

Three other GOP aides have pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of falsely circulating the nominating papers of that candidate, Laurie Campbell, who was ousted from the race before the Nov. 28 election.

Maureen Werft, Baugh’s current chief of staff, pleaded not guilty Monday to two felony charges of voting illegally in the contest.

Attorneys entered the pleas for both women, who also remained seated in the courtroom.

The cases of all three defendants were assigned to Superior Court Judge James Smith. A hearing to set trial dates is scheduled for May 10.

Deputy Dist. Atty. John Anderson said prosecutors would be ready for trial within 60 days. “We believe this should be tried as soon as possible,” he said in an interview.

Creighton Laz, attorney for Carmony, said that, because of the volume of material, he did not foresee a trial before the November election, when Baugh will face opponents from the Democratic and Reform parties.

Another Baugh attorney, Allan H. Stokke, said he could not estimate when his case would be ready. “I will make an evaluation on that after we get through the discovery,” he said.

The choice of Smith as trial judge satisfied both sides. “We believe he’s a fair, down-the-middle judge,” Stokke said.

Prosecutors said that allowing attorneys to enter pleas for defendants is common, but allowing defendants to remain seated outside the well of the courtroom during an arraignment is unusual.

“You see every other defendant stand up there,” Supervising Deputy Dist. Atty. Guy N. Ormes said.

After the arraignment, Judge David O. Carter refused motions from media attorneys to release the booking photographs of the three defendants. Carter said he is unalterably opposed to allowing public access to the photographs, which were taken last month by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and include the defendants’ booking numbers, a spokesman said.

“It is the numbers that give rise to 6th Amendment” concerns about the defendants’ right to a fair trial, Carter said. Carter said he also wanted to “avoid the cost of a change of venue” that could result from tainting the potential pool of jurors.

During a hearing on motions filed by the media, the judge said he would consider lifting the ban if it is determined--as a media attorney contended--that the Sheriff’s Department routinely makes booking photos available to the press with booking numbers excised.

Carter said other images of Baugh, Carmony and Werft are available because they have been photographed by the media in court and in courthouse corridors.

In an interview, Lt. Ron Wilkerson, a spokesman for the Sheriff’s Department, said “it is common” to release edited photographs in response to requests from the media.

On Friday, Baugh appeared in court and asked to be arraigned three days early. He also objected when a newspaper photographer repeatedly snapped his picture in the courthouse hallway.

On Monday, Carmony turned her back on a photographer while riding down a courthouse escalator, and a Baugh aide, Todd Nugent, frequently obscured his boss and Carmony as photographers tried to take their pictures.

Baugh, who left the courtroom prior to the hearing on the photographs, asked for the 8 a.m. arraignment so he could catch an early flight to Sacramento, where the Assembly is in session.

Times staff writer Deborah Schoch contributed to this report.