Facing Voters and a Lawsuit Too

It has been more than two years since Assemblyman Mickey Conroy (R-Orange) was accused of sexual harassment by an intern in his Sacramento office. Unfortunately for the voters in Orange County’s 3rd Supervisorial District, those civil charges still will be pending in November when Conroy seeks to become a county supervisor.

Conroy, who is being forced out of the Assembly by term limits, steadfastly proclaims his innocence. Earlier he announced he wanted the civil trial completed before the election, but last week he agreed to a delay from August to some date after the balloting. That clearly was wrong.

Voters are entitled to know whether jurors side with Conroy’s accuser, Robyn Boyd, or with the assemblyman. Boyd’s suit contends that Conroy forced her to give him back rubs, hugs and kisses and to endure an atmosphere of “sexual innuendo” in his Sacramento office.

Conroy has called the charges outrageous. He also has said he is “disappointed and outraged” that the allegations will be unresolved before the election. But it was the assemblyman himself who asked for the delay, saying his attorney could not handle the trial in August and another trial the next month.

August is also the tentative date for the start of the criminal trial of Assemblyman Scott Baugh (R-Huntington Beach) on charges of campaign and election law violations in last year’s special election, which put him in office. Baugh, who has pleaded not guilty and is up for reelection in November, should do his utmost to go to trial on schedule.

Candidates may worry about trial publicity influencing voters, but surely they believe that a jury’s ringing exoneration of their conduct would be the best publicity of all.