Baugh Attorneys Assail Case Against Him

With Assemblyman Scott R. Baugh at one point quietly weeping in the front row of the courtroom, his attorneys Thursday mounted a sharply worded attack on his chief accuser and a vigorous assault on the district attorney’s conduct in winning a 22-count indictment against the Huntington Beach Republican.

Defense attorney Ron Brower accused Baugh’s former treasurer, Dan Traxler, of giving testimony to the Orange County Grand Jury that contained “an infinite series of inconsistencies and failed recollections.” He also charged that the district attorney’s office was aware that Traxler’s testimony was contradicted by his previous statements, but prosecutors failed in their duty to present those statements to the grand jurors.

“If the district attorney knows a man is a pathological liar . . . should they let the grand jury know that? That is the case with this man,” Brower said during the hearing in Superior Court.

Brower made his summation as he asked Judge James L. Smith to dismiss the indictment. Baugh and two Republican aides were indicted in March after a six-month investigation into fraud in the 67th Assembly District special election, which Baugh won in November 1995.

Prosecutors declined to comment at the close of Thursday’s court session. “Tune in tomorrow,” said Craig McKinnon, deputy district attorney.

Assistant Dist. Atty. John Conley has strongly denied allegations from the defense that prosecutors hid evidence from the grand jury.

Attorneys for the other two defendants are expected to present their arguments seeking dismissal of the indictments today. Prosecutors will present rebuttal afterward. Smith is not expected to rule before Monday.

Baugh was indicted on four felony counts of perjury and 18 misdemeanors for allegedly concealing or misreporting tens of thousands of dollars on campaign and other finance disclosure statements. Among the charges were that Baugh deliberately omitted a $1,000 contribution from the husband of Laurie Campbell to hide his longtime friendship with Campbell, a decoy Democratic candidate recruited by Republicans to siphon votes from Baugh’s chief rival.

Also indicted was Rhonda Carmony, the campaign manager for U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach). She was charged with three counts of election fraud for allegedly helping to place Campbell on the ballot. Rohrabacher, who is Baugh’s political mentor, had lent Carmony’s expertise to the Baugh campaign.

The grand jury also indicted Baugh’s chief of staff Maureen Werft on two felonies alleging she illegally filed for an absentee ballot and voted in the election.

During the hearing, prosecutors pressed for an early trial for Baugh and Carmony, while their lawyers said they would agree to delay the case for weeks. Werft’s trial is set for Sept. 16.