Sybert Accuses Strickland of Vandalizing Signs as Member of His ’94 Campaign Staff

A day after admitting he tore down a rival’s campaign signs in a series of nocturnal romps, state Assembly candidate Rich Sybert launched a curious counterattack Friday:

He charged his opponent, Tony Strickland, with committing the same offense while working for Sybert in 1994.

Strickland immediately dismissed the accusation that he led nighttime sign-trashing raids during Sybert’s failed 1994 congressional campaign as a desperate attempt to draw attention away from Sybert’s own acts of vandalism.

“Rich Sybert is still refusing to take responsibility for his own actions,” Strickland, 28, said Friday. “That accusation is just ridiculous. I never did anything like that.”

In an interview with The Times Wednesday, Sybert initially denied tearing down Strickland’s campaign signs in Thousand Oaks and Camarillo earlier this week. Both Republicans are hoping to secure the 37th Assembly District seat soon to be vacated by Nao Takasugi (R-Oxnard) due to term limits.

But Sybert quickly reversed his position Thursday after the Strickland campaign produced a videotape of Sybert vandalizing the placards, saying he was “embarrassed and ashamed.”

On Friday, Sybert held a news conference at his Thousand Oaks campaign headquarters to stress that while he felt terrible about what he had done, Strickland was a hypocrite for making an issue of it.

James Vaughn, Sybert’s campaign manager during his unsuccessful 1994 bid to unseat Democrat Anthony Beilenson, told reporters he had learned during that race that Strickland was out tearing down signs at night with a cast of college Young Republicans.

“He said, ‘We’ve got some YRs. Tony [Beilenson] has got a lot of signs, and we could take care of them,”’ Vaughn said. “He said, ‘This is one of those things you don’t want to know about,’ and I told him he’d better not do that because it was stupid.”

Vaughn said he learned afterward that Strickland had gone out and destroyed signs in the San Fernando Valley anyway. But he conceded he had no proof it ever occurred, did not know if Strickland personally removed any signs--and never confronted Strickland about it.

When questioned over the wisdom of admitting a member of his own 1994 campaign had committed vandalism before--even if the man is now his opponent--Sybert said, “We didn’t authorize it. I didn’t know.”

Sybert added that he had spoken with Takasugi and the assemblyman had assured Sybert that he would continue to endorse him. Takasugi could not be reached for comment Friday, and his legislative aides said they did not know whether he had spoken with Sybert since the incidents became public.

The Ventura County district attorney’s office is investigating Sybert’s vandalism incidents, but had not decided Friday whether any charges will be filed against the Harvard-educated attorney and Oxnard toy company executive.

Sybert’s admission of vandalism and subsequent lie are sure to change the complexion of the race in the 37th Assembly District, which includes the cities of Oxnard, Camarillo and Thousand Oaks.

Other candidates hoping to win the seat are Republicans Toni Young, John P. Lane and Jere Robings, Democrat Rosalind McGrath and Reform Party member Michael Farris.

McGrath said Friday, however, that she has received a fellowship that will require her to go to Britain this summer and is unsure whether she will remain in the race.

At least one Republican candidate said the fallout from the Sybert incident could boost his own campaign.

“I think it has really turned this election upside down,” Robings said, adding that he has received increased calls of support after the clash between Strickland and Sybert. “Anything could happen from here on out.”

Young said she was concerned about Strickland’s tactics, considering his campaign had been taping Sybert. She said she was also concerned that squabbling between Strickland and Sybert had tarnished the Republicans’ image.

“I’m very disappointed in Tony,” Young said. “I haven’t noticed anyone following me, but I should probably start looking. I know his signs were being stolen, but where do you draw the line when trying to get elected?”