Assembly Candidate Is Also a Fugitive

Shawn Waddell may be the most wanted candidate on the November ballot--not by voters but by authorities.

A Pasadena judge issued an arrest warrant this summer for Waddell, the Green Party candidate in the 44th Assembly District, for failing to show up in court to face a drug charge, prosecutors said.

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies allegedly caught the 23-year-old man high on amphetamines, six months before Waddell received 1,600 votes in the June primary. He has failed twice to appear in court on the misdemeanor charge.

A woman who answered the door at the address on his voter registration card said he no longer lives there and did not leave a forwarding address.

Despite the bad publicity and his apparent disappearance, Waddell is worrying supporters of incumbent Assemblyman Jack Scott (D-Altadena). Among registered voters, Democrats have a slight edge over Republicans in the 44th District and Scott supporters fear that Waddell could draw Democratic voters.

Scott is being challenged by Republican Ken LaCorte.

Lawyers for the Democratic Party last week tried unsuccessfully to get a judge to remove Waddell’s name from the ballot because he is registered as a Democrat. The Los Angeles County registrar-recorder opposed the move, saying that it would cost too much to reprint the ballots.

Green Party officials say they have never heard of Waddell and have been unable to contact him.

“This is the first candidate in eight years we don’t know anything about,” said Lynne Serpe, a party spokeswoman. “It is appalling a single individual with unknown motives could jeopardize our party reputation.”

Green officials said they would not target Scott in an election because they generally agree with his record. Meanwhile, Democrats said Waddell’s candidacy may be an effort by non-Greens to upset Scott. They point out that the man who helped Waddell register to enter the race is Philip Hendrickson, a registered Republican and National Rifle Assn. member. The NRA opposes Scott, a gun-control advocate.

Hendrickson said his “strong feelings about the environment” prompted him to help the Green Party candidate, who he recalls meeting through a friend. “These accusations are really ridiculous and absolutely untrue,” he said.

Joel Friedman of the NRA Members’ Council of Pasadena-Foothills denied any involvement in getting Waddell to run, although he opposes Scott’s reelection.

“Mr. Scott has done everything in his power to deny honest, law-abiding citizens the right to choose the method by which they defend their loved ones,” said Friedman, whose group is considering donating money to LaCorte’s campaign.

Records show that Holli M. Mathews, of Culver City, wrote a $786 check to the secretary of state’s office on behalf of Waddell, qualifying him to run.

Mathews said she did not know Waddell but her husband asked her to write the check, refusing further comment.

“It is awfully suspicious that [LaCorte] has a background as a political consultant and when these kind of dirty tricks start to happen, you have to wonder what is going on,” said Wendy Gordon, a Scott campaign spokeswoman.

LaCorte, who worked seven years ago with Republican consultant Roger Ailes, denied any involvement with Waddell. “I am getting tired of being accused of things by Jack Scott,” he said.

Waddell could not be reached for comment.

Lee Mitchell, of the district attorney’s office, said Waddell was arrested in December 1997 and a bench warrant was first issued March 4 for his failure to appear in court. It was the same day that he registered to run for office.

The warrant was lifted in June after he entered a plea of not guilty in court. Waddell was offered a chance to enter a drug diversion program, Mitchell said.

Generally, he said, such cases are dismissed after completion of the program.

But when he failed to appear for an August court date, Mitchell said, a judge issued a new bench warrant.

Los Angeles County sheriff deputies said they are not actively seeking Waddell, but he will be arrested if stopped by authorities.