Grand Jury Probes Mayor’s Role in Ballpark Campaign

The San Diego County Grand Jury today will increase its criticism of Mayor Susan Golding’s involvement in the campaign to build a downtown ballpark by leveling an accusation that--if pursued and found true by a jury--could lead to her ouster, sources said.

The jury, acting in its capacity as a government watchdog, will suggest that Golding played a role in using public money to campaign for Proposition C. The 1998 measure authorized construction of a $411-million ballpark to prevent the Padres from leaving San Diego. Municipal law prohibits using public money for political efforts.

The grand jury, already one of the most activist in county history, will invoke a little-used part of state law to level a civil “accusation” against the Republican mayor, now in the last 18 months of her second term. By City Charter, a San Diego mayor is limited to two terms.

The accusation could lead to a civil trial in which the mayor, if found guilty, could be removed from office, but no criminal penalties could be assessed.

The grand jury will suggest that public money allocated to the San Diego Hotel-Motel Assn. was used, in effect, to campaign for Proposition C.

An immediate challenge to the grand jury’s action is likely, either by the city or county attorney or by attorneys for Golding, alleging that the grand jury has misused state law.

“It’s unfortunate,” Councilman Byron Wear said, “that the grand jury has decided to play politics.”

Golding could not be reached for comment Wednesday night.

She, the city attorney, City Council members and civic leaders who led the Proposition C campaign, which was passed handily by voters, already have blasted the grand jury for making what they called baseless and politically tinged accusations.

The accusation section of state law was used by the Orange County Grand Jury in its 1995 report on that county’s financial scandal.