D.A.’s ’98 Rival Will Challenge Him Again

The Orange County district attorney’s office, already shaken by nearly a year of internal discord and allegations of wrongdoing, is bracing for a nasty election campaign that some worry will further divide the office.

Assistant Dist. Atty. Wally Wade formally announced his candidacy Wednesday with an attack on his boss, Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas. Wade said the various state investigations involving the office have created a “crisis of integrity.”

A Rackauckas campaign aide showed up at Wade’s press conference on the steps of the Old Orange County Courthouse, passing out written statements that described Wade as a poor manager who is not qualified to be district attorney.

At the same time, both camps’ supporters are trying to determine the leanings of prosecutors and other employees, creating what some describe as a tense atmosphere that could last until the March election.

“It’s going to be awkward,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. Ken Chinn, who supports Wade.

It has been more than a decade since an incumbent Orange County district attorney faced a challenge from within the office.

Rackauckas appears to maintain the support of the Republican Party establishment as well as of many police chiefs, elected officials and a significant number of prosecutors. But Wade vows to run an insurgent, grass-roots campaign.

Since February, Rackauckas has accused two investigators of stealing evidence, fired a prosecutor who accused him of misconduct, and asked the state attorney general to take over two high-profile investigations in which critics said Rackauckas had a conflict of interest.

Rackauckas said much of the discord is coming from a disgruntled minority in the office and that he has done nothing wrong. He has said his policies have resulted in what voters care about most: less crime and reduced gang activity.

In a written statement released Wednesday, Rackauckas said he doubted that the campaign would cause dissension within the office.

“The professional people in this office will continue to fight crime and rise above politics,” said the former judge and prosecutor who was elected district attorney in 1998.

Others expressed similar hopes but were less optimistic.

“The work we do is way too important for people to become distracted with an ugly campaign,” said one prosecutor who asked not be identified. “The thing that concerns me the most is having some juror thinking our office is corrupt. Our credibility in the courtroom is key.”

Wade, who lost the 1998 election to Rackauckas, said the problems in the office influenced him to wage a second campaign.

“We all know historically it’s tough to run against an incumbent,” Wade said. “However, very few incumbents have provided their challengers with the ethical issues Mr. Rackauckas has provided me.”

One case likely to get attention during the campaign is a consumer-protection lawsuit involving billionaire developer George Argyros, a Rackauckas supporter. Rackauckas ordered his prosecutors to withdraw a suit against a company owned by Argyros, saying he wanted to negotiate a settlement. Rackauckas eventually gave the case to the state attorney general, saying he wanted to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. The company agreed last month to pay $1.3 million to settle allegations that it illegally withheld security deposits from renters.

In a second case, Rackauckas accused two investigators of stealing evidence in a case. But the state attorney general later determined no crime was committed.

Wade said he plans to make these issues centerpieces of his campaign.

Rackauckas’ camp will try to portray Wade as a failed manager in two previous jobs: collecting child support and handling prosecutions related to the Orange County bankruptcy.

“I don’t consider it an ugly campaign to bring up matters that are of public record that reflect on the integrity of the D.A.’s office,” Wade said.