Words Spark Suit in Sheriff Campaign

A supporter of the Orange County sheriff’s reelection bid filed a lawsuit Thursday challenging the ballot statement of a rival candidate that calls the sheriff’s term a “failure” marked by “scandal after scandal.”

At a hearing scheduled for Monday, Aliso Viejo voter Ronald Young, who favors incumbent Michael S. Carona, wants a Superior Court judge to strike a sentence from the ballot statement of Sheriff’s Lt. Bill Hunt of San Clemente.

Hunt is one of three candidates challenging Carona in the June election.

The suit contends that the sentence -- “After eight years, the current sheriff has given us one scandal after another and his record is a failure” -- is language prohibited under state law.

Neither Young nor his attorney, Michael Houston of Rutan & Rucker in Costa Mesa, could be reached for comment.

State law restricts campaign statements to a candidate’s qualifications and what the candidate proposes to do if elected.

Statements that are deemed to be personal attacks are not allowed.

Hunt’s campaign this week called the statement an accurate characterization of problems in the Sheriff’s Department that Hunt would address as the county’s top cop.

The state attorney general’s office confirmed this week that it was investigating whether Carona broke state law by billing his election committee for $130,000 in expenses that weren’t itemized, as required on campaign reports.

In other cases, two of Carona’s former top aides are facing criminal prosecution involving the alleged misuse of county resources, and the state is conducting a separate investigation into allegations of sexual harassment against the sheriff.

Another Carona challenger, Ralph W. Martin, a commander in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department who lives in Coto de Caza, has included similar criticisms in his ballot statement, chastising Carona for his management.

“Scandals are undermining the credibility and effectiveness of our Sheriff’s Department,” Martin’s statement reads.

“It’s time to focus our priorities and take politics out of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department by putting honesty, passion and professionalism back in.”

It was unclear why Young did not also sue over Martin’s statement.

Young’s lawsuit was filed against Hunt and the Orange County registrar of voters office, which is responsible for sending ballot statements to voters before each election.

Carona’s third challenger is Robert Alcaraz of Newport Beach, a retired Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy.