Recall drive gets sufficient ballots

Opponents of State Sen. Jeff Denham (R-Salinas) have submitted a sufficient number of signatures to qualify a recall election for the ballot later this year, the secretary of state certified Tuesday.

The opponents submitted petitions with more than the 31,084 valid signatures required to force the governor to call an election on whether to remove Denham from office.

A political committee supported by State Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland) helped finance the recall petition drive.

Denham angered Perata by voting against a flood-control bond backed by the Senate leader in 2006 and by refusing last year to join Democratic lawmakers and one GOP colleague in voting for the state budget that Perata wanted passed, officials said.

“It’s simply a Don Perata power play,” said Kevin Spillane, a spokesman for Denham, who added, “It’s unjustified and an abuse of the recall process. . . . “