Rancho Santa Margarita Mayor Carol Gamble pleads guilty to falsifying nomination papers

SANTA MARGARITA RANCHO, Calif. (CNS) — Rancho Santa Margarita Mayor Carol Gamble pleaded guilty Friday, as expected, to a misdemeanor charge related to her petition drive and was ordered to perform 160 hours of community service.

Gamble filed petitions seeking her re-election to the City Council in violation of the law because she did not personally witness the signatures, prosecutors said. If she is re-elected Tuesday, she would be ineligible for office and the city would have to hold a special election, prosecutors said.

Her attorney, Paul Mayer, described the situation as a mistake and said she immediately agreed to cooperate with law enforcement.

“As soon as she found out about the mistake, she contacted the city authorities to correct it,” he added. “The law did not allow a correction. She consulted two expert election attorneys who confirmed that the law did not allow a correction at that time. She asked her attorney to notify (the district attorney’s office) of her decision to admit error and resign if elected.” .

Meyer noted that officials “who became aware of the error kept the information until the deadline for the correction had passed. It was their right to do so. This is politics in the modern world.”

Gamble “issued a statement admitting her mistake. She voluntarily agreed to return all her contributions, and she did,” Meyer said. “She said she would resign if elected. Today’s request requires none of that. It’s all voluntary.”

Meyer said Gamble was “confused” and added that she was “a wonderful and respected woman who has dedicated decades to building and developing the city she loves. She appreciates the opportunity to work overtime during her decades of service. She thanks everyone for the huge outpouring of support and shock at how the law works here.”

Prosecutors said Gamble, a four-term mayor, agreed to plead guilty to the crime, perform 160 hours of community service and serve one year of probation.

“American democracy relies on the absolute integrity of the electoral process,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “Voters should have full confidence that all elections are held fairly and impartially. Interference in the electoral process in any way and at any stage endangers the expression of the will of the people, undermining the confidence of voters in what they vote for.

Spitzer added: “I refuse to allow our election process to be undermined and exploited by anyone. The decision to file criminal charges against an election candidate is not one I made lightly, but given the risk to the election process and since the City of Rancho Santa Margarita would have to pay for a special election if Gamble was re-elected, there was no choice but to how to initiate a criminal case before the election and warn voters that she has no right to run for the city council.”

Fullerton City Council candidate Scott Edward Markowitz pleaded guilty to the same offense earlier this month and was sentenced to 160 hours of community service.