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

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

Prosecutors said Gamble filed petitions for her re-election to the City Council, which violated the law because she did not personally witness the signatures being signed. If she is re-elected Tuesday, she would be unable to take office and the city would have to hold a special election, prosecutors said.

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

“As soon as she learned of the error, she contacted the city to correct it,” he added. “The law did not allow for correction. She consulted with two election experts who confirmed the law at the time did not allow for correction. “She asked her attorney to notify the (district attorney’s office) of her decision to admit the error and resign if elected.”

Meyer noted that officials who “learned about the error kept the information until the correction period expired. It was their right to do so. This is politics in today’s world.”

Gamble “released a statement admitting her mistake. She voluntarily agreed to return all of her contributions and did so,” Meyer said. “She said she would resign if elected. None of this is required in today’s statement. It’s all voluntary.”

Meyer said Gamble is “embarrassed” and added that she is “a wonderful and respected woman who has dedicated decades to creating and growing the city she loves. She appreciates the opportunity to work long hours for decades in the service industry. She thanks everyone for their tremendous help.” an outpouring of support and shock at how the law works here.”

Prosecutors said Gamble, who was mayor for four terms, agreed to plead guilty to the misdemeanor, perform 160 hours of community service and serve one year of probation.

“American democracy rests on the absolute integrity of the electoral process,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement. “Voters should have complete confidence that all elections are conducted fairly and impartially. Interfering with the electoral process in any way and at any stage compromises the will of the people as it is being exercised and undermines voters’ confidence that their vote matters.”

Spitzer added: “I refuse to allow anyone to undermine and exploit our election process. The decision to pursue criminal charges against a candidate prior to the election is not a decision 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 were re-elected, there was no choice but how to file a criminal case before the election and warn voters that she will be disqualified from running for City Council.”

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