Originally posted at www.liberaloc.com
Earlier this week, Fullerton School Board member and Fullerton Recall campaign leader Chris Thompson sent an email to those Fullerton voters who signed the recall petitions against three members of the Fullerton City Council. The email was a pitch for the pro-Bushala slate of Travis Kiger, Barry Levinson and Greg Seborn. Thompson apologized for the bad judgment yesterday, but the No Recall folks have taken this a step further and filed a formal complaint against Thomspon with the DA’s office.

Here’s the press release we received:

DISTRICT ATTORNEY COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST CHRIS THOMPSON FOR ILLEGALLY USING RECALL PETITIONS

Fullerton, CA – Yesterday Tony Bushala’s high priced campaign manager, Fullerton School Board Trustee Chris Thompson, sent a letter addressed to “Dear Fullerton Recall Petition Signer” (click here to view) in clear violation of Elections Code Section 18650. This code section protects the confidentiality of recall petition signers and makes it a misdemeanor for using the names for any purpose other than qualifying the recall

“Chris Thompson has been paid over $25,000 of the $260,000 Tony Bushala has contributed to the recall campaign. He fashions himself as an expert on all things campaign related. Yet, he willingly violates the privacy of recall petitioners despite the law prohibiting it. Thompson had the recall petitions in his possession and likely made copies for the purpose of using the signers for future political efforts – a clear violation of the law,” stated Bennett.

ELECTIONS CODE SECTION 18650   18650.  No one shall knowingly or willfully permit the list of signatures on an initiative, referendum, or recall petition to be used for any purpose other than qualification of the initiative or referendum measure or recall question for the ballot, except as provided in Section 6253.5 of the Government Code. Violation of this section is a misdemeanor.

This isn’t the first time Bushala and Thompson have violated the law in this campaign. Last fall while circulating petitions, both were arrested at least seven times for harassing and bullying residents into signing the recall petition.

Visit our website to see past Press Releases and other news:www.ProtectFullerton-RecallNO.com.

The release says Bushala and Thomspon were arrested, but not by Fullerton Police and a citizen’s arrest doesn’t quite count in my book.  But the anti-recall people have clearly found the appropriate rule of law that Thompson allegedly violated and more or less admitted to doing.

The large question is will the DA’s office actually prosecute.