Story Created:
Apr 7, 2010 at 6:49 PM PST
Story Updated:
Apr 7, 2010 at 6:49 PM PST
Members of a voters advocate group are claiming victory, saying that a lawsuit filed by Joe Ruiz, the owner of Expert Rooter Plumbing, South Gate, has resulted in a 50th Assembly District candidate changing his ballot designation.
Mike Roth, spokesman for Edvoice, said Ruiz’s suit was against Democrat Ricardo Lara of Bell Gardens, alleging that his occupation as consumer affairs commissioner was misrepresented on the election ballot.
Attorney Fredric Woocher of the firm Strumwasser and Woocher of Los Angeles, formally asked the secretary of state office, in a March 25 letter, to remove that designation and list Lara’s occupation as communications director for Assemblyman Kevin de Leon.
In his letter, Woocher said that Lara believes the consumer affairs commissioner was accurate based on his appointment to the Los Angeles County Consumer Affairs Commission, but he would withdraw that designation to avoid court costs “on this non-issue.”
Woocher on Tuesday confirmed the action and said “Mr. Lara wanted to spend more time with the voters instead of in court paying attorneys like me money. He can win with any ballot designation.”
Ryan Ruzon, a representative for Lara, said the candidate’s form allowed three designations and Lara chose one but had no problem going to another.
Records show that Lara was appointed by county Supervisor Gloria Molina to the county Consumer Affairs Advisory Commission, a panel that advises the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer Affairs on a range of consumer-related issues. He was appointed on Dec. 12, 2006.
“You would think that a candidate for state Assembly claiming to be a consumer affairs commissioner, would be astute enough to actually attend the commission meetings,” Ruiz said. “Or at least attend the first meeting after just filing his ballot label claiming to be a consumer affairs commissioner — but not Ricardo Lara.
“After skipping every single meeting for 13 straight months, why should he? Seniors, families and small business owners in [the district] deserve better. This kind of behavior shows a complete lack of respect for public service,” Ruiz added in a formal statement through Edvoice.
“Sacramento is broken, our economy is in tatters,” Roth said. Voters in the 50th Assembly District “need and deserve a leader in Sacramento who will stand up, show up, and fight for them when it counts. What we don’t need is someone like Lara who has shown more interest in padding his résumé than standing up for our families.”
Roth said Edvoice is not formally supporting any of the other candidates. They are Democrats Luis Marquez, a Downey City Council member and aide to state Sen. Allan Lowenthal, D-Long Beach; South Gate City Clerk Carmen Avalos and former Bellflower City Councilman Art Olivier.
Republicans are Gladys Miller of South Gate, an insurance adjuster; and P.J. Mellana, a creation supervisor who lives in Downey.
The candidates are seeking their parties’ nominations June 8 and will compete in the general election Nov. 2 for the seat of Assemblyman Hector De La Torre, D-South Gate, who is being termed out of office.
De La Torre is running for insurance commissioner on the Democratic ballot in the June 8 primary.
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