Thursday, March 15, 2018
Page 1
Judicial Candidate Loses Ballot Designation Identifying Him as U.S. Air Force Captain
Titles of Two Other Contenders Remain ‘Under Review’
By a MetNews Staff Writer
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KEN FULLER Deputy District Attorney |
The ballot designation for prosecutor Ken Fuller, a candidate for Los Angeles Superior Court Office No. 126, has been changed from what he submitted.
The designation he chose was “Deputy District Attorney/Captain, U.S. Air Force.” It was initially accepted by the Los Angeles County Office of Registrar-Recorder, but then came “under review” by that office and the Office of County Counsel.
As of yesterday, the words “Captain, U.S. Air Force” are excised.
Fuller did not respond to an emailed requst for comment.
Elections Code Provision
Elections Code §13107 was amended last year to provide, effective Jan. 1, that an attorney for a government agency may use a ballot designation with his or her “actual job title.” That portion of the statute does not provide for inclusion of more than one occupation.
Fuller is a captain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve’s Judge Advocate General Corps.
A competitor for the Superior Court open seat on the June 5 ballot, Senior Deputy County Counsel Rene Caldwell Gilbertson, would not comment, other than to say:
“It appears Mr. Fuller’s designation is listed as Deputy District Attorney, County of Los Angeles. I have no objection to that designation.”
She did not respond to an inquiry as to whether she will challenge the designation of her other opponent, Shlomo Frieman, who is listed as “Attorney/Volunteer Adjudicator.” There is case law baring the use of an unpaid position.
Still Being Mulled
Remaining under review yesterday were the designations requested by Sydne Jane Michel—“Senior Deputy Prosecutor, City of Redondo Beach”—and former Los Angeles Deputy City Attorney Onica Valle Cole, who wanted to be identified as “Consumer Protection Prosecutor.”
Cole, who was fired Jan. 3, applied for unemployment compensation and the city took the position that its reserve account should not be charged because her employment was terminated based on misconduct. The state Employment Development Department advised the city:
“You discharged the claimant for entering false information on work records. After considering the available information, the department finds the reasons for discharge do not meet the definition of misconduct connected with the work.”
Michel is seeking Office No. 16 and Cole is campaigning for Office No. 67.
Meanwhile Deputy District Attorney Troy Davis is readying to seek a writ in the Los Angeles Superior Court challenging the ballot designation of his sole rival for Office No. 118, criminal defense attorney David D. Diamond, whose ballot designation of “Police Commissioner/Attorney” has been approved by the county. Diamond is an unpaid member of the Burbank Police Commission.
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