As Election Day approaches for Area 5’s new trustee of the San Dieguito Union High School District, a recall from Area 4 trustee Michael Allman continues to simmer.
Allman’s attorney recently filed a cease-and-desist statement against the callers raiding Area 4 neighborhoods, which include parts of Del Mar, Carmel Valley and Rancho Santa Fe, accusing them of illegal signature-gathering and defamation.
The cease and desist statement, filed Oct. 8, alleges that the San Dieguito Faculty Association and petition circulators are repeatedly telling lies and falsehoods about Allman in at least California’s electoral law and civil code.
“These falsehoods include misrepresentations and open lies that Mr. Allman is being investigated by the police, violated the Ralph M. Brown Act, runs an illegal Facebook group, is a racist and inappropriately touched signature collectors. “Wrote Allman’s attorney, Matthew Alvarez.
“We believe that you and your agents are acting on ‘real malice’ – which means that you actually know what you are saying is false or that you are ruthlessly disregarding the truth or falsity of what you are saying,” Alvarez continued. “You could also face punitive or model damages if a court finds that your actions are particularly outrageous.”
Duncan Brown, president of the San Dieguito Faculty Association (SDFA), said the cease and desist was given on a Friday evening at 5 p.m. of the signature collection.
“The attorney we spoke to makes no claim that Allman can really hang his hat,” Brown said, claiming that the allegations of lying to voters were not true.
Brown believes the omission is just an act of intimidation, as the legal document personally identifies itself and Brian VanRiper, founder of Method Campaign Services, a company the SDFA hired to assist in the signature collection process.
Brown said 96% of SDFA members voted to spend up to $ 60,000 on their political action committee hiring Method Campaign Services for paid signature collection. Brown said $ 25,000 has been spent to date.
Proponents of the recall have until November 16 to collect the required 5,008 signatures in Area 4. According to the San Diego County’s electoral roll, the recall election would cost the district between $ 300,000 and $ 500,000.
According to SDUHSD Interim Superintendent Lucile Lynch, the district will not know the exact cost of the November 2nd special election until the actual ballots are processed. The range they received from the county ranged from $ 450,000 to $ 650,000, but a postal vote is said to save the district about $ 150,000.
In the signature collection process, Brown said they weren’t where they’d like to be, but they had renewed motivation among members.
“We had a really good last week and now with a paid signature company we’re still optimistic that we can achieve our goal,” said Brown.
Just as Allman accused Brown and SDFA of using dirty tactics, Brown accused Allman and his supporters this summer of persecuting, harassing and intimidating parents and teachers who were out to collect signatures.
Allman has denied these allegations – he said he and his supporters went with the teachers when they searched the neighborhoods to dispel any allegations that could be misleading, but their actions never resulted in harassment, verbal or physical assault.
Brown said that both as a board member and during this recall, he believes Allman’s behavior exceeded the limits of proper conduct and protocol.
“We just really think Michael Allman is not right for San Dieguito,” said Brown.
As his volunteer supporters comb through the neighborhood, Allman said they collected about 100 anti-recall statements that could revoke a signature on the recall petition or “vaccinate” someone so that one signature never counts.
At the board meeting in San Dieguito on October 14th, Allman said it was good speaking to people and the opinions he hears from voters are that they are dissatisfied with the removal and that they are “angry about it.” are the sneaky tactics used by “the teachers union.”
He believes the recall will be over soon and that the SDFA will not achieve its signature goal.
“When that happens, the leadership of our faculty union owes it to us to move forward and work constructively with the board,” Allman said. “I know I will, I hope you will too.”
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