Two Lawyers who are Bleeding South Orange County Dry.

Published May 6, by a friend, on Voters Rights Substack.

In the shadowy world of municipal politics, there are often players whose motives seem shrouded in mystery. One such enigma for the residents of Rancho Santa Margarita (RSM) and Laguna Hills is city attorney Greg Simonian, the attorney for both—a figure whose name seems inexorably linked with fiscal mismanagement and questionable decisions. And yet, despite repeated warnings and public outcry, the city finds itself again entangled in a web of legal battles, with Simonian at the center of it all.

At the heart of this controversy lies Simonian’s insatiable appetite for billing taxpayers in what can only be described as losing situations. While residents struggle with rising taxes and dwindling public services, Simonian is the only one reaping any benefits. But why is Simonian giving such lousy advice to RSM, exposing the city to a $200,000 expense to the plaintiff instead of $30,000, not counting Simonian’s fee?

Simonian, who lives in neither RSM nor neighboring Laguna Hills, stands to gain handsomely from his involvement in these legal battles. His modus operandi seems clear: committing taxpayer money to a losing cause while padding his pockets. Laguna Hills will be his biggest haul. They are refusing to abide by the CVRA demand when much bigger and better-financed cities have failed to win a fight against it.

But what motivates Simonian to pursue these costly legal battles? The answer lies in his desire to prove his own greatness at the expense of hardworking taxpayers. Simonian pushes fiscal responsibility boundaries with each case he takes, leaving city coffers depleted, and residents disillusioned.

Simonian is not alone in his quest for financial gain and glory at the taxpayers’ expense. Scott Smith, former city attorney of San Clemente and current city attorney for Laguna Niguel, has also thrown his hat into the ring, eager to make up for past failures by litigating rather than settling cases. Allegations abound that Smith would rather drag out legal proceedings than seek swift resolutions, all in the name of profit for himself and his firm.

But the true victims in this sordid saga are the residents of RSM and Laguna Niguel, who find themselves caught in the crossfire of legal battles they never asked for. My spies tell me that the ACLU is poised to send yet another letter to RSM, and Laguna Niguel is facing potential lawsuits for fraudulent statements; the future looks bleak for these beleaguered cities.

As the legal battles rage on, one can’t help but wonder: what do these cities stand to gain by going to court? Are their attorneys merely seeking to pad their own pockets at the expense of taxpayers, regardless of the outcome? With each passing day, it becomes increasingly clear that the true winners in these legal battles are the attorneys, while the residents foot the bill.

In the end, the residents of RSM and Laguna Niguel pay the ultimate price for the folly of their leaders. As the legal bills pile up and public services suffer, one can only hope that accountability will prevail and those responsible for this fiscal debacle will be held accountable. Until then, the taxpayers of RSM can only watch helplessly as their hard-earned dollars vanish into the abyss of legal fees, with Greg Simonian and his ilk waiting eagerly to claim their next payday.

Laguna Niguel faces potential legal trouble for allegedly making fraudulent statements to oppose the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA). Led by city councilman Ray Gennawey, the city claimed the CVRA demand letter was disingenuous because the plaintiff’s attorney is allegedly a “vile, vengeful wife.” These accusations suggest a deliberate obstruction of civil rights. 

Our spies tell us that the ACLU will soon send another letter to RSM, and Laguna Niguel will receive the same letter shortly. As legal proceedings progress, further revelations may emerge, and millions in legal fees may be incurred; who benefits from that other than the city attorneys?