On November 1, 2024, our citywide embarrassment was finally charged. Rancho Santa Margarita Mayor, and 25-year politician, Carol Gamble accepted a plea deal to reduce her felony perjury charge to Misdemeanor and 160 hours of community service. She was facing over 3 years in jail for the felony. To say this is a travesty of justice is an understatement. She still shows no remorse and is trying to gaslight residents into painting herself as some kind of victim. We will run through a quick timeline and then look at the articles and quotes that are undiluted lies.

Timeline

First, read the DA press release published on October 30, 2024. What was the crime? She claimed she had personally witnessed each of the 30 signatures on her nomination paperwork. She did not. Here is the timeline for the nomination paperwork dates. This will make sense when we look at her gaslighting.

Aug 9 — Deadline to submit nomination paperwork.

Aug 10 — Last day to withdraw

Aug 16 — RSM City Clerk, Amy Diaz, was notified of the error on Carol Gambles’ nomination paperwork.

Aug 19 — Last day the public can review the candidate statements

Aug 18 — I was alerted by whistle-blowers about the paperwork problem, and I suggested they get notarized statements and then proceeded to research courses of action with other residents.

Aug 22 — This is the day I filed my complaint about Carol not witnessing the signatures for the city attorney, secretary of state, Orange County sheriff, and registrar of voters.

Aug 30 through Oct 9 — I and other residents made statements in public comments at city council meetings on three occasions about this problem.

Oct 17 — The DA interviews all the witnesses and the signature gatherer, who I’m told admitted to collecting all the signatures, but I haven’t talked to him personally.

Oct 17 — The DA tried to interview Carol Gamble, but she refused and lawyered up.

Oct 20 — Carol removed all her campaign signs around town and orchestrated a weak statement to the OC Register about dropping out for an “inaccurate statement.”

Oct 23 — Carol misses the city council meeting, and the rest of the city council refuses to address the issue or attempt to alert residents that Carol is no longer eligible for office.

Nov 1 — Carol officially faces the judge and receives her charges.

Gamble’s False Statements

Considering that timeline, let’s examine Carol’s statements in the press over the past few days through her lawyer.

Oct 31 — LA Times — statement from her attorney:

Paul S. Meyer, attorney for Gamble, said his client voluntarily contacted the district attorney’s office through representatives and quickly took responsibility for her error, which included suspending her campaign and returning all contributions.

“Her good faith actions were communicated to the district attorney,” Meyer said. “Ms. Gamble apologized to her supporters and has acknowledged her responsibility. As a good citizen, she stepped forward long before a case was filed, and did the right thing.”

Nov 1 — CBS News:

In her affidavit, Gamble said she witnessed the supporters sign the document however, numerous voters who signed her paperwork told investigators that she did not witness them signing the nomination forms, according to the OCDA.

Nov 1 — OC Register — statement from her attorney – this is where the most intense gaslighting happens. She knew for months about the problem and was hoping she would skate, like she always does:

DA investigators earlier this week said Gamble, a candidate for the City Council’s District 3 seat, signed her candidate nomination paperwork under the penalty of perjury attesting that she had circulated the paperwork and collected the nomination signatures on it. But multiple people who had signed the nomination paperwork told investigators that she did not circulate it or witness their signatures, the DA said.

“Is she embarrassed? Of course. Ms. Gamble is a wonderful and respected woman who devoted decades to create and grow a city she loves,” her attorney, Paul S. Meyer, said in a statement Friday. Meyer said as soon as Gamble realized her mistake, she contacted the city to correct it. But she was not aware of the “error” until after the deadline to fix it had passed, he said.

“The people who learned of the error held the information until the deadline for correction had passed,” Meyer said. “That was their right to do so. Such is politics in today’s world.”

“The law did not allow a correction,” Meyer said. “She consulted two expert election attorneys who confirmed that the law does not permit correction at that time. She had her lawyer notify the DA of her decision to admit the mistake and to resign if elected.” If elected, the DA’s office said Gamble would not be eligible to serve on the City Council.

Summary

Usually, to get a plea deal as sweet as this, you need to actually do something, like actually try to let residents know and have the decency to face them at the city council and atone. But Carol Gamble is remorseless and flat-out lying. We alerted law enforcement and the city at the absolute earliest opportunity. It was only a few days between finding out and filing. There is no “cure period” for this, the only option was to drop out immediately so she wouldn’t be on the ballot and wouldn’t disenfranchise the voters. Will the city council try and play games with her replacement if Carol happens to win the vote?

My conversation with a rep from OCGOP was very alarming. First, he told me that he was instructed by Fred Whitaker that Carol’s opponent was a Democrat, and that’s why they were still endorsing Carol, even though she was no longer eligible. The opponent is a registered Republican, and I made the rep look it up; his response was, “Wow, why did they lie to me? I’ve been wondering why no one around here seemed to care about this.” We’ll see what happens, but one thing we’ve learned in this cycle is that incumbents actually rarely get their own signatures, even when all they need is 20. They’ve gotten away with it for so long that they don’t mind signing under penalty of felony perjury. This will mostly stop if DA Todd Spitzer really starts throwing the book at the worst offenders, like Carol Gamble.