CUSD Recall Committee To Submit Petitions to Registrar
More than 66,000 Recall Petition Signatures Gathered; Press Conference Will Take Place Just Before Final Submission to Registrar

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA   The CUSD Recall Committee proudly announces that it has successfully gathered more than enough petition signatures to recall embattled Capistrano Unified School District Trustees Shelia Benecke and Marlene Draper.

The Recall Committee gave Trustees Benecke and Draper until noon, last Friday, to resign or face certain recall.  Benecke and Draper did not respond, thereby leaving the CUSD Recall Committee no choice but to file the original recall petitions with the Registrar of Voters.

Representatives of the CUSD Recall Committee will hold a press conference at the office of the Registrar at noon Monday, January 28th and the original petition signatures will be submitted to the Registrar immediately afterward. 

Thomas Russell (Spokesperson, CUSD Recall Committee) and Tony Beall (Rancho Santa Margarita City Councilman and Member of the CUSD Recall Committee) will deliver public statements for the purpose of detailing the grounds for the recall, reviewing the recall process, and thanking the volunteers and officials who have made this historic event possible. 

All television, radio and print media are encouraged to attend.

Press Conference:

Date:        Monday, January 28, 2008
Time:        12:00 p.m.                 
Location:    At the Front Door of the
                 Orange County Registrar of Voters
                1300 S. Grand Avenue
                Building C
                Santa Ana, CA 92705

In 2005, the CUSD Recall Committee led South Orange County residents in the unprecedented campaign to recall all seven elected Trustees of the Capistrano Unified School District.  More than 177,000 signatures were obtained from South Orange County residents calling for the removal of all seven CUSD Trustees.

In November 2006, the CUSD Recall Committee's three "ABC Reform Slate" candidates (Ellen Addonizio, Anna Bryson and Larry Christensen) were elected to the CUSD Board of Trustees by landslide margins of victory.

In May 2007, as part of the on-going criminal investigation of the CUSD leaders, former CUSD Superintendent James Fleming was indicted on three felony counts (misappropriation of public funds, use of school funds to improperly defeat the CUSD Recall Committee's 2005 recall campaign, and conspiracy).  If convicted, Fleming could serve up to four years in prison.

The CUSD Recall Committee is leading the current campaign to recall CUSD Trustees Benecke and Draper for creating a culture of corruption at CUSD and for gross fiscal mismanagement.

Capistrano Recall Petitions Delivered to Registrar of Voters 

Santa Ana , CA January 28, 2008 - The CUSD Recall Committee delivered recall petitions to the Registrar of Voters today in an effort to force a recall election against trustees Sheila Benecke and Marlene Draper from the Capistrano Unified School District Board. By the group's estimation they have received approximately 62,000 signatures.

The committee needs 20,493 signatures per trustee to force a recall election.

The Registrar of Voters has 30 business days to verify the signatures. The deadline to complete signature verification is March 12, 2008.

"We take great care to ensure that every valid signature on a petition is accounted for," said Neal Kelley, Registrar of Voters. "Everyone involved can rest assured that we will act with the utmost professionalism and integrity," he continued. 

We will begin the certification process today, which will include a raw count of the signatures submitted.  The Registrar of Voters will not be providing updates or communicating with the proponents, school district or public once the certification process begins.  Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley has directed that a 100% examination of the petitions take place.  Information will be provided through a press release once the Registrar has certified the results.