D.A. to Review SJC City Council Election Complaint

The Orange County District Attorney’s office is reviewing complaints stemming from the San Juan Capistrano City Council election.

Deputy District Attorney Ray Armstrong, who serves in the DA’s special prosecutions unit, confirmed that he will be reviewing complaints brought by local resident Edmond Connor, who . The two ran as a slate.

Connor’s concerns were two-fold: The Capistrano Common Sense newsletter acted as a political action committee, or PAC; and a related website, known as Capistrano Common Sense Solutions, now defunct and which promoted Byrnes’ and McCarthy’s candidacies, also served as PAC but failed to register as a recipient committee to receive political donations.

Byrnes ended up as the top vote-getter in the Nov. 6 election, while McCarthy finished third in the race for two seats.

McCarthy, who serves as on the editorial board, has previously called the Connor’s complaints – which were also submitted to the state Fair Political Practices Commission – as “censorship.”

She could not be reached for comment about the latest development. Byrnes said he has not been contacted by anybody and doesn't know anything about the possible investigations.