Feud between DA Tony Rackauckas heats up with Supervisor Spitzer

 Thuy Phan/Nguoi Viet

SANTA ANA, Calif.– Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas called an afternoon news conference to “discuss the recent impersonation of an assistant district attorney by an Orange County elected official while engaging in a political campaign.” That impersonator is former prosecutor and Supervisor Todd Spitzer, who is rumored to be running for the job of Orange County District Attorney.

 District Attorney Tony Rackauckas held a press conference to address Supervisor Todd Spitzer’s impersonation of an assistant district attorney in a robocall that went out over the weekend. (Photo: Thuy Phan/Nguoi Viet)

The robocall message took place over the weekend with Spitzer identifying himself “as an assistant district attorney” and urging voters to vote yes on Measure A on June 7^th.

“On May 26, 2016, Supervisor Todd Spitzer falsely claimed to be an employee of the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and proceeded to engage in political activities that encourage residents to vote in a certain way for a ballot measure by using this false identity,” said Rackauckas.

Spitzer worked as a prosecutor for the District Attorney’s office but was fired by Rackauckas in 2010. Rackauckas said he is asking for Spitzer to do three things to rectify the misrepresentation.

“We’re calling on Mr. Spitzer to formally apologize to the public and to the 300 prosecutors who work in the Orange County District Attorney’s office that proudly hold the title or deputy or assistant district attorney,” Rackaukas said. “We also want him to promise he’ll never engage in the false impersonation of a district attorney ever again, and make amends by contacting the same voters and correcting the false identification and using his own funds.”

Asked by a reporter if this press conference was appropriate considering Spitzer’s potential run for district attorney, Rackaukas said he felt it was “required.”

“I’m not seeking to file any criminal charges,” Rackauckas said. “What we need to do is straighten out the impersonation. We’re calling on him to do that and I think its necessary for him to do that.”

—-

To contact the writer: thuyphan@nguoi-viet.com