The Bunny provides proof of residency

The miscarriage of justice is posted on the OC BLOG. Though the judge found very thin proof, he did rule in Mrs. Rudat favor. I will post later on my thoughts on the race and what will need to happen now.

"Evasive, Cloudy" Carol Rudat's Votes Will be Counted

A little while ago, Judge James Gray undid his tentative ruling not to count any votes Orange Council candidate will receive, leaving it to the voters of Orange to send this carpetbagger packing.

I have to go to the Harbors, Beaches and Parks Commission meeting, so I won't be able to write comprehensive post until later.

Carol Rudat basically heeded Judge Gray's admonition earlier this morning about what was necessary to provide residency, and Rudat's lawyer supplied it in the form of some utility and water bills. Even though there were some pretty hinky things about them, it was sufficient.

Carol Rudat spent a long time on the witness stand being questioned by her attorney (Alan Burns), attorney Phil Greer and Judge Gray himself. It was like watching Bill Clinton give a deposition.

After a frsutrating experience trying to get a straight answer out of Rudat as to when she started living full time at the Orange bungalow, Judge Gray gave his ruling.

He stated his great reluctance for the courts to get involved in an election, and that he "took a dim view of perjury." He also stated he wouldn't rule on whether she lived in the Orange bungalow when she registered to vote there in April.

He also crtiicized Carol Rudat's testimony as "evasive, cloudy, and I think intentionally so."

He would focus on two criteria:

1) Is she an elector in the City of Orange? Judge Gray judged that she was.
2) Was she an Orange voter when candidate papers were issued? Gray said there "was no evidence that she was not."

Frankly, after Judge Gray questioned Rudat, during which he was clearly growing frustrated with her evasive, cagey answers, I thought he might rule against against her. And although I don't think Judge Gray believes Rudat -- in response to several questions from Phil Greer as to whether she lived at the bungalow when she registered to vote there, Rudat refused to give a simple "Yes" -- I believe he went with his reluctance to not interfere with an election, and Rudat's lawyers gave him enough info to enable him stay out of it.