Gary Dunlap May Be Running For Santa Barbara District Attorney
A Solvang lawyer who has a civil-rights lawsuit pending against Santa Barbara County prosecutors took a step Friday toward running for District Attorney.
Gary Dunlap, 64, took out a petition that candidates can use to reduce their filing fees, according to Marlene Veatch, Santa Maria supervisor of the county Elections Division.
The signature in lieu of filing fees process, which ends Feb. 23, is often the first step taken by candidates running for office.
Dunlap did not return calls for comment late Friday.
Candidates for district attorney don't have to file for candidacy until March 10. If no candidate receives a majority of votes during a June 6 primary, the race will be decided Nov. 7 during a run-off election.
The district attorney position pays $121,056 annually.
Assistant District Attorney Christie Stanley, who supervises prosecutors in Santa Maria, is the only other person who has expressed interest in replacing retiring District Attorney Tom Sneddon.
Sneddon will leave office in December 2006 after his sixth four-year term.
"I welcome any opponents," Stanley said Friday. "And I plan to win the race."
Dunlap has sued the District Attorney's Office and accused Stanley and other prosecutors of violating his civil rights, inflicting emotional distress and interfering with his law practice by wrongfully prosecuting him on charges of suborning perjury and witness tampering.
A federal judge has set an Aug. 7 trial date for the $10 million lawsuit, which is to take place in Los Angeles.
A Santa Maria jury in 2003 acquitted Dunlap of six felony counts, including suborning perjury, witness intimidation, filing false documents and preparing false documents.
Dunlap pleaded no contest to misdemeanor marijuana possession and an infraction for possessing drug paraphernalia, two violations that surfaced when his home and office were searched as part of the investigation.
Stanley declined comment on the pending civil case.
Source: santamariatimes/MJJF/eMJey