Mayor Loses Ruling in Post-Election Fight

A judge on Tuesday turned down Compton Mayor Omar Bradley’s request for a temporary restraining order to stop the official certification of his defeat in the June 5 municipal elections.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge David Yaffe said Bradley’s request had not been filed with sufficient notice to the other parties, including the city of Compton and the mayor-elect, Eric Perrodin. Yaffe also noted that Bradley had already filed a lawsuit contesting the election and demanding a recount in Compton Superior Court. That is the best forum for Bradley to prove his case, the judge said.

On Tuesday night, a motion to certify the election results died for lack of a second at the Compton City Council, which is controlled by Bradley.

The mayor has argued that election fraud occurred, particularly among absentee and Latino voters. Last week he suggested that all Compton voters with Latino surnames be investigated to determine if they are citizens eligible to vote.

He also has noted that the turnout for the June 5 runoff election was higher than the number of people casting ballots in the April 17 race--an increase unprecedented in Compton history.

Bradley, seeking a third four-year term, lost to Perrodin, a deputy district attorney running for public office for the first time, by 261 votes out of more than 10,000 cast.