Fullerton Candidate Charged with Perjury and False Docs

Scott Markowitz, a candidate running for the Ward 4 seat on the Fullerton City Council, has been charged with felony perjury and submitting false documents after allegedly falsifying his nomination paperwork. Markowitz signed under penalty of perjury that he personally collected the required 30 signatures, but investigators found this to be untrue, with voters confirming he did not witness their signatures. Despite his name appearing on the ballot, Markowitz is ineligible to serve if elected, necessitating a costly special election for the city should he win. He was arrested and booked into the Santa Ana city jail, facing a maximum sentence of three years and eight months if convicted. The Orange County District Attorney emphasized the importance of electoral integrity in the decision to press charges before the election. This development underscores the critical need for transparency and adherence to legal obligations in the electoral process.