Election Opponent Sues OC Education Board Trustee For ‘Defamation’ After Losing Race

Orange County Board of Education Trustee Tim Shaw is being sued by Paulette Chaffee—his opponent in the June election—for alleged defamation.

Last week, Chaffee—an educator and the wife of OC Supervisor Doug Chaffee—filed a lawsuit claiming she was defamed by two Shaw campaign mailers that called Chaffee a “convicted thief,” in reference to her being charged by the Orange County District Attorney on two misdemeanor counts.

Chaffee pled guilty in 2018 to two misdemeanor counts of petty theft for stealing campaign signs during her run for Fullerton City Council. Those signs, paid for by political activist Tony Bushala, called Chaffee a “carpetbagger”—referring to her move from her home to a condo in Fullerton’s District 5 in order to run for office.

Chaffee was required to pay Bushala $20 in restitution, $150 into the Victim Witness Emergency Fund, and $150 in state restitution and perform 60 hours of community service. After she complied, the district attorney dismissed her charges.

Chaffee’s lawsuit argues that Shaw’s mailers are “demonstrably false,” because she was never convicted as the charges were dismissed.

“The thousands of people who saw defendants’ mailers reasonably understood it to mean that plaintiff was convicted of the crime of theft; thus, exposing plaintiff to hatred, contempt, and ridicule,” the complaint reads. It goes on to say the mailers caused Chaffee to lose the race for the county Board of Education District 4 seat in the June primaries.

Shaw told The Epoch Times the lawsuit is “without merit” and he “looks forward to demonstrating that in court.”

This marks the third lawsuit brought against Shaw in just a year and a half.

Shaw was sued in January 2021 for simultaneously holding positions on the county Board of Education and the La Habra City Council.

Shaw initially resigned from the board in November 2021—but

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