You know how Republicans are always complaining about “judicial activism?” Well, it turns out they don’t really mean it. Either that or they’re a bunch of hypocrites. (You decide.)

In Orange County’s CD 46 there’s a great Democratic contender, Huntington Beach Mayor Debbie Cook (at right), running against Dana Rohrabacher (R-Wingnut). Rohrabacker is a particularly odious Reep, being a supporter of convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and a believer that dinosaur flatulence is a cause of global warning. He also told Congress that he hoped the families of those who oppose torture of prisoners would “suffer the consequences” of a future terror attack.

If I had you at “Hello” and you’d like to contribute to Debbie’s campaign, here’s her ActBlue page.

In a year when Reeps are an endangered species, a popular mayor of one of the biggest cities in the 46th CD is apparently a real threat to Rohrabacher. Real enough that the GOP is resorting to judicial activism to force her to abandon the word “Mayor” in her ballot designation. Mike Schroeder, the Capo di Tutti Capi of the Orange County GOP crime family and former Chair of the California GOP, filed suit on March 17 in Orange County Superior Court to attempt just that.

Here’s Melahat Rafiei, Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Orange County, on the lawsuit:

Republicans constantly decry judicial intervention, or what they term ‘judicial activism,’ when the courts rule against them. But they don’t hesitate to bring the courts into play whenever it suits their purposes. The title of ‘Mayor’ has been used by candidates in hundreds, perhaps thousands of races in California in the last century. Ballot designations proposed by candidates for every office in California are reviewed by the office of the Secretary of State prior to being printed on the ballots used by the voters.

Capo Schroeder is well known for dragging his opponents into court with frivolous lawsuits in order to drain their campaign treasuries. (He seems to be particularly fond of picking on women.) The Secretary of State has already approved Cook’s ballot designation and Schroeder knows he’ll lose, but he continues to use judicial activism to legally steal from Cook’s campaign account.

Just in case this hypocrisy hasn’t raised your blood pressure enough, Orange County Republicans Neil Blais, Jeff Miller, and Curt Hagman, all candidates for State Assembly, have also used “Mayor” in their ballot designations. The response to them from the OC GOP? Schroeder claims he’s “not aware of that.” Can you say “double standard?”

Steve Baric, President of the California Republican Lawyer’s Association, and Keith Carlson, Treasurer of the California Republican Party, are also involved in the lawsuit against Cook. This ain’t just an Orange County thang — the whole California GOP is involved. Your Democratic Congressional candidate could be next.

But don’t get mad, get even. Donate to Debbie Cook’s campaign.