CA: Funds quest creates concern/Political donations don't buy late influence at the Capitol

The Press-Enterprise ^ | 9/12/04 | Jim Miller

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SACRAMENTO - Inland lawmakers acted on hundreds of bills last month, but also found time to raise hefty campaign contributions from donors with a stake in some of the legislation.

Lawmakers finished their two-year legislative session in the early hours of Aug. 28, culminating four weeks of lengthy floor sessions and frenetic lobbying.

They also collected about $2 million at fund-raisers near the Capitol. The money, mostly given in amounts from $1,000 to $3,200, will be used for legislators' own November races or to help other candidates.

But some critics say the end-of-session quest for political cash feeds a perception of moneyed interests influencing lawmakers.

"If they're speaking to people with money with a vested interest in a policy decision, but they don't make time for people who don't make contributions, that is going to skew public policy," said Paul Ryan, the political reform project director at the Center for Governmental Studies in Los Angeles.

Assemblyman Bob Dutton, R-Rancho Cucamonga, rejected any idea that the donations buy access.

"Nobody gets special treatment," he said. "The reason why you do it in August is that once session is over, everybody vacates town. They're not around," Dutton said. "A lot of people who would be potential investors in a campaign are in Sacramento."

Dutton and other Inland lawmakers raised a combined $146,000 last month, according to state campaign-finance reports. Among some Inland lawmakers' August contributions, and the donors' legislative goals:

Assemblyman Todd Spitzer, R-Orange, received $2,200 from GlaxoSmithKline and Assemblyman Russ Bogh, R-Cherry Valley, received $1,000 from Pfizer Inc. Both pharmaceutical companies oppose AB 1957, which would allow the state to explore purchasing less expensive drugs from Canada. The Assembly sent the measure to Gov. Schwarzenegger on Aug. 27.

Spitzer, Bogh and most other Assembly Republicans voted no.

Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia, R-Cathedral City, received $1,000 from Union Pacific Railroad. Spitzer received $1,000 from Burlington Northern Santa Fe. Both railroad companies opposed SB 1397, which would have allowed a Southern California air district to levy fees on polluting locomotives.

The measure failed in the Assembly Aug. 27. Garcia, Spitzer, other Republicans and some Democrats voted no.

Among the biggest legislative fights last month was over AB 1839.

It would give car buyers three days to decide whether to keep a vehicle.

In August, car interests who opposed the bill contributed from $1,000 to $3,200 to Bogh, Spitzer, Garcia, Assemblyman John J. Benoit, R-Palm Desert, state Sen. Jim Battin, R-La Quinta, and Dutton.

The measure passed the Senate and Assembly on Aug. 27. Bogh, Spitzer, Garcia, Benoit and Dutton voted no; Battin did not vote.

Dutton, who received $2,250 from car dealers groups last month, said he voted against AB 1839 because he thought the bill was bad public policy.

"If that bill became law, why would anybody want to rent a car?" he said.

Benoit said he ignored political donations when considering how he would vote last month.

"I have never felt any pressure," Benoit said. "It may sound like a lot of money, but $3,200 is not enough to sway anybody's vote."

Benoit, who faces nominal opposition for re-election, said he would use most of his political money to help other Republican candidates this fall, such as Garcia.

During last year's gubernatorial recall campaign, Schwarzenegger called for a ban on fundraising while the state budget was under consideration. It would be "ideal," he added in his Sept. 18, 2003, remarks, to expand a ban to cover the end of the legislative session.

Since his election, however, Schwarzenegger has not pursued any fund-raising restrictions.

Some Inland lawmakers raised nothing last month. They include legislators who must leave office this year because of term limits or who are not up for election this fall.

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