Posted on 09/03/2007 9:46:58 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
LOS ANGELES
Lawyers behind a California ballot proposal that could benefit the 2008 Republican presidential nominee have ties to a Texas homebuilder who financed attacks on Democrat John Kerry's Vietnam War record in the 2004 presidential campaign.
Charles H. Bell and Thomas Hiltachk's law firm banked nearly $65,000 in fees from a California-based political committee funded almost solely by Bob J. Perry that targeted Democrats in 2006. Perry, a major Republican donor, contributed nearly $4.5 million to the group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth that made unsubstantiated but damaging attacks on Kerry three years ago.
The Perry-financed committee in California, the Economic Freedom Fund, continued to spend money this year, mostly on legal expenses tied to an ongoing legal dispute in Indiana over phone calls made to voters in 2006. It lists the Sacramento law office's address as its home and its Web site directs contributions to the firm, Bell, McAndrews & Hiltachk. In addition, Bell serves as the committee's treasurer.
Hiltachk has been pushing a proposal to revamp the way California awards its electoral votes, a change Democrats claim would rig the 2008 race. He and Bell are the sole officers of a new political committee, Californians for Equal Representation, that is raising money to place the plan on the ballot in June.
Their success could hinge on whether they get the financial backing to collect more than 400,000 petition signatures needed to qualify the proposal for the ballot. And while Perry has not donated to their cause, his wealth and connections make him a potential financier for a drive that could cost more than $1 million. Running a statewide campaign would cost millions more.
Democrats are working to defeat the effort and already have lined up supporters such as Hollywood producer Stephen Bing, whose credits include the 2000 "Get Carter" remake with Sylvester Stallone.
Supporters say the vote-change plan could open a new era of fairness in presidential contests. But the law firm's link to Perry and other Republican candidates and causes will make it difficult to separate the proposal from partisan politics.
Bell, McAndrews & Hiltachk is one of the most politically involved law firms in the state. According to a news story on its Web site, Bell keeps a life-sized cardboard image of President Bush in his office. Federal records show the firm does legal work for a host of political committees, most with Republican or business ties.
"It comes across as a power grab," said Republican analyst Allan Hoffenblum, who predicted the proposal would likely fail in the Democratic-leaning state. Even Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger offered a lukewarm assessment of the idea.
But without money, from Perry or other sources, the proposal will never take off. To get on the ballot "it needs money," Hoffenblum said. "I'll be very surprised if they are able to raise the funds."
Perry spokesman Anthony Holm said it was unlikely the Texan would get involved or donate to the effort, but he didn't rule it out.
Kevin Eckery, a spokesman for Californians for Equal Representation, said Perry has no connection to the group and "as far as I know, Perry has not been solicited for any donations."
He said the law firm which represents the state Republican Party and has worked for Schwarzenegger provides legal services for numerous political groups and their office is usually listed as the official address for legal purposes.
"Cherry picking one ... is kind of a cheap shot," Eckery said.
A spokesman for the state Democratic Party said the firm's link to Perry was troubling, given his involvement with the Swift Boat group.
The push to alter the division of electoral votes in California a change with national implications "is nothing more than an attempt by right-wing Republicans to change the rules in ways that benefits them," said the spokesman, Roger Salazar.
Perry, who is close with former White House adviser Karl Rove, donated $5 million to the Economic Freedom Fund in 2006. His contribution provided virtually all of the group's budget for advertising, automated telephone calls and other expenses for races around the country.
Most of the fund's political work was handled by another Sacramento firm, Meridian Pacific, records show.
The fight over California's electoral votes is shaping up as an important subplot in the national campaign.
Like most states, California awards all its electoral votes to the statewide winner in presidential elections. But in the most populous state that amounts to 55 votes the largest single prize in the nation.
Under the ballot proposal, the statewide winner would get only two electoral votes. The rest would be distributed to the winning candidate in each of the state's congressional districts.
In effect that would create 53 races, each with one electoral vote up for grabs. President Bush carried 22 of those districts in 2004, while losing the statewide vote by double digits.
The so-called Presidential Election Reform Act, if it qualifies for the ballot and is approved by voters, could shift those votes into the GOP column in 2008 and potentially alter the outcome of the race.
Only Maine and Nebraska allocate electoral votes by congressional district.
“viscous?”
Viscosity: That property of a body in virtue of which, when flow occurs inside it, forces arise in such a direction as to oppose the flow.
Sounds like inherently internally conflicted.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
It is easy to loose track of the things they do that demonstrate their hypocrisy, especially since the media almost never call them on it.
Just a Leftist Rag like all the rest of them. We quit their paper years ago, and hang up on them when they call with their free trial, or reduced rate subscriptions to this day.
The media has succeeded in sullying the reputation of the Swifties among non conservatives.
But personally, I think I've tried to explain what I knew to be true a few years ago.
I wasn't going off on some uninformed right wing rant about the left wing's domination of the media. I merely voiced my opinion about the RVSD Press Enterprise.
Forget that bull loney...Ha!!
You ain't too far from me now..I'm in NE Okla. 27 miles from nowhere..but near B'ville, OK.
Be of good cheer....
‘richard cranium’, guffaw! :-)
My angle has been one of ignorance!!
I had honestly never heard of the paper before. It was obvious though that it was left wing as hell.
I'm in Springfield. I will be down in Tulsa at the end of the month to pick up some friends at the airport.
I'm pretty much stuck there.......
Ha!!
FRegards,
A Pete Wilson crony (ex deputy secretary in the State and Consumer Services Agency)
Washington Post, February 11, 2007, "Giuliani Strikes a Note With California GOP"
Giuliani's speech "hit the right tone and the right messages," said Kevin C. Eckery, a Sacramento-based Republican political consultant. "He managed to be true to himself and connect with an audience that is more conservative than he is. It shows he can do it."
Sorry, wrong response address.
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