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Posted on 10/07/2002 5:59:36 PM PDT by L.N. Smithee
Associated Press Writer
Published 5:20 p.m. PDT Monday, October 7, 2002
LOS ANGELES (AP) - GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon made an explosive - and unsubstantiated - accusation Monday that he had evidence Gov. Gray Davis had broken the law by accepting a campaign contribution at a state Capitol office.
But Simon's campaign quickly acknowledged they had no evidence - just the word of a law enforcement organization that has endorsed Simon and sparred with Davis.
And later Monday, two people who said they were present at the time said the 1998 contribution in question was in fact made in Davis' Los Angeles campaign office.
Simon made the accusation at a press conference after his debate with Davis, sending reporters scurrying to confirm it. He has repeatedly criticized Davis for his record-breaking campaign fund-raising.
Davis campaign adviser Garry South called the accusation "a desperate move" and said the governor had operated within the law.
After Simon said his campaign would produce evidence of Davis' alleged illegal act, campaign aides told reporters they had learned of a letter being submitted to the state's campaign finance watchdog agency, but did not actually have it.
Indeed, Thomas Hiltachk, a lawyer representing the California Organization of Police and Sheriffs, delivered a letter to the Fair Political Practices Commission, stating that the group had given $10,000 to Davis in his office when he was lieutenant governor and a gubernatorial candidate.
"On or about Jan. 31, 1998, the former executive director of COPS, Al Angele personally delivered a camp contribution" to Davis' Capitol office, the letter states.
Angele, who has since retired from the group, disputed the claim Monday, telling reporters that he met with Davis in the governor's Southern California campaign headquarters.
"I've never been in his office in my life," Angele said, saying he had not been informed about COPS' plan to make such an allegation. "I don't understand it. It's out of left field, totally unbelievable."
Plus, South and Frank Grimes, who was then the law enforcement liaison for Davis, also said they recalled the 1998 meeting taking place in Davis' Los Angeles campaign office.
Davis aides in July accused the COPS group of endorsing Simon after Davis appointed one of his aides to replace a COPS executive on a law enforcement advisory commission.
COPS scheduled an 11 a.m. news conference Tuesday in Los Angeles at which Hiltachk said it will offer proof of its claims and respond to comments made by South.
"We stand behind the allegations" despite Angele's denial, Hiltachk said. "We wouldn't have made them if we didn't think it was true."
Of Angele's recollection, Hiltachk said, "I don't believe that's true. I believe he's mistaken."
However, Hiltachk would offer no proof Monday that the exchange took place in the Capitol, saying, "Come to the press conference tomorrow."
---
Editor's note: Associated Press Writer Don Thompson contributed to this report.
If the goods aren't there, they can say so tomorrow afternoon. Why the rush to allege "there is no there there" before the press conference? Why doesn't Bluth acknowledge as readily as the COPS group contention with Davis the fact that South and his buddy have no motivation to be truthful about the allegation?
Bill Simon could produce video of Gray Davis having sex with a 5 year old boy while smoking crack and robbing a convenience store and the SacBee would STILL report that the Simon campaign is resorting to desperate tactics.
This is another example of campaiging on an issue that will not take one vote away from Davis. It will not cause one undecided voter to vote for Simon. It will turn some voters away from Simon.
How many times did Gore and Clinton collect money in the White House with no controlling legal authority. How many times has this kind of issue been floated with no impact before Simon figures out this story won't work.
Davis would have had to take the money for personal luxury to make it work with voters. A couple of Rolex watches and a time piece to be named later can do a candidate in as the Torch can attest. But collecting campaign money from anyone, anytime, anywhere is a worthless issue with the center and Democrats.
Simon has to be stuborn with an I.Q. of about 80 to do all the stupid things he has done. When you are in a hole the firt rule is to stop digging. Simon keeps trying to get a bigger steam shovel.
Well, at its far outskirts, maybe...
It was often said that the only thing that would bring WJC down would be finding him in bed with a dead girl or a live boy. GD may be better insulated?
Freep the Bee! The transcript is posted ...
Go back to your board room and hang out with Michael Huffington.
Those two are peas in a pod.
I want to make it clear that I don't think Simon is gay, however (not that there's anything wrong with that!) ;)
It would be great to nail Davis!
L.N. Smithee ---Thanks for posting the article!
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