Articles posted earlier today claim that it was in the private home of a Davis backer.
The death blow came Wednesday when Davis' staff tracked down the private Santa Monica home where the governor posed for pictures with a campaign contributor. The positive identification of the home by the host of the 1998 event rebuffed the Simon campaign allegation that the photos of Davis accepting a check were taken in the state Capitol, which would have been a violation of state law.
The house, with an abstract painting by artist David Amico, belonged in 1998 to Bruce Karatz, chairman and CEO of KB Home. The company was then called Kaufman and Broad. In the photos, "the door behind Gray leads into his (Karatz') den," said company vice president Larry Gotlieb. "(Karatz) recognized the door that leads into his den and he recognized the Amico painting."
Karatz has since sold the 8,451-square-foot house. But Gotlieb said Karatz still owns the distinctive painting that is shown in the photos. Gotlieb said Karatz hosted a campaign meeting on the morning of Jan. 31, 1998, the day the photos were taken. Gotlieb said he also attended the meeting.
Further supporting the Davis' account, campaign records filed with the secretary of state show that Kaufman and Broad gave Davis a $1,663 non-monetary contribution by hosting a "breakfast meeting" that morning.