YORBA LINDA, Calif. -
Republican National Committee Chairman Mark Racicot said Wednesday that national Republicans would be funneling some $1 million to $2 million to Bill Simon's campaign for governor.
Meanwhile Simon's one-time political opponent, Secretary of State Bill Jones, announced he was calling on Attorney General John Ashcroft to investigate Democratic Gov. Gray Davis' fund-raising practices.
"Only a federal investigation at the highest national level meets the enormity of the apparently illegal activity going on now at the highest level of our state government," the Republican secretary of state said at a Sacramento press conference.
He released a letter to Ashcroft calling for him to determine whether federal and state bribery and anti-racketeering laws had been violated.
There was no immediate response from spokesmen for the U.S. Justice Department, but Davis aides forcefully rejected Jones' claims.
"The governor has always operated well within the letter and the spirit of the law. He's gone above and beyond to respect the boundaries that exist," said Davis campaign press secretary Roger Salazar.
In one incident Jones cited, Davis last week canceled a fund-raiser organized by Rod Diridon, the governor's appointee to chair the state's High-Speed Rail Authority.
The event at Diridon's home was scheduled to take place the day after the governor signed a bill putting a $10 billion bond measure on the 2004 ballot that would pave the way for high-speed rail in the state.
Jones, who lost to Simon in the primary, now supports him.
Racicot affirmed the national Republican Party's commitment to Simon's campaign in an interview after a speech at the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace. Stumbles by Simon's campaign had raised questions about the strength of White House support.
"You'll find us as aggressively invested in California as any state in the nation," Racicot said.
"Obviously for us to make a significant contribution in concert with the (Republican Gov.s Association) reveals our belief that we can be successful here," he said.
Asked for details on the total commitment that could be expected from the RNC and Gov.s Association, Racicot said, "I'd probably say $1 to $2 million." He said the final decision would be made by Monday.
The amount is lower than figures Simon officials discussed earlier in the campaign and would buy around a week of air time for commercials.
"We don't comment on specific numbers, but we're very pleased with the continued support of Bill Simon by the president and the party," said Simon press secretary Mark Miner.
Simon, a Los Angeles investor and political novice, lags Davis badly in funding and recently loaned his campaign $4 million. As of the last reporting period in July, he had $5 million in the bank compared with $31 million for Davis.
