Orange County Supervisor Clark to Retire

Ralph B. Clark, the silver-haired, silver-tongued veteran of 15 years on the Orange County Board of Supervisors, announced Friday that he will not seek reelection next year because of his age, his health and questions about his links to W. Patrick Moriarty, the central figure in a political corruption scandal.

The announcement caused Anaheim Mayor Don Roth to immediately proclaim his candidacy to succeed Clark. Orange Mayor Jim Beam said he would hold a press conference Monday, at which time he, too, is expected to announce his bid for the seat.

‘September of My Life’

Proclaiming himself “in the September of my life” at age 68, Clark said he wanted to spend more time with his family. He said he recently had two noncancerous polyps removed from his colon, making health an issue.

But the supervisor, whose district includes Disneyland and Anaheim Stadium as well as parts of Orange, Buena Park and La Palma, also said what he called “the W. Patrick Moriarty matter” influenced his decision “to some degree.”

Moriarty, 53, an Anaheim fireworks manufacturer and contributor of hundreds of thousands of dollars to politicians over the years, pleaded guilty in March to a variety of public corruption charges. He testified in a federal trial last month that he provided prostitutes for politicians in the state, although he said he could not recall the names of the politicians.

However, two of Moriarty’s former aides, Richard Raymond Keith and John E. (Pete) Murphy, told The Times last January that Clark was one of the politicians supplied with prostitutes.

Clark denied at the time that he ever engaged in sex with a prostitute. He said he had attended several routine luncheons in Los Angeles with Keith and Orange County lobbyist Frank Michelena. At one of the lunches, he said, there were some “public relations women” and he gave them his card.

Clark said in his written statement Friday that “I have known Mr. Moriarty as a legitimate, respected Anaheim businessman. Mr. Moriarty has never asked any special favors of me.”

Clark, in what he said were “the last words I will speak on the subject,” said he had no knowledge that Moriarty or any of his aides ever tried to influence any of his decisions.

“I believe he supported me because I have always and still do favor the use and sale of safe and sane fireworks,” which are manufactured by Moriarty’s firm, Clark said.

“But being constantly ‘linked to’ Mr. Moriarty’s legal troubles still is bothersome and hurts a whole lot . . . after so many years of public service free of even a whisper of impropriety,” Clark added in the statement.

Wife Urged Retirement

Steve Malone, Clark’s chief aide, said the supervisor’s wife, Beverly, had been urging him to retire for several years so that the couple could spend more time visiting their children and grandchildren.

Asked whether Clark’s wife was concerned about the possibility of Moriarty’s name showing up in campaign mailings, Malone said he thought “that was part of it. I think her feeling was that if he was going to retire, do it before you endure that kind of thing.”

“I think her position is that even though he didn’t do anything, in politics it doesn’t matter what the truth is--what matters, unfortunately, is the campaign,” Malone added.

The campaign is likely to be crowded, according to politicians and political consultants, some of whom said a dozen or more candidates may try to succeed Clark in next June’s primary.

Roth, who took Clark’s place on the Anaheim City Council after Clark was elected supervisor, declared his candidacy Friday from Hawaii, where he is vacationing.

$300,000 Race?

Roth said he had about $60,000 in campaign funds and expected the race to cost him at least $250,000. Other politicians estimated the cost at $300,000 or more.

“It’s my understanding that over 70% of the votes in Ralph’s district are in Anaheim,” Roth said, contending that his power base in the city would give him an edge in the race against Beam.

Beam said Friday he had expected Clark to announce his retirement sometime next year.

“I’ve been moving along rather leisurely, thinking I had until next January” to face candidates drawn into the race by Clark’s announcement that he will not run, Beam said. Now, “I will accelerate my timetable,” he said.

Clark said he had no present plans to endorse anyone but said he made his announcement earlier than expected to provide the opportunity for potential candidates to enter the race.

Clark’s most recent campaign expenditure statement, dated July 19, showed him with a $251,546 campaign treasury.

Malone said Clark “could give the money to other politicians” or spend it on an initiative campaign of some sort but was aware that “he is not allowed to keep it for personal purposes.”

Lines Up Support

Beam has lined up support from a number of prominent Republicans--although the race for supervisor is nonpartisan--including Assemblyman John R. Lewis (R-Orange) and Coalson Morris, president of the Lincoln Club of Orange County, a volunteer Republican organization whose members are mostly wealthy corporate executives.

Beam has also listed as supporters Republican Reps. Robert E. Badham of Newport Beach, William E. Dannemeyer of Fullerton and Robert K. Dornan of Garden Grove.

Assemblyman Ross Johnson (R-La Habra) said he would back Roth. State Sen. John Seymour (R-Anaheim), a former Anaheim mayor, said he was not certain if he would eventually support a candidate because “it puts me in a difficult situation, and the reasons are obvious.”

Clark said in his statement he was a Democrat with a “strongly conservative” voting record as supervisor, and he deplored “the unfortunate and dangerous trend in Orange County” to treat nonpartisan offices as if they were partisan.

Clark, the only Democrat on the five-member board, drew praise Friday from Republicans who have worked with him, including Roth, Seymour, and fellow Supervisors Bruce Nestande and Thomas F. Riley.

Nestande called Clark a “man of his word . . . . I think that’s the highest compliment one can give a person in politics.”

Riley, 73, who if he wins reelection next year will be the senior board member after Clark retires, said when Clark told him of his decision, “I shed a tear or two.”

Was Considered Unbeatable

Until the Moriarty issue arose, Clark had been considered virtually unbeatable. A former gas station owner in Anaheim and mayor of that city, he built his career on such issues as getting sidewalks installed and keeping gutters repaired for his constituents.

Clark helped engineer a major coup in 1980, when he was at the forefront of a lobbying effort to bring the National Football League Rams to Anaheim from Los Angeles.

Although often quiet at meetings of the Board of Supervisors, Clark was willing to speak before almost any group in his district, and has been known for delivering humor-laced homilies in the strong, rolling voice of a natural orator.

Times staff writer Jerry Hicks contributed to the preparation of this story.