Governor’s ‘Reference’ Told in Bid for Contract

Gov. George Deukmejian provided a personal “character reference” for the son of a wealthy campaign contributor who was trying to win a multimillion-dollar Kern County construction contract, the governor’s office confirmed Friday.

A spokesman for Deukmejian said the governor telephoned Kern County Supervisor Mary Shell in October to offer his personal endorsement of developer Peter Mosesian’s “character.”

Mosesian’s father, William, had given $50,000 to Deukmejian’s 1982 campaign and owns part of the land where the younger Mosesian is seeking to build a welfare complex for the county in Bakersfield. The land lease and construction contract, which still has not been awarded, is potentially worth more than $35 million.

No Influence Seen

Deukmejian’s press secretary, Larry Thomas, said, however, that the governor made no attempt to influence the decision of the Kern County Board of Supervisors. “It was not an attempt to influence anything,” Thomas said.

“During the course of everyday life, people who know each other will often ask each other for a letter of reference,” the aide added. “The governor writes letters on behalf of people who are friends, who have sought jobs. It is not unusual for that to happen.”

After Deukmejian’s telephone call, the Kern County Board of Supervisors voted to overrule its staff and make Mosesian’s proposal one of three finalists for the contract. Supervisor Shell, however, cast her vote against Mosesian’s project.

Gave No Support

Shell said in an interview that when the governor called, “I really didn’t attach any importance to it. As it turned out, I didn’t support the Mosesian project because it wasn’t one of the best.”

Deukmejian and Shell have known each other for many years. The supervisor’s daughter, Diane, is chief counsel in the state Department of Health Services and her husband, Joe, is a former Assembly Republican leader who ran unsuccessfully for the GOP gubernatorial nomination in 1962.

Peter Mosesian declined to talk to reporters, referring calls to his spokeswoman, Ann Gutcher.

Gutcher said that Peter Mosesian attended a luncheon for Armenian-Americans at the governor’s Sacramento residence last year and asked Deukmejian to contact Shell.

“He (Mosesian) said, ‘I could really use a good character reference with her,’ ” Gutcher said. “He said, ‘I would really appreciate it if you could say I’m a good guy.’ ”

Topic of Conversation

The governor agreed, Thomas said, and when Deukmejian called Shell he learned she had known the Mosesians longer than he had.

“The governor never mentioned the project,” Thomas said. “He wasn’t even familiar with its details. He didn’t ask Mary Shell to do anything on behalf of Peter Mosesian.”

William Mosesian, the father, said Friday that he is disappointed with Deukmejian because he has had little access to the governor despite having given his campaign $50,000. The elder Mosesian said the governor ignored his requests to select him as an adviser and appoint his son to the University of California Board of Regents.

“I’m disappointed after putting up that much money that I can’t get hold of the governor when I want him,” he said. “I haven’t talked to the governor in over two years.”

The disappointed contributor added that when Deukmejian is up for reelection next November, “Maybe I won’t even vote.”