Copies of Tapes Turned Over to Fiedler; New Lawyers Named

Copies of secretly recorded tapes made during the investigation that led to the recent indictment of Rep. Bobbi Fiedler were released this morning to defense attorneys, who said the recordings might be made public later this week.

Attorneys Harland Braun and Daniel Lowenstein, who told reporters they will officially take over the defense of the Northridge Republican at her scheduled arraignment Friday, said Fiedler and her indicted chief aide, Paul Clarke, will review the tapes and grand jury transcripts before making a final decision on releasing the potentially explosive material.

The tapes were officially handed over to attorney Herb Steinberg, who served as Fiedler’s lawyer of record at her latest court appearance Jan. 27, at which time her arraignment and plea were continued until Friday.

Fiedler, 48, and Clarke, 39, were indicted Jan. 23 for allegedly offering state Sen. Ed Davis a $100,000 campaign contribution to lure him out of the Republican U.S. Senate primary. The tapes, which Fiedler has insisted will prove her innocence, were made at the behest of prosecutors by Davis’ campaign manager, Martha Zilm.

Outside the D.A.’s office, Braun said current plans call for demanding a trial within 60 days. Lowenstein, a UCLA law professor who served as the first chairman of the state Fair Political Practices Commission, said the statute under which Fiedler and Clarke have been charged has rarely if ever been used in a prosecution and should apply only to candidates who “put money in the pocket” of another candidate. Such was not done, or even offered, in the Fiedler case, he said.