Prop. 51 Backers Say Opponents Are Front Group

Backers of Proposition 51 charged Thursday that a committee opposing the measure is a front for the California Trial Lawyers Assn. and that a new state law requires that the committee’s television commercials identify the attorney group as a sponsor.

Labeling the ads, including one featuring Atty. Gen. John Van de Kamp, “false and misleading,” the Yes on Proposition 51 group has asked television stations to stop running the commercials and has filed a complaint with the state Fair Political Practices Commission.

However, the chief spokesman for the opposition campaign committee angrily denied the accusations and described his group as a coalition of pollution victims, labor and consumer groups, as well as attorneys.

While most of the $1 million the group has raised to oppose the June 3 ballot measure came from individual attorneys, the Trial Lawyers’ Assn. has made only limited contributions to the committee’s campaign, committee officials said.

Would Limit Damages

Proposition 51, a ballot initiative, would put limits on the share of damages for “pain and suffering” that individual defendants could be required to pay in personal injury liability cases.

Proponents argue that the change is a necessary response to a growing crisis, which has left many businesses, individuals and local governments unable to obtain insurance. Opponents say that the measure would do little to make insurance more available, in some cases would deny plaintiffs full damages due and would remove an important deterrent to toxic waste dumpers.

“They (Proposition 51 supporters) will do anything they can to make this issue seem to be just about lawyers and lawsuits,” said Harvey Rosenfield, coordinator of Citizens Against Proposition 51, who once worked for Ralph Nader and describes himself as a long-time consumer activist.

Since January, all political campaign committees have been required to identify themselves fully in financial disclosure reports and mass mailings. Under the new law, such identification must include the name of any person or group that provides “all or nearly all of its contributions.”

At a Thursday press conference, the Yes on Proposition 51 representatives charged that campaign records filed in the secretary of state’s office show that through March 17 “100% of the money for opposition to Proposition 51 has come from the California Trial Lawyers Assn.”

But Rosenfield pointed out that his group, Citizens Against 51, was formed on March 21 and is not yet required to file a list of contributors.

The aggressive, anti-Proposition 51 television campaign has touched a raw nerve among the ballot measure’s supporters.

Appearing in one of the ads, Van de Kamp argues that his responsibility is to ensure that “murderers and rapists are punished and toxic polluters are stopped. But the chemical companies behind Proposition 51 say that toxic polluters who cause cancer shouldn’t be held fully accountable.”

“That’s not factual,” protested Monterey County Supervisor Barbara Shipnuck, who said she was an active supporter of Van de Kamp in his 1982 campaign.

However, on Thursday, Van de Kamp insisted that the statements he made in the commercial are accurate.