Bird and Deukmejian in the Financial Driver’s Seat : Chief Justice Amasses $1.1-Million War Chest

California Chief Justice Rose Elizabeth Bird may be behind in the public opinion polls, but she is heading into the final months of her reelection campaign considerably more solvent than her opponents, whose capacity to raise money is rivaled by their ability to spend it.

It is clear that the bill for the most expensive judicial campaign in the history of the state, perhaps the nation, will exceed $7 million, with most of it incurred by Bird’s opponents. What is not clear is whether Bird’s momentary financial advantage will buy her the kind of public exposure she needs to come from behind and win.

Besides facing opposition from five organized groups, Bird must contend with the fact that political candidates around the state are calling for her defeat, as her reelection becomes a central issue in races that have nothing to do with the state Supreme Court. The most recent Los Angeles Times Poll on Bird’s confirmation, conducted in May, showed Bird losing by 56% to 32%, with 12% undecided.

Bird has steadfastly refused to discuss what kind of campaign she plans to run this fall.

Her opponents are only a little more forthcoming about their plans for a fall campaign against Bird and two of her colleagues, Justices Joseph Grodin and Cruz Reynoso. The opponents say that besides continued criticism of the justices’ long record of overturning death sentences, they will begin discussing civil cases and argue that the three justices discriminate against property owners.

“My guess is that TV spots will target all three justices and raise the death penalty, plus other issues, for example, that property owners have had a hard time before the court,” said Janet Byers, who speaks for the two largest opposition groups, Californians to Defeat Rose Bird and Crime Victims for Court Reform.

The most recent campaign finance reports, filed Thursday, indicate that Californians to Defeat Rose Bird and Crime Victims for Court Reform have raised $4.6 million, primarily from contributions of less than $100 solicited through the mail, and have spent all but $325,000. The total leaves them well short of the $3 million they said they wanted for a fall television advertising campaign.

Officials of the the two groups have revised their goal, now saying they expect to have about $1.5 million on hand for their television campaign. But even if they cannot match the chief justice dollar for dollar, they will benefit from the money spent in other highly publicized campaigns by outspoken Bird critics, such as Rep. Ed Zschau of Los Altos, the Republican Senate candidate, and incumbent Gov. George Deukmejian.

“We don’t think we will have any trouble getting our message across to the public,” said Debbie Goff, assistant campaign manager for Crime Victims for Court Reform.

Unlike her two main adversaries, Californians to Defeat Rose Bird and Crime Victims for Court Reform, Bird’s campaign organization declined Thursday to make available to the press copies of her most recent financial statement.

However, Steven Glazer, Bird’s campaign spokesman, provided highlights of the statement, indicating that while Bird has just under $1.1 million in the bank, she has raised only $113,500 during the past six months and spent $106,650.

Asked about the comparatively small amount of money raised this year, as contrasted with 1985, when Bird raised most of her money, Glazer said, “We just didn’t hold that many events. We are quite pleased to have retained $1 million toward the fall campaign.”

Later Start

Reynoso and Grodin, who got off to a later start in 1985 than Bird, both raised more money this year, according to information provided by their campaign staffs.

Neil Rincover, Reynoso’s campaign manager, said the justice raised just over $332,000, bringing his total cash on hand to $354,000. A spokesman for Grodin said he raised about $146,000, but that campaign expenditures lowered his cash total to $106,446.

A new committee, headed by former Gov. Edwin G. (Pat) Brown Sr. and formed to work on behalf of all three justices, reported taking in $29,000 and spending $16,449 since its formation earlier this year.

Three other committees working against Bird, Grodin and Reynoso have raised about $280,000 and spent about $240,000. Raising the most money--$148,000 as of June--was the Law and Order Campaign Committee headed by conservative state Sen. H. L. Richardson (R-Glendora). The second group, Californians for Justice in the Courts, received all of its funds--$125,000--from a fund-raising arm of Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich. The third committee, the Prosecutor’s Working Group, a political action committee representing district attorneys statewide, has raised about $6,500.

Times staff writer Robert W. Stewart contributed to this article.