In Political Money Race, It’s Brown at $2.7 Million, Nolan $1.3 Million

Assembly Speaker Willie Brown, moving to protect or expand the Democrats’ 47-33 majority in the lower house, has tapped many of his colleagues to help amass a total of $2.7 million in campaign contributions for the Nov. 4 elections, state records disclosed Tuesday.

At the same time, Assembly Minority Leader Pat Nolan (R-Glendale) has collected $1.3 million to try to prevent Brown from realizing his goal, and reportedly has lined up $1 million more now kept in the treasuries of key GOP allies who are expected to win easy reelection.

Reports filed with the secretary of state’s office covered the period from July 1 to Sept. 30. Incomplete filings by Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) showed he has accumulated $1.6 million. Meantime, Senate Minority Leader James W. Nielsen (R-Rohnert Park) said he rounded up $726,137.

Major contributions to Brown’s committees from Assembly members included $20,000 from Curtis Tucker (D-Inglewood), $45,000 from Elihu Harris (D-Oakland), $15,000 from Phillip Isenberg (D-Sacramento) and $25,000 from Tom Hannigan (D-Fairfield).

Other major Assembly contributors were John Vasconcellos (D-Santa Clara), $25,000; Sally Tanner (D-El Monte), $20,000; Dave Elder (D-Long Beach), $20,000, and the Campaign California Committee Fund, which is controlled by Tom Hayden (D-Santa Monica), $25,000.

From outside the chamber, Brown received $38,000 from the California Applicant Attorneys Assn., which represents clients before governmental bodies; $19,500 from the California Society of Industrial Medicine and Surgery; $13,000 from the California Correctional Peace Officers Assn.; $13,000 from the Gersten Cos. of Beverly Hills; $13,000 from the California Chiropractors Assn. and $10,000 from Atlantic Richfield Co.

The Assembly Democratic leader, in turn, passed on substantial contributions to several Democratic Assembly candidates who appear to need his help.

For example, Brown gave $433,000 to Jack Dugan, Atty. Gen. John Van de Kamp’s director of crime prevention, who is locked in a tight race with Republican Tim Leslie to replace retiring Assemblywoman Jean M. Duffy (D-Citrus Heights) in a Sacramento-area district.

He also gave $151,000 to Santa Ana Mayor Daniel E. Griset, who is engaged in a tough fight with Republican Richard E. Longshore to replace Assemblyman Richard Robinson (D-Garden Grove), who is running for Congress.

Meanwhile, four committees controlled by Nolan reported $1.3 million in receipts. William Saracino, chief of staff for the Assembly Republican caucus and a top Nolan aide, said an additional $1 million has been promised in transfers from other GOP incumbents who have easy races.

This means that minority Republicans should have a better chance to compete with Brown in terms of spending on heavily contested campaigns than they have had in the pre-Nolan days.

Big GOP contributions included $10,000 from the California Medical Assn., $10,000 from Atlantic Richfield, $5,000 from Kidder Peabody and Co., $5,000 from the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Assn., $5,000 from National Medical Enterprises, and $5,000 from Casmalia Resources of Santa Barbara, operators of a toxic waste disposal facility.

Large sums collected recently by Roberti included $100,000 from Sen. Herschel Rosenthal (D-Los Angeles), $32,000 from the California Trial Lawyers Assn., $22,500 from the California Applicant Attorneys Assn. and $25,000 from the California Society of Industrial Medicine and Surgery.

Nielsen received $15,000 from Sen. Newton R. Russell (R-Glendale), $7,000 from Casmalia Resources, $6,000 from the Western Growers Assn., $5,000 from BankAmerica Corp., $5,000 from Dow Chemical Co. and $5,000 from the California Dental Assn.