Bird Denies Giving Up on Campaign

California Chief Justice Rose Elizabeth Bird said today she has offered Justices Cruz Reynoso and Joseph Grodin funds to help them retain their seats but denied she has given up the fight to hang onto her own.

Bird, in a live appearance on the “People Are Talking” show on KPIX-TV here today, said it was “absolutely totally false” that she was giving up on her own campaign.

“I don’t know who is putting out that report or why, but it is not true,” she said. “Voters should take anything said in the last weeks of an election campaign with a grain of salt.”

The chief justice’s comments followed a report published in the Los Angeles Herald Examiner that Bird was pessimistic over her chances of success and had offered Reynoso and Grodin the last of her funds--about $60,000. The newspaper cited unidentified sources close to the judicial campaigns.

Money for TV

The chief justice said she told Grodin and Reynoso, “if I can assist and aid you financially, I will assist and aid you by sharing funds so you can get your message on television.”

She did not disclose how much money she offered or if it represented a substantial part of the funds available to her.

The newspaper said Grodin and Reynoso, who are also fighting to retain their seats in the Nov. 4 election, were advised by their political strategists that accepting what it said was $30,000 each from Bird probably would harm their chances for reconfirmation.

Neil Rincover, Reynoso’s campaign manager, and Grodin campaign co-chairman George Kieffer said they had no comment on the report. Rincover said Reynoso has received no money from Bird.

Targeted for Defeat

One unnamed source said Bird was worried that her apparent unpopularity with voters might cause Reynoso and Grodin to lose their elections.

All three justices have been targeted for defeat in November by conservative politicians, crime victims’ groups and Republican Gov. George Deukmejian.

A recent Los Angeles Times Poll showed Bird headed for 2-1 defeat. Grodin and Reynoso also are in danger, but many voters claimed to be undecided.

Their foes are especially critical of the justices’ record on death sentences. Bird has voted to reverse every one to come before her. Grodin and Reynoso have found fault with most of those they have reviewed.