Offer to Aid Colleagues Not a White Flag--Bird

Way behind in the latest public opinion polls, California Chief Justice Rose Elizabeth Bird said Friday that she has offered to share some of her campaign funds with the two other justices facing opposition in the Nov. 4 election, but she adamantly denied that the offer meant she was quitting the race.

Made last week, Bird’s offer comes at a time of considerable concern among supporters of Justices Joseph R. Grodin and Cruz Reynoso that they could become casualties of Bird’s unpopularity. For the last several months, opponents of the justices have been working hard to link Grodin and Reynoso with Bird and her record of voting to overturn death penalties.

However, neither Grodin nor Reynoso plan to accept money from Bird, according to sources close to the race who said that it would be politically foolish at this point for the justices to forge any ties with the chief justice. The sources, who asked not to be named, said Bird offered $30,000 to each of the justices.

Brief, Identical Statements

Grodin and Reynoso declined to comment on the matter except to release brief, identical statements through campaign aides. The statements read: “We have received no money from the chief justice and expect to receive no money from the chief justice.”

Bird brought up the matter while answering questions during an appearance on an audience-participation television show here.

She said she had received a telephone call from a reporter saying that he understood she was planning to give up her campaign and turn her funds over to Grodin and Reynoso.

“That is absolutely, totally false,” she said, adding that she felt that there is “a good possibility that all of us will be reelected.”

But she added that she did offer to share her campaign funds with Grodin and Reynoso because she thought they should be able to afford to run strong campaigns on their own merits.

“I have said from the very beginning this is a very tough race. I wanted them to be able to make their own decisions as to how they conduct their races,” said Bird, who was trailing by a 2-1 margin in the latest Los Angeles Times Poll.

“I said to them: ‘I want you to know you are free to conduct the campaign any way you want. I will not even hold it against you if it is necessary for you to come out against me in order to win the election,’ ” she said.

‘Get Your Message Out’

Bird said she also told them: “I think it is unfair that each of us is not judged on our own merits, and if I can assist and aid you financially, I will assist and aid you through sharing some of the funds I have raised so you can get your message out as well.”

Bird’s campaign has raised more than $1 million and has about $200,000 available for use during the 10 days leading up to the election, according to Steven Glazer, director of communications for the campaign.

Glazer said the cash balance is as high as it is, not because Bird has given up on her campaign, but because the media market is so “impacted” that the campaign has not been able to buy the air time that it wants.

While Grodin and Reynoso have not raised as much money, aides say they are far from destitute going into the final days of the campaign.

Yvonne Ryzak, a consultant working for Grodin, said his campaign has raised $760,000 with more than half of it going to purchase television commercials during the final week.

Neil Rincover, Reynoso’s campaign manager, said Reynoso has raised nearly $850,000 with about $250,000 invested in television and radio ads scheduled for the final week.