Prop. 64 Records Seized in State’s LaRouche Probe

State authorities searched California offices of groups tied to extremist political leader Lyndon H. LaRouche on Wednesday for evidence of an illegal conspiracy behind Proposition 64, the AIDS initiative defeated by voters on Nov. 4.

Records seized during the surprise morning raids in the Loz Feliz section of Los Angeles and in Livermore in Alameda County will be examined to see if LaRouche followers violated election laws during the months that the initiative was circulated for signatures, investigators said.

“We are still inventorying the materials seized,” Chief Assistant Atty. Gen. Steve White said Wednesday.

White said in September that the investigation, which began last summer, has turned up evidence that out-of-state residents were used to circulate petitions for the acquired immune deficiency syndrome initiative, in violation of the state Election Code. California agents have investigated the charges in several states, he said.

In addition, some of the nearly 700,000 signatures filed by the LaRouche-affiliated sponsors of Proposition 64 were forged, White has said. “There are several crimes committed here, we believe,” he said in September.

White said Wednesday that the search warrants were served peacefully on two closely linked LaRouche organizations, Caucus Distributors Inc. and the Prevent AIDS Now Initiative Committee, which share offices in Los Angeles and Livermore.

Virginia Raid

The searches Wednesday were markedly less visible than the federal raid Oct. 6 on LaRouche’s international headquarters in Virginia. That raid involved more than 300 heavily armed officers, supported by aircraft and armored trucks, because federal authorities feared that the paramilitary background of some LaRouche followers could prompt violence.

Ten LaRouche backers, including key aides accused of harassing LaRouche critics, and five organizations were indicted in Boston hours after the Virginia raid. Caucus Distributors, which provided most of the money for the Proposition 64 campaign, was among the groups indicted by a Boston federal grand jury on charges of running a nationwide credit card scam.

Trials on the Boston charges are to begin Dec. 1. Three of the LaRouche followers indicted are fugitives, and the government believes they are in Europe, where LaRouche’s empire has extensive political and fund-raising operations.

Proposition 64, which would have radically altered the state’s approach to AIDS against the advice of medical leaders, was defeated by a 71%-29% vote.

Khushro Ghandhi, a longtime LaRouche aide who directed the Proposition 64 effort, said Wednesday that the raid was part of a harassment campaign by state and federal authorities.