Russell Renews Drive, Stresses Fight on Crime

With her opponent recovering from stab wounds, City Councilwoman Pat Russell resumed her reelection campaign Monday with emphasis on her efforts to fight crime.

Flanked at a Westchester press conference by Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl F. Gates and armed with statistics picturing her district as a safer place, Russell was not daunted by the brutal crime just a few miles away that almost took the life of challenger Ruth Galanter.

At the same time, Russell’s campaign staff was busy denying an accusation by Assemblyman Tom Hayden that Russell’s aides had engaged in “political blackmail,” threatening to “smear” him if he endorses Galanter.

Opponents in Runoff

Galanter is opposing Russell for the 6th District Council seat that Russell has held for 17 years. Galanter led a field of five challengers who stopped Russell from winning a majority in the April 14 primary, and the two women are facing each other in a June 2 runoff.

At the press conference, Russell cited figures showing a drop in crime ranging from burglary to rape.

The figures showed that since the City Council approved overtime pay increases for the Police Department in January, the rate for certain crimes, such as residential burglaries, has diminished by 51% throughout Russell’s district, while the rate for other offenses has declined in certain communities in the district. For example, Russell said that business robberies have decreased by 26% in Westchester and rape by 9% in the Crenshaw area.

Russell also said that drug arrests have increased by 305% in Crenshaw since the overtime program went into effect.

Gates said before the press conference that his appearance with Russell should not be interpreted as an endorsement. Nevertheless, he had words of praise for her, pointing out that she had voted for the overtime plan.

“Pat supported it when there were others who didn’t think it was such a good idea,” he said.

In addition, he said of Russell, “I’m very comfortable with her; we’ve had a good relationship.”

The event marked Russell’s first effort to regain the center of attention that has been riveted on her challenger since Galanter’s near-fatal encounter with an intruder who broke into her Venice home and stabbed her in the neck Wednesday.

Now, Russell must thread her way through an unusually tricky obstacle course. She cannot focus too aggressively on Galanter for fear of arousing a sympathy vote. Nor can she hang back and allow Galanter to define the terms of the debate. To do that would risk the mistake she made in the primary, allowing her opposition to focus on her Achilles heel--the claim that Russell is responsible for proliferating congestion and over-development in the district.

Impact on Campaign

Russell conceded that the attack on Galanter had not helped her (Russell’s) campaign. “I don’t think it helps,” she said. “I don’t know of a single precedent . . . There’s no question that an event as terrible as that has an impact on the campaign.”

Members of Galanter’s campaign staff say the 46-year-old challenger is determined to go on with the race, although they are not able to say when she will leave the hospital or whether she will be able to campaign between now and election day. In the meantime, several of her supporters have volunteered to take her place at campaign appearances.

Both Russell and Galanter are struggling with the question of what to do about Hayden, the Santa Monica Democrat whose Assembly district takes in about 20% of the council district and whose presence on the fringe of the council campaign has bedeviled both camps.

Galanter has asked Hayden, whose radical anti-war image still clings to him, to stay clear of her camp.

Nevertheless, Hayden seemed to take a step toward Galanter with a statement Monday that took aim at Russell’s campaign staff and was complimentary of Galanter.

Charge of Blackmail

“I have been approached by several representatives of the Russell campaign with a message that I consider political blackmail,” Hayden said. “They have indicated explicitly that I will be attacked in their direct mail targeted to conservative voters if I endorse Galanter.” And, said Hayden, “They have promised not to attack and smear me if I remain neutral in the race.”

Hayden said the message was conveyed by Russell’s press secretary, Kam Kuwata, political consultant David Townsend and supporter Michael Dieden.

Kuwata denied the charge, saying that he had talked to Hayden but only as a friend counseling Hayden that an alliance with Galanter would only serve to make him look more radical.

“As a political consultant and a friend, I said I didn’t think it would do him any good to be allied with Galanter and the Venice Town Council,” Kuwata said.

The Venice Town Council, to which Galanter has belonged, is a civic group known for its hard-line opposition to development.

Hayden said he has close friends in both camps and remains undecided about campaigning in the race. But he described Galanter as an “independent, competent, experienced and a valid alternative for voters to consider.” Moreover, Hayden said last week that he was thinking about setting up a committee to raise money for Galanter.

Hayden also said he was concerned “that large developers will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on behalf of Russell to confuse and frighten voters and obscure the real issues.”

Russell has said she hopes to raise about $300,000, and it is known that a number of lawyers and lobbyists who work on behalf of the real estate industry have been raising money on her behalf.