Campaign War Chests for ’88 Reported

Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) raised nearly $2 million in 1987, ending the year with a $1.2-million campaign war chest for the campaigns of Assembly Democrats, according to financial disclosure reports filed with the secretary of state.

Campaign finance statements covering the period of July 1 to Dec. 31, 1987, were required to be mailed to the secretary of state’s office by Monday, and reports from the state’s top officeholders are still trickling in through the mails.

Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) reported raising about $1.6 million last year, ending the year with $621,288 in cash.

Brown’s major contributions included $48,000 from the California Trial Lawyers Assn. Political Action Committee; $14,000 from the California Dental PAC; $21,000 from Cooperative American Physicians; $15,000 from the Assn. of California Insurance Companies; $19,000 from Sony Corp. of America; $1,400 from the Los Angeles Raiders and dozens of contributions from law firms, doctors, labor organizations, insurance companies and businesses.

Brown received $20,000 from the California Restaurant Assn. PAC and spent several thousand dollars on meals at elegant restaurants in San Francisco and Los Angeles. The Speaker’s restaurant tabs included $3,562 at Alexis, $369 at Stars and $789.30 at Harris’ in San Francisco, and $552.39 at Spago in Los Angeles. Campaign funds were also spent to support a San Francisco soup kitchen for the poor ($2,500) and to buy $351.95 worth of Mrs. Field’s cookies.

Roberti reported major donations from lawyers, doctors, labor organizations and the Hollywood film industry. The California Trial Lawyers donated $120,000 to help elect Senate Democrats, the Teamsters, $9,500 and Correctional Peace Officers, $15,000. The Senate leader’s contributors also included Walt Disney Corp., $4,000; 20th Century-Fox, $4,000; Lorimar, $2,500; Warner Brothers, $2,000, and MCA Inc., $4,000.

Senate GOP Leader Ken Maddy of Fresno reported ending the year with $465,712 in cash after receiving $231,260 in contributions for the last half of the year.

Assembly Republican Leader Pat Nolan of Glendale reported that he had collected $783,980 and spent $488,324. The Assembly Republican Political Action Committee, which is controlled by the GOP caucus, also reported it had taken in $595,727 and spent $388,882.

Republican Gov. George Deukmejian had $1.67 million in his campaign coffers at the end of 1987, after raising more than $2.1 million throughout the year. Major contributions to the governor’s campaign during the last half of the year included $50,000 from the California Correctional Peace Officers Assn.; $30,000 from Mercury Casualty Co. of Los Angeles; $18,000 from disposal company operator Haig Papaian; $40,000 from the executive officers of Longs Drugs; $20,000 from a Certified Public Accountants PAC and $20,000 from E & J Gallo Winery.