Antonovich Fires Consultant Over Letter Referring to Ward as a ‘Nitwit’

Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich dismissed a campaign consultant this week for writing a fund-raising letter that called his election opponent, Baxter Ward, a “nitwit” and blasted his supporters as a bunch of “weirdos.”

“Mike Antonovich disavows the letter. The language is not the sort of language he uses,” said Roger Scott, Antonovich’s campaign spokesman. He said that his boss had not checked the final draft of the letter, which was signed with the name of Antonovich’s father, Mike Antonovich Sr., a contractor.

Ward said he was not angry but responded with a characteristically dramatic gesture. He said he felt sorry for Antonovich, his longtime political nemesis, and said he will lend the supervisor’s campaign $250 because it seems to be in desperate need of money.

Ward, whom Antonovich ousted as supervisor eight years ago, said he will bring the check when he debates Antonovich this morning in Calabasas.

“I was moved by the letter,” said Ward, who seemed delighted by his opposition’s embarrassment. “I didn’t realize the campaign’s finances were that desperate. I don’t want him to risk dropping out. I think that would be unfair. I’m sure the developers will come through; maybe they are waiting for a last-minute blitz.”

Unavailable for Comment

Antonovich and his father were unavailable for comment.

Scott, however, was not amused by Ward’s gesture.

“I think it’s a stunt on Baxter Ward’s part to get your attention . . . and anybody else from the news media,” he complained. “Let’s talk about the real issues at hand, and it’s not campaign contributions. It’s how the county is run.”

The 3-page letter was mailed to 8,000 to 10,000 Antonovich supporters earlier this month. It was written by Mike Thompson, a Washington-area consultant, who Scott said was dismissed this week. Thompson could not be reached for comment.

The letter states that “the weirdos are out to get Mike--the Hollywood radical types, the local liberal activists, the extreme environmentalists, and the gay and lesbian activists as well.”

“With enemies like that Mike should be home in a ‘cake walk,’ ” the letter continued. “But he isn’t and the polls show that we have a really close election ahead of us.”

In the letter, Antonovich’s father promised to compile a list of contributors and present it to his son at breakfast after they attended Sunday church services together.

Early Draft

Scott said the supervisor and his father read an early draft that was inoffensive, but neither saw the final letter. Antonovich’s father’s signature, which was on file, was copied, Scott said.

Ward, a former television broadcaster, said he was not disturbed about being called a nitwit.

“I’m sure it was a commonly used phrase around the home,” he said.

Ward--who has received more than a dozen campaign contributions from incensed people who received the letter--said he does not question supporters about their backgrounds. “If somebody stops me and says they will vote for me, I express my appreciation. I don’t ask if they have any outstanding parking tickets.”

Don Doran, Antonovich’s media consultant, called the brouhaha “almost a tempest in a teapot.”

“Mike was mad as hell about all this,” Doran said. “It does show he has a lot of character,” he said, that Antonovich was upset that a campaign worker insulted his opponent. “But as a practitioner in this business, this is nothing compared to what I have seen from right-wing conservative groups and left-wing liberal groups.”