Local Elections : Charges That Inmate Was Forced to Do Work for Campaign Probed

The state prison warden in Otay Mesa is investigating allegations that one of his employees forced an inmate to type campaign letters and address labels for a San Diego judicial candidate in violation of laws prohibiting political conduct by state workers.

The allegations were raised Tuesday by Donna L. Woodley, who said the inmate at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility told her that he performed the political work at the direction of his prison supervisor, a supporter of Woodley’s political opponent, Frank Brown.

Brown, a deputy district attorney, and Woodley, a private attorney, are vying on the Tuesday ballot for a seat on the Municipal Court bench.

“She can believe this inmate all she wants to,” Brown said in an interview Tuesday. “I had nothing to do with it. And, if it’s true, it was done without my authorization.”

Ban From Political Activity

Prison Supt. John Ratelle said the allegation has prompted him to begin an investigation into whether any state laws or prison policies were violated. He noted that all state employees--in this case both the inmate being paid for his work and the supervisor--are prohibited from engaging in political activities while on duty.

“That violates institutional policy, California state policy and the law,” Ratelle said. “An employee cannot play politics or campaign while he is on the job and being paid by the state of California.”

Woodley, who described the allegations as “very troubling,” called for investigations by the state attorney general’s office and the state Fair Political Practices Commission.

Harley Mayfield, an assistant attorney general in San Diego, and Sandra Michioku, a spokeswoman with the FPPC, said they were reviewing the situation, but declined to comment further.

Brown, insisting that nothing improper was done with his knowledge, welcomed the investigations.

“They can investigate me all they want,” he said. “I have every intention of complying with the law. I’m open to any kind of investigation.”

Woodley said she received an unsolicited letter Oct. 18 from the inmate, Juan Negrete, who said he was a Prison Industries employee and worked at the prison warehouse under the supervision of Frank Ruffino.

Negrete, who could not be reached for comment Tuesday, has been at Donovan eight months, serving time for armed robbery.

In his letter, Negrete identified Ruffino as the “campaign manager” for Brown and said Ruffino instructed him to “type various letters or address labels for the campaign of Mr. Frank A. Brown.” He said he spent about 30 hours on the political work.

“I find this HIGHLY unusual and have wondered if this could even be construed as illegal,” Negrete’s letter said.

Accompanied by a campaign aide, Woodley visited Negrete at the prison Sunday. She said Negrete told them that he kept the typewriter ribbon used for the political mailer and address labels and is willing to turn it over to the proper investigating authorities.

Bob Glaser, the campaign assistant, said he and Woodley have not seen the ribbon. Glaser said they came away from the interview believing Negrete to be an “incredibly credible witness.”

Woodley said the case “casts a shadow over Mr. Brown’s fitness to serve as a judge.”

“A judge must be willing to be held to a higher standard of character than the average citizen,” she said. “Unfortunately, Mr. Brown does not seem to feel this is important.”

Brown dismissed Woodley’s characterizations. “I’m quite frankly surprised by all this,” he said.

Running Campaign Himself

He said he has no campaign manager but has some close advisers and is running the campaign himself.

He said Ruffino has attended some of his political functions, and that Ruffino once provided the campaign with names of 800 voters to which Brown’s wife later sent campaign literature. Beyond that, Brown said, Ruffino’s role in the Brown effort has been minimal.

“He’s minor league,” Brown said.

The candidate added that he discussed the matter with Ruffino on Tuesday, and that the prison supervisor told him that he stayed late at work one day and typed a Brown campaign letter himself. Brown then indicated that, if there was any truth to the existence of a typewriter ribbon, it might be from the letter Ruffino typed.

However, Ruffino, in an interview later Tuesday, said he did not remember staying late to type a campaign letter for Brown.

“I can’t recall using the typewriter,” Ruffino said. “I’m not a great typist. But I might have.”

Ruffino also flatly denied forcing Negrete to perform the political work. But he said he is a strict supervisor and known among the inmates as a supporter of Brown’s campaign. He suggested that Negrete made up the story to get back at him.

“Mr. Negrete is the typical inmate that will try to manipulate people,” Ruffino said. “I’m pretty rigid and pretty strict as a supervisor, and maybe he did this to embarrass me.”