Ward Says Antonovich Is AIDS Risk by Being Single

Angered by his opponent’s political ads, Baxter Ward lashed out at Supervisor Mike Antonovich on Thursday, claiming that the bachelor falls into the high-risk category for the deadly AIDS virus.

Ward, a former supervisor and television anchorman, contended at a news conference that Antonovich should side with those in the medical community who believe that the spread of acquired immune deficiency syndrome can be slowed by providing drug addicts with sterile needles, condoms and bleach kits.

“As a single person who dates, and who is now in the category of extreme risk, Mr. Antonovich also should consider supporting that medical advice,” Ward said.

A spokesman said Antonovich was incensed by Ward’s statements: “That shows just how low Baxter Ward will stoop.”

The AIDS debate has played a central role in Antonovich’s campaign strategy. The two-term supervisor repeatedly has criticized Ward for advocating the distribution of needles, condoms and bleach kits. Ward says such distribution would impede the spread of AIDS.

Antonovich has sometimes brought a plastic bag of hypodermic needles to campaign appearances to illustrate his disagreement with Ward’s position.

Focuses on Needles

To get the message to more voters in the campaign’s final days, one of Antonovich’s three television commercials--which began airing this week--shows a drug addict shooting up and focuses on a tray full of needles.

With police sirens screaming in the background, the commercial’s announcer says: “Mike Antonovich says we should arrest dope dealers and teach our kids to say no to drugs. Baxter Ward wants taxpayers to pay for free needles for drug addicts. Another one of Baxter Ward’s absurd proposals.”

The spot never mentions that Ward’s needle proposal is AIDS-related.

At the news conference, Ward said that commercial and another commissioned by the Antonovich campaign are “deceptive.” In the other spot, Ward is accused of destroying all the office files he accumulated during 8 years as supervisor after Antonovich defeated him in 1980.

The clash between the longtime political enemies is nothing new. Each has ridiculed the other’s political judgment at numerous debates across the 5th District, and each has aired radio ads attacking the other’s honesty.

Attorneys Consulted

But the battle intensified when Antonovich began airing the television commercials, said to have cost his campaign $200,000.

Ward said at the news conference that he consulted two attorneys this week about the possibility of suing Antonovich to stop the “misleading” commercials. But he said attorneys advised him that a court order would violate his political opponent’s right to free speech.

“I think those television ads are troublesome,” Ward said. But he acknowledged that they could be effective with voters.

Antonovich said he stands by the claims in the two 30-second commercials.

“I think our ads are right on point,” Antonovich said. “They point out the differences.”

The second commercial shows a man in a business suit searching for documents in a roomful of filing cabinets. Every drawer he peers into is empty. The spot’s announcer concludes: “The Ward era--empty files, empty promises.”

In the ad, Antonovich contends that Ward took constituents’ records and that he endangered law enforcement officers by taking certain documents.

On Thursday, Ward produced three letters and a telegram from employees who worked for him while he was a supervisor. The former county staffers insisted in the letters that the filing cabinets were full when they left. He said the four are willing to sign sworn affidavits.

Ward acknowledged that he kept personal papers and some documents related to investigations he conducted while in office. But he said he left behind all records on pending county matters. He suggested that Antonovich’s campaign might have fabricated the issue knowing that it would be hard to refute.

“How is anybody going to go back 8 years and prove the cabinets were filled?” Ward asked.