‘Reagan Tradition’ : * GOP to File Complaint Over Korenstein Flyer

State GOP officials said Saturday that they will file a formal complaint with the California Fair Political Practices Commission over a campaign mailer suggesting that Los Angeles school board member Julie Korenstein, a liberal Democrat, is the reelection choice of Reagan Republicans.

At a news conference in Burbank, state Republican Chairman Frank Visco said the mailer, which featured two pictures of former President Ronald Reagan and used the GOP’s elephant logo, showed “an outrageous contempt for basic honesty” and violated the law as well.

Visco said the mailer by a slate mailing firm called the L.A. Taxpayers Alliance violated the state Political Reform Act by failing to include a disclaimer stating that the group is not an official political party organization.

Visco was joined at the news conference by Jerry Horowitz, Korenstein’s opponent in Tuesday’s runoff election for the west San Fernando Valley school board seat, and by City Councilman Hal Bernson, a Horowitz supporter.

‘Brazen Dishonesty’

Horowitz called the mailer, sent exclusively to Republicans last week, “a last-minute ‘hit’ piece” and an example of “brazen dishonesty.”

Both Visco and Korenstein said the mailer was the work of political consultant Fred Heubscher, operator of the alliance. Korenstein said the slate mailing firm lists political candidates in mass mailings in return for money. Heubscher could not be reached for comment.

The mailer called on “West Valley Republicans” to “continue the Reagan Tradition of Fiscal Conservatism” by voting for Korenstein and Los Angeles Community College District board candidates Rose Ochi and Althea Baker. The mailer did not disclose that Korenstein, Ochi and Baker are Democrats.

The mailer displayed two photographs of a smiling Reagan and gave his address so that voters could “warmly welcome” him back to Los Angeles with “a Father’s Day greeting.”

But Korenstein--a supporter of the nuclear freeze and other liberal causes, who paid $1,500 to appear on the mailer--said Saturday that she had “nothing to apologize for” since she did not write the mailer or review it in advance. She acknowledged that she did not support Reagan, but said “that’s neither here nor there.”

A similar mailer with Los Angeles City Council candidate Lyle Hall’s name on it in place of Korenstein’s was also sent out by the alliance. Hall, also a Democrat, said Saturday night that he did not authorize the mailer and would investigate its origin.

Korenstein contended that she and other candidates are “held hostage” by slate mailers.

‘Put On Whoever Pays’

“They will put on whoever pays to get a spot on it,” she said. “And if you do not take a spot on it, then your opponent takes that spot.

“Our legislators should absolutely stop slate mailers,” Korenstein said. “Then candidates will not be forced to put their names on.”

Republican officials said they may file suit over Heubscher’s use of the Republican logo, in addition to the complaint they intend to file Monday with the Fair Political Practices Commission over lack of a disclaimer. Visco said the agency should investigate Heubscher and his L.A. Taxpayers Alliance, as well as anyone in the Korenstein campaign who may have had direct involvement in the mailer.

The commission can levy financial penalties for violations or can refer them for prosecution as criminal misdemeanors, although such prosecutions are rare.

Slate Mailing

But a Korenstein campaign consultant said he believes that a disclaimer was not required on the mailer because of a loophole in the Political Reform Act. One section of the law defines a “slate mailer” subject to the disclaimer as “a mass mailing which supports or opposes a total of four or more candidates or ballot measures.”

While saying he did not “want to be defending” Heubscher, Korenstein consultant Parke Shelton said the mailer might be exempt since it endorsed only three candidates.

However, the mailer urged Republicans not to vote for Horowitz, bringing to four the total of candidates either supported or opposed.

The mailer flap capped a bitter final week of campaigning in which both candidates attempted to appeal to conservative voters in what is actually a nonpartisan race.

Party Switch

For example, Horowitz, a longtime registered Democrat, re-registered as a Republican on Tuesday.

Asked Saturday why he changed his party affiliation, Horowitz said he had “always voted conservative” despite being a Democrat. He said that no one had suggested that he become a Republican, and that he merely wanted to “clearly define my position.”

Korenstein fell 57 votes short of the 50% plus one vote needed for an outright reelection victory in April. Horowitz, principal of Byrd Junior High School in Sun Valley, finished second with 22% of the vote, winning the right to challenge Korenstein in Tuesday’s runoff.