Testimony Isn’t Expected to Cost Robbins His Seat : Campaigns: State Sen. Alan Robbins is in a safe district unless he’s convicted of a crime, political consultants say. However, he could be in trouble if he seeks another office.

Recent court testimony implicating state Sen. Alan Robbins (D-Tarzana) in the capital’s political corruption scandal is unlikely to derail a reelection bid, though the accusations could harm his chances of capturing any other political office, according to public officials and campaign consultants.

“Alan Robbins has amazing resilience, and I don’t see as of yet anything that would harm his reelection chances,” said one campaign consultant. “He has proven himself to handle the most adverse publicity, and his district has shown themselves to overlook his shortcomings.”

Accusations about Robbins have surfaced in the continuing federal corruption trial of Sen. Joseph B. Montoya (D-Whittier). Last month, star witness John Shahabian, a Senate aide who was trapped in the sting, testified that on advice from Robbins, he offered a $3,000 payoff to Montoya for help on a bill to obtain state bond financing for a dummy FBI shrimp importing company. Portions of the discussions with Robbins were secretly taped.

On Tuesday, Shahabian testified that in one of the conversations, Robbins “suggested $40,000” would be required to win Senate passage of a bill to help the dummy company.

On Thursday, a lobbyist testified that in 1985 he was told Robbins demanded a campaign contribution to push a bill on behalf of osteopathic physicians through a committee headed by the senator. The lobbyist described the demand--made through third parties--as “a shakedown.” Robbins rejected the testimony as untrue.

Public officials and consultants interviewed by The Times on Friday said Robbins, who has strong ties to Republicans in the San Fernando Valley, has weathered more serious threats to his career. They cited his acquittal on felony sex charges in a highly publicized 1981 trial. As evidence of his continuing clout, many of those interviewed would only discuss Robbins if they were not identified.

Those interviewed said that because of the strong loyalties and the heavy Democratic registration of his 20th Senate District constituents, Robbins would have to be convicted of a crime before he would face a stiff challenge for his Senate seat.

As a result, one political consultant familiar with Valley politics said he expects Republicans will merely “put up a sacrificial lamb” to challenge Robbins.

Political fallout over the testimony is more likely to occur if Robbins tries to run for another political office, as he has expressed interest in doing, political insiders said.

If he were to campaign for any other office, he would not have the many benefits of incumbency and could expect to face other well-known candidates with sufficient money to finance campaign “hit” pieces directed at him. A Senate staff member said an opponent could easily turn the court testimony into 30-second commercials assailing Robbins.

Robbins dismissed suggestions that he faces political damage from the testimony. “I think on balance anyone who looks at the overall picture . . . would be willing to continue to vote for me,” he said.

Robbins, who last spring was identified by sources as a subject of the FBI investigation, has not been charged with any crime. An elaborate sting that was part of the probe led to the indictment of Montoya on 12 counts of racketeering, bribery and corruption.

Robbins on Friday emphasized that he had turned down money from the FBI. “I’m the only one while being secretly taped who turned down the money. That doesn’t mean I’m perfect, I’m not . . . That doesn’t mean I’m a holier-than-thou type. I never said I was . . . The bottom line was that I passed the test. I didn’t take the money.”

Assemblyman Tom Bane (D-Tarzana), a longtime Robbins ally, said Friday he has not seen Robbins “cross the line to selling votes . . . I’ve always found him to be very careful.” But Bane acknowledged that the senator sometimes “says things that can be interpreted in different ways.”

Bane said he is among a number of lawmakers subpoenaed by Montoya’s lawyers. However, Bane said he does not expect to testify in the trial, which enters its fifth week on Monday.

Likewise, Sen. Ed Davis (R-Valencia) acknowledged that he had been subpoenaed but does not anticipate making a court appearance. Robbins also has been subpoenaed but has yet to appear in court.

Davis, a former Los Angeles police chief who represents a district neighboring Robbins’, said he would have to know more about the conversations between Robbins and Shahabian to evaluate whether Robbins behaved improperly.

“You’d have to see the tapes in their entirety, “ he said. But, Davis added, “It certainly isn’t something that would be career-enhancing.”

Asked about the testimony regarding Robbins, Ruth Holton, a spokeswoman for California Common Cause, said, “It only confirms the public opinion that legislators are taking money for legislation . . . It merely enhances the public perception that the whole Legislature is guilty of responding to special interests.”

The testimony about Robbins, who was first elected to the Senate in 1973, comes at a crucial time for the veteran San Fernando Valley lawmaker.

Robbins has said he would like to seek a Los Angeles County supervisorial seat in the San Fernando Valley. He hopes a seat will be created through a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Justice Department to force supervisors to redraw district lines. But as the trial on the suit began this week, the supervisors voted 3 to 2 against expanding the board from five to seven members.

With uncertainty surrounding the redistricting case, Robbins appears to be hedging his bets.

In late December, Robbins filed a statement of intention to run for reelection, according to Sandra Michioku, a spokeswoman for the Fair Political Practices Commission. She said Robbins so far is the only candidate in the 20th District to file papers, which allows him to raise campaign funds for a Senate contest. Robbins previously filed similar papers for the yet-to-be created supervisorial seat. On Friday, Robbins confirmed that another option he is considering is a race for the Board of Equalization.

Robbins faces a final deadline of March 9 to officially put his name on the ballot, according to the secretary of state’s office.