Ban on False Endorsements Pushed : Legislation: A lawmaker forged former President Reagan’s signature on campaign materials, but charges were dismissed. Now Reagan backs a bill to close the legal loophole.

Former President Ronald Reagan endorsed legislation introduced Wednesday aimed at closing a legal loophole that allegedly enabled an Orange County legislator to forge Reagan’s signature on campaign materials without facing criminal penalties.

The legislation was introduced in reaction to a recent court decision dismissing felony forgery charges against Assemblyman John R. Lewis (R-Orange) for using the unauthorized Reagan signature on 480,000 campaign letters in 1986.

The 3rd District Court of Appeal held last week that Lewis’ use of the phony Reagan signature did not defraud the voters of money or property--ingredients needed to warrant a criminal charge. The court also noted that the state’s election code held no criminal sanctions for the forged signature.

Atty. Gen. John K. Van de Kamp, who helped draft the new bill, said Wednesday that he will appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court.

The appeals court decision stunned many legislators, who said they were afraid that it will encourage unscrupulous campaigners to forge signatures of well-known politicians and celebrities without fear of sanction.

On Wednesday, Sen. William A. Craven (R-Oceanside) called a press conference to announce the introduction of a bill to make forging someone’s name on campaign material a crime that could result in three years in prison and a $50,000 fine.

The bill would also allow the candidate who is victimized by falsified mailers, as well as the person whose unauthorized signature was used, to sue to recover actual and punitive damages in civil court.

In Los Angeles, Reagan spokesman Mark Weinberg said: “President Reagan supports Sen. Craven’s bipartisan bill because it seeks to protect the good name, personal signature and political speech of every citizen. The right to publicly endorse or oppose candidates or initiatives is as precious as the right to vote on them.

“This right must be safeguarded. President Reagan believes this measure will help restore much needed integrity and public confidence in California’s political process,” Weinberg added.

Lewis was directing campaign strategy for Assembly Republicans when he allegedly had Reagan’s signature affixed to about 480,000 letters attacking Democrats in six Assembly districts during the waning days of the 1986 legislative races.

Lewis sent the letters after the White House had rejected the use of Reagan’s name on the material, according to grand jury testimony. The ruse was discovered when a number of undeliverable letters began trickling back to the White House, which was listed as the return address on the campaign material.

After district attorneys in Los Angeles and Sacramento counties declined to prosecute Lewis, Van de Kamp filed charges of felony forgery against the Orange County legislator. The appeals court rejected the charges.

On Wednesday, Lewis’ Sacramento attorney accused Van de Kamp, a 1990 Democratic gubernatorial candidate, of political motivation in vowing to take the case to the state Supreme Court.

“An announcement on how to proceed in a legal case was made at a press conference by a candidate for political office,” Dale Drozd said. “I think it’s indicative that his (Van de Kamp’s) decisions in this regard are being governed by political considerations, and not by legal analysis, and I think that’s regrettable.”