PACs Donate $1.7 Million : Contributions: A study says Henry A. Waxman received the most money among area congressmen.

Four San Fernando Valley-area congressmen received nearly $1.7 million in campaign contributions over six years from political action committees, including large sums from industries they oversee, according to a Common Cause study released Thursday.

The citizens lobby found that three of the lawmakers took in 40% or more of their total campaign funds from PACs from 1983 through 1988, with Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Los Angeles) leading the way at 77%.

Waxman was followed by Reps. Carlos J. Moorhead (R-Glendale), 50%; Howard L. Berman (D-Panorama City), 40%, and Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley), 27%.

Waxman, who received $512,774 from the special-interest groups during the six-year period, was the Valley’s biggest beneficiary. Moorhead took in $458,201; Berman, $415,277, and Gallegly, $305,232, in the three years since he first sought election in 1986.

Rep. Anthony C. Beilenson (D-Los Angeles) is the only California lawmaker who does not accept any PAC contributions.

Common Cause undertook the survey of Federal Election Commission records of California’s congressional delegation to intensify pressure on Congress to enact campaign finance reforms that would restrict PAC contributions to no more than 25% of a lawmaker’s total funds.

“Special-interest groups using special-interest PAC money are obtaining access and influence in Congress at the expense of the average citizen,” Common Cause President Fred Wertheimer said. “Almost all of this money is going to incumbents, and it is creating an electoral process that is terribly unfair to challengers of either party.”

None of the Valley legislators is a co-sponsor of a campaign reform bill backed by Common Cause. Waxman, Berman and Moorhead said they are receptive to reform measures they feel would be fair and effective. Beilenson, who has sponsored his own bill to ban PAC funds and publicly finance campaigns, said the Common Cause-backed bill is too weak.

“It’s a lot easier to figure out the right thing to do if you’re not indebted to anybody,” Beilenson said.

Three of the other Valley lawmakers said contributors were not getting any special consideration in return for their money. The fourth, Gallegly, could not be reached.

“They give for a variety of different reasons,” Berman surmised. “They may want to help people who have supported their views in most cases; to facilitate access in some fashion, to try and affect the outcome of legislation. In some cases, it’s because of friendships or geographic connections.”

In the Valley, as elsewhere in the state delegation, the survey found that contributions tended to match a lawmaker’s areas of legislative and political influence.

For instance, Waxman, who chairs a powerful House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on health and the environment, received $133,171 from PACs representing health interests. Overall, he accepted $5,000 or more from eight medical and health PACs and $1,000 or more from 27 such groups.

“We assume they are contributing to him because they support the issues the congressman works on,” said Philip M. Schiliro, Waxman’s administrative assistant. “He’s going to give somebody a fair hearing whether they contribute to him or not.”

Moorhead, the ranking Republican member of the Energy and Commerce subcommittee on energy conservation and power, accepted $74,235 from PACs representing energy interests. He is also on an Energy and Commerce subcommittee on telecommunications and finance and received $54,210 from communications PACs.

“I really don’t go out and seek a lot of big contributions,” Moorhead said. “People who know you are more apt to contribute.”

Berman, whose 26th District includes Studio City and who often champions the entertainment industry’s causes, received $44,500 from communications interests, many of which represent movie and television firms. These included 20th Century Fox Film Corp., which gave him $7,000; Lorimar, $4,600, and Warner Communications, $3,350.

“I think they view me as an ally and an effective spokesman for the creative community,” said Berman, who sits on the Judiciary Committee, which handles many entertainment issues. “They are a major industry and employer in my area.”

Gallegly, a real estate broker and former Simi Valley mayor, was most heavily supported by real estate and construction PACs, which gave him $47,299 between the time he first ran for Congress in 1986 and 1988. He also has received numerous individual contributions from real estate developers.

The biggest aggregate givers to the four lawmakers were: the National Assn. of Realtors, $61,200; the American Medical Assn., $59,475, and the Assn. of Trial Lawyers, $35,500. Locally, the PAC for Lockheed Corp., headquartered in Calabasas and with a large plant in Burbank, gave the four representatives a total of $25,410.

Waxman’s biggest health givers were the American Medical Assn., $17,500; the American Health Care Assn., $10,000, and the American Dental Assn., $9,500. Other top campaign benefactors were the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, $15,000, and the National Education Assn., $12,000.

Moorhead’s largest contributors were the American Medical Assn., $20,525; the National Assn. of Realtors, $15,750; Lockheed Corp., $7,360; AT&T-Pacific; Telephone, $7,240; Auto Dealers and Drivers For Free Trade PAC, $7,000; Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., $5,680, and the National Assn. of Life Underwriters, $5,500.

The most generous givers to Berman were the National Assn. of Realtors, $20,500; the National Education Assn., $15,000; the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, $13,800; the United Auto Workers, $12,150; the Assn. of Trial Lawyers, $9,750; the Assn. of Trial Lawyers of California, $8,655, and Lockheed Aircraft, $7,750.

Berman, a liberal former labor lawyer, was the only Valley-area legislator who received more PAC funds from labor than from business.

Gallegly’s largest PAC contributors were Litton Industries Inc., $17,000; the American Medical Assn., $16,200; the National Assn. of Home Builders, $15,999; the National Assn. of Realtors, $15,950; the Auto Dealers and Drivers For Free Trade PAC, $11,500; the pro-Israel National PAC, $10,000, and the National Rifle Assn., $9,900.

* STATE DELEGATION

Funding sources of 15 Californians in Congress. A27

PAC CONTRIBUTIONS TO VALLEY-AREA REPRESENTATIVES

PAC Receipts PAC % of Largest PAC Total Representative 1983-1988 Total Receipts by Industry or Category Henry A. Waxman $512,744 77% Health ($133,171) Carlos J. Moorhead $458,201 50% Energy ($74,235) Howard L. Berman $415,277 40% Communications ($44,500) Elton Gallegly* $305,232 27% Real Estate & Construction ($47,299)

Anthony C. Beilenson does not accept PAC contributions * Elected to Congress in 1986 Source: Common Cause survey of California’s members of the House of Representatives TOP PAC CONTRIBUTORS

The largest Political Action Committee contributors to four Valley area lawmakers, 1983-1988

Total PAC Contributions Recipients National Assn. $61,200 Berman, Gallegly, of Realtors Moorhead & Waxman American Med. Assn. $59,475 Berman, Gallegly, Moorhead & Waxman Assn. of Trial Lawyers $35,500 Berman, Moorhead & Waxman Natl. Education Assn. $27,000 Berman & Waxman Auto Dealers and $26,500 Gallegly, Moorhead & Waxman Drivers For Free Trade PAC Lockheed Corp. $25,410 Berman, Gallegly, Moorhead & Waxman

Source: Common Cause survey of California’s members of the House of Representatives