CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS / INSURANCE COMMISSIONER : Press Hit for Seeking Attorney Donations

Bill Press, one of the apparent front-runners in the race for the Democratic nomination for insurance commissioner, came under attack Tuesday for soliciting thousands of dollars of campaign contributions from attorneys who advertise heavily for clients with accident claims against insurance companies.

Ray Bourhis, another Democrat in the race and an attorney himself, raised questions about a fund-raising reception Press will hold next Tuesday at the San Francisco home of Arnold Laub, one of the biggest advertisers of litigation services. The invitation lists 65 trial lawyers, some of them important advertisers in lucrative auto accident litigation, as supporting Press.

Bourhis also said he has been told that the Los Angeles telephone solicitation firm of Gordon & Schwenkmeyer, which he said has traditionally been a big fund raiser for the California Trial Lawyers Assn., has in recent days assisted trial lawyers active in the auto accident litigation business in raising $100,000 for Press.

Bourhis said that such big advertising attorneys as Laub, Larry H. Parker of Long Beach and Michael Scranton of Pleasant Hill are “famous for profiting from this business” and have “vested interests in the state Insurance Department.” It is not right for Press, he said, to take contributions from them or use them to raise money for him if he hopes to be an independent commissioner.

Press’ campaign manager, Michael J. Ganley, said, “It’s sheer hypocrisy for Bourhis to accuse Press of taking money from people he’s begging from himself.” He suggested that Bourhis “is just upset he’s raised so little support from his peers.”

“I hope we’re raising hundreds of thousands of dollars from all of our donors,” Ganley added. “We’re up against a millionaire politician (Democratic state Sen. John Garamendi) who’s received a half-a-million-dollar bank loan, and we’re receiving donations from our friends.”

Attorney Scranton said he was surprised by Bourhis’ statements because he had also given Bourhis a contribution.

“Yes, I am a lawyer, and yes, I advertise, and yes, I contribute to Bill Press,” Scranton said. “I think these accusations are insane and sour grapes for Ray Bourhis.”

Bourhis, however, insisted that he is not seeking to raise money from the big advertising attorneys and said he will return Scranton’s $1,000 contribution.

“I try to distinguish between people who are part of the problem and people who are part of the solution,” Bourhis said. “Those attorneys pursuing product liability cases, consumer complaints against unfair insurer practices, representing women and minorities, these are attorneys trying to do a good job representing people.

“But to the advertisers, it’s a business, and some of these firms are nothing more than accident claims mills, closely associated with teams of doctors and chiropractors.”

Laub, host of next week’s fund-raising reception for Press, joined Scranton in accusing Bourhis of “sour grapes.”

“If he says personal injury attorneys should not get involved in the commissioner’s race, then why is he running?” he asked of Bourhis. “He should withdraw himself. We obviously have a right to be involved in behalf of a candidate we like.”

Parker, credited in a recent Press contribution report with raising money for him, was not available for comment. Mike Gordon, president of the Gordon & Schwenkmeyer firm, declined to comment on the firm’s role.