49TH ASSEMBLY RACE

Democratic Assemblywoman Gwen Moore of Los Angeles is running for a seventh term in the overwhelmingly Democratic district that stretches from Marina del Rey to the Crenshaw area.

Moore is in a rematch this fall with Republican Eric Givens, against whom she ran up more than three-quarters of the vote in 1988.

Her legislative accomplishments this year include the enactment of a measure to curb loan scams that have cost some Los Angeles area residents their homes. The law is intended to restrict large balloon payments on short-term loans by mortgage brokers.

Moore also sponsored legislation that bans trucks used to carry garbage and other wastes from hauling food products that are not adequately protected, as well as a law to make the labels on non-prescription medicines more readable.

Moore is one of a handful of lawmakers under scrutiny in connection with a federal investigation of corruption in the Legislature.

She unwittingly carried two bills for dummy companies set up by FBI agents seeking legislative help in opening a shrimp processing plant near Sacramento.

Federal investigators last spring intensified their inquiry into Moore’s office. They subpoenaed campaign contribution records and files on six bills she authored between 1985 and 1988, including four that would have changed regulations dealing with alcoholic beverages.

Investigators also have been examining Tyrone Netters, a former aide to Moore. Both the assemblywoman and Netters accepted contributions from undercover agents posing as businessmen.

Moore, who testified at the federal corruption trial of state Sen. Joseph B. Montoya (D-Whittier) in January, has said she did nothing wrong.

Asked whether she thought the investigation will hurt her reelection chances, she said, “Absolutely not, because people are familiar with my record and know me and know that I haven’t done anything wrong.”

Challenger Givens, 33, acknowledges his uphill battle, given Moore’s solid base of support, and says he is running in part to develop a constituency for future campaigns.

A home builder who lives in the Crenshaw area, Givens has built his campaign around issues relating to the problems facing minority youth.

Lawmakers, he says, must do more to address the high dropout rate and high unemployment rate among minority youth, without simply throwing more government funds at the problem. He says the problems can be solved through greater involvement by lawmakers and parents in community programs and by creating more job opportunities for young people.

Moore’s campaign contributions have come from utilities, oil companies, labor unions, trial lawyers, bankers, cable television companies, doctors, hospitals, nurses, realtors and teachers.

Peace and Freedom candidate Alice Mae Miles and Libertarian Carin Rogers will also be on the ballot.

Staff writers Josh Meyer and Ron Russell and Times librarian Joyce Sherwood assisted with this report.

49RD ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

The district: Marina del Rey, Playa del Rey, Westchester, Culver City, Ladera Heights, Baldwin Hills, and the Crenshaw area.

Candidate: Gwen Moore (inc.) Party: Democrat Candidate: Eric Givens Party: Republican Candidate: Carin Rogers Party: Libertarian Candidate: Alice Mae Miles Party: Peace and Freedom

Voter Registration Registered Percent Democrats 109,895 72.7% Republicans 27,500 18.2 Independents 10,889 7.2 Minor Parties* 2,814 1.9 Total 151,098

* American Independent, Peace and Freedom, Libertarian and miscellaneous

1988 Results Votes Percent Assemblywoman Gwen Moore (D) 83,307 76.7% Eric Givens (R) 25,322 23.3