Carpenter Lawsuit Claims Robbins Duped Him : Politics: Former state senator, convicted in corruption scandals, says he was misled into funneling bribes to his legislative colleague.

In a new twist on political mudslinging, former state Sen. Paul Carpenter, already convicted in corruption scandals, filed a lawsuit Monday that charges he was duped into funneling bribes to his colleague-accuser, former Sen. Alan Robbins.

Carpenter, a Democrat from Orange County, maintains in the suit that he did not know that Robbins pocketed $27,500 Carpenter had paid to a Los Angeles public relations firm. Robbins last week fingered Carpenter in a federal court appearance admitting his own corruption.

Claiming he was defrauded, Carpenter is demanding the money back, plus additional damages, in the suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.

The public relations firm named by Carpenter is owned by Jennifer Goddard, another target of the suit. A former legislative aide to Robbins, Goddard was granted immunity in exchange for her cooperation in the investigation of corruption in the Capitol.

“He has absolutely been duped, and, yes, he is a victim and he is angry,” said Merrick S. Rayle, who this month asked the the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse Carpenter’s 1990 extortion conviction.

Carpenter, who is free on bail, was convicted of accepting $20,000 in 1986 from an undercover FBI agent, purportedly in exchange for Carpenter’s help in winning approval of a bill to finance a phony shrimp-processing plant.

He left the Senate in 1986 when he was elected to the State Board of Equalization. He is attempting to win reinstatement to the board after being forced off it after his conviction last year.

Robbins pleaded guilty last week to federal racketeering and tax evasion charges, and further implicated Carpenter by explaining his version of how one illicit Sacramento money maze worked.

According to Robbins’ admission, the Van Nuys Democrat directed that lobbyist Clayton Jackson, who also is under investigation, donate $27,500 to Carpenter’s campaign coffers. Carpenter, in turn, hired Goddard’s firm, which got the money to Robbins, he said. It is not known how Robbins used the money.

Rayle said Carpenter learned of the arrangement between Robbins and Goddard when he saw Robbins’ plea agreement and the statement that accompanied it.

“He is mad as hell about this,” Rayle said. “He knew nothing about it. He feels he has the right to money he paid. He had no reason to know that the money he paid to Goddard was in some fashion going to Robbins.”

Goddard’s lawyer did not comment on the suit. Jackson was not named in the action.

S. Thomas Pollack, Robbins’ lawyer, characterized the Carpenter suit as “creative lawyering.” Suggesting that Carpenter was aware of the arrangement, Pollack said: “Let me put it this way, his version is not consistent with what Robbins believes to be the facts.”

The lawsuit, which amounts to Carpenter’s first public response to Robbins’ statements, accuses Robbins and Goddard of fraud, breach of contract and racketeering.

The suit describes Carpenter as having been a highly respected member of the Legislature for 12 years, and says Robbins’ actions added to his loss of reputation.

Carpenter, who prided himself on being a public relations expert, said in the suit that when he decided to run for the Board of Equalization in 1986, he felt the need for additional public relations advice.

Several people in political circles suggested that he hire Goddard, though Carpenter could not recall whether Robbins was among those who steered him to her, attorney Rayle said.

At the time, the suit says, Goddard’s client list included entertainer Kenny Rogers, AT&T;, a horse racing association, a franchise operation, a medical insurance carrier and other companies. But the suit names no politicians.

Rayle said Carpenter never solicited campaign contributions from Jackson or Jackson’s clients, although the lawyer acknowledged that some Jackson clients gave to Carpenter’s campaign coffers.

Rayle said Carpenter fully disclosed “every penny” of the money that was donated by Jackson and his clients, and all the money paid to Goddard, totaling about $67,500 starting in 1986.