POLITICAL NOTEBOOK : Ritchie Quits House Bid, Backs Challenger

Candidate Quits--Louis A. M. Ritchie, one of three candidates who entered the June 2 Democratic primary against Rep. Matthew G. Martinez (D-Monterey Park) in the 31st Congressional District, has withdrawn and endorsed attorney Bonifacio Bonny Garcia.

Ritchie, who runs a printing business, said at a press conference Thursday at Garcia’s home in San Gabriel that, after talking to Garcia, he concluded: “We agree on many things. We share the same concerns and values.”

They agree that Martinez, who has been in Congress for 10 years, should be replaced. And they concur that the chances of beating the incumbent are improved if the opposition is unified behind one candidate. Ritchie’s name will appear on the ballot because his decision to withdraw came too late to remove it.

Not Human--Attorney Jesse Moorman of Pasadena, who is running as a Green Party candidate in the 27th Congressional District, cannot list himself on the ballot as a human rights lawyer, but he can call himself a civil rights attorney.

The difference, a spokesman for the secretary of state’s office said, is that civil rights law is a recognized field for attorneys, while human rights is not.

Moorman went to Sacramento to seek a writ to compel the state to accept his listing as a human rights lawyer, but once he got to court he settled for calling himself a civil rights attorney after that designation was accepted by the secretary of state.

It was one of the finer distinctions drawn this year by Sacramento bureaucrats, who have the task of separating legitimate occupations from electioneering as they review ballot designations. They had their hands full this year in the 27th District, where seven candidates are trying to oust Rep. Carlos J. Moorhead (R-Glendale). Not only did officials force Moorman to change, they also objected to the preferred ballot listings for three other candidates.

Advocates Barred--Louis Morelli, who is running against Moorhead in the Republican primary, submitted a designation as tax reduction advocate. But the use of the word advocate is not allowed under the secretary of state’s guidelines.

Even consumer advocate Ralph Nader would have to call himself something like “consumer affairs representative” on the California ballot.

So Morelli settled for a listing as taxpayers’ organization lawyer. The tax organization is his own outfit, called the Crime and Taxbusters Political Action Committee.

Another Republican candidate, Lionel Allen Jr., wanted to be listed as executive/disabled veteran, but was forced to change it to executive/naval veteran.

Peace and Freedom candidate Margaret L. Edwards of Altadena was not allowed to call herself an “activist” so she changed her designation to legal secretary.

Left Out--Besides having trouble with his ballot designation, Moorman also was omitted from a list of candidates issued by the Los Angeles County registrar-recorder’s office that was published in The Times.

A county spokeswoman said that the absence of Moorman from the list was unintended and that he has qualified for the ballot in the 27th District, which includes Pasadena, Glendale and Burbank.

Endorsements--The National Women’s Political Caucus of Greater Pasadena has endorsed a Republican and two Democrats in Assembly races.

The 20-year-old group is backing Republican Barbara Pieper of La Canada Flintridge in the 44th and Democrats Diane Martinez of Monterey Park in the 49th and Hilda Solis of El Monte in the 57th.

The caucus has also endorsed Glendale attorney Margalo Ashley-Farrand in the 5th Supervisorial District, where Mike Antonovich is seeking reelection . . . Pieper was also endorsed by the moderate California Republican League . . . The conservative California Republican Assembly has endorsed James V. Lacy of Yorba Linda in the 41st Congressional District, a new district that includes Pomona, Diamond Bar and Rowland Heights, as well as parts of San Bernardino and Orange counties.