ELECTIONS / STATE ASSEMBLY : Contribution to Horcher Adds a Wrinkle to GOP Race in 60th District : Election: Assemblyman received $10,000 from a new committee funded by a group that traditionally gives to Democrats. His opponent Phyllis Papen is outraged.

A newly formed political committee, whose treasurer is the general counsel of the state Democratic Party, has reported giving $10,000 to Republican Assemblyman Paul Horcher of Diamond Bar in his hard-fought GOP primary campaign against Phyllis Papen.

The 2-month-old committee, known as the Committee of Working Californians for an Effective Legislature, is funded by a group that traditionally contributes to Democrats.

The committee’s funds come from a coalition of teachers’ organizations and state employee groups. The treasurer of the committee, Lance Olson, is the general counsel for the state Democratic Party. Olson, who is also partner in a law firm specializing in campaign services, did not return repeated telephone calls to his office seeking comment.

The disclosure of the contribution to Horcher is the latest wrinkle in a bitter race between Papen and Horcher in the newly drawn, strongly Republican 60th Assembly District. The district covers all of Diamond Bar, La Mirada, Rowland Heights and Walnut and parts of West Covina, Whittier, La Habra, the City of Industry, Pomona and South Whittier.

In an interview last week, Horcher suggested that the committee contributed to his campaign because the group likes his stands on issues. “I guess they know I’m pro-education,” the freshman assemblyman said, citing his support for the funding requirements in Proposition 98.

Horcher went on to speculate that some of the groups in the committee, especially the California Teachers Assn., are trying to make up for their historic support of Democratic candidates. “There are a lot of Republicans in their membership. They are just trying to correct the disparity.”

Horcher said that he has spoken to Olson on a legal matter but did not solicit the campaign funds. Through the middle of May, Horcher had reported raising nearly $114,000 for his campaign.

Papen, Horcher’s opponent in Tuesday’s primary, voiced outrage over the contribution.

“I think it’s outrageous that a Republican with a Republican campaign in a GOP district would be funded by Democrats,” said Papen, a Diamond Bar councilwoman.

Records at the secretary of state’s office show that the Committee of Working Californians applied for approval on March 13, was certified on April 1 and had received more than $140,000 in contributions from five employee groups by May 15.

The committee received $50,000 from the California State Council of Service Employees political action committee; $40,000 from the California State Employees Assn. PAC; $25,000 from a PAC controlled by the California Teachers Assn.; and $25,000 from the California Faculty Assn. PAC. Another $112 of in-kind services were supplied by the Peace Officers Research Assn. of California, which represents rank-and-file police officers.

Bill Cavala, a top aide to Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco), said the groups contributing to the new committee traditionally back Democratic candidates. Asked why they might be contributing to Republican primary campaigns, Cavala said: “My assumption is that they are looking for Republican votes down the line for their legislative programs.”

Steve Smith, government relations manager for the State Employees Assn., acknowledged that his group pumps more money into Democratic campaigns but he stressed that it also supports Republicans.

“I’m sure the Democrats preferred we didn’t give any money to any Republicans,” he said, adding that the public employee groups banded together to maximize the impact of their campaign contributions. Smith said the groups are concerned about such issues a collective bargaining for public employees.

He described Olson as extremely knowledgeable about election laws, saying he is treasurer of many political action committees.

The Committee of Working Californians also contributed to two other campaigns, giving Assemblywoman Doris Allen (R-Cypress) the largest chunk of money. Allen, who is running against two other incumbent GOP lawmakers, received $30,000. The third candidate to receive money from the group is Valerie Brown, a Democrat running for an open seat in the Napa Valley. She received $18,150.

Officials of the California Teachers Assn. and the California State Council of Service Employees could not be reached for comment.

Times Staff Writer Ralph Frammolino contributed to this story.