Wachs Will Raise Funds for Possible Mayoral Run : Politics: The councilman blames Tom Bradley for the extent of the riots after the Rodney G. King court case.

Saying Los Angeles is broken and Mayor Tom Bradley “is not the person to fix it,” City Councilman Joel Wachs declared Wednesday he intends to raise funds for a possible run for mayor next spring.

Raising what may become an important campaign issue, Wachs blamed Bradley for the extent of the riots that followed the Rodney G. King verdict. He said Bradley’s feud with former Police Chief Daryl F. Gates hampered early efforts to control the violence and that for his own political reasons Bradley made statements that were “divisive and he polarized the community.”

Wachs, a 22-year veteran of city politics, joins Councilmen Michael Woo and Nate Holden and state Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sylmar), who also have filed the required legal documents to begin raising funds to run for the city’s highest elected office.

Wachs said he is confident that his exploratory move will result in a decision next January to formally announce his candidacy for the seat held by Bradley since 1973.

Wachs said that meanwhile he will take a hard look at his prospects, including whether he can expect to raise the estimated $2 million needed to compete seriously in what is anticipated to be a crowded mayor’s race.

Wachs’ tentative entry into the race drew a sharp reply from Bradley’s top City Hall adviser, who accused the councilman of being a waffler on major issues, including efforts to remove former Chief Gates from office.

At a news conference on the City Hall steps, Wachs, 53, ended a brief prepared speech with an anecdote summarizing the fears and hopes driving his mayoral aspirations.

“Last week, one of my dearest friends looked at me and said: ‘Joel, there’s something wrong. Los Angeles just isn’t fun anymore.’ And he and his wife were actually thinking of leaving.

“I think we can turn Los Angeles around again, and give people a reason to stay,” Wachs said.

Wachs, who represents much of the eastern San Fernando Valley, also brought a Valley touch to his quest for the citywide office. Saying he has fought for the Valley when it failed to receive its fair share of city services, Wachs believes he can “bring that compassion” to other parts of the city that also may feel left out.

“People want in, a piece of the pie,” Wachs said, as he promised to politically strengthen those who do not have a full voice in city government, so that the city can be made to work again.

Unlike Woo, Wachs will not have to relinquish his council seat if he eventually chooses to run for mayor because the two offices will not be on the ballot simultaneously. Wachs’ current term as councilman representing the 2nd District does not expire until 1995.

Joe Cerrell, a veteran Democratic political consultant, predicted that Wachs’ candidacy would appeal strongly to Jews and in the San Fernando Valley. “He’ll also do very well in the artsy community,” Cerrell said.

Cerrell also applauded Wachs for entering the growing field of candidates now rather than later. “Joel is smart to get in early,” Cerrell said, because it will improve his chances of raising money in a large field of credible candidates.

Steve Afriat, a Democratic political consultant who lives in the Valley, predicted Wachs’ candidacy will make for a heated battle for Valley votes. Katz has a strong Valley base, as has Councilwoman Joy Picus from the West Valley, who is also considering running for mayor.

Deputy Mayor Mark Fabiani reacted caustically to Wachs’ announcement, much as he has to those of other potential challengers to his boss. Bradley has said he will disclose in September whether he will seek a sixth term.

Wachs has shown “no outstanding leadership” in two decades on the council, Fabiani said. “And when the going got tough on the issue of Chief Gates, one of the most divisive forces Los Angeles has ever seen, he showed no leadership, and that’s going to require a lot of explanation.”

Fabiani was referring to Wachs’ support for Gates’ efforts to remain in office after the King beating.

“The people have a right to know why Wachs was one of the chief’s staunchest backers,” Fabiani said. “It’s completely inconsistent with his prior stands on civil rights and civil liberties.”

Fabiani also criticized Wachs for failing to develop a recovery plan for Los Angeles after the recent riots. “Other than the mayor, nobody has had a plan,” Fabiani said.

Fabiani’s remarks drew an equally sharp rebuke from Wachs.

Wachs said that the mayor showed an “almost impeachable” lack of leadership by failing to communicate regularly with Gates during the year or so preceding the riots. In interviews after the riots, Bradley said he had not talked to Gates personally for more than a year.

“I think the police response,” Wachs said, “would have been better if the mayor had been on speaking terms with the chief and they had had a well-coordinated plan. The city’s response was hampered by this lack of communication.”

Wachs also said that throughout the King-Gates controversy, Bradley “did not act leader-like. He acted in an incredibly political way. He was divisive and he polarized the community.”

Wachs also said his defense of Gates in the spring of 1991 was completely consistent with his civil rights record. At the time, the Police Commission sought to place Gates on leave of absence while the Christopher Commission conducted a landmark review of the department.

Wachs, who led the forces that blocked the Police Commission move, said that the panel was seeking to abridge Gates’ civil rights and he would not tolerate it. “Civil rights go to everybody, and they wanted to strip him of his due process,” Wachs said.

That city leaders’ responses to Gates and the King incident will be a big campaign issue in 1993 was also evident a week ago when Woo, in announcing his decision to run, boasted that he had been the first lawmaker to call for Gates’ ouster.

At that time, Wachs’ staff quickly retorted that it was Wachs’ decision with Council President John Ferraro to seek Gates’ removal that actually tipped the scales and prompted the controversial chief to agree to leave office. “Gates didn’t go because of Mike Woo,” said Greg Nelson, chief deputy to Wachs. “Not until people like John and Joel said it was best for him to go did he go.”

Neither Woo nor Katz’s campaign advisers would comment on the Wachs announcement.

The announcement ended months of speculation about Wachs’ plans--months in which Wachs has taken a vocal role in several controversial issues, including blocking a plan to give a Japanese firm, Sumitomo, a choice Metro Rail contract; joining Picus in an abortive bid to adopt a pro-Valley redistricting plan for the Los Angeles school board, and waging an unsuccessful campaign to place a term limits measure on the ballot.

In an interview and at his news conference, Wachs said he was proudest of his leadership in winning city adoption of a rent control law, his efforts to stop the aerial spraying of the pesticide malathion during the city’s 1990 Medfly infestation and his role in authoring legislation to prevent job discrimination against carriers of the AIDS virus.

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