Commission Clears Bill Press’ KFI Show : Broadcasting: Board denies Republicans’ charge that the Democratic Party chairman’s radio program constitutes a campaign contribution. Next target: his KCOP-TV spots.

The battle between the California Republican Party and the Los Angeles broadcast outlets employing California Democratic Party Chairman Bill Press as a commentator and talk-show host has taken two more twists.

The Fair Political Practices Commission has told KFI-AM (640) that Press’ position as a talk-show host does not constitute an in-kind campaign contribution to the party, as the California Republican Party had claimed in a complaint filed in May.

In a response to a request for advice from KFI General Manager Howard Neal, Wayne Ordos, the commission’s executive director, and Jill Stecher, its legal division counsel, wrote: “There are no facts to indicate that KFI has made either a contribution or an expenditure for political purposes. The mere employment of a talk show host who happens to be the chair of the CDP (California Democratic Party) constitutes neither a contribution nor an expenditure to the CDP.”

Among the facts the commission relied on in its letter was that the station does not promote Press as party chairman nor make an official reference on the air to his party position.

Relying on that reasoning, the Republicans recently filed another complaint to the Fair Political Practices Commission, this time against KCOP-TV Channel 13, which employs Press as a commentator four nights a week on its 10 p.m. newscast.

*

Because KCOP has identified Press with his party title since his election to the non-paying post in April, the Republicans allege that a June 2 Press commentary criticizing a state Republican Party lawsuit that led to a court order enjoining the state Democratic Party from conducting a get-out-the-vote effort for Los Angeles mayoral candidate Michael Woo constituted a contribution from the station to the state Democratic Party or to Woo.

“I am very confident that (the FPPC) will do something on this complaint,” said Michael J. Schroeder, a Santa Ana attorney who serves as treasurer for the state Republican Party. “What they basically relied on (in the KFI complaint) is that Bill Press was not identified as California Democratic Party chairman. In that (KCOP) video tape, he is clearly identified as chairman of the California Democratic Party. At that point he is not speaking as a commentator, but as chairman of the California Democratic Party. If KCOP is giving them free time, that should also be made to the Republican Party.”

Janet Turvill, a spokeswoman for the commission, said that the agency does not confirm or deny the receipt of a complaint nor does it discuss the status of any investigation.

Bob Stern, a former general counsel for the commission, expressed doubt that the latest Republican complaint would be found to have merit. “The FPPC regulations exempt federally regulated broadcasters from regulation,” Stern said. “If they endorsed Mike Woo, that would not be considered a contribution.”

Stern said the only exception is if a station gave free advertising time to a candidate or ballot measure, then that would be considered a contribution.

KCOP General Manager Rick Feldman called the Republicans’ claim “ridiculous.”

“Bill Press doesn’t represent the Democratic Party when he does his commentary,” Feldman said. “There are enough points of view on my station for everybody to be pretty comfortable with the levels of opinions on both side. This is a non-issue and I don’t understand what they’re talking about.”

Schroeder said that his party’s eventual goal is to have KCOP either remove Press from the air or give equal time to the Republicans. A Republican now delivers commentary one night a week.