Huffington Disrupts Democratic Event : Politics: Outside a private home, candidate confronts Feinstein on charge he is anti-Jewish.

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Huffington disrupted a Democratic women’s fund-raiser featuring Sen. Dianne Feinstein by showing up outside a private home Monday night and complaining to the incumbent and a dozen arriving guests about allegations that he is anti-Jewish.

Under a drizzly evening sky, punctuated by claps of thunder and lightning, Huffington stood alone on the sidewalk in shirt sleeves and presented a copy of the event’s invitation letter to each of the women guests as they arrived.

Caught by surprise, most listened quietly as the Santa Barbara congressman pointed to a sentence that said Huffington “represents everything that is antithetical to us as women and as Jews.” Some of the guests tried to elude the candidate and he followed one as she crossed the lawn to escape his lecture.

“This is a three-ring circus, I can’t believe it,” said Lynn Cutler, a former Democratic National Committee officer who wrote the letter and was host of the small event at her two-story Colonial home. “For a man to show such irrational, rude, crazy behavior. This is crazy. What’s the matter with him? This is not rational behavior.”

Feinstein arrived about 7:45 p.m., apparently forewarned of her opponent’s plan. As she stepped out of a Buick Park Avenue car, she heard a loud clap of thunder and quipped: “See, I’ve got God on my side.”

Watched by a camera crew and two reporters who had been alerted by Huffington, the candidates met on the sidewalk and cordially said hello. But soon, voices were raised.

Huffington insisted that Feinstein denounce the event because he said it violated campaign finance laws and because the reference that he is anti-Jewish was an “outrageous” attempt to “play the religion card.”

Feinstein said that she had not even read the invitation letter and that she was merely a guest at the event sponsored by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. “I thought a congressman would have something better to do at this time, huh, Michael?” she said to Huffington.

Within a few minutes, she turned the exchange into an opportunity to renew her demand that Huffington release his income taxes.

After Feinstein walked away and spoke with reporters near the front door, Huffington yelled from the sidewalk about 30 feet away that he had faxed the invitation letter to her house.

“I think maybe it is a little desperation time,” Feinstein said.

Huffington’s confrontation added a theatrical episode to a campaign that has been dominated by back-and-forth accusations and name-calling. With huge stakes for both candidates and national political parties, both campaigns continued a nonstop television barrage Monday by releasing new commercials that responded to attacks each broadcast last week.

Outside the Democratic fund-raiser Monday, Huffington contended that the event at Cutler’s home violated campaign finance laws because the invitation letter asked each guest to pay $1,500 and suggested that it could be designated for the Feinstein campaign. Huffington said the $1,500 exceeds the federal limit of $1,000 contributions for individuals.

The Republican National Committee filed a complaint Monday with the Federal Election Commission, asking that Feinstein be penalized for the event.

Feinstein campaign officials said the money would go to the Democratic Party and that none of the money would go directly to her reelection committee. But the national and state political parties can spend more than $2.5 million to help the California nominees for U.S. Senate.

A spokesman for the Federal Election Commission could not comment on the event or the complaint, but he confirmed that the $1,000 limit would apply to a Democratic Party fund-raiser if the funds were designated for a specific candidate.

Cutler scoffed at the charge, saying she has raised millions of dollars for the party over many years and there was nothing unique about the gathering of about a dozen invited guests at her home.

“That is slanderous,” she charged. “I don’t raise illegal money. Now why don’t they just get a life and try to run a campaign.”

What most irritated Huffington, however, was the contention that he is anti-Jewish. Cutler wrote in her letter: “Huffington is a radical right candidate. He is adamantly opposed to a woman’s right to choose. He represents everything that is antithetical to us as women and as Jews.”

Huffington favors abortion rights and three Jewish lobby organizations in Washington Monday said they were unaware of any anti-Jewish posture. They also noted that he has voted in favor of aid to Israel.

Cutler explained that “these are my opinions, after doing a fair amount of reading up on Mr. Huffington.” She insisted that Huffington is opposed to abortion rights and said that can also be an anti-Jewish position because “90% of the American Jewish public is pro-choice.”

Outside Cutler’s home, Huffington explained his disruption to guests as they arrived.

“I want to emphasize . . . that I am not who this lady says I am,” he told reporters. “I think it is outrageous that people will try to raise money on fear. I’ll debate Mrs. Feinstein on any issue she wants at any time. But this kind of thing is not debatable. It is improper and frankly, it is disgusting. And that’s why I’m here in person.”

Huffington arrived by himself about 10 minutes before the event in a gray Cadillac.

At one point, as he waited, Huffington suggested to a reporter that Feinstein might try to sneak into the home through a side entrance, so he walked to a corner of the building to get a better view. When a member of Feinstein’s staff appeared outside, he also inquired: “Is she due imminently?” indicating that he could not stay long.

Huffington stayed for about 30 minutes before he left and all of the guests were inside. At one point, Cutler came out to chastise him. When Huffington approached one older woman, Cutler said: “Leona, come on in. You don’t have to be subjected to this. You are a guest in my home. He is acting like a child.”

Bunting reported from Washington, Lesher from Los Angeles.