CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS / GOVERNOR : Wilson Crime Ad Prompts Angry Reply From Brown

Gov. Pete Wilson aired a new television commercial Friday that seeks to portray Democrat Kathleen Brown as opposing tougher prison terms for rapists and child molesters. Brown called the commercial a lie and said it was evidence that Wilson would do anything to get reelected.

Brown fielded a new ad of her own Friday that focuses on the economy. Brown’s campaign strategists believe the economy will be the pivotal issue in Southern California in the Nov. 8 gubernatorial election.

The commercial, which says that Wilson “did nothing, year after year” as the recession racked Southern California, is running only in the Los Angeles market.

But it was the crime issue that prompted one of the bitterest exchanges of the campaign, in which Democrat Brown, the incumbent state treasurer, is trying to deny Wilson’s bid for a second term.

The 30-second Wilson TV spot portrays the Republican governor as an uncompromising crime fighter pushing for a “one strike” bill that would sentence rapists and child molesters to prison for life without parole on a first conviction. Brown opposed “Wilson’s ‘one strike’ law,” the ad says.

Carol Rose, a deputy district attorney, appears on the screen to comment: “It’s unconscionable that Kathleen Brown could oppose the ‘one strike’ bill.”

In fact, Wilson’s “one strike” bill ran into so much opposition in the Legislature that its author had to agree to substantial amendments for it to have any chance of passage. Brown opposed the original version but supports the amended bill, sponsored by Sen. Marian Bergeson (R-Newport Beach), Brown campaign officials said.

The present bill would double the length of sentences for a first offense and impose a term of 25 years to life for a first-offense sex crime involving the use of a deadly weapon or causing serious injury.

In an unusual move, the campaign issued a statement from Brown, saying: “Pete Wilson’s new ad is a lie! But it’s just the most recent example of Pete’s phoniness and political expediency.”

Usually, any response to Wilson campaign ads or statements comes from her campaign manager, Clint Reilly, or one of her press aides.

“I don’t have to be lectured by Pete on the importance of tougher rape laws and child abuse laws,” she said. “That’s why I support the tougher, smarter, more responsible ‘one strike’ law.”

Wilson campaign manager George Gorton said: “We believe it is fair and accurate to characterize her as opposed to the governor’s original bill and fair and accurate to question her support for the compromise bill.”

A Wilson campaign statement said Brown had “avoided taking a public position on the compromise legislation,” but whenever Brown officials were asked her position on the amended legislation, they said she supported it.

Wilson has said he would sign the Bergeson bill into law as an interim step, but would continue to push for a tougher measure that mandates a life term without parole for first-time rapists and child molesters.

Brown and other critics of the Wilson proposal, including many district attorneys, said it was impractical because it would make it more difficult to prosecute many offenses such as acquaintance rape and spousal rape.

If Wilson’s new ad on crime did not tell the whole story of the “one strike” issue, neither did Brown’s new ad concerning Wilson’s response to the recession.

The ad shows Brown speaking to an audience and gesturing dramatically as she says that “Wilson did nothing, year after year” as Los Angeles County lost 450,000 jobs.

“While your family’s been hurting,” Brown adds, “he’s taken $1 billion in vital services from L.A., raised taxes on the middle class and is giving an $800-million tax break to the rich.”

Brown does not mention that she supported most of the budget solutions she criticizes.

The $800-million tax break for the rich also is misleading. Wilson and the Legislature added a temporary income tax surcharge for the richest Californians to help solve the massive budget deficit in 1991 and 1992. The surcharge is due to expire at the end of 1995. Brown says Wilson is giving a tax break to the rich by opposing extension of the surcharge.

Times staff writer Daniel M. Weintraub contributed to this report.