Allstate Admits Political Calls Were Misleading

Allstate Insurance Co. conceded Friday that some of its employees misrepresented themselves as speaking for a police group while soliciting votes by telephone for Republican candidate Charles Quackenbush in the insurance commissioner’s race.

Delia Chilgren, head of Allstate’s California political action group, said that fewer than one-third of the company volunteers were given scripts instructing them to say they spoke on behalf of the Peace Officers Research Assn. of California. She added that many “were uncomfortable” with the subterfuge and said instead that they were representing Quackenbush.

A spokesman for Assemblyman Quackenbush’s Democratic opponent, state Sen. Art Torres, said the Torres campaign had sent a spy to one of the phone banks, at an Allstate office in Monrovia, and had listened as Allstate agents made their pitches for Quackenbush by saying they were representatives of the police group.

Chilgren confirmed that one of the phone banks was at the Allstate Monrovia office.

Torres’ campaign manager, Dario Frommer, sent a letter to Allstate charging the company-- which has a 100% rate increase request for earthquake insurance premiums pending in the commissioner’s office--with “perpetrating fraud on California voters.”

“It is a crime in California to represent oneself as a peace officer,” he said.

According to the script, which was obtained by The Times, the Allstate agents were instructed to say they were “calling on behalf of” the police group, not to say they were police officers.

The police group has endorsed Quackenbush, but its political director, Kelly Moran, said Friday that he has asked Allstate to stop its agents and other employees from using the group’s name in their calls.

A spokeswoman for Quackenbush, Lynne Andersen, said the Republican’s campaign apologizes if any misrepresentations were made and is sending a letter to Allstate asking that such misstatements be avoided.