Nothing Unethical in Contributions to Hoge
Your Oct. 22 story about Assemblyman Bill Hoge has caused me no small amount of concern. The main focus was on his “connection” to gambling.
Bill Hoge is one of the very few candidates not running a smear-the-opponent campaign. He has co-authored many tough crime bills and is working with Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren to regulate the gambling industry in California. He stands on his record, not on fabricating dirt against his opponent.
The opponent’s entire campaign seems to rest on the emotional play of how despicable gambling is. Excuse me, but has anyone noticed that the state public school system is “connected” to gambling? Or is it pure and honorable only when the state runs a nightly numbers game? Furthermore, I happen to enjoy going to the races. It is a favorite pastime in my Scottish clan, and we are not a bunch of hoodlums. Hoge’s opponent has no political stand of his own to promote so he has chosen to work the emotional appeal of gambling for all that it is worth, and The Times is a very willing accomplice in this murky assault.
Where do campaign contributions come from? From those who wish to support legislators who support them. In the instance of horse tracks and card rooms we are looking at Southern California business. Who is business? Thousands of Southern Californians who are employed, directly and indirectly, by the tracks and card rooms. Why are these business people being treated as if they were pariahs?
The Democratic opponent is receiving sizable campaign contributions from the Willie Brown camp. Willie Brown is a Northern California assemblyman. Willie Brown is Speaker of the state Assembly. Willie Brown is carpetbagging in my district, trying to replace my Assembly representative with a candidate that would owe Willie Brown political favors if he were to get into office in January.
It is indeed ethical for local businessmen to back a local candidate. I’m voting for the candidate who has done the best job for me over the past two years: Bill Hoge.
CONSTANCE McINTOSH
Sun Valley
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