Democrats File Complaint on Kuykendall : Politics: Party says GOP Assembly candidate did not promptly report last-minute $125,000 contribution. Campaign says it did nothing wrong.

The California Democratic Party, stinging over the apparent loss of the Assembly to Republicans, filed a complaint Tuesday with the state Fair Political Practices Commission about a late $125,000 donation by tobacco giant Philip Morris that may have swung a key Assembly race in Long Beach to the GOP.

The Democrats accused Republican Assembly candidate Steve Kuykendall of failing to promptly file a campaign finance report showing that he received the $125,000 Philip Morris donation.

Kuykendall’s campaign said it did nothing wrong.

“The campaign followed the letter of the law. This is just another desperate attempt by the Democrats to maintain power in the Assembly,” said Lynn Harder of the Sacramento firm of McNally-Temple, which ran Kuykendall’s campaign.

Kuykendall apparently has unseated Democratic incumbent Betty Karnette in the Long Beach seat, pending a final count of absentee ballots. Although a few thousand absentee ballots remain to be counted, Kuykendall’s apparent victory helped the GOP seize control of the lower house by a 41-39 margin.

The complaint also named Assembly Republican Leader Jim Brulte. Brulte, who is seeking to unseat Willie Brown as Assembly Speaker, called the complaint “frivolous” and a waste of tax money.

Kuykendall reported to the secretary of state that he received the money the weekend before the Nov. 8 election. Because he filed the report so close to Election Day, voters were unaware of the donation.

In the complaint, the Democrats, citing a Times story quoting Brulte, charged that he knew Philip Morris, the world’s largest tobacco company, planned to donate the money to Kuykendall a month before the check was sent.

“(The law) is pretty clear that when you get a commitment, you’re supposed to report it--and they didn’t,” said state Democratic Party Chairman Bill Press. “When ‘deep pockets’ tells you that you’ll have $125,000, that’s money in the bank.”

Press said Democrats are also considering a recall of Kuykendall over the donation.

Meanwhile, Kuykendall’s lead over Karnette widened to 665 votes Tuesday as the Los Angeles County registrar of voters continued to tally absentee ballots. Counting is expected to continue at least through the end of today. Three Assembly races elsewhere in the state also depend on absentee ballot counts.