Plaintiff in Political Case Collapses in Court : Lawsuit: Accountant was listening to testimony in action against two Newport direct-mail consultants.

The plaintiff in a civil lawsuit against two Newport Beach political consultants collapsed during the third day of the trial in Orange County Superior Court and had to be hospitalized.

Paul McCauley, a 45-year-old accountant from Sherman Oaks, became ill while listening to testimony from a witness in the case, which pits him against powerful direct-mail gurus William Butcher and Arnold Forde.

McCauley was taken to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana where he was in stable condition Monday night.

McCauley alleges that the consultants used the California Tax Reduction Movement (now known as the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Assn.) to dodge a required public accounting of roughly $19 million donated by Californians to political action committees and causes.

Defense attorneys have contended that there were no improprieties on the part of their clients.

McCauley’s lawyer, Gary Phillips, said Monday that he was “examining a witness when the bailiff handed the judge a note. The judge said we were going to take a brief recess because Mr. McCauley requires medical assistance. (McCauley) had his tie loosened and collar open, and he did not look very well.”

It is not known if McCauley’s illness is connected to the kidney transplant operation he underwent in 1987. He has been receiving dialysis treatment, his lawyer said.

“I don’t know what caused this,” Phillips said. “He was in really rough shape in the beginning but we’ve heard he’s doing much better, fortunately.”

The case, which went to trial last week, had been mysteriously kept from public view since 1990. It has been reassigned to at least five different judges and at least once to a special litigation panel of Superior Court judges when the case became too complex.

Lawyers for both sides said the trial will resume on Wednesday.