<i> A behind-the-scenes look at Orange County’s political life</i> : Ousted Candidate Asks for Delay in Deposition Scheduled for Tuesday

Claiming a right against self-incrimination, Laurie Campbell, the Democratic candidate who was thrown off the ballot in this month’s race to succeed Assemblywoman Doris Allen, has asked to delay her deposition in a civil case.

The Democratic Party went to court and forced Campbell from the ballot last month after proving her nomination papers were falsified. In the lawsuit they have filed against her, Democrats have contended that Campbell’s candidacy was engineered by one or more Republican legislators. They are seeking to take testimony from Campbell under oath.

Republican officials have denied the allegations. Campbell has said she was encouraged to run by friends, relatives and some “fairly well-known” people but has refused to name them.

One of the remaining candidates would take Allen’s spot in the 67th Assembly district if Allen (R-Cypress) is recalled in a special election Nov. 28.

The Campbell deposition is scheduled for Tuesday. Orange County Democrats also want to take testimony from her husband, Kendrick Campbell, that day. And on Thursday, they want to question Republican Assembly Leader Curt Pringle (R-Garden Grove) and his chief of staff, Jeff Flint.

In a hearing scheduled for Monday in Sacramento Superior Court, Campbell will “assert her right against self-incrimination” because she faces possible criminal charges in connection with the filing of her nomination papers, according to court papers she filed.

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Fund-raiser of the week: Allen (R-Cypress) raised about $18,000 at a “gourmet dinner” for supporters at the Irvine Marriott on Wednesday, according to campaign co-chairman Gil Ferguson. Some 50 people gathered at the $250-per-person event and others sent contributions.

Assembly Speaker Brian Setencich (R-Fresno), Allen’s lone GOP supporter, was scheduled to express his support for his colleague but never made it to the engagement.

Earlier appointments ran late, his spokeswoman said. Setencich promised to return before the election to host a luncheon, appear at a rally or work on phone banks, spokeswoman Emma Suarez Pawlicki said.

Allen and Setencich have been sharply criticized by GOP colleagues for joining with Democrats to keep the majority Republican caucus from selecting Pringle as Assembly Speaker.

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More for Baugh: There were more endorsements last week, particularly for Republican candidate Scott Baugh, one of the four Republicans on the winner-take-all replacement ballot in the Nov. 28 recall election.

Baugh was endorsed by GOP Reps. Christopher Cox of Newport Beach, Robert K. Dornan of Garden Grove and Ron Packard of Oceanside. That makes a clean sweep of the Washington delegation for the hard-right conservative.

Baugh also picked up the endorsement of the local chapters of the California Republican Assembly and Assemblyman Dick Ackerman of Fullerton. But seven members of the county’s 11-person Sacramento delegation have yet to join Pringle, who came out publicly for Baugh two weeks ago.

Doy Henley, president of the Lincoln Club, a group of politically active Republican business people, came out for one of Baugh’s opponents, conservative Republican Haydee Tillotson.

The other Republicans in the race are nurse and school trustee Shirley Carey and former Huntington Beach Mayor Don MacAllister.

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Democrats Awaken: Meanwhile, reports of the stillbirth of Democrat Linda Moulton-Patterson’s campaign appear to be exaggerated. Moulton-Patterson finally began sending out mailers last week and recently hired a campaign consultant, Park Skelton of Los Angeles.

Moulton-Patterson’s mailer touts her family values, includes a no-tax-hike pledge and recalls her history as a breast cancer survivor. But the word “Democrat” is virtually absent. You can find it if you look hard, though. In small print at the bottom, the flyer notes: “Paid for by the California Democratic Party.”

And why not? Democrats are pinching themselves at the idea that the four Republicans will split the vote and Moulton-Patterson, the lone Democrat in the replacement ballot, will sneak into Allen’s seat, aborting Pringle’s dream of leadership again.

County Republican leaders know how much is at stake. Now that Democratic former Speaker Willie Brown appears likely to win the San Francisco mayor’s post and quit the Assembly in December, the Allen recall and replacement race will determine which party controls the divided lower house.

UPCOMING EVENTS

* Wednesday: Newport Harbor Republican Women host Secretary of State Bill Jones at a noon luncheon, 1600 E. Coast Highway, Newport Beach. (714) 837-0278.

* Wednesday: Paragon Cable broadcasts a debate on the recall and replacement race. 5 p.m.

* Wednesday: Separate fund-raisers for Pringle and Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren, 6 p.m. at the Irvine Hyatt Regency. Call (714) 539-7605 for Pringle, (714) 770-2040 for Lungren.

* Thursday: KOCE Channel 50: Recall and replacement ballot debate with candidates, including Allen.

Compiled by Times political writer Peter M. Warren

Politics ’95 appears every Sunday.