Sybert, Sherman Top Fund-Raisers in Race for Congress in 24th District

Republican congressional candidate Richard Sybert raised nearly $112,000 in donations last year to pay off debts from his unsuccessful 1994 attempt to replace Rep. Anthony C. Beilenson (D-Woodland Hills) in Congress and launch a renewed effort this year.

Democratic congressional candidate Brad Sherman raised nearly $12,000 in the final weeks of 1995 and personally loaned his campaign $275,000 to jump-start his political bid for federal office.

These two candidates were the top fund-raisers among the 10 major party candidates seeking the 24th Congressional District seat that Beilenson will vacate at the end of his term this year.

Indeed, they were the only candidates to file campaign finance reports by Wednesday’s deadline in the 24th District, which includes Thousand Oaks, Malibu and western portions of San Fernando Valley. Such reports are required when candidates raise or spend $5,000.

In the adjacent 23rd Congressional District, Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) reported raising $198,477 last year, about 100 times more than the $1,913 raised by his Democratic opponent, Bob Unruhe of Ojai.

Yet, as Unruhe points out, the comparison may not be fair because Gallegly, as the incumbent, has been working steadily at filling his campaign coffers while Unruhe did not launch his campaign until the final weeks of 1995.

Still, the campaign finance reports detailing last year’s financial activity offered an indication as to which candidates are well-prepared at the outset of the 1996 election season. Gallegly had $252,931 in cash reserves as of Dec. 31, which included $57,192 from political action committees representing specialized interests. Unruhe had $710 in the bank.

Although Sybert raised $111,982 last year and had $71,258 in cash as of Dec. 31, his report shows $569,939 in debts from his 1994 congressional campaign.

Of that debt, $549,539 represents money he loaned his campaign in 1993 and mounting interest. The remaining $20,400 is owed to consultants and to Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Newport Beach)--money Sybert expects to repay in coming weeks.

Sybert said he was encouraged by his ability to raise money before the campaign got underway and expects to pull in considerably more in donations before the November election. “My guess is three-quarters of a million dollars,” he said.

Sybert faces two Republican opponents in the March 26 primary. But neither has reached the $5,000 threshold that triggers the reporting requirement.

“I’m not there yet,” said K. Paul Jhin, a veterans’ advocate and Malibu resident who jumped into the GOP race at the last minute. Neither is Stephen C. Brecht, an estate planner and author from Woodland Hills. “I have yet to spend, nor have I yet to deposit $5,000,” he said.

Among the seven Democratic candidates, Sherman is the only one to submit a report showing his cash reserves. Fortified by his loan, he reported $272,415 in cash reserves as of Dec. 31.

Other Democratic candidates said their fund-raising has started to come together since the start of the year.

Jeffrey A. Lipow, a Century City attorney who lives in Encino, has loaned his campaign $50,000 and raised $70,000 in donations, said his campaign treasurer, Rick Parker.

“Brad Sherman has led people to believe that he he the only one spending money,” Parker said. “Our intended goal is to drop about $300,000 in the primary election.”

Michael Jordan, a Pepperdine University communications professor, said he has raised about $15,000 this year. He hopes to boost that to $200,000 with several fund-raisers, including a benefit performance by fellow Malibu resident Martin Sheen in the play “Love Letters” Feb. 28 at the Civic Arts Plaza in Thousand Oaks.

Elizabeth A. Knipe, a law office administrator from West Hills, and Mark S. Pash, a financial planner from Encino, have raised little or no outside donations so far.

And Elisa J. Charouhas, a corporate consultant and former aide to presidential candidate Jerry Brown, is not playing the money game, said her campaign manager, Paul Herzog. “We have not gone out and solicited money from any union or PAC,” he said.

A Democratic candidate who is listed on the ballot as Craig “Tax Freeze” Freis said he opposes spending much money in political campaigns.