Watchdog Agency Accuses Horcher of Campaign Misdeeds

The state’s political watchdog agency Friday accused former Assemblyman Paul Horcher of mailing a hit piece aimed at a Diamond Bar City Council member without identifying himself as the source.

Horcher, a former Republican who was recalled from the Legislature after he voted for Democrat Willie Brown for Assembly speaker, said the accusation was Gov. Pete Wilson’s attempt at revenge.

“The accusation is totally false and malicious,” said Horcher, now an aide to San Francisco Mayor Brown. “It’s just the latest chapter in Pete Wilson’s retribution against me for not doing what he told me to do.”

The Fair Political Practices Commission staff accused Horcher, his former consultant and two campaign committees of 12 violations of the Political Reform Act.

Horcher, consultant Mark Thompson and the committees face a maximum fine of $24,000 if the accusations are upheld. An administrative law judge will hold a hearing on the charges and the commission will approve or disapprove the judge’s findings.

The accusations relate to the November 1991 Diamond Bar City Council race. Horcher was a councilman before his election to the Assembly in 1990.

The FPPC said Horcher formed the Southern California Taxpayers Committee to oppose the reelection of council member Phyllis Papen, Horcher’s political adversary on the council.

That committee sent out a mailer attacking Papen four days before the election, but Horcher did not disclose that his campaign committee paid for the mailer, the FPPC said. The agency said Horcher also failed to disclose late contributions and expenditures and to terminate the committee or file required spending reports.

Horcher was recalled in May after he changed from a Republican to an independent and voted for Brown as speaker, denying Republicans a majority in the Assembly.

Horcher said the Republican governor, who appoints the chairman of the FPPC, told him in December 1994 to vote for the Republican leader for speaker “or else.”

“They [the FPPC] are just trying to please the petulant Pete Wilson at taxpayers’ expense,” Horcher said.