Police Organization Denies It Endorsed Hoge in Mailer

Pasadena Assemblyman Bill Hoge, facing a tough challenge for his 44th District seat from former college president Jack Scott, is calling himself “the crime fighters’ candidate.”

And to emphasize that in a campaign mailer to constituents last weekend, he basked in the endorsement of the California Organization of Police and Sheriffs.

But Hoge never had that law enforcement organization’s endorsement. The group actually endorsed his opponent.

Hoge admitted the error Tuesday after officials called the mailer a blatant attempt to mislead voters. Nonetheless, Hoge, a Republican incumbent, dismisses the suggestion of any attempt to mislead anyone and concedes his campaign workers made what they characterized as a simple mistake.

“It is clerical error. Their acronym is COPS and it is similar to CPOA--the California Peace Officers Assn.,” an apologetic Hoge said. “That organization has endorsed me and it was meant to appear on the mailer, not COPS.”

The mailer listing a series of law enforcement endorsements, including COPS, with headings such as “Death Penalty for Drive-By Murders” came as a shock to Al Angele, executive director of the bipartisan COPS that represents law enforcement officers from 63 communities across the state.

“This is the first time in my 18 years here that I can recall anyone claiming the endorsement when they don’t have it,” Angele said. “If this mistake is an indication of Hoge’s attention to details we obviously endorsed the right candidate.”