Dornan’s Radio Work Angers Democrats

Hoping to place a gag on former Orange County Rep. Robert K. Dornan, the California Democratic Party plans to file a complaint Monday with the Federal Election Commission, alleging that Dornan is receiving illegal corporate campaign contributions by guest hosting on conservative radio talk shows.

State Democratic Party Chairman Art Torres said Friday that Dornan’s guest host slot this week on the nationally syndicated “Oliver North Show” translated into 15 hours of free air time to blast his Democratic rival, Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove). Dornan also is scheduled to fill in the week after next for talk show host Michael Reagan, whose show is aired in several markets across the country.

Dornan has asked the House to set aside Sanchez’s victory and call a special election, contending he lost due to voter fraud. He has declared himself a candidate for the special election he is anticipating.

As a candidate, Dornan would be subject to federal rules that bar acceptance of corporate gifts of free broadcast time.

Torres said the radio shows allow Dornan--who has taken legal steps to overturn his November election defeat--to reinforce support among conservative voters who are his chief donors.

“We feel this has to stop; that Bob Dornan is using this guest host position on radio shows across America . . . as a ruse to campaign,” Torres said in an interview Friday.

A spokeswoman for the election commission said the agency could not comment until a complaint is filed and investigated. The spokeswoman, Kelly Huff, said the staff could not recall previous legal opinions based on a similar set of circumstances, including a pending election contest.

Dornan’s defenders said the former congressman is free to go on the air because he is not a candidate for federal office. They note Congress has not acted on his petition for a new election, nor has he declared his candidacy for the 1998 GOP primary for the 46th Congressional District.

“If there was a campaign and there was a scheduled election and there was an office he had declared for, that would be a different situation. But I don’t think any of those points have been met,” said William Hart, Dornan’s lawyer.

“What they want to do is shut Bob Dornan up. They don’t want this information [in his election contest] to get out,” Hart added.

“I think it’s rather open and shut that he’s not a candidate,” said Greg Anderson, president of the Dallas-based Salem Radio Network, which carries the North show across the country. “It’s difficult to be a candidate for an election that hasn’t been called.”

Mark Dornan, son of the former representative, said the Democrats’ complaint showed that Dornan’s foes fear a special election will be called.

“However, nothing is official yet,” Mark Dornan said. “My father is now a private citizen, earning a legitimate income.”

Still, Democrats vowed to press their case.

“They sound like a bunch of loophole lizards,” said Steve Jost, Sanchez’s chief of staff.

“If he’s announced himself as a candidate against an incumbent, he’s a candidate. The rules of campaign contributions apply,” Torres said. “Dornan has no sense of what is ethically proper.”

The state party chairman added that the talk shows should follow the example of California radio and television stations, which try to prevent people from going on the air to promote their candidacies so that they do not face pressure to give equal time to the opponent.

Also contributing to this report was Times staff writer Tina Nguyen.