Rogan, Schiff Finally Agree to Campaign Debate

Locked in one of the most closely watched congressional races in the country, Rep. James E. Rogan (R-Glendale) and state Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) finally agreed Thursday to meet in their first debate Sept. 15, even as the two contenders dueled from a distance over who is the candidate of law enforcement.

Rogan, seeking his third term in Congress, will face off against challenger Schiff at the 7 p.m. candidates’ forum sponsored by the Regional Coalition of Government Review Councils, a group of chamber of commerce officials from throughout the 27th Congressional District.

The highly anticipated event, which follows months of bickering between the candidates on where and when they will meet, will be held in the auditorium of the Flintridge Preparatory School in La Canada Flintridge, according to Susan Bowers, executive director of the Burbank Chamber of Commerce and a member of the coalition.

“It’s going to be the first time we have had the candidates side-by-side to answer questions,” Bowers said.

Organizers are calling it a forum, not a debate, because each politician will address the business group and not each other. But the format does provide “a chance for the candidates to confront each other on the issues,” said Ted Osthelder, Schiff’s campaign manager.

Or as Rogan campaign manager Jason Roe put it: “This gives us an opportunity to clarify the distortions of the Schiff campaign about Jim Rogan’s record.”

The announcement comes just a few weeks after Schiff bowed out of a forum sponsored by radio station KPCC-FM (89.3), citing obligations to attend a legislative session in Sacramento.

The bitter race is on its way to becoming one of the most expensive House races in history, with the two candidates so far receiving a combined $7.5 million in contributions.

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Attendance at the forum is the only item the two campaigns agreed on Thursday.

The candidates’ campaign managers exchanged words in public on who has the most backing of law enforcement.

Schiff announced he has picked up the endorsement of the National Assn. of Police Organizations, a group representing rank-and-file law enforcement officers.

The Los Angeles Police Protective League is a member of the national association, though the league itself has not yet made an endorsement.

Schiff said the association endorsement is the latest of 10 law enforcement groups to back him, including five that endorsed Rogan in previous races. He said the incumbent has picked up only three endorsements from law enforcement groups, including the Glendale Police Officers Assn. and the California Reserve Peace Officers.

“I am honored to receive another strong endorsement from the front-line officers who put their lives on the line for us and our families every day,” Schiff said. “In Congress, I’ll fight to put more police officers on the street, reduce gun violence and give our police officers the resources and tools they need to protect our neighborhoods.”

Groups that have defected from Rogan to Schiff this year include the California Police Chiefs Assn., which represents more than 300 heads of police agencies.

“Adam Schiff’s voting record, in terms of issues we have been involved in, is excellent,” said Rick TerBorch, police chief in Arroyo Grande and chairman of the association’s political action committee. “Unfortunately, with the congressman, that is not true.”

In particular, TerBorch said the association believes Schiff has been more supportive of reasonable gun-control measures than has Rogan.

Rogan’s campaign manager, however, downplayed the shift in endorsements, saying many of the groups have more business with the state Legislature than Congress and noting that Schiff is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“Jim Rogan is a former prosecutor and judge,” Roe said. “There is no question about his relationship with law enforcement.”

The Rogan aide also noted that key local endorsements, including the association representing Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies, have not been announced.