Simon Again Says Davis Donation Bought License to Pollute

Republican gubernatorial nominee Bill Simon Jr. on Tuesday renewed his charge that Gov. Gray Davis is selling state policy for campaign donations, returning to a theme that is the focus of his first television commercial in several weeks.

During a campaign stop in San Francisco, Simon said there is a connection between a $70,500 contribution to Davis from the Tosco oil refinery and the subsequent decision of a regional water quality board to allow Tosco to increase the amount of the toxic chemical dioxin it discharged into the San Francisco Bay.

Simon called the June 2000 decision “yet another sorry chapter in the Gray Davis pay-for-play story, a pathetic pattern that has played itself out over Davis’ entire career.”

“He has no qualms whatsoever about selling out our health and our children’s health,” the GOP nominee added, standing at the edge of a North Beach pier, surrounded by several dozen cheering supporters.

The contribution by Tosco and the dioxin discharge is also the subject of Simon’s latest ad, the first the financially strapped campaign has run since the beginning of the summer.

Aides to the governor said Davis never communicated with the six members of the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board, which at the time of the decision was made up of three Davis appointees and three members appointed by former Gov. Pete Wilson. (Davis had reappointed one of the Wilson appointees.)

“He had no role in it whatsoever,” said Davis campaign spokesman Roger Salazar, noting that the current chairman of the board, a Wilson appointee, said Davis never attempted to influence their decision. “Mr. Simon has a complete absence of facts.”

In addition, staff members on the regional water quality board recommended the change before the contribution was made, according to Loretta Barsamian, the water board’s executive officer.

“I can guarantee you that the staff does not know who gave the governor a campaign contribution,” she said.

Barsamian said that the amount of dioxin that refineries are allowed to discharge is minuscule, noting that diesel-burning cars, fireplaces and storm water are the main sources of the chemical found in the bay. “We’re not talking about major, major loads going into the bay,” she said. “We’re talking about a point followed by 15 zeroes.”

But Simon continued to hammer at the issue Tuesday, distributing a November 1999 letter that 10 Bay Area members of Congress wrote to Davis asking the governor to phase out the discharge of dioxin, which is linked to cancer.

“Every single time, the governor’s people say there is no connection whatsoever,” Simon said. “After a while, credibility gets strained. And I have to say, I think the people of California’s credibility is now strained to the breaking point.”

Simon also tried to remind voters of last week’s two-day visit by President Bush, who attended three fund-raisers for him. “President Bush has brought honor and respect to the Oval Office, as he promised,” Simon said. “If I am fortunate enough to receive the people’s support this November, I will do the same for the governor’s office.”