Davis Fund-Raiser Is a Last Hurrah

By Dan Morain

Nov. 1, 2002 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

SACRAMENTO —

SACRAMENTO -- On the 1,392nd day, he rested.

This week, Gov. Gray Davis held his final fund-raiser before Tuesday’s election and before much tougher contribution limits take effect.

The tally: $68 million since he was sworn in on Jan. 4, 1999. The sum, a record for a governor, exceeded Davis’ expectation that he would raise $50 million in his first term.

The final fund-raiser, on Monday, featured former President Clinton and was held at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood. It was the last event at which Davis can raise money in unlimited sums. After election day, Davis will face restrictions of $20,000 per donor in a given election, imposed by voters two years ago as part of Proposition 34. Davis will face stricter limits if he runs for a federal office, such as U.S. Senate or president.

“My fund-raising needs for the next four years will be only a fraction of what they were during this campaign,” Davis said Thursday at a rally in Long Beach, where he repeated that he has no plans to run for another office in the next four years.

A recap of the Democratic incumbent’s fund-raising shows that his biggest source of money has been organized labor, amounting to more than 22% of the total. Labor unions have given Davis $15.25 million since he took office.

Most major donors have a stake in legislation and regulatory action taken by the state. Individuals and entities involved in real estate, development and construction, including firms that receive state contracts, donated $6.6 million.

Companies and individuals in the finance industry, including investors, venture capitalists, banks and others, gave $5.36 million. The entertainment industry, ranging from studios and music firms to individual entertainers and cable television companies, donated $5.34 million.

Law firms and people listing their occupation as attorney contributed $4.1 million to Davis, while the health-care industry, including physicians, health-insurance companies and other health professionals donated $3.9 million. The pharmaceutical industry donated $916,000.

Davis received six-figure donations from at least 142 donors, and $1 million or more from at least four unions and one individual.

The United Assn., which represents plumbers, appears to be Davis’ largest single source of campaign money.

Campaign finance statements and interviews show the union has donated about $2 million.

The California Correctional Peace Officers Assn., which represents state prison guards, has given Davis $1.46 million.

Davis’ largest individual donor has been A. Jerrold Perenchio, chairman of Univision, the Spanish-language television network. Perenchio, a Malibu resident and major landowner who also gives heavily to Republicans, has donated $1.02 million to Davis.

Other major individual donors include producer Stephen L. Bing, at $650,000; horse-racing enthusiast David Shimmon, at $550,000; and entertainment mogul Haim Saban, along with family members and companies he has controlled, at $518,000. Saban is a Davis appointee to the prestigious University of California Board of Regents.

Times staff writer Jeffrey L. Rabin contributed to this report.

Leading donors

Here are the top contributors to Gov. Gray Davis since he took office in January 1999:

1. United Assn.: $2 million*

2. California Correctional Peace Officers Assn.: $1.46 million

3. American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees: $1.2 million

4. Service Employees International Union: $1.2 million

5. A. Jerrold Perenchio: $1.02 million.

6. Laborers Union, state and national headquarters: $733,000

7. Operating Engineers Local 3: $699,000

8. Democratic Governors Assn.: $650,000

9. Stephen L. Bing: $650,000