Angry Davis Defends Fund-Raising

One day after canceling a controversial fund-raiser, an angry Gov. Gray Davis defended the way his campaign solicits donations and said that he does not support events that raise money by targeting specific industries.

The Democratic governor said that was why his campaign had called off a Friday night fund-raiser at the home of Rod Diridon, a Davis appointee who heads the California High Speed Rail Authority, after newspapers reported that Diridon had invited builders and other advocates of a high-speed bullet train.

Davis, who signed a bill Thursday asking voters to approve a $9.9-billion bond to construct the bullet train, said he had not been aware that the fund-raiser at Diridon’s Santa Clara home was for people who could financially benefit from the costly public works project.

“We don’t have a problem with a general event to which everybody is invited,” Davis told reporters Saturday during a swing through Oakland, where he attended a rally with union supporters and signed several bills to protect consumers from predatory lending.

“But we don’t like people targeting specific industries, particularly if they happen to be an appointee who has any influence whatsoever over those industries,” added the governor, whose tone grew increasingly testy as he fielded questions about the matter. “That was the case, so we said we’re just not going to let that happen.”

In the past, however, Davis has attended fund-raisers sponsored by specific industries or interest groups. In August, he was feted by the agriculture industry the night before the Legislature approved a bill bitterly opposed by farmers that would impose binding arbitration when unions and growers cannot agree to a contract. The governor has yet to take action on that legislation.

Campaign spokesman Roger Salazar said that often people within the same industry attend a fund-raiser because individual hosts invite their business acquaintances. But he said those events are different from ones that target donors with specific interests in projects or bills.

“Our fund-raisers are not policy forums,” Salazar said. “Based on what we heard and read in the paper [about the Diridon event], it seemed to cross that line. That obviously was inappropriate.”

Davis’ challenger, Republican nominee Bill Simon Jr., has seized upon the Diridon fund-raiser, calling the governor unethical and accusing him of “auctioning off state policy to the highest bidder.”

On Saturday, Davis reacted heatedly to Simon’s charges. The governor said his rival is guilty of “the worst kind of political corruption” because he is loaning his campaign $9 million and repaying that debt with contributions made after the election.

“Bill Simon has no business lecturing me,” said Davis, appearing incensed. “You can look at what I’ve done and judge it against what actions I’ve taken. But at least you’ll know on election day who’s giving money to my campaign.”

Simon advisors noted that the Republican candidate has promised to donate any money he raises after the election to charity.

The governor is “hiding behind false and misleading attacks to cover up his scandal-ridden administration,” said Simon’s campaign spokesman, Mark Miner.