Like the State, Legislators Have Their Hats in Hand

Never mind that California is $38 billion in the hole. Never mind that the constitutional deadline for passing a state budget looms Sunday. Never mind that Democrats and Republicans appear generations away from a compromise.

This week, the ladies and gentleman of the Legislature took time out from the business of budget-crafting to continue that most hallowed of political traditions: fund-raising.

Yes, they acknowledge, the state is in fiscal distress. But campaigns cost money, and there’s always another one around the bend.

With that in mind, lawmakers mingled, munched and chatted with lobbyists at a swirl of cocktail parties, breakfasts and other soirees during the past three days, collecting per-guest checks that ranged from $500 for rookies to $25,000 for the powerful leader of the Senate.

Typical was the $1,000-a-plate fete thrown by Assemblywoman Carol Liu (D-La Canada Flintridge) at the Exploding Head Gallery near the Capitol.

Surrounded by vivid abstract paintings of horses, cats and disembodied eyeballs, Liu offered a parade of lobbyists a handshake, her ear and a repast of chicken wings and fruit kebobs.

“This is just life in Sacramento,” Liu said. “We do need to raise money for our own campaigns, unless you can write your own checks.”

Most fund-raisers are morning and evening events, held before and after legislative sessions. Moreover, lawmakers note, the principal work on the budget at this point rests with the so-called Big Five: the leaders of both houses and Gov. Gray Davis. Still, the lawmakers are trolling for dollars at a time when the state is mired in economic crisis. And this year, with the fight over state spending priorities so fierce, clients have added incentive to purchase tickets for their lobbyists.

For Martin Gallegos, the stakes are exceptionally high. His client, the California Healthcare Assn., is pressing legislators to resist Medi-Cal cuts proposed by the governor.

Pressing the flesh at a $1,500-a-ticket fete for Jim Brulte (R-Rancho Cucamonga) Tuesday evening, Gallegos said he and three fellow lobbyists were trying to hit 13 fund-raisers before the night was done.

“Tomorrow’s just as busy,” he said.

Trade associations such as California Healthcare pay for admission to the parties, Gallegos said, to support “legislators who we feel are doing a good job in the Legislature and who we feel should continue in elected office.”

Though it wasn’t a record, the pace of the begging was brisk, with 23 events scheduled Monday through today at watering holes and hotels within a four-block radius of the Capitol.

Among those holding out their hats this week were two of the Big Five budget negotiators, Senate leaders: Brulte and John Burton (D-San Francisco).

Davis had no fund-raisers scheduled this week, nor did the committee fighting his recall.

Lobbyists say the deluge of invitations -- many of them buttressed by a personal phone call from a legislator -- sets up a delicate decision about which events offer clients the most bang for their buck. Do you go for melba toast with artichoke topping with up-and-comer Democrat Assemblyman Mark Leno of San Francisco, or cough up $1,000 to rub elbows with termed-out and self-described “dean of the Legislature” Sen. John Vasconcellos (D-Santa Clara)?

While some contend that the fund-raising circuit amounts to a dance of mutual coercion, lobbyists insist that, at best, the events are about developing relationships, offering a chance to ask a politician about his golf game or marvel over wallet photos of his kids.

Still, some lawmakers remember who shows at their events and who doesn’t, lobbyists say, so the unspoken pressure to attend can be intense.

“Fear is attracting a lot of lobbyists to these events this year because, more than ever, everybody wants to protect their particular program from cuts,” said Robert Stern of the Los Angeles-based Center for Governmental Studies.

For busy lobbyists, the daily blitz of political mixers is nothing short of a grind. Tuesday was a perfect case in point.

Eager early birds got the day rolling at a 7:30 breakfast for Assemblywoman Ellen Corbett (D-San Leandro), then had a choice of meeting with Sen. Betty Karnette (D-Long Beach) over Mexican food or breakfasting with Assemblywoman Loni Hancock, a Democrat from Berkeley, at Virga’s Courtyard.

After a midday pause, lobbyists were faced with a menu of eight possible evening events, an array that kept many tapping on their electronic pocket planners for event times and locales.

Some lobbyists showed their faces for five minutes at one event before tearing off their name tags and dashing to the next.

Alan Edelstein was among those who exhibited wear and tear from the social treadmill. Walking into Liu’s event at the Exploding Head Gallery, Edelstein confessed to the assemblywoman that he’d been “kind of making the rounds.”

“You look a little weary,” Liu teased.

“Do I look that bad?” he asked.

Turns out Edelstein’s presence at Liu’s party wasn’t necessary; someone from his office had already dropped by.

Edelstein also turned up at Brulte’s gathering at Cafe Dolce, which featured Swedish meatballs, stuffed mushrooms and ice cream -- and, given its influential beneficiary, was an event only the ignorant would skip.

As scores of lobbyists and legislators meandered in and out, the Republican leader sat on a chrome chair, savored a cone of chocolate chip and huddled in a series of private conversations.

Among the lobbyists on hand was veteran Pete Conaty, who reflected the busy nature of the evening by asking Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth (R-Murietta) if he knew the location of Republican Assemblywoman Sharon Runner’s event.

Hollingsworth obligingly whipped out his pocket computer, scrolling down his schedule of events for the night. “I’ve got Russ Bogh at the Huki Lau, Guy Houston at the Sheraton, Sharon Runner at the Restaurant Assn.,” he said.

One not on his list was Sen. Tom Torlakson, a Democrat from Antioch, who sought support for his 2004 reelection at the elegant Sterling Hotel, a white Victorian mansion and coveted fund-raising venue.

As guests nibbled California rolls and spanakopita, Torlakson, a fitness buff, regaled them with tales of his mountain-climbing adventures -- and later dismissed suggestions that fund-raisers like his $1,000-a-plate affair are taking legislators off task.

“I work 70 hours a week,” Torlakson declared, “so two hours out of 70 ... it’s not a big dedication of time.”

Some legislators, trying to distinguish themselves in the crowd, gave their events a distinct theme.

Assemblyman Bogh (R-Cherry Valley) wore a Hawaiian shirt emblazoned with pineapples for his evening gala at $1,000 a plate. A frozen drink in hand, Bogh held court around a table laden with fried calamari.

Several blocks away, Assemblywoman Sarah Reyes (D-Fresno) had a meat theme going at Chops, a new steakhouse. Reyes greeted arrivals to her barroom party with a cheery, “Hi! How are you?” A flier advertised “no contribution limits.”

Assemblyman John Campbell (R-Irvine), vice chairman of the budget committee, tried to stand out by going healthy at his Wednesday morning event.

“You have an awful lot of watery eggs and uncooked bacon,” he said. Instead, Campbell offered fruit smoothies and muffins at his $1,000-a-head affair.

The granddaddy event of the week, without question, was a party honoring Burton and boasting an appearance by actor Clint Eastwood. Held at the upscale Tommy Toy’s Cuisine Chinoise restaurant in San Francisco, it featured various contribution levels: $25,000 for a “producer,” $15,000 for a “director” and $5,000 for a “star.”

Among those attending were John DeLuca, president of the Wine Institute, which represents 94% of the state’s wine producers; Don Novey, former head of the prison guard’s union; and Scott Burns, president of California Attorneys in State Employment, representing 3,500 lawyers and administrative law judges who work for the state.

Eastwood said he has been a friend of Burton for many years.

“I met him when he was bartending, working his way through college,” the actor said. “And I later met him at the Hungry I when the Lamplighters were playing.”

Burton, the Legislature’s most powerful figure and a prolific fund-raiser, is termed out of office next year but is raising money to help other Democrats. He said his fund-raiser, like many others, was scheduled months ago, before lawmakers knew they would be at loggerheads over the budget now.

Burton said legislators are working hard on the budget, “trying to get it done.”

“If there was a miracle and the Republicans would agree to a half-cent sales tax increase, it would be over and this wouldn’t be an issue.”

With the workweek winding down, the capital’s social scene will quiet down tonight. But 45 more fund-raisers are scheduled for the rest of this month. Three of them offer participants a round of golf, while one features a Sacramento River Cats baseball game.

Decisions, decisions.

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Times staff writers Sue Fox, Jessica Garrison, Matea Gold, Tim Reiterman and Michael Finnegan contributed to this report.