GOP Rep. Issa Donates $445,000 Toward Effort to Recall Governor

A company controlled by Rep. Darrell Issa has donated nearly $450,000 to an effort to recall Gov. Gray Davis, a filing made public Friday shows.

Political aides to the Vista Republican said earlier this month that Issa planned to provide “seed” money for the recall and indicated he had given $100,000 to help finance a signature-gathering drive to place the recall on a statewide ballot.

Records posted on the secretary of state’s Web site show that Greene Properties Inc. of Vista gave an initial $100,000 on May 8, and donated $345,000 this week. Greene Properties is owned by Issa and his wife, Katharine.

The recall committee, called Rescue California, has disclosed it received a total of $515,000, including $50,000 from the Lincoln Club of Orange County. Political consultants estimate it will cost $2 million to gather the nearly 900,000 signatures of registered voters needed to place a recall on the ballot.

The governor’s partisans plan to launch a counter-recall effort and very likely will focus their attack on Issa, who is considering placing his name on the ballot as a candidate for governor if the recall qualifies.

Davis has reported raising $50,000 into a general campaign committee.

“There is no doubt about it -- this is all about Darrell Issa and his quest for power,” Davis spokesman Roger Salazar said. “Darrell Issa is not interested in moving the state forward. He is interested in moving Darrell Issa forward.”