Investigation of Perata is urged

A representative of state Sen. Jeff Denham filed complaints Thursday seeking a criminal investigation of Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, alleging that he misused public resources and violated bribery laws by suggesting in a memo last week that certain state employees had to work on key political campaigns.

The filings with the Sacramento County district attorney, state attorney general and FBI are an escalation of the bitter political dispute in which Democrat Perata of Oakland is backing a recall campaign against Republican Denham of Atwater.

The complaints were filed by Denham ally John Franklin, who is managing the campaign against the June 3 recall.

“This is the latest abuse of office, and power, by Don Perata,” Franklin said. “Don Perata has a well-known pattern of intimidation and coercion. Perata has once again used his position to commit ethically questionable and, very possibly, illegal acts.”

Jason Kinney, a spokesman for Perata, denounced the filings.

“I know this is the campaign silly season, but this is politically motivated, frivolous and an obscene waste of taxpayer resources,” Kinney said.

Perata is a prime mover in the recall campaign launched after Denham refused to support a budget pushed last year by the Democratic majority.

Denham also voted against other Perata-backed bills, including a flood control bond issue. Last week, the Los Angeles Times reported on its website that a note from Perata was hand-delivered to the offices of some Democratic senators complaining that their chiefs of staff were “no shows” at a meeting away from the Capitol to discuss campaign efforts in the June 3 legislative races.

“This is not an optional activity,” Perata wrote.

The Denham campaign also asked for an investigation into a reputed attempt by someone from the office of Polka Consulting, which provides political consulting for Perata, to have a Senate employee translate into Spanish a script to be used in the recall campaign.

“The complaints involve potential misuse and misappropriation of public funds, possible falsification of legislative employee time sheet records and attempted violation of California labor laws which protect employees from being coerced into political campaign activity,” the Denham campaign said in a statement.

Franklin wrote in the complaints that the Perata letter constitutes a bribe by implying that senators may lose key posts if their aides do not help with campaigns.

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patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com