Rescue California

-0

Bustamante rakes in $500,000 from tribe but some ask whether he's bending the rules
Cruz's Cash Questioned

August 30, 2003

Page 2

for Bustamante, who has made numerous appeals to tribes for money in the last month as he struggles to keep up with fund-raising heavyweights Gov. Gray Davis and multimillionaire actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Bustamante is campaigning against the recall but asking voters to support him in case Davis, his fellow Democrat, is voted out of office.

Even with the large contributions to his lieutenant governor committee, Bustamante still lags well behind Davis and Schwarzenegger in raising money. According to campaign finance reports cumulative through last Saturday, Davis has raised $4.3 million in his battle to fight off being ousted from office. Schwarzenegger, with $2 million coming out of his own pockets, has raised $3.1 million.

Prop. 34 allows candidates to give unlimited sums of their own money to their campaigns, and Davis is not subject to the contribution caps because he's not considered a candidate.

The money gap may change in the next few weeks however, as tribes work to help Bustamante.

BIG SPENDERS IN SACRAMENTO Tribes have become some of the biggest spenders in Sacramento as they work to build or expand casinos. Their money is considered a key source for candidates who will need millions to mail brochures to voters and buy advertising time on radio and television.

Lombardi said his tribe had met with other tribes and expects to spend money for Davis against the recall but also on Bustamante and possibly state Sen. Tom McClintock, R-Thousand Oaks. All three politicians met with gaming tribes Thursday in Sacramento in an effort to garner support for their recall campaigns.

Many tribes will help Davis fight the recall, but Bustamante will likely receive the most help, said Lombardi, noting that the lieutenant governor had been a longtime advocate of tribal sovereignty.

"If you held a popularity contest, Mr. Bustamante would win," he said.

Most tribes have not decided how they will divvy up campaign funding. The powerful Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, who run a casino east of San Diego, are expected to announce their spending plan Tuesday; others may begin giving as soon as next week.

Money coming in -- Pro-recall committees: $10,000.

-- Anti-recall committees not controlled by candidates: $121,000, including $50,000 from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees

PAC. -- Committees controlled by Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante: $800,000, including $500,000 from the Pechanga Band of Mission Indians, $200,000 from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees AFL-CIO and $100,000 from the Northern California Carpenters Regional Council.

-- Committees controlled by Arnold Schwarzenegger: $168,200, including $41, 200 combined from Silicon Valley venture capitalist Ray Lane and his wife, Stephanie.

-- Committees controlled by Arianna Huffington: $27,000.

-- Committees controlled by Peter Ueberroth: $53,000.

-- Committees controlled by State Sen. Tom McClintock: $10,000.

PAGE 1 | PAGE 2