Rescue California

-0

Governor's backers chip in to fight recall
Panel raises $344,000 to thwart Davis ouster

June 05, 2003

Page 2

addition to the donation from Perenchio, the anti-recall committee has collected $100,000 from John and Rebecca Moores of Del Mar. John Moores owns the San Diego Padres and recently resigned as chairman of software maker Peregrine Systems Inc. after it filed for bankruptcy reorganization.

The California Professional Firefighters Political Action Committee donated $118,000 and helped set up the anti-recall committee. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees put in $51,000, and Burlingame attorney Joseph Cotchett wrote a check for $25,000.

On the other side, more than $800,000 has been collected. Besides Issa, other major donors include Assemblyman John Campbell, R-Irvine, who put in $10, 000, and state Sen. Rico Oller, R-San Andreas (Calaveras County), who donated $37,200 to help pay for a round of radio ads featuring himself.

David Gilliard, a campaign consultant for Issa and the Rescue California committee, said he's not surprised about the Business Roundtable announcement Wednesday or the pickup in campaign contributions to support Davis.

Gilliard said elite special interests in Sacramento always lag behind public opinion, and he predicted Davis would "use his position of authority to extract campaign contributions from people who would suffer if he decided to take it out on them."

"Frankly, I don't think it matters how much money Gray Davis raises," Gilliard said. "There are very few people left in California who haven't formed an opinion about whether he should stay in office. There is nothing left he can do to make his case."

E-mail Robert Salladay at rsalladay@sfchronicle.com.

PAGE 1 | PAGE 2