FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 16, 1998

CONTACT: John Sullivan PHONE: (916) 443-4900

Trial lawyer campaign contributions to candidates for California statewide offices has reached nearly $4 million in the 1997-1998 election cycle-with gubernatorial candidate Gray Davis, the largest single recipient of trial lawyer campaign funds at more than $2.4 million. Davis received approximately $77,000 from trial lawyer committees, with the vast majority of his contributions ($2,393,000) coming from individual trial lawyers and firms.

Davis' opponent Attorney General Dan Lungren reports receiving $154,000 from trial lawyers, most of it contributed by the political action committee of the Republican Trial Lawyers Caucus, a subsidiary of the statewide trial lawyers association.

Reports for Attorney General candidate Bill Lockyer show almost $750,000 received from trial lawyers, and his opponent Dave Stirling's reports show $7,000 in trial lawyer contributions-all from individual trial lawyers and firms. Lockyer's trial lawyer contributions make up 30 percent of his total reported contributions. Stirling's trial lawyer contributions make up less than half a percent of his total reported contributions.

Reports for Phil Angelides, candidate for state treasurer, show him receiving $117,000, while his opponent Curt Pringle's reports show $5,000.

John Sullivan, President of the Civil Justice Association of California, said, "Trial lawyers are heaping millions into races in the hope of dominating our civil justice system."

"While political contributions are a legitimate part of our freedom to communicate and select our representatives in government, the public should know when narrow interests are running a massive program to elect people they hope will look out for them in Sacramento," Sullivan said.