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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 27, 1998 |
CONTACT: John Sullivan PHONE: (916) 443-4900
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California legislative and statewide office candidates have accepted a whopping $8 million in political contributions from plaintiffs trail lawyers. At least $4.5 million of the total has gone to candidates for statewide offices. Nearly $3.5 million has been received by legislative candidates and incumbents.
"'Follow the money,' one California newspaper editorially urged today. That's sound advice when it comes to the special interest lawyers," said John H. Sullivan, president of the Civil Justice Association of California, which compiled the numbers from reports filed with the Secretary of State.
Among statewide candidates, gubernatorial candidate Gray Davis is the largest single recipient of trial lawyer campaign funds at $3.0 million. 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 $1.1 million received from trial lawyers, and his opponent Dave Stirling's reports show $9,000 in trial lawyer contributions. Lockyer's trial lawyer contributions make up 29% of his total reported contributions, while Stirling's constitute a third of a percent of his total reported contributions.
In the insurance commissioner race, challenger Diane Martinez shows receiving $39,000 from trial lawyers (32% of her total contributions) while incumbent candidate Chuck Quackenbush reports receiving $5,000 (less than 1% of total contributions).
Reports for Phil Angelides, candidate for state treasurer, show him receiving $118,000, while his opponent Curt Pringle's reports show $5,000.
The $4.5 million received in legislative races (details on website or call) is $1.7 million more than was reported a week ago, indicating a huge surge of last-minute plaintiff trial lawyer campaign spending.
Total Trial Lawyer Legislative Contributions through October 29, by Region 97-98 (Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view these files.):
