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<br />... <br /> <br />MWD Chairman's Political Fund-Raising Questioned <br /> <br />u02753 <br /> <br />I N!~!; <br /> <br />Ifl~ ISit! Inde}( <br /> <br />.i~ <br /> <br /> <br />b tat Q r I aU en r fit <br /> <br />I <br />a <br /> <br />Sunday, August 15, 1999 <br /> <br />MWD Chairman's Political Fund-Raising Questioned <br />. Ethics: Letter bearing agency's seal asked contractors to donate to <br />assemblyman's campaign. Complaint is filed. <br />By VIRGINIA ELLIS. Times Staff Writer <br /> <br />ADVERTISEMENT <br /> <br />.. <br />,~,..... -~ <br />.>-" '. '" .;:~ <br />, ,'" y , <br />"'"} ~ '" ~ <br />" ' , 'Ii:: <br /> <br /> <br />r:II ACRAMENTO-- The chairman of the Metropolitan <br />Ii:iI Water District used his government position to solicit <br />campaign dollars for an influential Democratic lawmaker from <br />consultants who have contracts with the giant water agency, <br />records and interviews show. <br />In late June, on stationery bearing the official name and seal <br />of the MWD, board Chairman Phillip J. Pace sought thousands <br />of dollars in contributions on behalf of Assemblyman Bob <br />Hertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks), a popular legislative leader <br />viewed as the front-runner to succeed Antonio Villaraigosa (D- <br />Los Angeles) as speaker. <br />The letter invited recipients to serve as co-sponsors of a July <br />15 fund-raiser Pace was hosting for Hertzberg by making <br />contributions of$500. It suggested that checks be made payable <br />to Hertzberg's political committee and "mailed to Phillip J. <br />Pace, chairman MWD board of directors." <br />Among those receiving the letter were companies and <br />individuals who have contracts with the agency. Several <br />confirmed that they had received the solicitation but asked not <br />to be identified. <br />Almost immediately, the solicitation prompted an <br />anonymous complaint to the Fair Political Practices <br />Commission, the state's ethical watchdog, and criticism from <br />some other members of the board. <br />The writer of the complaint was identified only as a <br />consultant who held a contract with the MWD and was angered <br />at being asked by the head of the agency's board of directors to <br />make political contributions. <br />"I feel threatened by this letter and I believe they are keeping <br />track of who responds and who doesn't, It the contractor wrote <br />the FPPC. <br />A spokeswoman for the watchdog agency said all complaints <br />are confidential, and she could not confirm that the FPPC had <br /> <br />http://www.latimes.com/HOMEINEWS/ST A TE/t000072733.html <br /> <br />Page 1 of3 <br /> <br />8/15/99 <br />