Democrats Use Sting in Anti-Nolan Campaign

SACRAMENTO —  Firing the first partisan political shots in the wake of the FBI’s Capitol sting, Assembly Democrats have begun mailing letters to voters in three legislative districts tying Republican candidates to Assembly GOP Leader Pat Nolan, one of five elected officials targeted in the undercover investigation of alleged Capitol corruption.

One of the letters, in a Sacramento-area race, identifies Nolan as “the guy from Southern California that the FBI has under investigation” and adds that Nolan, of Glendale, is “accused of using state computers, state employees and state dollars” to help prepare one candidate’s campaign.

Other letters attacking Nolan soon will be sent to households in at least two additional districts that feature hotly contested races, according to Richard Ross, a campaign consultant with close ties to Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco). Ross said he sees the blast at Nolan as a kind of pay-back for years of Republican attempts to smear Democratic candidates by tying them to Brown.

“These guys have had 10 years of self-righteous campaigning using Willie Brown as a whipping boy,” Ross said. “Now the shoe is on the other foot.”

The fusillade could mean new troubles for Nolan, the most prominent legislator so far implicated in the FBI sting. The federal agents created bogus companies, sponsored legislation and paid money to legislators in an attempt to uncover bribery and extortion. No charges have been filed.

In separate matters, Nolan also has been accused of lying to the White House in connection with several phony presidential endorsement letters sent in 1986 by his political staff. And The Times last week disclosed that Assembly Republican staff members, fearful of being accused of doing political work on state time, purged files from the state computers the morning after the FBI searched the Capitol offices of Nolan and three other legislators.

The others were Assemblyman Frank Hill (R-Whittier), Assemblywoman Gwen Moore (D-Los Angeles) and Sen. Joseph B. Montoya (D-Whittier). Former Democratic Sen. Paul Carpenter, who is now on the Board of Equalization, and five current or former legislative aides also have been named in the probe.

But Nolan, who hopes one day to be Assembly Speaker, would seem to have the most to lose. His problems already have intensified efforts by dissident Republicans to force him from his leadership post. Those efforts may be redoubled now that the Democrats are using Nolan as a campaign issue against other Republicans.

Assemblywoman Doris Allen (R-Cypress), a Nolan critic, said the attacks, though “not unexpected,” are further proof that Nolan is a liability to the party.

“I think he has no choice,” said Allen, who was among about a dozen Republicans who met Tuesday evening at Burbank Airport to discuss the leadership question. “He needs to step aside for the benefit of those candidates and the rest of the party. The sooner the better.”

Assemblyman Stan Statham (R-Oak Run) said Nolan has already “caused untold damage to the party” by retaining his leadership.

“But he still has the opportunity to help the party if he steps aside quickly,” Statham said.

State party officials are also reported to be concerned about the political fallout from the sting. But party leaders interviewed by The Times said they have not suggested that Nolan step down.

“While the charges are serious and embarrassing, they are just charges,” said former Rep. Clair Burgener, who until recently was one of California’s two representatives on the Republican National Committee. Burgener, also a former Republican state chairman, said the charges would affect the party only if “Nolan were in disrepute, which I don’t think he is yet.”

Republican Party Chairman Bob Naylor, who preceded Nolan as Assembly Republican leader, also said he sees no reason for the embattled assemblyman to leave his leadership post.

“Richie Ross would use those mailers at this stage no matter what Pat does,” Naylor said. “The die is cast on that. There’s nothing that could be done to avoid the mailers. I have been concerned from day one that Richie Ross would do that. The political fallout is just an unfortunate reality.”

Nolan’s press secretary, Anne Richards, suggested that the Democrats ought to tread lightly, because members of their party also have been implicated in the FBI investigation.

Ross said the Democrats will be using the Nolan connection against Larry Bowler, who is opposing Assemblyman Phillip Isenberg (D-Sacramento); Byron Wear, who is running against Assemblywoman Lucy Killea (D-San Diego); and Tom Curry, who is challenging Assemblywoman Delaine Eastin (D-Union City).