Wade Calls on Rackauckas to Return Contributions Solicited From D.A. Staff

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO —  A candidate for the district attorney’s office accused his opponent, Judge Anthony Rackauckas Jr., of “arm-twisting,” and challenged him Thursday to return campaign contributions solicited from the D.A.’s staff.

Assistant Dist. Atty. Wally Wade was particularly critical of a fund-raiser held Thursday night in Irvine. He noted that the host committee, listed on a mailer for the $75-a-person cocktail hour, includes at least a half dozen of the D.A.’s supervising prosecutors and investigators.

“Tony’s message to young deputies is clear: ‘Get on the bandwagon, or risk your career,’ ” he said. “This is not just a question of violating the law, but a matter of ethics.”

The Attorney General’s Office is reviewing an anonymous complaint about two Rackauckas mailers seeking employees’ support for two fund-raisers.

Rackauckas defended the two solicitations Thursday and said there is no reason to return the money.

State election law forbids an officeholder or candidate from soliciting money from employees that person may one day supervise.

However, solicitations are allowed if they are made to a “significant segment of the public,” which Rackauckas said applies in this case. The campaign sent invitations to the two events to at least 4,000 people in the county. Employees received theirs at work addresses.

Wade has refused to take contributions from anyone in the office, he said. He has been endorsed by Dist. Atty. Mike Capizzi and his chief deputy, Maury Evans. Capizzi is leaving to run for attorney general, and Evans is retiring.

A prosecutor and a supervisor who have not taken sides in the campaign described the atmosphere in the office as difficult because of pressure to support Rackauckas, a Superior Court judge.

“It is pretty nasty around here,” said one career deputy, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “It is: for us or against us.”

Rackauckas’ most recent campaign filing, which covers 1997, shows he received about $10,500 from attorneys, investigators and other employees in the office, while raising about $149,562.

Rackauckas’ filing identifies prosecutors for the district attorney’s office as “County of Orange, attorney,” the same description used for at least two dozen lawyers who work in other county offices. County records shows 24 of the contributors are deputy district attorneys. The largest group of other contributors are lawyers in private practice.

Wade reported raising $36,020 in the most recent report.

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Times correspondent Jean O. Pasco contributed to this report.

Peter M. Warren can be reached at (714) 966-5982 or peter.warren@latimes.com.