Contributors to Davis Foundation

* “Firms Seeking State Favor Finance Davis Foundations” (Nov. 15) conveyed a number of erroneous and misleading impressions. Let me set the record straight on at least one issue.

The clear implication in the article is that the Celebration of California Foundation, set up specifically--and approved by the Internal Revenue Service--to sponsor an event for all delegates to the Democratic National Convention, is attempting to avoid revealing its contributors. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Gov. Gray Davis’ political office issued several press releases prior to the convention listing named sponsors of the events the governor or First Lady Sharon Davis was hosting, including the one in question at Paramount Pictures. A printed program booklet was distributed to all 10,000 attendees at the Paramount party that not only identified contributors to the event but also reproduced the logos of the major sponsors, including SBC Communications. During the entire event the logos of the major sponsors were projected in lights across the false building fronts on the Paramount back lot for all to see. One of those who saw all of this was your own reporter.

The story notes the Celebration of California Foundation, as a 501(C)3 entity, is not “required to reveal donors’ identities.” But your reporter also was informed by the individual who set up the foundation, and who is quoted elsewhere in the article, that the nonprofit planned to release a full list of contributors at the end of this year when its required IRS filing is due. At that time, the single-purpose foundation also will be terminated, which was always the intent. Yet he chose not to report that relevant fact in the story.

GARRY SOUTH

Senior Political Advisor

to the Governor

Los Angeles