Eaves’ Foe Looks to Willie Brown for Help

SAN BERNARDINO â€”  The Democratic challenger in one of the Assembly’s most contentious primary election races is banking on money from Speaker Willie Brown or his political allies in an effort to upset an incumbent member of the dissident “Gang of Five.â€�

Joe Baca, a former U.S. Army paratrooper, realizes that he faces an uphill fight for the Democratic nomination against Gerald R. Eaves (D-Rialto). Nonetheless, Baca exudes confidence.

“Some people tell me I’m too small to do some things,� said Baca, a member of the San Bernardino Community College Board who stands 5 feet, 5 inches. “But I’m not too small. I just have to work harder than the bigger guys.�

At the present time, however, Baca acknowledges that he doesn’t have enough campaign money to make a real run at Eaves.

His latest campaign finance report, filed March 17 with the secretary of state’s office, showed that he had received only $2,702 in contributions, spent $4,056 and was $2,249 in debt. More money, however, has come in since then.

Ready for Help

“I will take money from any individual who is willing to help me, including Willie Brown,� Baca said. “Without money, you can’t win.�

If elected, would Baca vote to retain Brown as Speaker?

“Yes, I would vote for him. I’d support Willie.�

The embattled Speaker insists that he is supporting all 44 Democratic lower house incumbents, including the five dissident Gang of Five members now engaged in a running power struggle with the Assembly leader.

But Baca already has received several endorsements--and a little money--from Brown’s friends.

The challenger has a $5,000 check and an endorsement from Assemblyman Richard E. Floyd (D-Hawthorne). Floyd was appointed chairman of the Governmental Organization Committee to replace an ousted gang member earlier this year.

A key member of the Speaker’s inner circle, Assembly Democratic Caucus Chairwoman Maxine Waters of Los Angeles, also has endorsed Baca. So has Assemblyman Dave Elder (D-Long Beach), the chairman of the Public Employees, Retirement and Social Security Committee, and Assemblyman Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles), a member of the Rules Committee.

Assemblyman Phillip Isenberg (D-Sacramento), chairman of the lower house Democratic campaign committee, said he would be “very surprised� if Brown himself gave any campaign funds to Baca.

But Isenberg added, “We never have been able to keep the individual members of the caucus out of the primaries.�

Former Steelworker

Eaves, a two-term assemblyman and former steelworker, is the only gang member with serious opposition for renomination in the June 7 primary. He said he isn’t taking any chances on what Brown does or doesn’t do.

“He (Brown) says he’s not coming in with his money,� Eaves said, “but maybe he’s trying to lull me to sleep. I’m not taking any chances. The only way he (Baca) will be able to mount a campaign is if Willie brings the money in. We’re running a full campaign. I’m going to raise and spend about $200,000 with a little help from my friends.�

The incumbent had $83,510 in his campaign war chest as of mid-March, including $10,000 contributions each from Assemblymen Charles M. Calderon (D-Alhambra) and Gary A. Condit (D-Ceres), plus a $5,000 pledge from Assemblyman Rusty Areias (D-Los Banos). All three are members of the Gang of Five. The fifth member is Assemblyman Steve Peace (D-Chula Vista).

Last February, when the Gang of Five dispute was heating up, the Speaker urged campaign contributors to cut off donations to the five rebel Democrats who have challenged his leadership on a number of occasions.

“I’ve told every person that I speak to, ‘Only contribute to people who are going to elect me to the speakership, period,’ � Brown said. “I have told them very clearly to support me and not my enemies, whether they be Republicans or Democrats.�

A check of Eaves’ campaign contributions showed a number of political action committees still gave money to the incumbent.

How much of an effect did Brown’s order have?

Little Effect Seen

“In some cases, it hurt,� Eaves said. “In other cases, it helped. Local fund-raising is up. And the total net difference is only $1,500 down from two years ago.�

On the campaign trail, Baca attempts to compare the Gang of Five and Eaves to violent Los Angeles street gangs, which have been the focus of nationwide media attention.

Baca stepped up this strategy as law enforcement agencies began to crack down on Los Angeles street gangs such as the Crips and the Bloods.

“Gangs are like weeds. They spread. We’ve got to keep them from spreading,� Baca said. He argued that the two types of gangs--political and street--both seek to build a power base by setting their own rules.

“Look at the parallel in terms of the problems caused by the Gang of Five and the street gangs, who have been coming to San Bernardino from the Los Angeles area,� Baca said. “They (the Gang of Five) want to do their own wheeling and dealing, which equates to real gang members.�

Asked for comment, Eaves said: “That’s bull. Democracy is the right to have your own opinion and to seek change.

“To equate what we’re trying to do to affect public policy because controversial issues are not being adequately addressed to gang members--who have no regard for the law, are killing people, and dealing in drugs--is a far, far reach.�

Another issue in the 66th Assembly District contest is a 1987 interest-free, unsecured loan of $11,000 in campaign funds obtained by Eaves to pay part of a divorce settlement while he was waiting for a bank loan.

Disposition of Matter

Eaves reported the loan and later returned the $11,000 when it turned out that he did not need the money. The Democratic incumbent also said he “cleared� the loan idea with Brown (D-San Francisco) and Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Mike Roos (D-Los Angeles) before he borrowed the money.

Baca claimed that the loan incident showed the incumbent “lacks integrity.� Eaves answered that he may have made a mistake by borrowing the money with no interest. But he insisted that he did not violate the law because neither the attorney general’s office nor the Fair Political Practices Commission has filed charges against him.

A 1987 Eaves bill to allow waiters and waitresses to serve alcoholic beverages in the nude in established nudist camp restaurants if local officials have no objections is cited by Baca as one example of the incumbent’s “weak� legislative record. Gov. George Deukmejian let this bill become law without his signature.

Eaves replied that his opponent conveniently forgets that he did other things, such as sponsor another law calling for mandatory sobriety testing of private aircraft pilots involved in accidents or suspected of drunk flying violations. He added that he also obtained $2.1 million for completion of a badly needed San Bernardino park.

In addition, Eaves pointed to another pending bill to outlaw the use of telephone beepers used in the drug trafficking trade on public school grounds.

“I am not attacking him (Baca),� Eaves said. “I am qualified to do the job.�

Upsets Incumbent

The incumbent upset former Assemblyman Terry Goggin (D-San Bernardino) in the 1984 Democratic primary. Involved in a long string of controversies, Goggin was hit by the FPPC on primary election day with $13,500 in penalties for violations of the state financial disclosure law.

Voter registration of the blue-collar district, which has a 25% Latino and 18% black population, is 57.7% Democratic to 32.4% Republican--so the winner of the primary will become the odds-on favorite for election in November.

It includes San Bernardino, Rialto, Ontario, Fontana, Colton, Bloomington and Lake Arrowhead. Republican attorney David Masters of Fontana and Libertarian business executive Carl Snare Jr. of Rialto also are on the primary election ballot.