Giuliani Stumps for Simon

With his campaign besieged by questions about his business ethics and political viability, Republican gubernatorial hopeful Bill Simon Jr. on Thursday turned to his onetime boss, former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani, as a character reference.

Giuliani, who was the U.S. attorney for Manhattan when Simon worked in the office in the 1980s, said his friend’s character may be obscured in the rough and tumble of a political campaign.

“This is a man of absolute and complete integrity,” Giuliani said outside the East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station, as Simon stood by his side. “This is a man who is enormously well qualified to be a leader for the state of California.”

In attendance, though, were supporters of Gov. Gray Davis, some dressed in jailhouse stripes, who waved signs accusing Simon of investment fraud. It was a reference to a $78-million verdict against Simon’s investment firm last month.

The Davis backers skirmished with dozens of Simon supporters, who tried to superimpose their “Bill Simon for Governor” placards over the larger anti-Simon posters. Simon’s motorcade made a detour to avoid the Davis supporters, dropping the candidate and Giuliani off in a side parking lot at the sheriff’s station.

Thursday’s appearance was intended to highlight Simon’s endorsement by a splinter union representing about 1,000 employees of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. But Giuliani and Simon spent most of the time fielding questions about the White House’s lukewarm backing of the Simon campaign and the fraud verdict.

“Lawsuits are lawsuits,” Giuliani said. “I’ve seen $90-million verdicts reduced to $2 million.”

Simon also insisted he had White House backing, although President Bush will not appear with Simon in public during a California swing today and Saturday.