California Elections 1988

A member of the first U.S. delegation to visit Cuba's quarantine center for people infected with the AIDS-causing human immunodeficiency virus Thursday described the detention facility as "pleasant" but "frightening in its implications." The first detailed picture of what the Cuban government calls its "sanitarium" for all identified HIV carriers was painted by Ronald Bayer, associate professor at Columbia University's School of Public Health, in an interview with The Times.

Sending a strong signal that he intends to run for governor in 1998, multimillionaire Alfred A. Checchi has assembled a team of veteran political strategists to advise him as he ponders a bid. Checchi, a Democrat who describes his current effort as exploratory, also has scheduled a major speech to Los Angeles Town Hall on Feb. 4, which will probably serve as his informal coming-out party.

The slow-growth movement, which has hopes of sweeping California like a Proposition 13 prairie fire, was given some painful political lessons in Tuesday's election. One was that a well-financed, well-planned advertising campaign, pointing out ambiguities and possible weaknesses of complex slow-growth citizen initiatives, can defeat them. That was demonstrated by the rejection Tuesday of such measures in Orange County and Pasadena.

Philip Morris tobacco company paid a $125,000 penalty Tuesday for underreporting contributions to a campaign against a 1988 tobacco tax initiative, the fifth-largest fine ever levied by the California Fair Political Practices Commission. Ben Davidian, chairman of the election watchdog agency, said Philip Morris underestimated its late non-monetary contributions to the No on Proposition 99 campaign by $1.8 million. The tobacco company provided $2.

Maybe there is a reason why the closest families shoulder some of the worst tragedy, say Collene and Gary Campbell of San Juan Capistrano. Last Wednesday, Collene Campbell's only sibling, racing promoter Mickey Thompson, and his wife, Trudy, were killed by gunmen outside their home in the San Gabriel Valley community of Bradbury. Six years ago, the Campbells' 27-year-old son, Scott, was strangled and his body thrown from a small airplane at 2,000 feet, a mile past Santa Catalina Island.

Allstate and Farmers insurance companies said Monday they are raising their private passenger auto insurance rates in California by an average of 6.5% and 5.4%, respectively, in premium notices now going out to policyholders. Spokesmen for both companies blamed rising claims costs for the increases.

The FBI is investigating allegations of voter intimidation by uniformed security guards who were hired by the Orange County Republican Party and posted at polling places in heavily Latino precincts in Santa Ana. Republican officials said the guards were hired because of anonymous tips about a Democratic plan to bus illegal aliens to the polls to vote. No proof of citizenship is required when an individual registers to vote, according to Orange County Registrar of Voters Donald F.

The death of a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy in the line of duty is the impetus for Proposition 67 on the June 7 ballot, a measure intended to impose mandatory 25-year prison sentences for second-degree murder of peace officers. Opponents argue it is "just plain bad law" and so poorly drafted that it actually could shorten prison terms in some cases.

When the tobacco industry began organizing its campaign against a proposed November ballot initiative to raise cigarette taxes, there was little doubt its efforts would stir opposition. But few expected the first volley to be fired by California Republicans, the very people the cigarette manufacturers turn to for help.

In a case of politics turned upside down, Republican Gov. George Deukmejian said Tuesday that a proposal by GOP lawmakers to place an 8-cent-a-gallon gas tax increase on the November ballot is "contrary" to what Republicans stand for. At the same time, Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) said Democrats, who had embraced similar proposals, are not likely to support placing any gas tax measure before voters this year.

A federal appeals court has reinstated a lawsuit accusing the California Republican Party of conspiring to intimidate Latino voters by posting uniformed security guards at Santa Ana polling places in 1988. In a unanimous decision released Thursday, a three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled that a trial must be held to determine whether the state GOP conspired with Orange County Republican officials to scare minority voters away from the polls.

A federal appeals court has reinstated a lawsuit accusing the California Republican Party of conspiring to intimidate Latino voters by posting uniformed security guards at Santa Ana polling places in 1988. In a unanimous decision, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a trial must be held to determine whether the state GOP conspired with local Republican officials to scare minority voters away from polling places.

In an announcement that caught local prosecutors by surprise, federal authorities said Wednesday they have decided not to file charges in the 1988 poll guard case in which Republican Party officials sent uniformed guards to predominantly Latino polling places. Justice Department spokeswoman Amy Casner in Washington said the federal government's investigation was officially concluded Tuesday.

In the first ruling of its kind, a state appeals court on Monday struck down Proposition 105, a November, 1988, initiative requiring "truth in advertising" for ballot measures, hazardous products, health insurance and other areas. The panel ruled 3 to 0 that the measure, known as the Public's Right to Know Act, violated a state constitutional provision limiting initiatives to a single subject.

In an attempt to cool tempers, Orange County district attorney officials met Thursday with community leaders upset about a lack of progress in the criminal investigation of Republican Party officials who placed uniformed guards at polling places in the 1988 general election.

More than half of the $129 million spent on November, 1988, ballot measures was used to hire political consultants and purchase television and radio commercials, the state's political watchdog agency said. The Fair Political Practices Commission, reviewing $124 million in itemized expenditures of $500 or more, reported that 35% of the money--$43.4 million --purchased broadcast advertising. About 21%--$26 million--paid for political consulting services. Another 16%--$20.

Expecting little action from the Legislature again this session to curb the escalating cost of political campaigns, Common Cause is seeking to revive a public financing initiative that was disqualified last year and place it on the ballot in June, 1988.

Private sector workplace injuries and illnesses in California shot up by 18,482 or 11% during the first six months of 1988, compared to the same period a year ago, according to newly compiled state statistics. The increase was disclosed at a Sacramento hearing designed to enhance the prospects of Proposition 97, the initiative that would compel Gov. George Deukmejian to restore funds for the state's worker and health safety agency.

Five Latino voters announced Wednesday they have accepted $400,000 to settle their lawsuit against Republican officials who posted uniformed guards at polling places last year, and they revealed documents that they said prove that the Republicans had intended to intimidate Latino voters. The evidence released at a morning press conference included a deposition from Assemblyman John R. Lewis (R-Orange), who told attorneys he once joked with county Republican chairman Thomas A.

Republican Assemblyman Curt Pringle, the county Republican Party and others who infuriated Latinos and Democrats by posting uniformed guards at polling places last year agreed Friday to pay $400,000 to settle a civil rights lawsuit against them. But lawyers for the six Latino voters who filed the federal lawsuit said they have not signed the proposed settlement.