Another law enforcement nod for Cooley

John Howard and Anthony York
Capitol Weekly
Sep 9, 2010

This week’s endorsement of Republican Steve Cooley by the California State Law Enforcement Association will not make or break the attorney general’s race. But it is the latest example of the difficulties Democrat Kamala Harris is having rallying support from rank and file police officers.

Many law enforcement groups, even ones who have been sympathetic to Democrats in the past, are flocking to Cooley’s candidacy over Harris. Last month, the Peace Officers Research Association of California backed the entire Democratic ticket except in the attorney general’s race, where they picked Cooley over Harris.

PORAC President Ron Cottingham, whose association represents more than 62,000 law enforcement personnel, noted Cooley “has been a tireless supporter of law enforcement. He has dedicated his professional life to keeping Californians safe.”

Alan Barcelona, president of CSLEA, said Harris’s decision not to seek the death penalty in the case of the muder of San Francisco police officer Isaac Espinoza “was just something our members couldn't get over.” Barcelona said Harris explained her position in three different interviews with her group. “I have a lot of respect for her as a person,” he said. “She told us where she was coming from, and I believe she thinks she made a mistake” in not seeking the death penalty for Espinoza’s killer.

Harris campaign manager Brian Brokaw said Harris has expressed regret for announcing she would not seek the death penalty for Espinoza’s killer before his funeral services were even held. And he noted the jury convicted David Hill of second-degree murder in the case – a crime that is not eligible for the death penalty. Hill is currently serving life in prison without possibility of parole.

Brokaw also noted members of the law enforcement community who are backing Harris’ AG bid. “Kamala Harris is endorsed by some of California's most respected law enforcement leaders, including former LAPD Chief Bill Bratton, and the chiefs of police in San Diego, San Francisco and Oakland, along with other chiefs and sheriffs around the state," he said. "She's proud to be supported by the California Professional Firefighters, as well as a dozen district attorneys from around the state who serve with and know both candidates well, and they're supporting Kamala Harris."

CSLEA also endorsed Republican Meg Whitman for governor, calling Democratic contender Jerry Brown “erratic” on key issues.

Barcelona said Brown “didn’t lift a finger” when the Legislature was contemplating the elimination of the entire budget of the Department of Justice’s drug enforcement unit. He said Brown “isn’t bad with the troops,” but that his comments embracing a two-tiered pension system and his failure to lobby for the Department of Justice budget as attorney general pushed his group toward Whitman.

CSLEA endorsed Brown for attorney general in 2006.

Brown has received support from public employee unions, but Barcelona said other considerations were involved.

“It’s a much larger issue than just being a public employee union. The state has gotten to such a perilous point that we have to get someone with the experience to fix it. And she (Whitman) understands the importance of public safety. Our board just doesn’t think Jerry has the ability, but that Whitman does.”

Brown campaign spokesman Sterling Clifford said Whitman manipulated the endorsement.

"Whitman began her campaign calling for the privatization of prisons and an end to the pension system as it now exists, but conveniently went back on those pledges when asked about them by CSLEA," Clifford said. "So the question now is, does Whitman believe she was wrong to propose privatizing prisons? Why the change of heart? How can voters trust that she won't change her mind again?"

"That response sounds a lot like sour grapes from the Brown campaign for their inability to garner a public safety union’s endorsement," said Whitman spokesman Darrel Ng. Thus far, CSLEA is the only state employee union to formally support Whitman. CSLEA is in Bargaining Unit 7, one of 21 units with which the state negotiates collective bargaining agreements. About half of CSLEA's members are sworn peace officers.

“CSLEA's endorsement of Meg Whitman for governor came down to just one final item: We don't know which Jerry Brown we'd have for the next four years, and we can't afford to take that risk,” Barcelona wrote. In endorsing Whitman, Barcelona cited recent comments from Brown that the former governor said he “would do things labor doesn’t like,” and that “I had twice vetoed raises for state employees not once, but twice. I was overriden by 23 Republican votes.”

Barcelona noted that Brown had appointed three state Supreme Court justices who were recalled by voters – including Chief Justice Rose Bird – and that he had called for a two-tier pension system, which labor generally opposes.

CSLEA also has endorsed Gavin Newsom for lieutenant governor, incumbent Debra Bowen for secretary of state, Dave Jones for insurance commissioner, incumbent John Chiang for controller, incumbent Bill Lockyer for treasurer, Tom Torlakson for superintendent of public instruction and Steve Cooley for state attorney general. Cooley is a Republican, the rest are Democrats.