AIDS OFFICE DIRECTOR IN CONTROVERSY OFFICIAL HELPING VILLARAIGOSA SOLICITED AGENCY DONATIONS.

Byline: Troy Anderson Staff Writer

Los Angeles County officials said Tuesday they are investigating actions by the director of the county's AIDS office during a leave of absence to help Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa's campaign for mayor.

During his paid vacation since Feb. 14, Charles Henry allegedly solicited campaign contributions from AIDS and HIV organizations that contract with the county's Office of AIDS Programs and Policy, officials said.

``The Department of Health Services is looking into all these issues that were raised,'' said John Schunhoff, chief of operations for public health. ``There will be a report that will go over to the Board of Supervisors as soon as it's completed. But regardless of how this comes out, this won't have an impact on direct program services for people with HIV and AIDS.''

Henry and Villaraigosa could not be reached for comment.

Henry's office manages and distributes about $83 million each year to contractors that help AIDS and HIV patients. About 50,000 people in the county have HIV, including 19,000 with AIDS.

``We have good, solid programs in place,'' said Gunther Freehill, spokesman for the office. ``In large measure, the programs are in place because of Mr. Henry's particular commitment and skills in managing the office and ensuring the proper distribution of state and federal resources.''

The issue was first raised publicly last Tuesday when county Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich asked whether it was ``ethical to be a director on a leave of absence and shake down vendors for a candidate.''

At the meeting, Antonovich asked the county auditor to participate in the investigation and conduct an audit of all AIDS contracts in the last four years to determine if the county has been billed appropriately.

``The board last week asked the Department of Health Services to conduct an investigation into allegations that the director of the Office of AIDS Programs and Policies was soliciting HIV and AIDS contractors for campaign donations,'' said Tony Bell, Antonovich's spokesman.

``The board asked DHS and the auditor to conduct an audit as to whether there was any unethical behavior. We are awaiting the results of their investigation.''

The findings were scheduled to be released Tuesday, but instead the public release was canceled indefinitely and the matter was referred back to the health department for more investigation.

Karen Ocamb, president of the Los Angeles Sunshine Committee, urged the supervisors to release the report publicly.

``These allegations are raised in the context of an alleged pattern of intimidation and pressure on county contractors, as well as allegations of retribution and favoritism with county contracts,'' Ocamb said.

``People with HIV and AIDS, as well as the public, have a right to know what DHS has found and what if anything we are going to do about it. This is a serious matter. There is a long pattern of creating these kinds of reports and burying them.''

Troy Anderson, [phone]

troy.anderson(at)dailynews.com