ALARCON CRITICIZES KATZ ON RACE ENDORSEMENTS.

Byline: Rick Orlov Daily News Staff Writer

Just days from the end of the state Senate primary campaign, Councilman Richard Alarcon and former Assemblyman Richard Katz clashed Wednesday over campaign endorsements.

Alarcon accused Katz of improperly using the names of four people in materials sent out during the campaign.

Katz responded that he initially was told the four did support him but withdrew their names from literature when they objected.

``I ran into these people and they told me they were supporting me,'' Katz said. ``I took them at their word. When we got these letters a month ago, we immediately stopped using their names.''

The four are Juanita DeSosa and her husband, Jose, former president of the San Fernando Valley NAACP and an appointed charter commissioner; Dennis Zine of the Los Angeles Police Protective League and an elected charter commissioner; and Dennis O'Sullivan of the Sun Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Katz said some 350 individuals have endorsed his candidacy.

Alarcon insisted he put no pressure on the four, saying Katz was violating his own campaign ethics pledge promoted early in the campaign.

``He should have had a written endorsement from these people,'' Alarcon said. ``This is indicative that they were using the endorsements improperly.

``They should never have used these in the first place,'' Alarcon said. ``Now they're just trying to put positive spin on it because they got caught with their hand in the cookie jar.''

The four, in the past, have supported Katz in his various election efforts.

``If Alarcon weren't in this race, I probably would support Katz,'' DeSosa said. ``I just thought it was wrong for the Katz people to put my name and my wife's name on their literature.''