CANDIDATE WARNS OF GAMING INFLUENCE; SANCHEZ URGES CARDENAS NOT TO BACK AIDE WITH TRIBAL MONEY.

Byline: Michael Coit Daily News Staff Writer

Los Angeles City Council candidate Corinne Sanchez raised the specter of Indian gaming money's influence in the Northeast Valley race Friday, urging Assemblyman Tony Cardenas not to use such contributions to support former aide Alejandro Padilla's campaign.

Padilla countered that the 7th Council District race is about what he would do for the district and not contributions he might receive from Cardenas, who endorsed Padilla over Sanchez last fall.

Cardenas, D-Panorama City, said through a legislative aide he had not yet contributed any money to the race, or to any other Los Angeles council contest out of the $300,000 still left in his campaign chest out of $470,000 he raised from tribal gaming interests. Cardenas would not comment further on any role he might have in his former aide's bid.

The assemblyman has played a role in another Northeast Valley race, contributing $2,500 each to two San Fernando City Council candidates, according to financial disclosure reports.

Sanchez injected the first critical edge to the unfolding contest for the 7th District council seat vacated by state Sen. Richard Alarcon, D-Van Nuys.

Cardenas, chairman of an Assembly select committee dealing with the Indian gaming measure recently passed by California voters, led all state lawmakers in tribal contributions.

``Assemblyman Cardenas should not attempt to buy our local City Council seat with gaming money at this time, or at any time,'' Sanchez said. ``The northeast San Fernando Valley deserves a council member elected by and responsive to local residents, not out-of-town special interests.''

Responding to her charge, Padilla downplayed the Indian gaming issue and said he welcomed Cardenas' endorsement and contributions.

``I don't see any problems or conflicts here,'' he said. ``This campaign is not about him, it's about me and my commitment to this community.

``Fund raising is a part of campaigning, but more importantly I'm talking to voters in this district every day and ultimately the voters will decide.''

Of concern to Sanchez is the City Charter provision regulating campaign finances. The charter sets a $500 limit on individual contributions to council races, but Sanchez noted Cardenas could make unlimited ``independent expenditures'' as an individual.

``Cardenas should not exploit a loophole in the campaign finance reform law to pervert our local election,'' she said. ``The limit is $500 and that should be honored of course by anybody. I challenge my colleagues to be above-board and not bring special-interest money into their campaigns.''

At issue is a city Ethics Commission advisory issued in 1993 that allowed state Sen. Richard Polanco, D-Los Angeles, to spend some of his leftover campaign funds to support Mike Woo's unsuccessful mayoral campaign. This form of independent expenditure was not subject to the $500 limit because the expenditure would be made without a request from or coordination with the candidate.

``The notion relies on the fact that there's no coordination of any kind between the candidate and the person making the expenditure. You can't limit how much somebody comes in to spend as a third party in a campaign, provided it's not coordinated,'' explained LeAnn Pelham, the Ethics Commission deputy director.

Padilla said he was unfamiliar with the independent expenditure rules and would not know whether Cardenas planned to provide such funding support.

``I would prefer that not happen,'' Padilla said. ``I'm working towards building my own campaign.''

The Padilla campaign, however, criticized Sanchez for linking him to Cardenas and his Indian gaming funds.

``We're hoping that this is not an indication that Miss Sanchez plans on running a negative campaign. This is not a good indication for the voters,'' said Rick Taylor, Padilla's campaign consultant.

``This shows that Miss Sanchez has hit the desperation point and is making wild allegations. It shows very poor judgment on her part,'' he said. ``If she has any proof that is occurring, then that's one thing. But it isn't occurring.''

Sanchez countered that she is raising an issue brought to public attention.

``I'm raising the question, I'm not throwing rocks or mud,'' she contended. ``I would be remiss if I didn't address it. It was not to be negative, it was to be responsible.''

A longtime campaign consultant familiar with the 7th District questioned whether Sanchez would gain ground with voters on this issue, given that success depends on door-to-door precinct campaigning.

``Voters by and large are not all that worked up about guilt by association. They want to know about the choice between candidates, not who's behind a candidate,'' said Richard Lichtenstein, a Los Angeles political consultant for more than two decades.

Further, he said, independent expenditures are perfectly appropriate.

They are growing in popularity, however, and drawing the attention of the city commission, Pelham said.

According to a city report on Los Angeles campaign finance regulations, independent expenditures have raised concerns on grounds that they are difficult to track, foster negative campaigns with little accountability, heighten candidates' reluctance to agree to spending limits and allow unlimited amounts to influence elections.

Since the 1989 election, $466,141 in independent expenditures have been reported in city campaigns, according to the June 1998 report by the city Ethics Commission.

``In light of the possibility that independent expenditures will continue to rise, provisions in city law related to independent expenditures should be reviewed with the goal of clarifying and strengthening them,'' the authors of the report wrote.