CANDIDATES CLASH AS RACE HITS STRETCH PROBE OF MAILING SOUGHT.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

The race for mayor, coming down to its final days, saw former Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa on the offensive on Friday against City Attorney James Hahn with a new commercial attacking his opponent and a call for a criminal investigation.

Hahn, in the meantime, rebuffed the allegations, as he continued his own effort to get out his base of voters for Tuesday's election - with an appearance Friday at an African-American town hall meeting and a discussion of education issues at a Canoga Park school.

Villaraigosa's commercial and his request for an investigation involves the $100,000 mailing that was arranged by a longtime Hahn ally and financed by the Soboba Band of Mission Indians in San Jacinto.

The mailing accuses Villaraigosa of being opposed to laws on sex crimes and child pornography, which he denies.

The commercial criticizes longtime Hahn friend Daniel Weinstein of raising the money and coordinating the attack mailing.

Weinstein has been out of town and issued no comment.

In his letter to District Attorney Steve Cooley and the city Ethics Commission, the Villaraigosa campaign asked for an investigation to determine if any laws were broken. Officials with both agencies said the letter would be reviewed.

Hahn's campaign dismissed the commercial and the investigation request.

``This is typical Villaraigosa flimflam,'' consultant Kam Kuwata said. ``There is no criminal activity. There is no connection between the campaign and whatever Mr. Weinstein has done. This is just more negative campaigning.''

Kuwata said the Hahn campaign also is waiting to see who is contributing to the state Democratic Party, which has been actively involved in the election on behalf of Villaraigosa and several other candidates.

Reports filed with the Ethics Commission shows the state Democratic Party has spent more than $466,000 so far in the runoff election. It did not list contributors.

With only days remaining in the contest, both candidates were planning a number of public events this weekend as part of a final push until election day Tuesday.

Gov. Gray Davis and Mayor Richard Riordan planned to make a campaign appearance with Villaraigosa today in Sherman Oaks, following a Villaraigosa rally with union members downtown.

Hahn planned to attend a fair at Northridge Recreation Center this afternoon after addressing precinct walkers in North Hollywood, attending services at a Westside synagogue and walking precincts with Valley Councilman Hal Bernson.