GARCETTI WILL RELY ON LATE AD BLITZ.

Byline: Beth Barrett and Alexa Haussler Staff Writers

In a bitter and costly district attorney's race, incumbent Gil Garcetti prepared to launch today an 11-day media blitz he hopes can save his job, but challenger Steve Cooley has an ample war chest to fight back.

According to campaign reports filed Thursday, the candidates reported raising a combined $387,200 so far this month, bringing their total fund raising to more than $2.2 million.

Garcetti led with $249,969 in contributions this month, for a total of $1.2 million. Cooley reported contributions of $137,238, raising his total to just over $1 million - making him the best-funded challenger since Garcetti ousted Ira Reiner eight years ago.

Cooley, a top deputy in the District Attorney's Office who outpolled Garcetti in the March primary, has gambled on spending nearly $600,000 on a massive mailer to absentee voters and boosting his name recognition, but campaign officials believe he has enough left to combat Garcetti's expected media blitz.

The challenger's ads will start no later than Tuesday, but could begin earlier now that Garcetti's media blitz has begun.

Garcetti has kept most of his money in reserve for a barrage of media ads starting today with an an attack that accuses Cooley of being a ``plea bargainer . . . even (with) chronic drunk drivers, child abusers and drug dealers.''

In a radio debate Thursday afternoon on KPFK-FM (90.7), Cooley challenged the incumbent to a ``high noon showdown,'' demanding his opponent put up facts - before Election Day - to back up the negative ads.

``This guy is a smear artist,'' Cooley said. ``He doesn't tell the truth, and I'm going to challenge him on your program just to cite the cases.''

Garcetti said the ad is based on fact, adding, ``I'll provide it to you.''

Garcetti campaign manager Erik Nasarenko said the district attorney's last-minute ad campaign will focus directly on Cooley.

``They will be informative ads that will help define and delineate our opponent and his record,'' Nasarenko said.

Bracing to be outspent by as much as two-to-one by Garcetti once the ads begin, Cooley's media consultant, John Shallman, said the challenger nevertheless has both the TV time and more than $127,000 in reserve cash to respond.

``Our expectation is that Gil will come out with extraordinary, outrageous, off-the-wall charges, and that he will spring them on us at the last possible moment,'' Shallman said.

``I guarantee we can be up within hours. We have money and we've paid for TV time.''

Nasarenko responded, ``It's somewhat ironic they'd accuse us of going negative when they've been negative for over 12 months now.''

A series of debates between the candidates has been particularly rancorous for months.

Consultant Richard Lichtenstein, who has no financial ties to either campaign, said the candidates' financial situation points to a highly competitive race, with Cooley having enough money to contend where other Garcetti opponents in the past have faltered for lack of funds.

``If the Garcetti ads are determined by Cooley to require a response, there is ample time to produce new spots,'' Lichtenstein said.

The filings further show that, to date, Cooley has outspent Garcetti by $975,819 to $583,962.

Cooley continued the trend this month, outspending the two-term incumbent $107,177 to Garcetti's $40,282.

Also on Thursday, campaign finance reports were filed in area legislative races viewed as close contests:

--In the 41st Assembly District, Democrat Fran Pavley reported contributions totaling $505,472 and expenditures of $407,722.

Republican Jayne Murphy Shapiro reported raising $516,126 and spending $338,529. In the Valley-and-Westside district, registered Democratic voters outnumber Republicans 49 percent to 33 percent.

--In the 43rd Assembly District, Democrat Dario Frommer has raised nearly $1.1 million and Republican Craig Missakian has raised $585,300.

Missakian reported less cash on hand - $86,300 - while Frommer has more than $156,600.

--In the race for the 21st Senate District seat being vacated by congressional candidate Adam Schiff, Assemblyman Jack Scott, D-Pasadena, has raised $1.7 million this year and reported $795,981 in cash on hand.

Republican Paul Zee, a South Pasadena city councilman, has contributions totaling $882,872 this year, and total fund raising for his campaign of nearly $1.4 million.

Zee has poured $423,917 into television and print advertisements and mailers in recent weeks, leaving him with $11,480 in cash on hand. The state Senate GOP leadership recruited the businessman for the race and pumped $500,000 into his campaign treasury during the last reporting period.

Staff Writers Jennifer Hamm, Dominic Berbeo and Gina Keating contributed to this story.

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(1) GARCETTI

(2) COOLEY