MAYOR TAKES OFF THE GLOVES FOES ACCUSED OF FOMENTING ENERGY CRISIS.

Byline: Beth Barrett and Rick Orlov Staff Writers

Los Angeles' mayoral race heated up Wednesday with Mayor James Hahn lashing out at his top challengers, accusing Bob Hertzberg and Antonio Villaraigosa of responsibility for the state energy crisis while taking campaign money from Enron Corp. and other companies.

Saying he was tired of being attacked over allegations of corruption in his own administration, Hahn said Villaraigosa and Hertzberg, who both served as state Assembly speakers, ran ``cash-and-carry operations'' in Sacramento while helping out energy companies rather than the public.

``I don't think the people of Los Angeles want the Sacramento-style economics of Villaraigosa or Hertzberg,'' Hahn said during a press conference at his mid-Wilshire campaign offices in Miracle Mile. ``Sacramento created the energy crisis on the back of Los Angeles residents.''

Hahn's escalation of his attacks - which are expected to be followed by negative television ads - come as the latest poll shows the three candidates in a virtual dead heat going into Tuesday's election.

Villaraigosa, now a City Council member, dismissed the attack, saying, ``Jim Hahn will say anything and do anything to get elected.''

Villaraigosa's campaign manager, Ace Smith, added: ``It's more desperation and negative attacks from a politician whose campaign is in big trouble.''

Hertzberg, who took the brunt of Hahn's attack, said it was an expected tactic.

``We knew the sucker punch was coming; it's six days before the election.''

Hertzberg countercharged that Hahn failed to hire the 1,000 new police officers he promised four years ago, and then made a last-minute announcement that he would hire 370 new cops next year without raising taxes.

``Jim Hahn's announcement yesterday regarding the funding for the Police Department is an indictment; it's an indictment in my judgment of the failure of his entire administration,'' Hertzberg said. ``Today, we have less than 100 new officers four years later.''

All three candidates hinted they might have heavier artillery - in the form of last-minute negative television ads - to unleash in the waning days of the campaign. It was unclear, however, whether any one of them would pull the trigger for fear of a voter backlash.

When asked whether he would run negative ads, Hahn said: ``Stay tuned.''

The mayor saved his sharpest criticism for Hertzberg, whose campaign has surged in the polls since late January and who poses a threat to deny Hahn a spot in the May 17 runoff.

Hahn released a packet of information, including a document purporting to be a ``summary'' of former Enron chief Ken Lay's phone conversation with Hertzberg on April 25, 2001. It was unclear exactly how the ``summary'' was compiled.

Hahn charged Hertzberg with being ``enthusiastic'' about working with Lay.

``That resulted in bailing out the energy companies that had gouged residents and businesses of billions of dollars. That's money that bankrupted the state and resulted in the loss of money by local government to hire more police or deal with traffic problems,'' the mayor said.

Hertzberg said he talked with Enron officials as part of a far-reaching effort to resolve the state's energy crisis, and returned the campaign contributions.

``I was on California's team; I was working my heart out for California,'' Hertzberg said. ``With respect to this issue, when everybody else was running for the hills ... I was talking to anybody; the lights were going out, companies were filing for bankruptcy, and I was trying to protect California.''

The campaign-contribution records released by Hahn show that Hertzberg had received more than $120,000 between 1998 and 2000 from energy-related firms, and he said $18,000 came from Enron, though the charts he provided showed less.

The reports showed Villaraigosa had raised $78,500 from the same firms between 1996 and 2000, with the mayor saying $13,000 came from Enron. Villaraigosa was part of a unanimous vote in both houses for a measure signed by former Gov. Pete Wilson to undertake the state's energy-deregulation effort.

``When I read about the contributions they received, it makes my blood boil. But that's the way they do business in Sacramento. It's a cash- and-carry operation. They provide the cash and then carry any legislation they want,'' Hahn charged.

Hertzberg produced a letter that said he repaid the Enron money. Villaraigosa didn't repay the money, but his campaign said Hahn also took an Enron contribution - $900 in 1996, as well as other campaign contributions now under investigation.

Energy deregulation was touted as a way to bring competition to utilities that promised to lower costs. However, it resulted in the opposite, with many residents paying hundreds of dollars more a month with electricity shortages around the state.

However, Los Angeles residents with their own utility were immune to the blackouts that affected much of the state, and in fact, the Department of Water and Power profited from selling excess energy to the state grid, providing extra revenue that has been turned over to the city's general fund.

Rick Orlov, [phone]

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com