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Documents released naming Davis in fund-raising case
SACRAMENTO — A federal judge ordered the release Monday of documents from a decade-old racketeering case in which a convicted felon implicated Gov. Gray Davis in a bribery scheme in a failed attempt to win a lighter sentence.
Dismissed by Davis aides as tales concocted by an ex-con, the release came eight days before voters go to the polls to choose between Davis and Republican Bill Simon, who has made attacks on the governor’s fund-raising practices a centerpiece of his campaign.
Former Coastal Commissioner Mark Nathanson named Davis, then state controller, in two letters submitted by his attorneys to prosecutors in 1993 and 1994 as part of an unsuccessful attempt to cut a more favorable deal after pleading guilty to racketeering, tax fraud and soliciting bribes.
The charges against Nathanson stemmed from an investigation that began with an FBI undercover probe of alleged vote-buying in the Legislature and also resulted in convictions or guilty pleas from five sitting or former lawmakers.
Nathanson was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison and fined $200,000. Prosecutors said Nathanson solicited money from celebrities, developers and others in exchange for help getting projects approved by the powerful commission that regulates development along the coast.
The Sacramento Bee had sought full release of the letters for two years. Until now they’ve been released only in censored form. But the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for the release three weeks ago when the high court refused to hear an appeal.
The letters were unsealed Monday by Sacramento-based U.S. District Judge Lawrence Karlton.
In 2001, Karlton said there was “absolutely no reason to believe that the accusations ... are true,” that they “contain no newsworthy information” and that the letters would unjustly damage the reputation of the high public official — now revealed as Davis — named in them.
Davis attended swearing-in ceremonies in Los Angeles for new Police Chief William Bratton Monday, but left without taking questions from reporters.
