Feinstein Loans Her Campaign $1.7 Million for Total of $3 Million

SACRAMENTO —  Dianne Feinstein has loaned her campaign another $1.7 million, bringing to nearly $3 million the cash that Feinstein and her husband have poured into the former San Francisco’s mayor’s race for governor.

With the loan, Feinstein was able to raise $2.7 million between March 18 and May 19, giving her campaign a total of $4.4 million in contributions and loans this year, and about $5.4 million for the campaign.

Atty. Gen. John K. Van de Kamp, the other major contender for the Democratic nomination, collected just over $1 million during the most recent fund-raising period. He has raised $1.5 million this year and more than $6 million for the campaign.

The certain Republican nominee, U.S. Sen. Pete Wilson, collected $1.5 million during the fund-raising period. But for the year, Wilson, who is unopposed in the GOP primary, has spent nearly $1.5 million more than he has collected, leaving him with a cash reserve of $3.4 million.

The Van de Kamp campaign used the disclosure of Feinstein’s latest loan to needle her again about the finances of her husband, investment banker Richard Blum. Van de Kamp has pressed Feinstein to disclose all of Blum’s sources of income, but she has refused to reveal his private investment clients.

“It’s tough going up against such deep pockets,” said Vicki Rideout, a spokeswoman for the Van de Kamp campaign. “This makes it all the more pressing that she disclose the sources of their income.”

Feinstein spokeswoman Dee Dee Myers said the loans will help Feinstein avoid having to ask for more money from businesses with interests in state legislation.

“The loans mean that she does not have to go hat in hand to all the special interests,” Myers said.

But Rideout said the voters have no way of knowing who Feinstein might be beholden to as long as she refuses to disclose all the details of her personal finances. “We’d like to know who is behind that money and what they might want out of state government,” she said.

As of May 19, both Democratic candidates had nearly depleted their war chests by buying air time for television commercials between now and the June 5 election. Van de Kamp reported having $64,600 in reserve, while Feinstein had $29,100 on hand.

In other statewide races:

--In the Democratic contest for attorney general, Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Ira Reiner reported collecting $265,000 while San Francisco Dist. Atty. Arlo Smith raised $143,000. But Smith reported $261,500 on hand, compared to Reiner’s $75,600.

Republican Dan Lungren, unopposed in the race, received $179,000 and reported $144,476 in reserve.

--State Sen. John Seymour (R-Anaheim) maintained his fund-raising edge over Sen. Marian Bergeson (R-Newport Beach) in the race for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor. Seymour raised $305,000 during the most recent period while Bergeson took in $212,000. As of May 19, Seymour had $167,000 in reserve while Bergeson had $45,000 on hand.

Democrat Leo T. McCarthy, who is seeking a third term, raised $217,700, leaving him with $325,000 in the bank.

--The two Republican candidates for treasurer raised almost the same amount during the reporting period. Incumbent Thomas Hayes took in $150,200, while former U.S. Treasurer Angela (Bay) Buchanan collected $163,500. Hayes had $308,900 on hand while Buchanan reported $46,500 in reserve.

Kathleen Brown, the Democratic front-runner, raised $269,200 and had $847,000 in the bank.

Times staff writer Paul Feldman contributed to this story.