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University of California Regents
and Conflict of Interest

by Paul Rockwell
Oakland, California

Give a judge $l,000. It's bribery.

Give $73,000 to the Governor of California, it's a "contribution". Between 1989 and 1991, land use consultant Ward Connerly contribuled $73,000 to Pete Wilson. In 1993, Wilson returned the favor, appointing Connelly to the University of California's Board of Regents. Together, they brought about the infamous repeal of affirmative action in the University of California.

The president of U.C., all U.C. chancellors, the faculty union, the University of California Student Union all went on record in support of affirmative action.

The very Iegitimacy of the Regents decision is now in question. Connerly is just one example of an incestuous relationship between Wilson and his wealthy, unrepresentative California regents. The Data Center in Oakland provides the following list of contributions to Governor Wilson by U.C. Regents who voted to abolish affirmative action:

Clair Burgener, Chair of Regents, appointed by Gov. Deukmejian, term expires 2000. Reported minimum wealth: $384,000. Contributed $l.300 to Wilson between 1993 to 1994.

Glenn Campbell, Director of Hoover Institute (retired), appointed by Gov. Reagan, reappointed by Gov. Deukmajian, term expires 1996. Reported minimum wealth: $731,000. Contributed $300 to Wilson in 1992.

Frank Clark, Jr., Attorney. Appointed by Gov. Brown. Reappointed by Gov. Deukmejian, term expires 2000. Reported minimum wealth $710,000. Contributed $17,125 to Wilson between 1990 to 1994.

Ward Connerly, Land Use Consultant, appointed by Wi1son in 1993, term expires 2005. Reported minimum wealth not available. Contributed $73,000 to Wilson between 1989 and 1991.

John Davies, Attorney, appointed by Wilson in 1992 term expires 2004. Reported minimum wealth not available. Contributed $17,700 to Wilson between 1989 to 1994.

Tirso Del Junco, General Surgeon, former chair of California Republican Party, appointed 1985 by Gov. Deukmejian, term expires 2002. Reported minimum wealth: $1.1 million. Contributed $1,000 to Wilson in I991.

S. Sue Johnson, co-owner Johnson Tractor Company, appointed by Gov. Deukmejian, term expires 2002. Reported minimum wealth: $820,000. Contributed $2950 to Wilson between 1989 to 1994.

Meredith Khachigian, wife of Wilson's campaign manager Ken Khachigian, appointed by Gov. Deukmejian, term expires 2001. Reported minimum wealth: not available. Contributed $1,000 to Wilson in 1989.

Leo Kolligian, attorney, appointed by Gov. Deukmejian, term expires 1997. Reported minimum wealth: $2,764,000. Contributed $1,000 to Wilson in 1989.

Howard Leach, agribusiness owner, appointed by Gov. Deukmejian, term expires 2001. Reported minimum wealth: $4,368,000. Contributed $82,340 to Wilson between 1989 to 1994.

David Lee, owner of telecommunications company, appointed by Gov. Wilson in 1994, term expires 2006. Reported minimum wealth: not available. Contributed $3,000 to Wilson between 1990 to 1994.

S. Stephen Nakashima, attorney, appointed by Gov. Deukmejian in 1989, term expires 2004. Reported minimum wealth: $4,061,000. Contributed $33,500 to Wilson between 1989 to 1993.

Dean Watkins, business executive, appointed by Gov. Reagan reappointed by Gov. Deukmejian, term expires 1996. Reported minimum wealth: $4,000,000. Contributed $4,000 to Wilson between 1989 to 1993.

The regents are required by their own charter to make decisions independent of politics, but the present anti-affirmative action regents looks like a Political Action Committee for Pete Wilson. The husband of regent Meredith Khachigian is Pete Wilson's campaign manager. Max Millard reports in The Sun Reporter "Connerly has long been a certified minority contractor for state grants. In May it was revealed that he failed to report more than thirty sources of income from his Sacramento-based consulting business, Connerly and Associates. His amended form showed he had held minority contracts with dozens of cities and counties."

Like Justice Clarence Thomas, who was promoted to the supreme court after he destroyed the EEOC (Economic Equal Opportunity Commission) from within, Connerly is saying in effect: "I got mine, screw you."

At the Third Baptist Church in San Francisco, July 19, black pastors and officials expressed outrage at Connerly's hypocrisy.

As Reverend Jesse Jackson put it, "The Regents decision to abolish affirmative action is so corrupt, so ugly, so self-serving. The regents hijacked the University of California."

Paul Rockwell, formerly assistant professor of philosophy, is a librarian in the Bay Area.

Published in In Motion Magazine September 2, 1995.