Davis Fund-Raiser Questioned

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon is calling on Governor Gray Davis to release a list of guests invited to a fund-raiser Davis abruptly canceled last week after critics questioned its propriety. The fund-raiser had been scheduled to take place with bullet train advocates on Friday, a day after the governor signed a bill putting a high-speed rail bond measure on the November 2004 ballot. Simon said yesterday that Davis should disclose details of what, if anything, campaign staff knew about his bill-signing schedule. Simon also wants to know about any contact Davis had with Rod Diridon, head of the California High Speed Rail Authority. Diridon stood by Davis at Thursday´s bill signing. He was to have hosted the fund-raiser at his home the following day. Davis canceled the fund-raiser just hours before it was to begin. The Davis campaign says Simon was making trumped-up charges to get publicity and aides knew nothing about the governor´s bill-signing schedule.