DAVIS: Health Care Interests Fuel Re-election War Chest

      According to newly released documents, "HMOs, doctors, nurses, lawyers and other with a stake in health care bills facing Gov. Gray Davis have given hundreds of thousands of dollars to Davis' re-election war chest," the AP/San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The Association of California Insurance Companies PAC was the leading contributor to Davis for the first half of the year, giving him $25,000. He received $23,000 from Blue Cross of California and $10,000 from Blue Shield of California. However, the total "does not include a fund-raiser held last month by the California Association of Health Plans," which netted Davis "at least $100,000." There are currently some 70 managed care reform bills pending in the state Legislature, but "Davis has said he will sign only a handful of them." While Davis is not up for re-election until 2002, "voracious fund-raising ... has been a hallmark of his more than 20 years in government." Cory Black, a spokesperson for the California Association of Health Plans, insisted that donations "don't buy you anything." He said, "We'd like to be involved in discussion regarding managed-care reform." Michael Bustamante, Davis's spokesperson, said, the donation have no "impact whatsoever" on the governor's decision-making (8/5).