Bustamante Team Includes Key Gary Condit Advisor

A key aide to former Congressman Gary Condit is now a top advisor to Democratic recall candidate, Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante.

Richard Ross has worked for a number of prominent Democrats in California. But he first gained national attention during the Condit-Chandra Levy scandal, spinning week after week's worth of damaging revelations in a bid to save the California Democrat's career.

On Monday Ross found himself returning to the role he played for Condit for much of 2001 and 2002.

But this time the ace damage controller was trying to deflect questions about dubious fundraising practices employed by Bustamante's campaign, which has accepted $4 million in large sums from a handful of special-interest donors, including several California Indian tribes with ties to the casino industry.

Ross said Bustamante was taking advantage of a loophole that was entirely legal. ''We're abiding by [the campaign finance law] the way they wrote it,'' he told the San Jose Mercury News. ''If they want to change it, they need to change it.''

Ross' joining the Bustamante campaign may also be evidence of Condit's hidden hand in California politics.

Condit even considered running himself in the recall election -- but decided not to do so. If he had entered, Condit would have had a revenge motive against Gray Davis.

Davis and Condit had been very close, and Davis credited his first win for governor with Condit's endorsement and support.

Both of Davis children worked on Davis' Sacramento staff. And both quit during the Levy scandal -- when Davis betrayed his friendship with Condit and openly criticized the embattled Congressman.

Now Davis has to fear his fellow Democrats as the election closes in.

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