Former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, the Democratic nominee for President in 1988, is scheduled to testify for the defense in the Proposition 208 trial in U.S. District Court in Sacramento at 9:15 a.m. tomorrow (Friday, July 14). The trial, which began Tuesday, is before Judge Lawrence K. Karlton in Courtroom 4 on the 15^th floor of the federal courthouse at Fifth and I Streets.

Dukakis will testify for the Fair Political Practices Commission in the second trial before Judge Karlton on challenges to Proposition 208 — the campaign finance reform measure passed by voters in 1996, and tied up in court ever since.

According to a trial brief filed by the FPPC June 26, Dukakis will "offer another perspective on running effective campaigns under contribution limits." Massachusetts has long had limits. When Dukakis ran his gubernatorial campaigns, limits were $1,000 per election, and those limits have since been dropped to $500. "He will testify that the new, lower limit has not hindered campaigns in Massachusetts," according to the brief.

Also scheduled to testify for the defense Friday are prominent political scientist Jonathan Krasno and Rebecca Avila, executive director of the Los Angeles Ethics Commission.

San Francisco Board of Supervisors President Tom Ammiano, who ran this year for mayor of San Francisco, is scheduled to testify at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 18. Also testifying for the FPPC on Tuesday are veteran San Francisco campaign treasurer Esther Marks (9:15 a.m. Tues.) and Yale University political science professor Don Green (Tues. afternoon).

San Francisco Ethics Commission Executive Director Virginia Vida testified today (Thursday) for the defense.

Proposition 208 included contribution limits, voluntary expenditure limits and strengthened disclosure provisions. It was challenged in court shortly after its passage in 1996. After a three-week trial before Judge Karlton in 1997, the judge issued a preliminary injunction, finding that Prop. 208's contribution and expenditure limits violated the U.S. Constitution.

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The FPPC appealed that decision to the 9^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which in January

1999 issued an order affirming the preliminary injunction and sending the matter back to Judge Karlton for further proceedings and a final judgment.

The case is being handled for the FPPC by Senior Commission Counsel Lawrence Woodlock and Staff Counsel Deborah Allison.

The five major plaintiffs in the case are the California Democratic Party, the California Republican Party, the California Pro-Life Council PAC, a slate mailer organization and a group of public employee unions. "Intervenors" in the case, who joined the FPPC in defending the initiative, are Tony Miller and Ruth Holton.

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