A bevy of some of California’s biggest plaintiffs’ attorneys are lining up behind San Diego Community College District Board president Marty Block in his Democratic primary bid for the 78th District seat of termed-out GOP assemblywoman Shirley Horton. On the 16th of this month, four of the most notable donations were made: David Rosen of Los Angeles ($1500); John Montevideo of Santa Ana ($2500); Don Ernst of San Luis Obispo ($1000); and Raymond Boucher of Beverly Hills ($3600). Boucher represented plaintiffs in the multimillion-dollar sexual molestation suit against the Los Angeles diocese of the Catholic Church; last year he was a finalist for California consumer attorney of the year.

A so-called tort reform group, the Civil Justice Association of California, primarily sponsored by major corporations, has emerged as a backer of Maxine Sherard, another Democrat in the race who won the primary but lost to Horton in the general election two years ago. Last week the group reported spending $20,000 on a mailer on Sherard’s behalf.