And Those Are His Good Points, Your Honor

DEVILISH DESCRIPTIONS: How many different ways can you say “the devil?” The answer may be found in federal court transcripts in Sacramento, where attorneys for former state Sen. Paul Carpenter and lobbyist Clayton Jackson are offering a prime textbook example of the best-defense-is-a-good-offense legal strategy.

Caught in the cross wires is ex-Sen. Alan Robbins, who as the prosecution’s star witness is entering week No. 3 of snitching on his former pals for alleged bribery, money laundering and other forms of political corruption. Robbins himself pleaded guilty to related charges in 1991 and left his Van Nuys seat in disgrace.

Here’s just a sampling of what defense attorneys Donald H. Heller and Charles F. Bloodgood had to say about Robbins while prepping the jury in opening statements:

Heller: “We are dealing with one of the most diabolical human beings one could ever deal with . . . an admitted extortionist . . . a high public official who is a cheap date . . . a man who possesses both high intelligence and a complete lack of morality . . . a known liar, perjurer, obstructor of justice. . . . You may live a very long time and you will never ever meet someone of the likes of Alan Robbins.”

Bloodgood: “This is a master manipulator . . . a man who looks at life as a chess game . . . a carnivore . . . a man who would play people against one another, not always playing above board . . . you didn’t cross Alan Robbins because he had a memory like an elephant. There would be a price to pay . . . he is the real culprit in this case . . . a man who has lost all sense of right and wrong, never doing anything except for his own personal gratification . . . a man who had insatiable appetite of every kind . . . when he testifies, he will be dressed up in some striped suit and tie, but he’s a devil. . . . There isn’t a word in the Webster’s dictionary that would describe Alan Robbins.”

Yeah, but tell us how you really feel.

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MILLION-DOLLAR CALL: Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich said he regrets making a phone call that may end up costing county taxpayers more than $1 million. “In hindsight, I would not have done it,” he said in an interview published in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune earlier this week, referring to his call to a judge on behalf of a campaign contributor.

Antonovich may indeed be sorry that he called Superior Court Judge Eric Younger almost five years ago to offer his favorable opinion of Krikor Suri, whose business was being sued by Avedis Kasparian in a case before the judge.

But two of his fellow supervisors say that remorse is not enough.

Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke joined Supervisor Gloria Molina this week in calling for Antonovich to dip into his personal or campaign funds to pay his unspecified share of the $1.2 million in compensatory damages awarded last week to Kasparian, who alleged that Antonovich and Suri conspired to influence Younger.

Antonovich has said the county should pick up the tab because he was acting within his official duties.

Meanwhile, the judgment is having a chilling effect on other politicians, sources said. “It really makes you think twice before picking up the phone on behalf of somebody,” said one supervisor’s deputy who asked not to be identified.

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COLLISION COURSE: Republican Reps. Carlos J. Moorhead (R-Glendale) and Howard P. (Buck) McKeon (R-Santa Clarita) usually end up voting the same way, particularly on spending issues.

But the Valley conservatives went separate ways on the showdown over the $11-billion superconducting super-collider this week when the House cast a mortal blow to the project.

Moorhead voted to continue funding the controversial Texas-based atom smasher while McKeon joined Valley Democrats Howard L. Berman of Panorama City, Anthony C. Beilenson of Woodland Hills and Henry A. Waxman of Los Angeles in opposition. The House voted 282 to 143 to kill the massive scientific instrument, which is now one-fifth complete, after opponents claimed that costs have escalated out of control.

“America’s future to a great extent is in its research and development and what we can do in an innovative way,” said Moorhead, who often criticizes the Democrats as big spenders. “I think it’s rather shortsighted to get started on a project and drop out of it.”

Although most of the jobs associated with the super-collider are in Texas and Louisiana, Moorhead said, “it isn’t all net money out of people’s pocket. A lot of our companies in California will share in the project.” He was unable to name any in his 27th District.

McKeon said he was aware of only one $800 subcontract for the project in his aerospace-rich 25th District, which includes the Antelope and Santa Clarita valleys and part of the northwest San Fernando Valley. He contrasted this with another big-ticket, high-tech project, the space station, that accounts for several thousand jobs in his district.

Both he and Moorhead voted for the space station, which will cost an estimated $25 billion to $30 billion through the year 2002.

“We just can’t have everything,” McKeon said. “I don’t think we can afford to vote for both of them. The space station will help us in the next stage of space exploration whereas, with the super-collider, we may get it done and we may not have anything. It’s speculative.”

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TRADE TALK: When dozens of companies supporting the hotly debated North American Free Trade Agreement displayed their products on the South Lawn of the White House on Wednesday, representatives of Authentic Fitness Corp. of Van Nuys and Precision Dynamics Corp. of San Fernando were among them.

Both firms say that phasing out the tariffs and other barriers between the United States, Mexico and Canada will pave the way for increased exports, particularly to Mexico. Opponents contend that NAFTA threatens to spur U.S. companies to export jobs to low-wage Mexico.

“We need the consumers,” said Linda Wachner, chairman of Authentic Fitness, which designs and markets swimwear, ski wear and other active apparel and had 1992 revenues of $133 million. “And this will not take away jobs from America; it will add to them.”

Wachner, whom Fortune magazine dubbed “America’s most successful businesswoman,” is a member of the national Advisory Committee for Trade Policy Negotiations. She also heads Warnaco, a large New York apparel company.

Precision Dynamics Corp. displayed its hospital identification bracelets and bracelets used at amusement parks, as backstage passes and elsewhere. The company has 325 employees and worldwide sales of $24 million. It exports to 75 countries, including Mexico.

“NAFTA will increase our existing export sales to Mexico by eliminating tariff and other trade barriers,” said Leslie Cave, the company’s director of international marketing. “It will provide a more stable and stronger Mexican economy which will increase (Mexico’s) ability to purchase more U.S.-made goods.”

Wachner said her representative learned something important at the White House. “We found that the President wears Speedo,” she said, referring to one of Authentic Fitness’ product lines. “At least he said he did.”