Pubdate: Tue, 27 Feb 2001 Source: Marin Independent Journal (CA) Copyright: 2001 Marin Independent Journal Contact: 150 Alameda del Prado, Novato, CA 94949 Website: http://www.marinij.com/ Author: Richard Halstead KAMENA RECALL SUPPORTERS GATHER NEAR CIVIC CENTER Their featured speaker couldn't make it, but that didn't stop a rally near the Civic Center yesterday by about 20 supporters of the campaign to recall Marin District Attorney Paula Kamena. The rally took the place of a press conference that was canceled after it became apparent the featured speaker, Erin Brockovich, couldn't attend. Brockovich - who inspired the film of the same name starring Julia Roberts - - helped uncover pollution by Pacific Gas and Electric Co.'s Hinkley gas compressor station. Recall supporters carrying placards circled a fountain in a pedestrian island that runs alongside the Civic Center, where Kamena works. Several hoisted brooms and waved signs that read: "Sweep Courts Clear of Corruption." One sign bore a drawing of a rat with the district attorney's name attached. Still other signs were posted later in the day on a central San Rafael freeway overpass. "Look, they're whitewashing the Civic Center," said Peter Romanowsky of Sausalito, pointing to the building, which is being painted. Romanowsky is one of the leaders of the recall. The effort was launched by a group angry over child-custody decisions in the Marin courts. The controversy began with family law court Judge Michael Dufficy, and quickly blossomed to include judges Lynn Duryee, Terrence Boren, Verna Adams and Kamena. The effort to recall Dufficy, Duryee and Boren fizzled. The deadline to submit signatures in the effort to recall Adams is March 8. But Kamena faces a May 22 special recall election largely due to the efforts of Lynnette Shaw, founding director of the Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana in Fairfax. Shaw spearheaded the call for Kamena's removal - as much for Kamena's enforcement of marijuana laws as her role in family law cases, which included the conviction of Carol Mardeusz, a Novato woman prosecuted by Kamena for perjury and attempting to abduct her own daughter. Kamena wants to know where the money came from to pay people who collected 13,942 valid signatures. Shaw has said the law allows her to withhold the information, although the state's Fair Political Practices Commission disagrees. Shaw did not attend yesterday's rally and could not be reached for comment. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth