Brown Admits Call, Denies Moriarty Lobbying

Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) conceded Thursday that he made a telephone call to a Fresno city councilman in 1982 regarding a local ordinance to legalize fireworks that was being pushed by fireworks magnate W. Patrick Moriarty. Brown said the call was not an effort to lobby the councilman, whom he described as a friend.

“I didn’t lobby (Councilman) Joe Williams,” Brown said. “I made the same telephone call to him that I make a hundred times a day. I do it to get people football tickets; I do it to introduce people.”

The Fresno Bee reported earlier this week that Brown, who allegedly received more than $20,000 in illegally laundered campaign contributions from associates of Moriarty, had urged Williams to support the ordinance.

Moriarty has pleaded guilty to a variety of corruption charges and agreed to tell investigators about his personal and financial dealings with state and local political figures.

The Legislature in 1982 approved a Moriarty-backed bill to take away the power of cities and counties to outlaw so-called “safe and sane” fireworks, with Speaker Brown voting yes, but it was vetoed by then-Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr.

The 1982 Fresno ordinance to legalize fireworks failed with Williams voting no.

The Bee article said that when Brown telephoned and learned that Williams was opposed to the ordinance, he said representatives of Red Devil Fireworks Co., headed by Moriarty, were “good people” and suggested that Williams “hear them out.” The call was reportedly made shortly before the council vote.

Williams, now director of the Fresno County Economic Opportunity Commission, could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Brown said he saw nothing improper in his calling Williams about the issue. “Joe Williams is a friend,” Brown said. “Joe Williams has called me. He’s called me on matters affecting him and people he knows. So there’s nothing unusual about that. Nothing unusual about it whatsoever.”