Teary-Eyed Snyder Not Sure He’ll Resign

Los Angeles City Councilman Arthur K. Snyder publicly backed away Friday from his promise to resign after more than 300 chanting supporters, in a well-orchestrated lobbying effort, jammed council chambers and begged him to reconsider.

Rubbing tears from his eyes, Snyder indicated that he is now ambivalent about leaving the council--in contrast to his earlier insistence that he intended to quit.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” he told the emotional crowd. “You’ve given me a lot to think about.”

Beset by years of personal, legal and political troubles, Snyder announced last January that he was quitting the council July 1 and planned to practice law full time. As the date grew closer, Snyder extended his departure to mid-September.

Early Friday, Snyder was holding to an end-of-September leave, but after the mid-morning show of support his intentions were unclear.

Snyder and his allies insisted that the gathering by 14th District residents and business leaders was kept a surprise until Snyder entered the chamber for a routine Friday meeting.

But there were some indications. A newspaper article published Friday morning noted the planned gathering. And moments after the rally ended, a Snyder aide handed out copies of a two-page press release highlighting the event and liberally quoting Snyder on his “amazing array of achievements.”

“My district’s desires for the best quality representation must be taken seriously,” the release quoted Snyder as saying.

The pro-Snyder gathering also came after two moves that could be taken as indications that the councilman intends to further delay his departure--or cancel it.

Last month, he authored a motion raising the pay of city officials by 10%, increasing the salary of council members from $48,424 to $53,266. (Earlier this week, a Superior Court judge halved the pay raise to 5%.)

And on Monday, Council President Pat Russell named Snyder as head of the influential Government Operations Committee, which forms council policy on rent control and other issues.

Still, Snyder was holding his plans close to the vest. Before the rally, he snapped at reporters who asked him whether he still intended to resign. “I wish you’d stop calling me a liar,” he said.

In the chamber, Snyder’s long-time supporter, Steve Kasten, president of the Lincoln Heights Chamber of Commerce and self-described organizer of Friday’s gathering, pleaded with him to change his plans.

“Finish your term!” he begged of Snyder, whose term ends in 1987. “Don’t quit halfway through!”

He held up pro-Snyder petitions that he said were gathered after the councilman announced his intention to resign, and told Snyder that if in 1987 he wished to return to private life, “We will respect your wishes and leave you alone.”

Members of the crowd chanted “We Want Art” and raised hand-drawn posters.

With Snyder in tow, the group marched to the 1st Street steps of City Hall, where Snyder told his constituents he would consider their opinion.

“I don’t know if I’ll change my mind,” he said, “but it’ll sure make it a lot harder.”

When Snyder announced his resignation plans in January, he said he wanted to quit to provide his wife Delia--then pregnant--with a more peaceful life. Months later, he reported that his wife had suffered a miscarriage.

Snyder has insisted that his plan to quit had nothing to do with a child custody battle then being waged between Snyder and his ex-wife, Michelle Noval. During those proceedings, a Dependency Court judge declared there was sufficient evidence to support an allegation that Snyder had sexually abused his daughter. Snyder repeatedly denied the allegations and blamed them on his ex-wife. The daughter has been placed in a foster home.

The district attorney’s office investigated and concluded there was insufficient evidence to charge Snyder with any crime.