Women’s Caucus Raps Sen. Lockyer’s Outburst

In its first official act, the new Women Legislators Caucus on Wednesday blistered Sen. Bill Lockyer (D-Hayward) for “irresponsible behavior” in his tongue-lashing of Sen. Diane Watson (D-Los Angeles) during a Judiciary Committee hearing on the death penalty.

The caucus of all 15 women lawmakers, recognized by the Joint Rules Committee on Monday as an official organization of the Legislature, sent a letter to Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) asking him to bring together the two combatants.

Roberti, who has rejected suggestions that he remove Lockyer as committee chairman, agreed that such a meeting might be a good idea.

However, even before the Senate leader had a chance to review the letter, Lockyer issued his second public apology for remarks he made last week during discussion of a bill to toughen the death penalty.

At the time, Lockyer lashed out at Watson’s “mindless blather” and added, “I hope I am offensive enough to make you leave.”

He apologized a few minutes later, but Watson, a member of the committee, already had walked out of the hearing. So, Lockyer repeated his apology on Wednesday as the committee resumed deliberations on the bill.

“Unfortunately, I made an inappropriate public remark,” Lockyer said.

“I want to make sure everyone (on the committee) feels they have every opportunity . . . to ask questions (and) make arguments.”

Watson said, however, that she was not satisfied by Lockyer’s apology. When Lockyer finished, Watson read from a prepared statement that assailed Lockyer’s behavior and declared that she “will tolerate no further abuse.”

“My voice will not be silenced. . . . Insults, slights and rude remarks have no place” in the Senate, she said.

Meantime, the women lawmakers pointed to the incident as an example of the mistreatment that prompted them to form their own caucus.

In its letter to Roberti, the caucus denounced Lockyer’s behavior as “irresponsible” but stopped short of asking for his firing as committee chairman, as Watson had done.

Lockyer refused to respond to reporters’ questions about the letter.

It said, in part, “We know you need not be reminded of the fact that it is not Sen. Diane Watson alone who was attacked, but indeed her 600,000 constituents she represents, as well as the integrity of the Legislature as a whole.

“It is the responsibility of the chair to assure open and free debate of any issue before the committee and especially by a duly elected and appointed member of the committee.

“For a chairman to censor and control that discussion through use of ridicule is unacceptable.”

After the committee hearing, Roberti, who also sits on the panel, sympathized with Watson’s views. However, he added that Lockyer’s demeanor was far different than it had been a week earlier.

“Sen. Lockyer did a good job today,” Roberti observed.