Peace Loses Democratic Whip Post but Goes on Rules Panel

Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) on Monday removed Assemblyman Steve Peace of Chula Vista as Democratic whip, giving the leadership post instead to a Los Angeles County legislator beginning his third term.

Peace, who said he learned only Monday that he was being replaced by Assemblyman Charles M. Calderon (D-Alhambra), said nonetheless that the change was neither a surprise nor a disappointment.

Peace said Brown had been discussing potential shifts “for quite some time” and he had made the decision “some time ago” not to continue in the leadership post.

“There is only so much time in the day and you have to create opportunities for other members, too,” Peace said.

Peace was appointed instead to the powerful Assembly Rules Committee--the third San Diego County legislator currently assigned to the panel--which makes staff and office assignments and decides which committees hear which bills. Under unwritten, informal Assembly rules, members of the Rules Committee cannot hold other leadership posts and rarely chair major policy committees.

Last year, Peace was also a member of the budget-writing Ways and Means Committee, and he said he would rather keep that assignment than become chairman of a policy committee.

Both Peace and Brown’s press secretary, Susan Jetton, said the naming of Calderon as majority whip should not be viewed as a demotion for the Chula Vista Democrat.

Peace, 33, is beginning his third term in the Assembly.

Assemblywomen Sunny Mojonnier (R-Encinitas) and Lucy Killea (D-San Diego) were both reappointed to the Rules panel Monday. Both were also on the committee last year.