Senator Stripped of Chairmanship by Roberti Hints He’ll Fight Back

Dissident Democratic Sen. Daniel E. Boatwright, stripped of his Appropriations Committee chairmanship for assertedly plotting a coup against Senate leader David A. Roberti, strongly suggested Thursday that he will gather his forces and challenge the powerful Los Angeles Democrat next month.

Roberti sacked Boatwright in a “preemptive strike” after hearing reports that the Concord legislator and a number of Republicans were moving against him in a coalition--a charge that Boatwright denied.

Boasting that “I felt secure yesterday; I still feel secure today,” Roberti indicated that he is likely to seek retribution against others he blames for what he and others perceived as a coup.

That may include stripping Senate’s No. 2 GOP leader, Republican caucus chairman John Seymour of Anaheim, of his committee chairmanship and removing Republican H. L. Richardson of Glendora from his seat on the Judiciary Committee.

“Roberti is spending the weekend contemplating punishment,” an aide said.

But Boatwright--one of several conservative Democrats who last year formed their own informal caucus because they felt that Roberti’s policies were too far left--said that nothing Roberti does is likely to save his job. “I do intend to succeed David Roberti as pro tem,” he declared.

Special Election March 17

Nonetheless, Boatwright said he would wait to make his move at least until a special election is held March 17 to replace Democratic Sen. Paul Carpenter of Norwalk, who won a seat on the State Board of Equalization. Republicans have expressed confidence that they will win that Senate seat, which straddles the Los Angles and Orange County line. This would further erode Roberti’s support.

“I can use this time to seek out people who I happen to know are very dissatisfied but have never enunciated it,” Boatwright told reporters.

This is not the first time that Roberti’s leadership has appeared in jeopardy. Last year, Sen. John Garamendi (D-Walnut Grove) made an unsuccessful attempt to topple him and was tossed out of his seat on the powerful Budget Committee.

Since then, Roberti has found himself weakened in part by a continuing shift to the right among some Senate Democrats that was further aggravated by the loss of two Democratic seats in the last election.

Roberti’s decision to block Gov. George Deukmejian’s plan for a prison on Los Angeles’ Eastside also continues to anger Republicans and created a potent election issue for them to use against those Senate Democrats who felt obligated to follow his lead.

Moreover, Seymour told reporters that Republicans are unhappy because Roberti failed to appoint more of their numbers to so-called “juice committees” that become major receptacles of campaign contributions from special interests.

Minimal Representation

Seymour, who for at least a year has been publicly prodding Boatwright and Sen. Robert B. Presley (D-Riverside), a founder of the conservative Democratic caucus, to challenge Roberti, specifically cited the minimal Republican representation on the Senate Banking and Commerce and Governmental Organization committees as underlying causes of dissatisfaction.

On both committees Democrats outnumber Republicans 11 to 3. Of those Republicans who managed to win appointments, several are considered Roberti supporters.

“I realize it’s a Democratically controlled house,” Seymour said. “But you can’t blame us for wanting to improve our position.”

Seymour, who has called for Roberti’s ouster in recent months, acknowledged that he spoke to Boatwright earlier this week in the Capitol garage about the Senate leadership. But he denied any direct involvement in a plot to topple him.

“Each time we win an open seat, that moves us that much closer to a Republican majority, but it also moves us that much closer to having an ability to put together a coalition that is more beneficial to our caucus,” he said. “If that’s wrong, then hang me.”

Boatwright conceded that he would need significant support from Republicans and conservative Democrats in the Senate to put together the 21 votes needed to gain a majority and oust Roberti. He contended that he had done nothing to round up such support and that Roberti moved against him simply because “he sees me as a danger, a threat to his leadership.”

Meanwhile, Roberti said he doubts Boatwright’s ability to forge that kind of coalition. “I am not without resources,” Roberti said. “The Republicans are not monolithic.”

In fact, Roberti continued to court conservative elements of his own party even after ousting Boatwright late Wednesday. Presley, for example, who has feuded openly with Roberti over the prison issue, was named Boatwright’s replacement as chairman on the powerful Appropriations Committee, which screens all legislation involving money.

Presley, who also has been mentioned as a likely successor to Roberti, said he has no plans to challenge Roberti now but he “might consider” the job if dissension increases within the ranks of Senate Democrats.

For now, Roberti is keeping tight-lipped on his next move. But at midday, he was overheard calling for a complete list of all Senate committee assignments and he gave other strong signals that Boatwright may not be alone on the chopping block.

After adjournment of the Senate floor session, for example, Richardson, the senior Republican and the motivating force behind the 1983 installation of GOP caucus chairman Seymour and Senate Minority Leader James W. Nielsen of Rohnert Park, rushed over to Roberti and asked, “Hey, David, are you going to screw me over?”

“I’ll talk to you on Monday,” Roberti replied.

Richardson earlier confirmed that he had been sent word by Roberti that his Judiciary Committee seat was in jeopardy. He maintained, however, that he had no part in any effort to oust the Senate leader.

“This was a good old-fashioned deal to punish the guys that go south,” Richardson said.

Boatwright said he will not seek to get his Appropriations Committee chairmanship back and expects to be removed from the committee as a member.

“In fact, right now I think they are moving my stuff to the trunk of my car,” he said. A Senate Democratic source, who asked not to be identified, indicated that Boatwright’s troubles may not end there.

“It’s like you think they’ve come to take away your Winnebago and then they repossess your whole house as well,” the source said.