Speaker Declines the Role of Policeman for Assembly

Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) said Tuesday that he will not take the lead in policing members of his house despite former Assemblyman Bruce E. Young’s recent conviction for mail fraud.

“I don’t wish to be put in the position of being the keeper of the morals of other members. That’s not part of my job description,” Brown said at a press conference.

“I am not about to sit in judgment and say I condone or condemn” other members of the Legislature, Brown said.

If, however, any of his 79 Assembly colleagues is suspected of violating any law, Brown said, he would attempt to prevent an offense by a member “with enthusiasm.”

He noted that the state Fair Political Practices Commission and prosecutors are charged with investigating potential conflicts of interest.

“I am not a policeman, nor is any other member a policeman,” Brown said.

Earlier this month Young, a Norwalk Democrat and once one of Brown’s chief legislative lieutenants, was found guilty by a federal jury of five counts of mail fraud involving convicted political corrupter W. Patrick Moriarty. He was convicted of failing to report outside income while he was a legislator and of laundering campaign funds to other politicians.

Brown also disclosed that, at his invitation, Young joined him for breakfast Saturday at a San Francisco hotel. He said Young told him that he believes legislators accused of wrongdoing face a double standard that is not applied to others.

Brown said Young cautioned that if any legislator is accused of violating the law, he should “be prepared” to prove his innocence.

Brown indicated that one reason he met with Young and plans to meet with his lawyers and closely follow any appeals of the case is to help him determine “what’s expected of us” under federal law. Brown also expects to meet with U.S. District Judge Dickran Tevrizian, who presided over Young’s trial.

He repeated his opinion that Young’s conviction demonstrates the need for laws to provide at least partial public financing of legislative election campaigns and to prohibit outside income for legislators.