Brown’s Authority Faces Challenge From 3 Rebel Assembly Democrats

Three rebel Assembly Democrats, members of a so-called “gang of five,” challenged Speaker Willie Brown’s authority Friday by serving notice that they will try to withdraw three pigeonholed bills from committee for showdown floor votes.

If successful, the action would be a political embarrassment for the lower-house leader, who accused the trio of “playing juvenile games.” Nobody has succeeded in such a move for the last 25 years, according to Chief Clerk R. Brian Kidney.

The move to withdraw the bills from committee was initiated by Assemblymen Steve Peace (D-Chula Vista), Gerald R. Eaves (D-Rialto) and Rusty Areias (D-Los Banos), members of a group nicknamed the “gang of five” that has been at odds with Brown (D-San Francisco) on a variety of issues for the last year. The other members are Assemblymen Charles M. Calderon (D-Alhambra) and Gary A. Condit (D-Ceres).

Earlier this week, the Speaker stripped Peace, Calderon and Condit of key committee posts in apparent retaliation for differing with him. Eaves and Areias escaped without punishment, at least for the time being.

Reduce Rates

Peace charged that Brown told committee members how to vote on two of the stalled bills--one that would require a 50% reduction in automobile liability insurance rates and another that would set up a state health insurance program. The third bill deals with AIDS testing of arrested prostitutes.

“This house should be operated on a level playing field,” the Southern California lawmaker said, “in which each and every member has a right to vote their own conscience and their district.”

Asked about Peace’s charge, Brown replied, “Mr. Peace is a liar.”

Peace also resigned Friday from his seat on the Assembly Rules Committee. Assemblyman Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles) replaced him.

Withdrawal of a bill from any lower-house committee is considered a breach of protocol and requires a 41-vote majority in the 80-member Assembly. The Democrats currently hold a 43-36 majority over the GOP, with one vacancy, so Republican help presumably would be needed on the motions to withdraw.

‘Held Hostage’

“Those bills are stalled in committee and being held hostage,” Areias said. “They should be brought to the floor for a vote. This is a challenge of the way the house is presently structured. If you want to interpret that as a challenge to Willie Brown and his speakership, there’s not much I can do to change your mind.”

Asked if he believed the moves were a declaration of war on his speakership, Brown said: “I don’t view it as war. I view it as folks who are hopeless and disappointed in their ability to continue to control things.

“It’s an insult to the house, to all the members, and to the members of every committee where these matters have been heard.”

Informed that Calderon had complained that he did not want to be the Speaker’s “lap dog,” the Assembly leader said: “I don’t want him as my lap dog. He has fleas.”

The three bogged-down bills are controversial measures that failed to gain enough votes for policy committee approval.

Ballot Initiative

The measure requiring a 50% reduction in automobile liability insurance rates is resting in the Finance and Insurance Committee, and its sponsor is already circulating a proposed ballot initiative to accomplish the same goal.

The same committee also has the bill to create the state health insurance program.

The third pigeonholed bill, in the Public Safety Committee, would require AIDS testing of people arrested on charges of prostitution. If the test turned out positive, and the tested person subsequently was convicted of prostitution, the crime would become a felony instead of a misdemeanor offense.