‘Gang of Five’ Drafts Legislation to Cut Assembly Speaker’s Clout

The “Gang of Five” dissident Democrats launched a new challenge to Assembly Speaker Willie Brown on Thursday by drafting legislation to curtail the Speaker’s power to punish members who oppose him.

Under a proposed rule change, any booting of a member off an Assembly committee would require a statement of “cause for removal” to be filed by the Speaker and ratified by a house ethics committee after a full hearing.

Also included in the “reform” package is a constitutional amendment to make it illegal for any legislative leader to use political pressure to coerce a vote from a state lawmaker.

Another rule change would limit the Speaker to three two-year terms--or six years--in the leadership spot. There currently is no limit.

The proposed ballot measure says: “It is specifically unlawful to offer or accept, threaten to withhold or to take away campaign contributions, committee assignments, office space, staff assistance or any other inducement, for a vote on any measure or measures before the state Legislature.”

Brown, who is scheduled to break the late Jesse Unruh’s 7-year, 3-month, 6-day longevity record as Assembly Speaker on March 7, has been in a running fight with the so-called Gang of Five over policy issues.

He stripped four of the five of their committee posts and moved them into smaller offices in recent weeks during a dispute over the fate of several bills bottled up in Democratic-controlled committees.

The rebel Democrats then joined forces with Republicans to obtain lower house passage of bills to require AIDS testing of convicted prostitutes and to prohibit the sale of pornographic materials from vending machines in public places frequented by minors.

“We are trying to start a dialogue to see if there is any interest in some kind of house reform,” said Assemblyman Charles M. Calderon (D-Alhambra), one of the Gang of Five members circulating the drafted measures. “We are trying to take the politics out of policy.”

A spokeswoman for the Speaker said he had no comment on the proposed reform legislation. Nor did Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Mike Roos (D-Los Angeles).

Both the constitutional amendment and the rules changes require a two-thirds vote for approval. The Democrats currently control the lower house by a 43-36 vote margin, with one vacancy.

This means the Gang of Five would require substantial Democratic voting help, even if they got all 36 GOP members to go along with them.

Asked if he thought they could obtain the necessary 54 votes for lower house approval, Calderon replied, “We can try.”

The constitutional amendment, if approved by both houses of the Legislature, also would require subsequent voter ratification at the polls.

The other Gang of Five members are Assemblymen Rusty Areias (D-Los Banos), Gary A. Condit (D-Ceres), Gerald R. Eaves (D-Rialto) and Steve Peace (D-Chula Vista).