Showdown Forced by GOP on Transfer of Campaign Funds

Assembly Republicans, taking advantage of a continuing split in Democratic ranks, successfully moved Monday to force a showdown on a politically charged bill to ban transfer of political donations among candidates--a tactic that has helped keep Assembly Speaker Willie Brown in power.

At the same time, the GOP, with strong bipartisan support, successfully amended legislation to toughen penalties for street gang drive-by shootings after the bill’s author declared that efforts to fight gang violence face a “death trap” in a Democratic-dominated committee.

Both measures, which were also sought by the “Gang of Five” dissident Democrats, are scheduled for floor votes on Thursday and appear to have the necessary votes for passage.

The action came just before Brown (D-San Francisco) met for 90 minutes in a closed-door session with two of the rebel Democrats and several loyalists to discuss proposed “reforms” that would change the way the Speaker runs the Assembly. The dissidents have pushed for the changes, contending that they are necessary to make sure hotly disputed bills with strong public support are not buried in panels packed with Brown’s liberal appointees.

After the meeting, which the Speaker described as “harmonious,” Brown said the “reforms” are “all under consideration” but made no commitments. He added, however, that the “dialogue will continue” and more meetings will be held.

Assemblyman Gary Condit (D-Ceres), one of the five, cautioned that “we do not want to lift anyone’s expectations.”

The dissident Democrats had declared a truce in their attempts to oust Brown but said the cessation of hostilities is contingent on changes in the way Brown runs the Assembly, including the prohibition against campaign contribution transfers.

The practice by legislative leaders to raise money and funnel it to colleagues in tough races has been commonplace since the days of the late Speaker Jesse M. Unruh. In return, these legislative leaders expect to be reelected to their powerful posts.

Assembly Republican leader Pat Nolan of Glendale also uses the technique to build his power base, but not to the extent that Brown and his top lieutenants do. The rebel Democratic Gang of Five last week saw the first fruits of its rebellion when a bill to permit wiretapping by law enforcement officials against major suspected drug dealers was passed by the Senate and sent to Gov. George Deukmejian’s desk for his expected signature.

But they have also lost two attempts to unseat Brown as Speaker and have come under criticism for contributing to a backlog of other floor business. The rebel faction needed another big victory to keep their rebellion in the public eye.

Nolan, who is also under fire from some GOP colleagues for not wanting to move aggressively against Brown’s leadership, used the call to ban transfers to demonstrate his political independence.

“The present system stinks,” Nolan told the Assembly.

To get the issue before the house, Nolan proposed to insert the ban on transfers into another bill pending on the Assembly floor. The amendment was adopted by a 40-23 vote, with support from 33 Republicans, and seven Democrats, including the Gang of Five. All 23 “no” votes were cast by Democrats. The amended measure will require 41 votes for passage, but one GOP member was absent and two others did not vote.

Brown said he did not know if the transfer ban bill would pass, “but I don’t vote for anything I don’t obey.”

The Speaker, who has raised more than $2 million so far for the 1988 legislative elections, has scheduled a major black-tie fund-raising dinner in San Francisco on May 26. Proceeds from the event will undoubtedly be funneled to other Democratic legislative candidates who are loyal to Brown.

The bitterness of Brown loyalists toward the Gang of Five surfaced during the parliamentary maneuvering on the transfer ban amendment when Speaker Pro Tem Mike Roos (D-Los Angeles) repeatedly ruled in favor of mainstream Democrats who were trying to block Assemblyman Steve Peace (D-Chula Vista) from speaking.

Ban on Transfers

Some lawmakers privately support a ban on transfers because it could ease pressure from voters, who are being asked to decide on more stringent campaign contribution requirements set down by Proposition 68 and Proposition 73 on the June primary election ballot. The two initiatives, which have been attacked by both Democratic and Republican legislative leaders, include a ban on transfers among a number of other complex provisions.

Even if the Assembly bill is passed by that house, it will face an uphill battle in the Senate. Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles), also a major fund-raiser for upper-house Democrats, indicated that he might oppose the bill because it is not part of a more comprehensive campaign reform plan.

On the gang-shooting issue, a lopsided, bipartisan 53-6 vote was cast to amend a bill to extend from five to eight years the prison term imposed in gang-style, drive-by shootings that result in deaths or serious injuries.

The easy victory was almost a foregone conclusion because of the recent jump in the number of gang-related shootings in Los Angeles and other California cities. Even so, some Democrats tried to send the bill back to committee where its author predicted that it would probably die, as other law enforcement measures have in the past.

“The Public Safety Committee is a death trap for any good bills,” said Assemblyman Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach), the bill’s author. “Street gangs are killing innocent people.”

But an opponent, Assemblyman Richard E. Floyd (D-Hawthorne), declared it was a “wimpy little amendment” that was sparked by election-year campaign posturing.

Floyd added, “If we are really serious, we ought to have the guts to send gang members a clear, hard message that you do life without possibility of parole (for drive-by shootings). Put ‘em away for life and no fooling around.”