Speaker’s Money Talks : Brown Raises $1.2 Million as Democrats Rally Round

Assembly Speaker Willie Brown is under fire, his powers eroded by a dissident band of Democrats and his attention divided by his duties as chairman of Jesse Jackson’s presidential campaign. But none of that seems to have diminished the Speaker’s ability to raise huge amounts of campaign money.

Brown collected a record $1.2 million after expenses in a glitzy fund-raising dinner Thursday night in San Francisco that featured a laser light show, singer Lou Rawls and comedian Robin Williams.

The black tie, $1,000-a-plate event, staged by Brown’s son, Michael, attracted sports and entertainment celebrities. But most of the paying customers represented the same powerful special interests that have traditionally contributed to Democratic political campaigns.

‘Gang of Five’ Absent

In a show of solidarity, 28 Assembly Democrats who are loyal to Brown attended and were publicly thanked by the Speaker. Conspicuously absent, however, was the “Gang of Five” rebel Democrats who have been trying to oust Brown from his post.

While many close observers of Sacramento politics have forecast rough times ahead for Brown, it is clear that lobbyists and business interests that look to the Speaker’s office for help have not given up on him.

In addition to the $1.2 million raised Thursday, Brown reported in documents filed Friday with the secretary of state that he already had $1.6 million on hand in several committees he controls. Slightly more than $1 million of that was contributed since the beginning of the year, a period in which the uprising by the dissidents was in full swing.

Eclipsing the Others

As in the past, Brown continues to eclipse other legislative leaders in fund raising. Assembly Republican Leader Pat Nolan of Glendale reported having $409,000 on hand after collecting $977,000 since January.

In the Senate, President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) disclosed that he has $670,000 in his campaign treasury, raising $493,000 since Jan. 1. Senate Republican Leader Ken Maddy of Fresno reported collecting $401,000 and having $643,000 in the bank.

The disparity in contributions between the two houses is reflective of the fact that all 80 Assembly seats are up for grabs in this year’s elections, while only half the Senate’s 40 seats will go before voters.

Brown is safe in his own district, so nearly all money raised by the Speaker will be funneled to other Democrats to help maintain the Assembly’s Democratic majority and shore up Brown’s own position. To do so, the Speaker disclosed that he has also tapped his colleagues in the Assembly for $129,000 in recent months.

Helping Some Others

Brown’s immediate concern is to bolster campaigns of several Democrats who face what he perceives as tough primary challenges. Chief among those is Assemblyman Curtis Tucker of Inglewood, who has received $14,000 from Brown since the beginning of the year for use in defeating a challenge from Inglewood Councilman Danny Tabor.

The reports also show that Brown contributed $70,000 to help elect an old friend, Democrat John Burton of San Francisco, to a seat left vacant by the election of Art Agnos as San Francisco mayor. Burton, who won in an April 12 special election, provided a 39th vote that Brown can count on in his battle to retain the speakership.

In other races in which the outcome could affect his leadership prospects, Brown has officially kept his distance. But colleagues are busy pouring in money where it counts.

Assembly Race

For example, eight Brown loyalists gave $33,500 in recent weeks to Joe Baca, a San Bernardino community college trustee. Baca is opposing Assemblyman Gerald R. Eaves (D-Rialto), one of the five rebel Democrats, in the primary election. The fund-raising reports also showed that Baca received $80,000 from the California Trial Lawyers Assn., which is politically close to the Speaker.

An aide to Brown also confirmed that the Speaker has asked Democratic members of the state’s congressional delegation to donate money to his political kitty so he could distribute it to other Assembly Democratic candidates, presumably those loyal to him. Rep. Don Edwards (D-San Jose) said that each member is giving up to $15,000, some of which may go to Baca.

These members of Congress have much at stake in the current power struggle because the party that controls the Legislature after the 1990 census will redraw congressional and legislative districts.

Process Threatened

The process by which Brown and other legislative leaders raise large amounts of money and funnel it to their colleagues would be prohibited under Propositions 68 and 73, two June 7 ballot measures that seek to limit the use of campaign contributions.

Although both measures have drawn heated opposition from legislative leaders, only Roberti thus far has reported contributing money--$200,000--against the measures. The committee favoring Proposition 68 reported receiving nearly $500,000 from a broad range of businesses and individuals, including $10,000 from Democratic Atty. Gen. John K. Van de Kamp.

During Thursday night’s fund-raiser, Brown never mentioned the dissidents or his problems in holding on to the speakership, but cleverly titled the fund-raising dinner “Into the Future.”

The only mention came when Agnos, a former Assembly ally of Brown, drew loud applause by telling the audience that “if there ever was a group with a consistent record of swinging and missing, it is (Brown’s) opponents.”