Stepping Into Spotlight : Political Observers Are Predicting That Congressman Julian Dixon’s Adept Handling of House Ethics Investigation Will Benefit His Career

Rep. Julian C. Dixon realized that the people of his district were aware of his new-found prominence in Washington when the nature of his mail changed.

Letters about Dixon’s ethics probe of House Speaker Jim Wright suddenly started to appear alongside the usual constituent complaints about Medicare and mail delivery, and soon the Wright mail outweighed all the rest.

It seemed as though the folks back home were as taken with the ethics investigation as official Washington as they flooded Dixon with mail praising his political courage and his “statesmanlike” handling of the case.

But for Dixon, who has always shied away from the media spotlight that now follows him from Capitol Hill to Culver City, there was no cause for cheer.

“I’m tired,” the congressman said while awaiting a flight to Washington last week. “You have your ups and downs in this kind of job. You can’t help but identify with the person having these problems. And that’s depressing.”

Tumultuous Time

This has been a tumultuous time for Dixon, 54, chairman of the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. The probe of Wright (D-Tex.), who is accused of improperly using his office for financial gain, has put him at risk of alienating some of the most powerful members of Congress. But his handling of the case has also spawned enormous amounts of positive publicity.

Some of Dixon’s friends and supporters are talking of positive political ramifications. They say that Dixon (D-Los Angeles), who has often been named as a likely successor to Los Angeles County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn, is now better positioned to assume the powerful post if Hahn retires in 1992.

He may also be poised to play a larger role in black political affairs, they say, noting that political commentators are already praising Dixon’s low-key style, his diligence and his talent for acting as a conciliator.

“This has been a great opportunity for Julian to prove himself,” said Inglewood City Councilman Daniel K. Tabor, a Dixon protege. “He’d make an excellent supervisor, but there’s no reason to rule out other offices.”

Dixon, however, was unresponsive about his future as he sat at the American Airlines terminal Tuesday in a stylish leather jacket and loafers. The congressman, who is known for his regal bearing and his reserved, almost Zen-like manner, said this is not the time to speculate on his next move.

“I have not been thinking of how to turn this splash of publicity into some kind of dividend,” Dixon said. “That’s not my style, and it never has been. I’m not inclined to run for anything except reelection at this point. But I would certainly consider Hahn’s seat later.”

Genuinely Happy

Those closest to Dixon say he is genuinely happy in Congress. He and his wife, Betty, spend most of their time in Washington, like most congressional couples. When the two are in Los Angeles, they occasionally entertain close friends at their Fox Hills townhouse. People who have seen him in social settings say Dixon has a terrific wit. He enjoys sharing a few drinks and listening to jazz on his stereo, and is also said to be a restaurant connoisseur.

But the overriding passion in Dixon’s life has always been politics.

“Julian always aspired to hold public office, and his friends were always dedicated to helping him realize that ambition,” said Herbert Carter, executive vice chancellor of the California State University system, who has known Dixon since the early 1960s.

After graduating from Southwestern Law School in 1967, Dixon got his political start by working on civil rights causes and for politicians, such as then-state Sen. Mervyn M. Dymally, now a congressman representing Compton and other southern Los Angeles County communities. He also worked on Tom Bradley’s first campaign for mayor. When the 63rd Assembly District seat opened in 1972, Dixon won it in a tough race against a large field of candidates

Formed Alliance

Dixon eventually rose to the third-highest position in the Assembly and formed a close alliance with its second-ranking member, another rising star named Howard L. Berman. In 1978, when Dixon ran for the 28th District seat in Congress, the political machine headed by Reps. Berman (D-Panorama City) and Henry A. Waxman (D-Los Angeles) played a key role in getting him elected over two other strong candidates, then-state Sen. Nate Holden and then-Los Angeles Councilman David C. Cunningham, in a bruising campaign.

Today Dixon maintains close ties to the Berman-Waxman organization. And he remains popular in his solidly Democratic district, a racially mixed, mostly middle-class area that includes Inglewood, Marina del Rey, Ladera Heights, Baldwin Hills, part of the Crenshaw District and Culver City. Since the hotly contested race 11 years ago, he’s never been seriously challenged.

District activists give the congressman’s office high marks for keeping constituents happy. They say Dixon has also been there during times of tragedy.

Joseph Gardner, president of the Baldwin Hills Estates Homeowners Assn., said Dixon’s office acted quickly on requests to secure federal aid for the residents of that area when a devastating fire destroyed 48 homes in 1985.

‘Outstanding Legislator’

“I don’t know that he’s around much,” Gardner said. “But he is certainly active. I can’t think of a thing Julian has done that would tarnish his image as an outstanding legislator. The attention he’s getting is long overdue.”

Ronni Cooper, president of the Ladera Civic Assn., said Dixon’s office also lent its support to her community when residents there opposed plans for an RTD bus yard on the Centinela Drive-In site. “What’s nice is that they’re not afraid to take positions,” Cooper said. “And when you can show that you have your elected officials on your side, you generally come out on top.”

In other areas, supporters credit Dixon for helping to obtain federal funds for the Communications Bridge, an organization that offers low-income people training in the communications field, and for the Inglewood Technical Institute, a technical training program based in the Inglewood schools.

Those and other projects are tracked by an intensely loyal staff. Patricia Miller, Dixon’s administrative aide, has been with the congressman since his state Assembly days 17 years ago. Others date back to his 1978 election.

‘Defies the Norm’

Bevan Dufty, who served as Dixon’s chief legislative assistant for seven years before leaving Washington to become the federal legislative analyst for the RTD in Los Angeles, said Dixon’s quiet style of service is unusual.

“He defies the norm of American politics,” Dufty said. “He is not hungry to churn out press releases or do other showy things. . . . He is a very self-effacing man who is very thoughtful and rational. . . . He also treats people well. You always feel like you’re part of a team when you work for him.”

Despite his anonymity, Dixon, whose political convictions and voting record generally follow classic liberal Democratic lines, has been a major player in Congress almost from the start.

He was named to the powerful House Appropriations Committee during his first term, and has since used the post to secure federal funds for such major Los Angeles projects as Metro Rail.

In 1985, Dixon was included on one longtime congressional observer’s list of the 12 most underrated members of Congress. On the same list was a little-known Republican senator from Indiana named Dan Quayle.

Dixon was the first congressman to introduce a legislative amendment calling for economic sanctions against South Africa. In 1984, he and other congressmen were arrested during a protest outside the South African Embassy.

As chairman of the District of Columbia Appropriations Subcommittee, Dixon is charged with overseeing the government of embattled Mayor Marion Barry.

Forged Compromise

In addition, Dixon chaired the committee that mediated a rules dispute involving the Rev. Jesse Jackson at the 1984 Democratic National Convention. Johnnie L. Cochran Jr., a prominent Los Angeles attorney who has known Dixon since high school, said Dixon forged a compromise that eliminated unfair delegate selection practices.

“Jackson felt the rules weren’t fair,” Cochran said. “But Julian was able to walk through what many considered a mine field and resolve the issue.”

Carter said Dixon has always had a conciliatory style of leadership.

“We used to talk about how to be an effective leader,” Carter said of their early years together. “Julian was very clear in his mind that he did not hold himself out to be a black leader. He wanted to be an effective politician and he was more interested in resolving issues than in shouting about them.”

In that way, Dixon is reminiscent of Mayor Bradley, who also has been called a “colorless” politician.

Dixon said he and Bradley have a good working relationship. He said he also considers Bradley to be an “honest person.” But he added that it’s too early for him to speculate whether Bradley, who is being investigated for possible financial irregularities, has broken any laws.

Like Bradley, Dixon is also occasionally accused of not doing enough to promote the cause of blacks. Three prominent black Southside politicians, Assemblywoman Maxine Waters, Assemblywoman Gwen Moore and state Sen. Diane Watson, all Democrats, declined to be interviewed for this story.

Strained Relationship

Waters, a fiery inner-city lawmaker who is a close ally of Jesse Jackson and another possible candidate to succeed Supervisor Hahn, is said to have a particularly strained relationship with Dixon. In an interview, Dixon cautiously said the two are “good acquaintances.”

On the issue of black politics, however, Dixon offered a passionate self-defense. “A lot of black politicians speak out on issues (of concern to blacks) and do a very good job,” Dixon said. “But mine is a different style. I don’t measure my success by how many times I see my picture in the paper or on television. . . . I would rather use (persuasion) than force.”

It’s that style that has won Dixon so many accolades from his colleagues. Rep. Mel Levine (D-Santa Monica), a close friend, said Dixon is one of the few members of Congress capable of handling the thorny Wright case.

“He’s taken an awful and thankless job that no one wanted and has handled it very well,” Levine said. “And that gives people confidence in the process. This will just enhance his already superb reputation in Congress.”

Dixon said he plans to step down from the ethics panel, though he couldn’t say when. He will see the Wright matter through. Then, he expects to chair the panel’s investigation of one of Wright’s most vocal accusers, Assistant Minority Leader Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), who is accused of ethics violations involving a book deal.

Gardner, the Baldwin Hills activist who has followed Dixon’s career for years, said he wouldn’t be surprised if the congressman happily faded back into the shadows after that.

“Sometimes you serve quietly and go unrecognized,” Gardner said. “And sometimes you get your 15 minutes of celebrity, as Andy Warhol said. This is Julian’s 15 minutes.”

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 28 Voting-age population (1980): 395,000--approximately 37% black, 30% Anglo, 24% Latino, 9% Asian and other. Registration: 73% Democratic, 19% Republican, 8% independent or minor parties.