State Sen. Campbell Will Resign, Head Trade Group

State Sen. William Campbell (R-Hacienda Heights), an influential legislator for two decades, abruptly announced today that he will resign his seat in January to become president of the California Manufacturers Assn., a major trade group with extensive lobbying operations in Sacramento.

Campbell said in a morning press conference that he will abide by the spirit of proposed ethics reforms that would ban former lawmakers from lobbying the Legislature for a year after they leave office.

He also said that he intends during an upcoming special legislative session aimed at providing earthquake relief to steer clear of any votes that may even have “the perception of a conflict of interest” with his new job.

Campbell, 54, who won the Republican nomination for state controller in 1986 but then lost to Democrat Gray Davis, acknowledged that part of the reason he is leaving the Legislature after 23 years is that because his immediate prospects for moving up in office are dim.

“Things (opportunity for higher office) started getting farther and farther into the future and thus more unattainable,” said Campbell. “And so . . . when I met with the California Manufacturers Assn. and they made this offer and they worked out the details of it, it was an offer I couldn’t refuse and probably the best thing for me.”

Campbell--a glib public speaker who is in high demand on the toastmaster circuit--said his decision to leave the Legislature was not influenced by proposed ethics rules to ban the acceptance of speaking fees. Those fees netted him $46,900 last year. He also said he was not influenced by recent news stories about how his wife and chief aide made thousands of dollars from a series of women’s conferences sponsored by Campbell’s office.

Today’s announcement immediately touched off speculation about who would replace Campbell in the 31st Senatorial District, a Republican enclave that stretches from southern Los Angeles County through the eastern half of Orange County.

Within hours of Campbell’s announcement, Assemblyman Frank Hill (R-Whittier) announced his intention of running for the spot after Campbell resigns during the first week of January. Assemblyman Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) also was reported to be considering a bid for the Senate seat.

Campbell was first elected to serve as an assemblyman from southern Los Angeles County in 1966, the youngest Republican in the Legislature. He quit in 1972 to run unsuccessfully for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, returning to the Assembly in 1974.