Wilson Chooses Capitol Prober for U.S. Attorney

A federal prosecutor who helped launch the ongoing investigation of corruption in the state Legislature has been recommended by U.S. Sen. Pete Wilson to serve as U.S. attorney in the sprawling eastern district of California, a Wilson spokesman confirmed Thursday.

In one of his final acts as senator, Gov.-elect Wilson recommended the appointment of George O’Connell, who in recent months has personally headed probes into the dealings of state Sen. Alan Robbins (D-Tarzana) and Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco).

The naming of O’Connell as U.S. attorney is viewed as a sign that the investigation of Capitol corruption--which resulted in the conviction of former state Sens. Joseph B. Montoya and Paul Carpenter--will remain a high priority of the office.

“He has been part of the team since the beginning,” said one source familiar with the federal probe. The appointment is an indication that the investigation “will continue to receive that kind of treatment--the dedication of time and personnel--because he is so much aware of it,” the source said.

The Capitol investigation has been directed by prosecutors in the eastern district, which covers an 87,000-square-mile region stretching from the Oregon border to Kern County.

O’Connell acknowledged that he was Wilson’s pick in a brief interview Thursday. “Sen. Wilson has informed me that he is recommending my name to the President as the nominee for the U.S. attorney for the eastern district of California,” he said. “I am deeply honored by the senator’s recommendation to the President and by his expression of confidence in me.”

Before O’Connell can assume his new post, he must be formally nominated by President Bush, who generally follows the recommendations of Republican senators. O’Connell also must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. If approved, he would succeed former U.S. Atty. David F. Levi, who stepped down from the job after Wilson selected him to become a federal judge.

O’Connell, 40, is a veteran federal prosecutor, who, since graduating from Harvard Law School in 1977, has served several stints as an assistant U.S. attorney in Los Angeles and Sacramento.

Specialists in white-collar criminal cases, he and Levi were given responsibility for overseeing the undercover investigation of political corruption in the Capitol when the inquiry was launched more than five years ago.

The two young prosecutors--both Republicans--became rival candidates for the U.S. attorney’s job in 1986. When Levi won Wilson’s recommendation and was appointed by then-President Reagan, O’Connell entered private practice in Los Angeles.

Since returning to the U.S. attorney’s office here as director of special prosecutions a year ago, O’Connell has built on his reputation as a tough, aggressive prosecutor. For several months he has devoted a large part of his time to supervising an extensive investigation of Robbins. A federal grand jury has been considering allegations that Robbins and California Coastal Commissioner Mark L. Nathanson were part of an elaborate scheme to extort $250,000 from a San Diego hotel developer.

Last November, FBI and IRS agents armed with warrants searched the homes of Robbins and Nathanson. Attorneys for both men have denied that they did anything improper.

O’Connell also has been responsible for a probe of Speaker Brown. Last month, the federal grand jury here issued a series of subpoenas, which apparently were directed at Brown’s activities on behalf of a private legal client, a Northern California garbage disposal company.

Brown has said that he acted properly and angrily accused prosecutors of being politically motivated.