ELECTIONS / STATE ASSEMBLY : Steiner Called ‘Chameleon’ Conservative

Four of California’s most conservative assemblymen on Friday assailed Orange City Councilman William G. Steiner, a candidate for the 67th Assembly District, denouncing him as a “fraud” and a “political chameleon.”

The assemblymen support GOP activist Mickey Conroy and used Friday’s event to attack his chief foe’s record on taxes.

During a press conference at Costa Mesa’s Center Club, Assemblyman Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks) said Steiner told him in a March telephone conversation that he supported Gov. Pete Wilson’s state budget plan. Wilson’s budget proposal relies on a combination of tax increases and spending cuts to close a $14.3-billion shortfall.

McClintock said he was “shocked and disgusted” to learn six weeks later that Steiner had become a “born-again, anti-tax” candidate.

But Steiner, who has made a no-new-taxes pledge, angrily denied ever making that statement to McClintock.

“I am a man of my word,” Steiner said. “I have gone through three elections in this county, and one thing that has not happened is me being accused of being a liar and a fraud.”

The contest leading up to the July 23 special election for the seat vacated when John R. Lewis was elected in May to the state Senate has become a nasty battle between moderate and conservative Republicans--not just over control of the Assembly district that is the second most overwhelmingly Republican in the state, but also in the budget fight that has pitted conservatives against Wilson.

“This election is a lot bigger than just Orange County,” said Assemblyman Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach). “This election has to do with whether the governor is going to be successful in re-forming our Republican caucus and the Republican Party in his own image.”

The press conference, which was followed by a $500-per-person luncheon for Conroy, was attended by Ferguson, McClintock and Assemblymen Richard L. Mountjoy (R-Monrovia) and Phillip Wyman (R-Tehachapi), who is vice chairman of the Assembly’s Republican caucus.

Rep. William E. Dannemeyer (R-Fullerton) also attended the luncheon.

McClintock labeled Steiner a “political chameleon” and compared him to nine state legislators who pledged not to raise taxes during their campaigns and then voted for tax increases as part of Wilson’s budget plan.

“If we have more people like William Steiner,” McClintock said, “my advice to the people of California is: ‘Hide your silverware. There’s more taxes coming.’ ”

Wyman also pointed to endorsements and campaign contributions that Steiner has received from moderate Republicans and public employee unions as signs that Steiner is not as conservative as he says he is.

“This guy,” Ferguson said about Steiner, “is a fraud. He is a fraud from beginning to end, because this man is trying to pass himself off as a Republican, and he’s a Democrat.”

Steiner--who said he has been active in the party since 1980, when he says he voted for Ronald Reagan--denounced the allegations and said some of Conroy’s supporters are themselves “standing tall with the taxers” because they recently voted to increase sales taxes, alcohol taxes and vehicle license fees.

Campaign finance reports filed this week with the county Registrar of Voters show that through July 6, Steiner had outspent Conroy by a 3-to-1 ratio--$140,657 reported spent, to Conroy’s $44,982.

However, Steiner has raised just $91,118, according to his disclosure statement. Conroy reported raising $47,393, including a $24,000 loan from his wife, Ann C. Conroy.