Dannemeyer Takes His Leave of Congress in Character : Contention: Session-ending action prompts angry colleague to call the Fullerton Republican ‘utterly without redeeming social significance.’

As an outspoken crusader against those he regards as wasteful bureaucrats, wrongheaded environmentalists and militant homosexuals, Rep. William E. Dannemeyer has earned a reputation as one of the most contentious members of Congress.

When the Fullerton Republican’s 14-year career in the House of Representatives came to a close this week, Dannemeyer disappointed neither his detractors nor his fans.

On Tuesday, the last day of the 1992 House session, Speaker Thomas S. Foley (D-Wash.) rose to ask consideration of one more bill, even though the designated quitting time of noon had passed.

Fearful of end-of-session chicanery, Dannemeyer said he would have none of it. The Orange County congressman stood up and made a motion to adjourn, cutting off any further debate. The Democrats gave in, and Dannemeyer’s motion ended the 102nd session of the House of Representatives.

Moments later, an angry Rep. David R. Obey, a 12-term Wisconsin Democrat, walked across the House chamber to confront Dannemeyer.

“What Obey said to me,” Dannemeyer recalled Wednesday, “was that of all the people he had served with in the House, I would be at the top of the list of those utterly without redeeming social significance.”

Obey, who agreed with Dannemeyer’s version of the exchange, said he was not angry about the motion to adjourn. Instead, Obey said Wednesday, he was incensed over earlier, private remarks attributed to Dannemeyer by another member of the House, whom Obey did not name.

According to Obey’s source, Dannemeyer told at least one lawmaker he was glad to be leaving the House in “an hour and a half,” and that he hated the institution and “each and every” member of it. “I was told that by a person who I trust absolutely,” Obey said Wednesday. “It’s childishness like that all year long that has made this place a combat zone instead of a place of thought. He was using his venom to muck up the House, and he didn’t care.”

Dannemeyer said Wednesday: “I never said anywhere that I hated the place, and I never said to anyone that I hated the members there.” But the conservative Republican made no bones about the way that he feels the Democratic majority has treated members of his party in recent years.

“They have run the House for 38 years without interruption,” Dannemeyer said. “They’re arrogant. What Obey didn’t like was to live within the confines of the rules (for adjournment that) the Democrats themselves had set.”

As it turned out, the legislation Foley had announced was a non-controversial package of anti-crime provisions, including the so-called “Oprah bill” that would require background checks of child-care providers, named after TV star Oprah Winfrey.

Said Obey: “I thought (Dannemeyer’s) conduct was typical. I think through the years he has gone out of his way to not only take the positions he has taken, which is his right, but to do so in a very mean-minded way.”