Conroy Mired in Quest to Oust Hayden : One-Track Assemblyman Would Do Well to Shift His Focus to More Pressing Issues

Here’s an idea for a New Year’s resolution for Assemblyman Mickey Conroy (R-Orange): Drop the personal obsession with ousting state Sen. Tom Hayden (D-Santa Monica) from the Legislature. And spend more time doing the people’s business in Sacramento.

Admittedly, it’s unlikely that Conroy, a retired Marine Corps major, will follow this advice. After all, he’s built his political career on his quixotic mission to get rid of Hayden, with whom he’s still angry over the state senator’s anti-Vietnam War activities 25 years ago.

Conroy’s first claim to fame is a statewide letter-writing campaign to get Hayden, a former Assemblyman who was elected to the Senate in November, out of office. Conroy claims that Hayden aided the enemy by his anti-Vietnam War activities in the 1960s and 1970s.

Conroy--and for that matter, his good friend and fellow Assembly member Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach)--have spent an inordinate amount of time focused on Hayden. This is despite the fact that there is no hope that the Legislature will do their bidding and oust Hayden.

Conroy’s recent efforts to deny Hayden the seat to which he was elected were rebuffed by Senate President Pro-Tem David A. Roberti (D-Van Nuys), leader of the Democrat-controlled upper house. That should have been that.

Similarly, earlier efforts by both Conroy and Ferguson were refused in the Democrat-controlled Assembly. The Legislative Counsel has opined that only the Legislature can judge the qualifications for its members, so that seems to be that.

Conroy apparently cannot accept that his efforts are for naught, however. Or if he does, he doesn’t care because it suits his political purposes to continue his anti-Hayden campaign.

Conroy, who was elected to the Assembly in September, 1991, is wasting precious time when there are far more important issues affecting Orange County that require his attention.

The election is over. Give it up, Assemblyman Conroy.