FBI Papers Show Nolan Was an Informant in 1980s : Ethics: Indicted Assemblyman said Willie Brown was manipulating the system. The Speaker has denied all allegations.

Republican Assemblyman Pat Nolan, now under indictment on political corruption charges, acted as an FBI informant in the mid-1980s, providing agents with allegations that Democratic Assembly Speaker Willie Brown manipulated the system to raise campaign money, according to documents obtained by The Times.

In six conversations in 1985 and 1986, Nolan told FBI agents how the Speaker--who was his political rival--could swing the outcome of an issue by influencing the actions of nine or 10 Assembly Democrats.

Nolan described the legislators, at least half of whom are still in the Legislature or other elective offices, as having “total disregard concerning the merits of (a) bill” adding that “their primary motivation is ‘milking’ campaign contributions” from lobbyists.

At their initial meeting at his Glendale office in October, 1985, Nolan, then the Assembly Republican leader, told the agents he was “willing to fully cooperate with the FBI and testify at trial if necessary,” according to 11 pages of confidential FBI notes of the conversations.

The plan backfired for Nolan, who was then seeking to unseat Brown as Speaker.

Nolan, 43, is awaiting trial in March on corruption charges. Brown, who remains Speaker, has never been charged with a crime in connection with the FBI probe.

Brown, a San Francisco legislator, could not be reached for comment, but he told the San Francisco Chronicle: “In my review of this document, there’s clearly nothing true except the correct spelling of some of the names. Frankly, my reaction is I’m just sorry for Pat Nolan.”

Nolan declined to comment. But in a statement released Friday, Nolan’s office said the veteran Glendale legislator’s actions show he “was one of the few people who as long ago as 1985 was trying to assist the government’s inquiry into questionable practices in the state Legislature. Frankly, that’s why the government’s effort against him came as such a surprise.”

In April, a federal grand jury indicted Nolan and Sen. Frank Hill (R-Whittier) on charges of using their public offices to solicit illegal payments. Nolan, charged with six counts of racketeering, extortion, conspiracy and money laundering, is accused of soliciting a series of bribes from unidentified individuals seeking his support on bills before the Legislature.

The indictments grew out of a sting operation in which FBI agents posed as Southern businessmen seeking legislation to establish a shrimp processing plant in West Sacramento. The sting operation was already under way--although it was not publicly known--when Nolan began talking to the FBI. Both Nolan and Hill have pleaded not guilty.

In face-to-face meetings and on the telephone with agents, Nolan sketched a picture of legislators motivated by the need to raise large amounts of funds to win reelection and stay in power.

Nolan told the FBI that Brown was the “the hub of the wheel” in state politics. He contended that Brown was “particularly interested with legislation concerning gambling, liquor and exemptions from the Coastal Commission.”

He said that Brown would instruct certain lobbyists to “solicit campaign contributions or a ‘fee’ (that would be) directed to Brown’s law firm.”

In one case, Brown essentially offered to “split the fee” with Nolan, who was seeking help for a constituent trying to build a pizza parlor, according to the FBI notes.

Nolan also described three Los Angeles-area state senators, including former state Sen. Paul B. Carpenter (D-Downey), as having reputations for being involved in “bag bills” and bartering their votes for political contributions.

Last month, a federal jury in Sacramento convicted Carpenter on a variety of corruption charges, primarily based on testimony of former state Sen. Alan Robbins (D-Van Nuys), who earlier was also convicted on corruption charges.

Another senator would “normally barter his vote” on special interest legislation, Nolan told the FBI, adding “it was rumored” that the legislator “has a room full of gifts he received as a result of supporting ‘bag bills.’ ”

Nolan told investigators he had been contacted by then-Sen. Ed Davis (R-Santa Clarita), a former Los Angeles police chief, who told him “he was frustrated and disgusted with the political process.”

Nolan said Davis told him “if he had three of his bunco people up here, he would clean it up.”