Gingrich Asked to Not Reduce State’s Clout

Republican House members from California, disturbed that the state’s traditional clout could be undermined in the GOP takeover of Capitol Hill, Thursday appealed to incoming Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) to make sure that their influence is not diminished in the 104th Congress.

In a hastily arranged meeting Thursday, California Republicans fretted among themselves about plans to deny Rep. Carlos J. Moorhead (R-Glendale) the chairmanship of either of two committees for which he appeared to be in line, according to one of the participants. Also sparking concern is a proposed new system of apportioning committee assignments that could concentrate more power in Gingrich’s hands and weaken California lawmakers’ claims on plum committee assignments.

Gingrich sought quickly to blunt those concerns Thursday night as he met in Washington with Gov. Pete Wilson. Gingrich said he promised the California governor that he would “do all I can within the framework of my office to be helpful to California . . . on a wide range of issues.”

The state’s GOP delegation anticipates at least one significant gain when Republicans take control of Congress for the first time in 40 years: Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-San Diego) is expected to be elevated to one of a few senior leadership positions.

“It looks like--with the exception of Hunter in the leadership--most of our leadership is from the Mississippi (River) east,” said Rep. Randy (Duke) Cunningham (R-San Diego). “And that concerns us.”

Cunningham added that he and other California Republicans would ask Gingrich “to consider that, since we’re losing some of that prestige,” at least one and maybe two Californians win seats on a key panel that dispenses committee assignments. He added that Gingrich could compensate the delegation for its loss of Moorhead’s chairmanship by naming a Californian to a deputy whip position, a relatively low-ranking leadership slot.

By Thursday evening, Gingrich spokesman Tony Blankley said that several California lawmakers had brought their concerns to the incoming Speaker. “I think in the end California is going to be dramatically well-represented,” Blankley said.

Wilson, in the nation’s capital on his way to the Republican Governors Conference in Virginia this weekend, indicated that he was seeking assurances that the new GOP-controlled Congress would relieve California and other states of the burden of complying with “unfunded mandates”--federal directives for which Congress appropriates no federal money.

Based on assurances that Gingrich and other GOP leaders have given him, Wilson said, he expects Congress to “have more sympathy for our position.” But it remains unclear, he added, whether Congress will pay for the implementation of such directives or withdraw the mandates.

On another matter of special concern to California, Gingrich said after his meeting with Wilson that he had asked the governor to take the lead, along with governors of other border states, in proposing an effective plan for the federal government to seal off their borders to illegal immigration.

“It is a federal duty to protect the borders, it is a federal duty to deport those who are here illegally, and it is a federal duty to bear any costs that are required for those that are here,” Gingrich said.

Although Moorhead’s apparent ouster from an expected chairman’s berth prompted worries among some California Republicans, the 72-year-old Glendale native appeared to be taking the political blow in stride.

“Sometimes you’re chosen to carry the ball; sometimes you’re chosen to block for those who are given the ball,” Moorhead said after being passed over for the chairmanships of both the Judiciary and the Energy and Commerce committees.

Gingrich named Rep. Thomas J. Bliley Jr. (R-Va.) to head Energy and Commerce and Rep. Henry J. Hyde (R-Ill.) to head Judiciary.

“They tell me that I’m not mean enough,” Moorhead said.

Moorhead is expected to chair the judiciary subcommittee on intellectual property. “That is very important to our area because of all our (entertainment) industries that depend on patents and trademarks,” said Moorhead, dean of California House Republicans who was first elected in 1972.

More subtle than the apparent passing over of Moorhead are changes that would loosen California lawmakers’ historic grip on sought-after committee assignments.

In the past, at least one seat on the Committee on Committees, which parcels out committee assignments to House members, has been reserved for a Californian. As a result, California lawmakers have been assured consistent membership on committees with key constituencies in the state. Under several proposals for reorganization, California’s assured seat could be abolished in favor of a process that would expand Gingrich’s influence.

“Gingrich is trying desperately to keep the Republicans in lock-step, which he has to (do), given that they have a very small margin,” said Pam Gilbert of the citizens watchdog group Congress Watch. “To get the kinds of controversial legislation through that the House Republicans have offered, they need a very cohesive group of Republicans. And that generally means doctrinaire, partisan chairmen to lead the charge.”

But Rep. David Dreier (R-San Dimas), who has emerged as one of Gingrich’s inner circle of advisers, said Thursday that Moorhead’s humiliation should not be construed as a diminution of California Republicans’ influence in the House.

Other committee chairmanship appointments made by the incoming Speaker: Rep. Robert L. Livingston (R-La.) to be acting head of Appropriations until bribery charges are resolved against Rep. Joseph M. McDade (R-Pa.); Rep. Benjamin A. Gilman (R-N.Y.) to Foreign Affairs; Rep. Jim Leach (R-Iowa) to Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs; Rep. Bill Goodling (R-Pa.) to Education and Labor; Rep. Gerald B.H. Solomon (R-N.Y.) to Rules. All of the appointments must be ratified by the GOP caucus, but easy approval is expected.

Times staff writer Michael Ross contributed to this story.

* MOORHEAD BYPASSED: GOP Rep. Carlos J. Moorhead of Glendale is denied 2 key committee chairmanships. B1