Bipartisan Deal on Assembly Stalls : Politics: Democrats balk at several points as both sides meet privately in attempt to end impasse. Brown says, ‘We now have to get the two caucuses to agree on what 50-50 means.’

The Assembly’s effort to strike a bipartisan accord for running the house stalled Thursday as Democrats balked over several points--and some worked at finding a Republican who would fill the roll of Speaker with Democratic backing.

Democrats and Republicans continued to meet privately in the hopes of ending the impasse so they can organize the house and go about the legislative business of considering new laws.

Although Assembly Republican Leader Jim Brulte insisted that a deal was near, Democratic Leader Willie Brown recessed the lower house for the weekend and directed the legislators to return Monday.

“It is more than just wording” holding up a deal, Brown said. “It is an interpretation of what we are saying.”

Brown and Brulte agree that they should create a more bipartisan house in which a more powerful Rules Committee would consist of equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats, and take over most functions of the Assembly Speaker. Neither side has the votes to elect a Speaker.

They also agree on the concept that most other resources, including the annual $73-million Assembly budget, should be divided equally in such a closely divided house. But Brown noted: “We now have to get the two caucuses to agree on what 50-50 means.”

Republicans thought they were close to sealing the accord Thursday, and were surprised by the Democrats’ decision to depart at midday.

“We thought we had a deal,” Assemblyman Richard Rainey (R-Walnut Creek) said. “Virtually all the Republicans are supportive. We were waiting for the Democrats.”

As Brown adjourned the session, he announced that he had appointed two task forces--one is working on creating a co-speakership and the other would attempt to find a single Speaker.

“There is contemplation of electing a Republican Speaker if the arrangement is appropriate,” said Assemblyman Jackie Speier (D-Burlingame), who is involved in the task forces.

Among the people mentioned is Bernie Richter (R-Chico), who is beginning his second term. Richter refused to discuss his possible candidacy, but it was the subject of heated internal debate among Republicans on Wednesday.

Richter is generally conservative, but has often shown his independence from others in the GOP, and Democrats continued to woo him Thursday. However, some Democrats are leery of supporting him, citing his proposal of a constitutional amendment to abolish affirmative action from state law.

One Democrat mentioned as a possible compromise candidate who might get GOP support is Assemblyman Phillip Isenberg (D-Sacramento). Isenberg is heading the task force mentioned by Brown that is seeking a single Speaker.

Republicans emerged from the Nov. 8 election with 41 seats to the Democrats’ 39. But one of their own, Assemblyman Paul Horcher of Diamond Bar, renounced the GOP, became an independent and voted for Brown as Speaker last month, plunging the Assembly into its 40-40 deadlock.

Meanwhile, Democrats pointed to several sticking points holding up the accord:

* They are demanding that Republicans drop all plans to recall Democrats who cast votes for Brown as Speaker last month. Republicans insist that they are not involved in any such efforts. But Democrats are unconvinced and say that Stockton freshman Assemblyman Mike Machado remains a recall target.

* Democrats want Assembly Republicans to stop support of the recall against Horcher, who created the deadlock when he voted for Brown as Speaker.

“All recalls are clearly part of the discussion,” Brown said. “You obviously can’t stop individuals at the local level from doing what they do, but I would hope the individual members of this house would not encourage it.”

* Democrats are attempting to ensure that they end up chairing as many as 12 of the Assembly’s 24 policy committees. Republicans may agree to that, so long as they retain a majority of the members on 20 of the 24 committees.

Committee structure is vital to the legislators because the party that controls the committees determines the fate of legislation, either by bottling up bills or permitting them to go to the floor for votes.

* Democrats want any deal to stay in effect for two years until the next election. But Republicans hope that a Horcher recall will succeed, giving them a 41st vote to elect a Republican Speaker, and gain a stronger hold in the Assembly.

“There are at least a half-dozen glitches,” said Assemblyman Dominic Cortese (D-San Jose). “Anything could happen, with so many individuals involved.”

The possibility also remains that moderate Democrats could peel off and support a Republican plan as long as it would ensure such things as committee chairmanships for Democrats.

“Their odds get greater (of getting Democratic support) as they eliminate the glitches,” Cortese said.

The unprecedented situation is made odder still as Republicans continue to refuse to attend Assembly floor sessions or use the Capitol meeting rooms when they meet in private strategy sessions. Instead, they hold their strategy sessions in a hotel across from the Capitol.

Brown no longer is Speaker, but continues to preside over floor sessions, although the sessions are brief, going on only long enough for Democrats to retire to their strategy sessions. Although Democrats are now the minority party, they hold their strategy meetings in the same Assembly lounge they used when they were in control.

The Republicans did briefly venture into the Assembly chambers Thursday, but only after the Democrats left. The purpose of their foray into the chambers was to check in, the Assembly clerk’s office said. By checking in, they can collect their $101 per diem--and all of the Republicans received it, as did the Democrats.