Meeting Fails to Yield Assembly Speakership Solution

Assembly Democrats and Republicans met behind closed doors most of the day Tuesday, but failed to come up with a solution to resolve the speakership crisis.

About 4:30 p.m., former Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) emerged to announce that the offices of the lower house were being closed to allow Assembly employees to get home by dark, when another major storm was expected to hit the Sacramento area.

Brown said negotiations will continue on an informal basis, with more caucuses scheduled to be held this morning, followed by an 11 a.m. floor session.

Brown also said Gov. Pete Wilson’s office was allowing employees to leave early because of the expected downpour, but a Wilson spokesman said those workers who did depart before the usual quitting time would be charged with taking leave time to do so.

The GOP won a 41-39 Assembly majority in the Nov. 8 general election, and Assembly Republican Leader Jim Brulte of Rancho Cucamonga appeared to be on the verge of being elected Speaker to replace Brown, who had held the powerful post for 14 years, longer than any other person in California history.

But former Republican Assemblyman Paul Horcher of Diamond Bar, now an independent, bolted party ranks and voted for Brown for the top leadership spot Dec. 5, which created a 40-40 deadlock and led to talks of possibly sharing the leadership.