Brown Regains Speaker Role, Shares Power

Democratic Assemblyman Willie Brown regained the speakership Tuesday in a rancorous session teeming with power plays and threats of revenge, then set out to cement his tenuous hold on the post by pledging to give half the spoils of the lower house to Republicans.

The Brown-led Democrats approved operating rules they say guarantee Assembly Republicans half the committee assignments, half the staff and half the Assembly’s $73-million budget in the evenly divided house. Given the equal division and other rule changes, the new speakership will be far less powerful than the post Brown has occupied for 14 years.

But even as Brown assumed power and called for bipartisan harmony, seething Republicans and Democrats leveled charges and countercharges, raising doubts about whether the next two years will see much beyond infighting, turmoil and bitterness in California’s lower house.

Hard-line Republicans took to calling Brown’s speakership “the Willie Brown junta,” and vowed to counterattack by seeking the recall of as many as five Democratic Assembly members.

“It was a great lesson in Dictatorship 101,” said Jim Morrissey (R-Santa Ana). “What was done you’d never think could happen in the United States. You’d think this is how they take power in a banana republic.”

Assemblyman James Rogan (R-Glendale) said Democrats “have blood on their hands.” He charged that the 39 Assembly Democrats and independent Assemblyman Paul Horcher of Diamond Bar--another recall target--who voted for Brown suffered from “an integrity malfunction.”

Republican anger was focused on Brown’s astonishing display of power in which he persuaded Assembly Democrats and Horcher to oust Republican Richard Mountjoy of Arcadia from the Assembly--the first time the lower house has voted out a member since 1903. Mountjoy was elected to both the Assembly and the state Senate in November.

With Mountjoy disqualified from voting, Brown was able to become Speaker for a record 15th year with 40 votes, to 39 for GOP Leader Jim Brulte of Rancho Cucamonga. As Speaker, Brown will be paid $86,400 a year plus $101 in tax-free daily expense money.

“It was like being hit in the head and raped,” said Assemblywoman Doris Allen (R-Cypress). “You were helpless, and you couldn’t do anything about it. You felt the indignity, the lack of humanity.”

“He certainly ignored 150 years of legislative laws and rules,” said Assemblywoman Marilyn Brewer (R-Newport Beach). “It’s outrageous.”

Assemblyman Bill Morrow (R-Oceanside), meanwhile, called Brown “a tyrant and dictator.”

With Brown presiding, the session began Monday night and ended shortly before 2 a.m. Tuesday. As Brown repeatedly made parliamentary rulings in his own favor, Republicans’ fury grew, and they hurled some of the most bitter denunciations of Democrats heard in years.

“Anger was driving a great deal of what happened. You could cut it like a loaf of bread. You could almost pick it up,” said Assemblyman Bernie Richter (R-Chico).

The conservative Richter felt the wrath of Republican elders when he offered himself as a compromise candidate for Speaker willing to work with Democrats.

Richter had lined up Democratic votes, and appeared to be on the verge of becoming Speaker on Monday night. But he said his few Republican votes evaporated when GOP members lashed out at him in private caucuses.

Brown seized the leadership even though Republicans emerged from the Nov. 8 election with 41 seats to the Democrats’ 39. Horcher’s defection from the GOP and support for Brown created the 40-40 leadership deadlock. With Mountjoy gone, the Republican roster went down to 39.

Mountjoy was sworn in as a senator Tuesday. He won the seat in a special election to fill a vacancy created when state Sen. Frank Hill was sent to prison on a federal corruption conviction.