Willie Brown

* Re “The Fight’s Over, and It Goes On,” editorial, Jan. 25: Willie Brown kicks out duly elected Assemblyman Richard Mountjoy (R-Arcadia), rules that he can be elected Assembly Speaker with 40 votes and cannot be kicked out of his position with less than 41 votes! Why isn’t The Times screaming “foul play”? It’s precisely that sort of dictatorial misuse of power that caused the majority of California voters to defeat the Democratic Party majority. Brown didn’t merely deceive the Republicans, he deceived the will of the California voters.

NOELLE DONFELD

Pacific Palisades

* So Brown, the man who was the poster child for the term limits initiative here in California, has maintained his death grip on the speakership despite the results of the last election, and in large part thanks to Paul Horcher (I-Diamond Bar), a representative from a heavily Republican district who voiced disapproval of Brown during his campaign. This blatant power grab demonstrates the contempt the elected officials of the state have for both the voters and the democratic process.

BRENT SIMS

Whittier

* The fact is, it was time for the deadlock to end, and the Democrats had the votes. That’s the way it works. Sen. Mountjoy could not legally hold two seats in the state Legislature, yet he refused to choose which one he wanted.

Unfortunately, if the Republicans proceed with the costly (at least $650,000 each) and vindictive recall elections designed to punish several independent and Democratic legislators simply because they didn’t vote for a Republican Speaker, it is likely very little will be accomplished in the coming months.

ASSEMBLYMAN RICHARD KATZ

D-Sylmar