GOP Considers Suit Over New Assembly Rules : Legislature: Angry Republicans say changes give too much power to new Speaker Doris Allen at the expense of their caucus.

Angry Republican Assembly members are considering a lawsuit challenging new lower house rules because they give too much power to newly elected Speaker Doris Allen (R-Cypress), who won her office with unanimous Democratic support, a GOP lawmaker said Tuesday.

Republican members are outraged because the new rules strip the GOP Caucus of control over its $4-million budget, take away the power of the caucus leader to select committee members, and let Allen assign undesignated duties to Speaker emeritus Willie Brown (D-San Francisco), which they fear means that Brown will continue to exert power behind the scenes.

A former GOP assemblyman, state Sen. Ross Johnson (R-Irvine), said that having Allen in charge of the Republican Caucus and its operating budget “is like having Los Angeles Dodgers’ manager Tommy Lasorda picking the lineup for the San Francisco Giants.”

The Republicans also dislike the fact that the membership of the important Rules, Budget and Appropriations committees will remain equally divided--even if the GOP achieves a 41-vote Assembly majority that allows the Democrats to block Republican-sponsored bills.

The new rules will be in effect until Dec. 2, 1996, and require a two-thirds or 54-vote majority to make any changes, which means that the GOP would need Democratic help to overturn any of them.

“Yes, we are exploring that avenue [filing a lawsuit],” said Assemblyman Bill Morrow (R-Oceanside). “The new rules emasculate the power we have right now, weaken the Republican Party and give her [Allen] too much power. There’s got to be grounds for legal action there.

“The problem is the Speaker controls the Republican Party [in the Assembly], and the Democratic floor leader controls the other party, but Ms. Allen has only one Republican vote--her own.”

Assemblyman Curt Pringle (R-Garden Grove) was even more direct. “The Democrats selected Doris Allen. She was never selected by this caucus. It was an outrageous power grab by Doris Allen with the Democrats allowing her to do it.

“It would not surprise me to see a recall started within the week and moving forward immediately. In my opinion, that would be a rightful action by those people in her district who have been betrayed.”

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) said Tuesday that he will lead the charge to recall Allen. He called her deal-making “treachery” and predicted that “every elected official in [Orange] County” would back the recall campaign.

As for the lawsuit, some GOP members are not so sure that it would benefit them.

“Historically, the courts have been very reluctant to get involved with Assembly rules,” said Assemblyman Jim Battin (R-Palm Desert), “because Assembly rules can change with the wind, depending on who has the votes. But these rules are affecting the caucus, and they shouldn’t be.”

Gillam reported from Sacramento, Warren from Orange County.