Legislator’s Aide Was Gun Lobbyist : Politics: New Assemblyman Bob Margett of Arcadia names former representative of Gun Owners of California as his chief of staff. Some Democrats are surprised.

Republican Bob Margett, California’s newest assemblyman, has hired as his chief of staff a longtime lobbyist for gun owners who controlled campaign donations for one of the most aggressive pro-gun groups in the state.

Margett (R-Arcadia), who won election Tuesday and was sworn in Wednesday, appointed John Stoos as his chief of staff in Sacramento. The lawmaker was an Arcadia city councilman and developer and was elected from a San Gabriel Valley district that includes all or part of Arcadia, Claremont, Monrovia and Pomona.

Stoos spent five years as a chief lobbyist for Gun Owners of California, a group run by former state Sen. H.L. Richardson and one that take stands similar to those of the National Rifle Assn. He left the group earlier this year.

Margett said he hired Stoos because “we are simpatico with regard to policy” and because he is “one of the best-trained men I’ve ever seen.” Margett vowed to be a “defender of the 2nd Amendment,” but added that it will not be his most pressing issue.

“Life, liberty and limited government,” Stoos said, summing up his political philosophy, and adding that he is not yet certain how much he will be paid in his new job. “This is a new day. You’ll see certain policy initiatives we haven’t seen in 25 years. It is going to be a Republican agenda.”

As lobbyist for Gun Owners, Stoos took a lead role in the unsuccessful 1994 recall of then-Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti because of Roberti’s strong anti-gun stands. Stoos caused a stir at a Republican state convention last year by introducing a resolution denouncing Roberti, an Italian American, as the “godfather of political crime.”

Stoos also has taken leading roles with Conservative Opportunities, a political action committee that gives to conservative candidates, and recently was Western field representative for English First, a group opposed to bilingual education. Additionally, he worked for an organization that pushed anti-union right to work laws, and for the defeat of Measure R in Orange County, which seeks to raise taxes to lessen the impact of the county’s bankruptcy.

Several Democrats were surprised at Stoos’ appointment, given his reputation as an aggressive political operative on behalf of the gun lobby.

“Back to the future,” said Assemblywoman Jackie Speier (D-Burlingame), who has carried anti-gun bills. “At some point, the residents of the state are going to wake up and find that the California State Assembly has turned into a green monster.”

Stoos was replaced at Gun Owners of California by Richardson’s daughter--who is Assembly Speaker Doris Allen’s daughter-in-law, Carolyn Herbertson.

Herbertson said she is pleased that her mother-in-law is now Speaker, adding that Allen “has been pretty good [on gun issues], not the best, but pretty good.” Allen would not say how she would handle gun legislation as Speaker, commenting, “I think there will be a lot of gun bills.”

The explanation for why Stoos left the organization is unclear. He said one reason was that the group wants to remain nonpartisan--although most candidates who get its support are Republicans.

Stoos left after he was quoted--he said misquoted--in a Contra Costa Times article as saying that Jews would be tolerated in a Christian-based society, but “would feel more at home in Israel.” Herbertson said the published comments were “taken out of context” and were not a reason for Stoos’ departure. The paper later ran a clarification saying it did not intend to imply that Stoos was anti-Semitic.

On Thursday, Stoos explained the comments, saying that he believes the problem with the country is that it has lost its grounding in Judeo-Christian teachings, and that such values must be restored.

“I consistently said Judeo-Christian values,” he said, recalling the forum in which he made the original remarks. He went on to say that the United States is the most tolerant country in the world. “I said I would feel comfortable here. You might feel comfortable in Israel. We both would feel very uncomfortable in an Arab country. But the real issue was that the country needs to get back [to its Judeo-Christian moral foundation].”

The legislative session opened with the introduction of a raft of pro- and anti-gun bills. So far, most gun control bills have stalled, but a major one remains alive. Carried by state Sen. Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles), the measure would ban the manufacture of handguns known as Saturday night specials.

Polanco said of Stoos’ hiring: “It raises a lot of concern. It adds a whole new dimension.”

Stoos, by contrast, pointed to a bill being carried by Assemblyman Pete Knight (R-Palmdale) that makes it easier to obtain concealed weapons permits, and said its chances of passage may be improved with Margett’s arrival.

“There are going to be eight or 10 Democrat votes for any gun measures that make it to the floor,” Stoos added.