Allen Attacks GOP Rivals as Sexist and Un-American

Assembly Speaker Doris Allen bashed her opponents Thursday as “power-mongering, self-interested individuals” who are sexists and use un-American tactics.

Allen, a Republican, was elected Speaker last month by Assembly Democrats without any GOP votes except her own. Outraged Republicans branded her a traitor and launched a recall campaign in Allen’s Orange County district.

Responding to callers on radio station KSTE, Allen issued a bitter diatribe against some GOP legislators.

“I never counted on or anticipated the viciousness since I’ve been Speaker,” Allen said. “It’s more of a shock than I anticipated.”

The Cypress Republican became the first GOP Speaker in 25 years when she struck a deal with longtime Democratic Speaker Willie Brown that lifted her to victory over GOP Leader Jim Brulte.

She denied being Brown’s puppet and said that is not the reason some Republicans are so angry with her.

“We’ve had men who coveted this office, who have tried for some time and failed. They’d have taken Democratic votes, anything, to become Speaker,” she said of Brulte and his allies.

But Allen reserved her harshest criticism for the backers of the recall drive. “They are the powerbrokers: Rob Hurtt, Ross Johnson and John Lewis,” she said of three conservative Orange County state senators who are backing the recall effort.

“There’s a cadre of individuals running this state for the Republicans. If you don’t do what they say, they’re going to see to it they discredit you, push you out, ruin your reputation, harass you, recall you and use tactics that are so un-American I don’t want to talk about it,” Allen said.

“These guys are intimidators. If you don’t do what they say, don’t do what they want, they’ll see to it you’re out of office,” Allen said. “You can’t vote your conscience. You can’t vote your district. You can’t vote for your state. You have to do what they say.”

Hurtt, the main financial backer of Allen’s recall, replied that “what she considers intimidation I call holding her accountable to her constituents.”

Johnson said Allen “is feeling the heat from her constituents and just lashing out.”