More House Members Are Taking Uncivil Liberties at the Podium

In announcing their intentions to retire from Congress at the end of the year, both Anthony C. Beilenson (D-Woodland Hills) and Carlos J. Moorhead (R-Glendale) complained of the bitterly partisan nature of today’s political discourse. A report released this week by the Congressional Research Service, entitled “Decorum in House Debate,” supports their lament.

“Without the restraint of appropriate norms of civility and mutual respect, the collective decision-making process becomes more difficult, and at times, perhaps impossible,” the report reads. “According respect to one’s opponent in debate enhances the odds of getting it in return, whereas discourtesy tends to breed an atmosphere which diminishes the civil exchange of ideas.”

Here are some examples of the inflammatory language ruled out of order from the House floor this year:

* “One after another after another of our liberal colleagues take to the well to carp, to moan, to deceive, and to distort. The lies roll off their tongues so easily. They can say the most outlandish things with such ease, you would swear that it is Mephistopheles himself that was up there speaking.”

* “I say it is time for Congress to tell the President to shove his veto pen up his deficit.”

* “If President Clinton were Pinocchio, his nose would be longer than his list of broken campaign promises. . . . The White House is lying to the American people. He is utterly undeterred by the facts.”

* “But I swear I just cannot understand why you cannot be receptive to the veterans of this nation when you are kowtowing to the ilk like Communist Youth Brigade to allow them to trample and desecrate our American flag.”

The offending speakers were not identified, although none are known to have districts in the San Fernando Valley. The rhetoric may be hot, officials noted, but the atmosphere in this Congress is nowhere near as bitter as some earlier, much earlier, sessions.

In 1789, for instance, two members brawled on the House floor with a cane and a fire tong. And in 1793, a House member challenged a former member to a duel outside the Capitol. After the two men went outside, one shot the other dead.

Tom Boys

The two top campaign managers for former Assembly candidate Scott Wilk have signed up with Tom McClintock, a late arrival among Republican candidates in the 38th Assembly District race.

Tony Strickland is now manager and Tom Lee assistant manager of McClintock’s political campaign to return to the Legislature after a four-year hiatus.

McClintock, a former assemblyman from Thousand Oaks, rented an apartment in Simi Valley so he could run for the open 38th District seat being vacated by Assemblywoman Paula Boland (R-Granada Hills).

McClintock’s decision to enter the race prompted Wilk to drop out. Although Wilk did not endorse McClintock, he donated his political headquarters in Granada Hills and phone lines to the McClintock campaign, Strickland said.

The 38th District covers western portions of the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys, all of Simi Valley, Fillmore and a sliver of Thousand Oaks.

Strickland, a former field representative to Boland, got his start in politics working for McClintock.

“If it wasn’t for Tom McClintock, I wouldn’t be in politics,” said Strickland, who has managed several campaigns. “When I was 12 years old, my dad helped out Tom McClintock in his first Assembly race.” That was in 1982.

Lee is a vice president of the Ventura County Republican Central Committee and president of Ventura County Young Republicans. Last year, he ran Mike Markey’s successful campaign for Thousand Oaks City Council.

On the Money

Many federal workers are receiving no paychecks at all during the extended government shutdown, but members of the House and Senate are not among them.

Although the Senate has passed a measure that would withhold congressional salaries during a furlough, the Republican leadership of the House has repeatedly blocked the bill from consideration. So the Treasury continues to dole out lawmakers’ $133,600 annual salaries.

California Sen. Barbara Boxer, a Democrat, has led the fight to hold congressional salaries in abeyance during furloughs, introducing four separate bills in recent weeks. Rep. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) has tried to move a similar measure through the House, with no success.

San Fernando Valley-area lawmakers offer differing views on the idea.

Moorhead said that suspending congressional salaries during a shutdown would give the president power over lawmakers’ paychecks since he has the ability to veto congressional appropriations bills.

“I just hate to see us moving from a democracy to one strong executive who is going to dictate everything from the White House,” Moorhead said. “The Congress already leans over and takes the whip for almost everything these days.”

Rep. Howard L. Berman (D-Panorama City) said that only those lawmakers who do not vote to reopen the government should have their pay withheld. That, of course, would only punish the Republicans in this dispute.

One GOP lawmaker is taking matters into her own hands. Rep. Andrea Seastrand of Santa Barbara has vowed not to accept congressional pay while federal employees are furloughed.

The Bowl Bowl

Studio City will be the site of a bowl showdown on Sunday that you won’t read about in the sports pages.

It’s a bowling match pitting Los Angeles Councilman Mike Feuer and his staff against County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and his staff.

Feuer, the freshman lawmaker who represents parts of the East Valley and the Westside, ran for the post after Yaroslavsky resigned from the council to run for the county post. But Feuer first had to beat Barbara Yaroslavsky, Zev’s wife, in a tough campaign.

Apparently, there are no hard feelings between the two camps. If there was any friction, they might have chosen another activity, such as hockey or karate. It’s still uncertain whether Barbara will attend.

Feuer aides say the contest was suggested this week as a lark, an excuse to have a little fun and blow off steam.

There was even talk of printing up T-shirts for each side. Because Feuer represents the 5th City Council District, his crew was considering calling itself “High Five.” And because Zev means “wolf” in Hebrew, his aides were thinking of dubbing themselves “Zev’s Wolves.”

But why bowling?

In the case of Feuer, who is about 6-foot-3, it would have made more sense to play basketball. Joel Bellman, press deputy to Yaroslavsky, said bowling was chosen partly because the bowling alley that was selected as the site of the contest is adjacent to Jerry’s Famous Deli, a favorite hangout of Zev’s Wolves.

Lacey reported from Washington, D.C., Weiss from Ventura County and Martin from Los Angeles.