Rep. Fazio to Head State’s Washington Office

California Rep. Vic Fazio, who will retire from office next month after 20 years in Congress, was named Thursday by Gov.-elect Gray Davis as head of the state’s Washington office.

Fazio (D-Sacramento), who will be a consultant under contract with the Davis administration, will be the chief lobbyist for California in Washington.

The third-ranking Democrat in the House, he is expected to bring a powerful and seasoned influence to state issues.

“California could have no stronger or more respected voice in Washington than Vic Fazio, who has dedicated a lifetime of service to this state,” Davis said in a statement. “He has earned the high regard of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle.”

Fazio, 56, had a moderate profile in the House and a reputation for good relations with both Republicans and Democrats. Still, he cast a liberal vote on several key issues, opposing welfare reform and favoring a higher minimum wage, for example. Also, unlike Davis, he is against the death penalty.

Fazio became chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee shortly before his party lost control of the House in 1994.

He started his political career in Sacramento and is co-founder of the California Journal, a magazine about the state’s government.

He was also an aide to the Assembly speaker from 1971 to 1974 and was elected to the Assembly in 1974, serving two terms.

On Thursday, Davis also named Olivia Morgan to be director of the state’s office in Washington (Fazio’s title will be senior Washington advisor). Morgan was a press secretary for Davis in the lieutenant governor’s office and most recently worked for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in Washington.