Vowing ‘to Bring Honor,’ Burton Takes Senate Post

Democrat John Burton, a San Francisco liberal who conquered drug addiction and alcoholism, was installed Thursday as leader of the state Senate, the most powerful post in the Legislature.

“I am going to do my best to bring honor to this body,” said Burton, who has been sober since 1982.

“I will never, to the best of my ability, do anything offensive or do anything to bring discredit on this body,” he told a chamber packed with colleagues, family members and supporters whose friendships stretched back 35 years.

Burton, 65, was elected on a bipartisan 32-0 vote to succeed Hayward Democrat Bill Lockyer. The full Senate vote ratified his selection last month as the nominee of the upper house’s Democrats, who hold the majority.

As president pro tem, he will be the Senate’s No. 1 strategist on the state budget, call signals on which committees will decide the fate of bills and function as chief campaign fund-raiser for Senate Democrats.

During an upbeat Senate ceremony, fellow Democratic Sen. Patrick Johnston of Stockton, whom Burton defeated last month for the nomination, playfully tossed a basketball to Burton, declaring, “I’m on your team.”

Burton, an all-league basketball player for San Francisco State College in the early 1950s, caught the pass and expertly spun the ball on a fingertip.

As one of his first acts as leader, Burton announced his choice of Sen. Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles) as majority floor leader, a post Polanco also held under Lockyer. Polanco had contested Burton for the nomination to be Senate leader, but pulled out for lack of sufficient votes.

On Thursday, nine Republicans joined 22 Democrats and one independent in voting for Burton. GOP Leader Rob Hurtt of Garden Grove, William “Pete” Knight (R-Palmdale) and Dick Montieth (R-Modesto) refused to vote, as did Democrat Jim Costa of Fresno.

Costa said he had concerns about Burton’s positions on issues related to water and education funds for rural schools.

Burton first was elected to the Assembly in 1964 and went to the U.S. House of Representatives 10 years later. However, he became addicted to alcohol and cocaine and retired in 1982, when he enrolled himself in a rehabilitation program.

Burton returned to his old Assembly seat in 1988 and was elected to the Senate in 1996.