Hertzberg Emerging as Heir to Speaker’s Post

They go to sensitive meetings together. They plot strategy. They have helped each other win powerful political posts. They even share a Sacramento house.

They are the Capitol’s ultimate power duo: Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa (D-Los Angeles) and his longtime friend and top lieutenant, Assemblyman Robert Hertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks).

In recent weeks, Hertzberg has emerged more strongly than ever as Villaraigosa’s heir apparent, in part because of the growing strength of a group of moderate, business-oriented Democrats he helped form.

In the view of Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, a former speaker, there are several good candidates for the influential job of speaker, but Hertzberg stands out.

“If I had to say who is ahead now, I’d say Hertzberg, [but] I’d say he’s treading a difficult fence right now, being loyal to Antonio and still pursuing in as adroit a way as possible his ambition,” Bustamante said.

When a changeover might occur remains unclear. It could happen as soon as next month or not until next year.

“I’m interested at the appropriate time,” said Hertzberg, insisting that he’s “not collecting votes” to become leader of the 80-member lower house with the power to sway legislation and public policy.

Still, even as lawmakers wrestled last week with the state budget, there was plenty of speculation, especially among Republican legislators, that Villaraigosa may be losing his grip on the speakership with Hertzberg as his likely successor.

The two friends deny any rift or that Villaraigosa’s leadership is threatened. But they are taking the talk so seriously that they recently sat down together to make a public show of solidarity.

Hertzberg, 44, is also a possible candidate for Los Angeles city attorney. He is described by colleagues as ambitious, earnest, smart and, perhaps most important, adept at raising money--all traits he would need to run the Assembly and maintain the Democrats’ 47-32 edge over the Republicans in the 2000 elections.

But Villaraigosa said he’s not thinking about succession, even though term limits will force him out of office next year and he is weighing a run for mayor of Los Angeles.

“If Bob is interested in the speakership, and he’s not indicated that he is . . . he’ll get it the old-fashioned way. The way I did it. He’ll get it on his own,” Villaraigosa said.

Colleagues on both sides of the aisle praise Hertzberg for having a smooth blend of political savvy and people skills to run the lower house.

First elected in 1996, Hertzberg said he has had an interest in public affairs and social justice for 30 years. As a teenager, Hertzberg, along with his two brothers, spent much of one summer vacation camped out in a Palm Springs courthouse because they wanted to be attorneys like their father, a constitutional lawyer.

A graduate of the University of Redlands with a degree in history, Hertzberg also graduated from Hastings College of Law in San Francisco in 1979. Hertzberg is married to Cynthia Telles, a member of the UCLA School of Medicine faculty, and together they have three sons.

His 40th District is centered in Van Nuys and includes San Fernando Valley communities stretching from North Hollywood to Northridge.

During Assembly floor sessions, Hertzberg is in constant motion, huddling with aides, chatting with Republicans and embracing just about anyone in sight with his trademark bear hugs.

Long active in politics in the Latino and black communities of Los Angeles, Hertzberg helped Villaraigosa--whom he has known since the mid-1980s--round up support a year ago to succeed Bustamante as speaker. He was rewarded with the chairmanship of the powerful Assembly Rules Committee.

Hertzberg describes his relationship with Villaraigosa as symbolic of the better instincts in politics.

“That’s what makes politics work. It’s partnerships. It’s these kind of relationships,” Hertzberg said. “I come from one side of town, he comes from another. Those comings together are what’s the best of politics.”

Still, Hertzberg and Villaraigosa don’t always agree on issues, fueling speculation among lawmakers and Capitol staff that their political relationship is on the rocks.

Along with Sacramento political consultant David Townsend, Hertzberg and other lawmakers more than a year ago helped form a political action committee for moderate, business oriented Democrats as a way to protect centrist Democrats in the Assembly.

A parallel policy group regularly meets to discuss legislation and in recent weeks has emerged as a swing vote on some high-profile legislation, including an attempt by Villaraigosa to lift the ceiling on pain and suffering awards in medical negligence litigation. In the face of opposition from moderate Democrats, the speaker scaled back his proposal.

Allan Zaremberg, president of the California Chamber of Commerce, praised the moderate Democrats, saying that they “have been influential in reducing the onerous impact of some of the anti-business legislation.” “Even though they have been less helpful [to business] on bills where labor is strongly supportive, we still believe in working with them to promote a pro-business agenda,” Zaremberg said. But some consumer organizations worry that Hertzberg, known for cutting legislative deals, is too close to the moderate Democratic group and their allies in the business community, especially the insurance industry.

A Hertzberg speakership is “a frightening prospect because he takes a lot of money from the insurance industry and he’s smart,” said Jamie Court, advocacy director for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights based in Santa Monica. “He comes off like Machiavelli with a smile.”

Whatever happens, Villaraigosa and Hertzberg see themselves as political homing pigeons who eventually will return to Los Angeles.

“It’s a coalition that we intend to bring back to the city at some point,” Villaraigosa said.