Head of badge inquiry a ‘racist,’ Dymally says

The assemblyman at the center of a controversy over the issuance of official-looking badges to campaign supporters on Thursday called the fellow lawmaker asked to investigate the practice “the most racist legislator I have encountered in over 40 years.”

Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally (D-Compton) made the comment about Assemblyman Hector De La Torre (D-South Gate) in response to a question from a television reporter.

De La Torre, chairman of the Assembly Rules Committee, was asked Monday by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez (D-Los Angeles) to investigate the public distribution of Assembly wallet badges. Nunez called for the inquiry in response to a Dec. 5 Los Angeles Times story that detailed how Dymally’s office had given more than a dozen of the metal badges with a likeness of the official Assembly seal to donors and constituents.

The practice drew attention last week when the Redondo Beach city attorney charged Dymally associate Pirikana Johnson, 27, with impersonating a state official. The charges stemmed from two incidents in which Johnson allegedly flashed at police a badge issued by Dymally’s office. State law makes misuse of the Assembly seal a misdemeanor.

Dymally spokeswoman Jasmyne Cannick said a Capitol Television News Service reporter requested Thursday that she ask the assemblyman three questions. Cannick said she phoned Dymally, who was traveling, relayed the queries and e-mailed the reporter Dymally’s exact quotes.

“Believe me, Mr. Dymally knows exactly what he says,” Cannick said. “He’s been doing this for years.”

Dymally, 80, is a former congressman and lieutenant governor. In 2002, he returned to the Assembly, where he leads the Legislative Black Caucus. De La Torre, a former South Gate city councilman, arrived in the Assembly in 2004.

In a Times interview Tuesday, De La Torre, 39, called the practice of giving out badges “ridiculous” and said his strong feelings would be reflected in his report to Nunez.

Dymally, in a Sacramento Bee story Thursday, blamed racism for the scrutiny.

In response to the question “Why does Mr. Dymally consider this a race issue?” Dymally told Cannick, according to the Capitol news service transcript, “Because Assemblyman De La Torre is the most racist legislator I have encountered in over 40 years.”

In response to Dymally’s comments, De La Torre said Thursday: “I’ve been tasked with looking into the broader issue of badges. I’m going to complete it by Jan. 12, as I was asked to by the speaker. And then it will be up to the speaker and my colleagues to decide what we do regarding the policies and procedures of badge distribution.”

Nunez spokesman Steve Maviglio said the Assembly speaker would not comment.

nancy.vogel@latimes.com