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The problem stems from the fact that the election left the
GOP with a one (1) vote majority in the CA state assembly.
Usually party discipline ensures that the majority party gets
the speaker's job, since that is decided in a voice vote..
Now one GOP assemblyman, a certain Paul Horcher, changed his
affiliation from GOP to Independent and instead of casting the
expected vote for the GOP speaker-presumptive Jim Brulty, he cast
it (along with the Dems) for the current speaker Mr Willie Brown.
The GOP assemply members were aghast, and Mr Horcher was bundled
from the chambers by a flying wedge of Dem assembly members. A good
thing since death threats have been recieved by his office and he
stood a better than even chance of being beaten up, literally, by
his now former GOP colleagues who look upon him as a political whore.
When the assembly convened this week, a bare quorum of 41 members
(Dems plus the Judas) was present to conduct buisness, which would
have meant that another vote would put Mr Brown into the speakers chair
(again) for next term. But the clerk of the assembly, Mr Wilson
(obviously no relation to the Governor, Pete Wilson), overruled Mr
Browns attempt to manuever a vote for speaker through the house.
Shortly thereafter Mr Wilson took ill (a common consequence of crossing
Wille Brown). Curiously the clerk is a protoge of Mr Brown's, and noone
yet knows why he did what he did.
At this point the attempt by Mr Brown to get the vote for speaker taken
continues, and the sergeant-at-arms is in theory empowered to force
the GOP members to the chamber to take their seats. But they are hiding
out (in a hotel across the street), and it seems that because of the
clerks dissallowing the vote Tuesday its likely that the house will
be stalemated until the beginning of the term in Jan.
One GOP member, Robert Mountjoy, was elected to both the state senate
and to the assembly, where he ran unopposed. The plan was for him to
cast his vote for Mr Brulty and then resign his seat and take up his
state senate duties, but Mr Brown is insisting that he resign
first, before the speaker vote is taken. That would put Willie up a
vote and into the speakers chair for two years. He then will have to
leave office due to term limits and find other profitable endeavors
to pursue.
*Mr Brown is not related to the former Governors Jerry and Pat nor
to the recent candidate for Gov and daughter of Pat Kathleen.
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