ASSEMBLY GOP'S COMMITTEE PURGE SHRINKS L.A. CLOUT.

Byline: Mark Katches Daily News Sacramento Bureau

Assembly Republicans gutted the last vestiges of Democratic control in the lower house Thursday by taking control of all but one standing committee and claiming most of the best office space for themselves.

The Los Angeles County delegation took the biggest hit, losing eight of the 11 committee chairmanships under its control - including the transportation, budget, higher education and judiciary committees.

Republicans now chair 25 of the 26 committees. The other chairmanship went to Dominic Cortese, a Reform Party candidate from San Jose, who voted earlier this month to support rule changes that gave Republicans control of the Assembly.

Democrats were reeling from the new committee assignments, saying the shift in power will damage any chance to pass any parts of their party's agenda this year.

"The Republicans are trying to show they seized the power and they seized the trappings of power," said Assemblyman Richard Katz, D-Panorama City. "They are pillaging and plundering."

Republicans savored their victory and said the Democrats are simply sore losers.

"They're not in charge anymore," said Speaker Curt Pringle, R-Garden Grove. "They're frustrated, they're going to stomp their feet and go home mad. That's just a shame. Now it's time to move forward."

In the musical chairs derby for office space, the plum spots - with up to 2,400 square feet of space - were assigned to the new Republican leaders and committee chairs. Most of the rest of the members had to draw straws and then start packing.

A subdued Katz, the Assembly minority leader, was on his hands and knees surrounded by boxes and bubble wrap loading up his palatial office suite, which he'd inhabited for less than a full month. The office was inhabited by Willie L. Brown Jr. until he gave up the speakership.

Katz was ordered to leave behind the leather couches, marble tables and mahogany furnishings in the 2,400-square-foot office. He moved to a 1,600-square-foot substitute in another wing of the Capitol.

"They chose to put me in an office smaller than any Republican minority leader has had in years," Katz said. "That's fine. They ought to enjoy it while they got it."

Republicans say they were entitled to the best offices and committee assignments because they hold a 41-38 majority in the Assembly. They noted that the Democrats kept the best offices and committee assignments when they were in control.

"I think it's poetic justice," said Assemblyman Larry Bowler, R-Sacramento. "This is what they've been doing to the Republicans for 15 years."

But Democrats said they were mostly upset with the committee assignments.

Some of the most knowledgeable Democrats were booted off committees where they had developed an expertise. Democrats said it was an attempt by Republicans to silence the most vocal and experienced members of the opposition party.

"There was a clear attempt to remove from committees people who could ask embarrassing questions about special interest bills," said Assemblywoman Debra Bowen, D-Torrance. "Clearly, someone's afraid that certain members will air issues they'd rather not have aired publicly."

The only Valley legislator now chairing a committee is Assemblywoman Paula Boland, R-Granada Hills, who kept her post as chairwoman of the Public Safety Committee.

The other two Los Angeles County chairmen were Phil Hawkins, R-Long Beach, who took over the Housing and Community Development Committee, and Bill Hoge, R-Pasadena, who became the new chairman of the governmental organization committee.

Considered an expert in the field by lawmakers and county officials, Barbara Friedman, D-Sherman Oaks, was left off the health committee. She had asked for the assignment and previously served as vice chairwoman.

"I'm disappointed," Friedman said. "I don't think this serves the state well."

Assemblywoman Sheila Kuehl, D-Encino, was not only stripped of her chairmanship on Judiciary - she was pulled off the committee altogether. She also lost her prized spot on the Public Safety Committee.

"I think we're placed in a very difficult position to help the county now," Kuehl said.

In addition, John Vasconcellos, D-San Jose, a fixture on the budget committee for more than a decade, was removed from the panel.

The committees, meanwhile, were stacked with Republicans. For most of last year, the assignments were evenly split between the parties. Later, they were changed to give Republicans a one-vote majority.

Now, however, Republicans hold an overwhelming majority on most of the committees. For example, of the 19 members on the health committee, 12 are Republicans.

The makeup of the committees is crucial because bills are shaped in them and can be killed by the will of a majority.

In the Senate, by contrast, 68 percent of the committees are chaired by Democrats, 24 percent by Republicans and 8 percent by Independents.

For sheer political theatrics, however, nothing could match the scramble for office space - a subject that in many ways serves as a metaphor for the political struggles that take place in Sacramento.

Nearly all 80 members were switched to different quarters - with new locks to be installed this weekend and a total moving cost of about $60,000. An additional $50,000 will be spent to remodel some of the offices, Assembly officials said.

After the Republican leaders picked their offices, the rest were assigned by lottery. Democrats' names were called and they were given 10 minutes to pick an office from those remaining on a map.

When coveted offices were selected, members could be heard groaning in the chambers.

"I don't think this is what voters sent us here to do," said Kuehl, who was one of the last to pick.

Pringle said Brown used to change offices by calling members and giving them a deadline to move out.

"We could have made it a unilateral decision," Pringle said. "Willie Brown never allowed half the house to pick their own offices."