It’s a transitional period in California politics. New legislators are moving in, getting oriented, gathering staff, waiting to be sworn in for a very brief period of activity before the holidays. New state constitutional officers won’t be inaugurated till January, but they are putting plans together as well.
One new statewide official, who is not so much new as he is renewed, is former Governor Jerry Brown. After winning a landslide victory earlier this month, he’s wrapping up his eight years as mayor of Oakland and getting ready to take over as attorney general, California’s second most powerful statewide office, behind that of the governorship.
A number of people were interested in being on Jerry Brown’s transition team as he prepares to become attorney general. Only thing is, he doesn’t have a transition team.
That doesn’t mean he’s not transitioning. Nor that he doesn’t consult with a range of people. But as the last Democrat to complete eight years as governor, he has something of a sense of how state government works and does not work. He’s not into unnecessary structures and is inclined to keep his own counsel. And he is quite respectful of the advice of his campaign manager.
Who happens to be his wife.
Though she has a dog named Dharma, Anne Gust Brown is not especially moonbeamish. She is a very smart, witty graduate of a top law school, the University of Michigan, and former senior corporate executive. First as its general counsel, then as executive vice president and chief administrative officer of The Gap, she was deeply involved in the management of a major corporation. Then she became deeply involved in the management of a major politician.
One can only venture to guess as to which is the more complex undertaking.
It was much rumored in state political circles that she would be the new attorney general’s chief of staff. She says, however, that she will not be, though of course she will be a powerful presence in her husband’s life.
And, amusing as it is to discuss the enigmatic nature of Jerry Brown, the reality of his taking over the running of the state attorney general’s office and the Department of Justice is not quite so mysterious.
The operation is widely judged to be a generally well-functioning enterprise. Outgoing Attorney General Bill Lockyer, the state’s new treasurer, surprised many by not simply using the post to run for governor. He added to its already existing great clout with new operations on the environment and consumer affairs. Most of the somewhat far flung inhabitants — while he is the state’s “Top Cop” with investigators and all that, the attorney general runs what is in essence a very large public law firm, with a very wide-ranging portfolio of interests — in the operation are civil servants. The attorney general can and will, as attorneys general always have, move the players around on the game board he assembles. But the number of staffers that he has to appoint who are not covered employees is seven.
So Brown’s moves will not be divined by the composition of or leaks from a transition team. Which has the effect of only adding to the intrigue around what he will do with the office.
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That’s a very interesting guy. Does he work with Schwarzenegger or against Schwarzenegger?
It’s great he has such a strong woman around him.
I don’t foresee a large conflict between Schwarzenegger and Brown.
Did Atty Gen Lockyer change his position on Prop 83 (Jessica’s law) to rquire Brown to settle the federal court challenge to the law? According to the papers, at the hearing where a settlement was expected to be signed making the law not apply retroactively, the AG, changed its position and required the Court to set a hearing after Brown takes office.
I don’t know what Lockyer was up to there.
And, frankly, the coverage in the daily newspapers is confusing.
Brown was for intervention in Bosnia, what about Iraq?
Kandaharkid scribes:
Brown was for intervention in Bosnia, what about Iraq?
———–
How is that pertinent to his job as Attorney General?
While it is always nice to hear from my distant cousin from Pakistan, we in the Kid family have pretty high standards of intellectual rigor. So please Kandahar, let your Sri Lankan relative know why Jerry Brown’s position on troops in Iraq warrants my attention.
Of course, if your expansive intelligence apparatus has picked up Jerry’s interest in another Presidential run, the drinks are on me at the next reunion.
Otherwise, please do not embarrass us again. Remember, the Russian Kids have access to polonium…
Is it possible that Jerry is not gearing up for transition because he knows he is not going to take office – i.e., he will lose the lawsuit against him precisely because, having not been licensed to practice law in the last 5 consecutive years, he is ineligible to occupy the office per an express statute?
Well, new poster, you get the “Brilliant” award of the week thusfar.
You are wrong on all counts.
m.dylan — I hope your now disgraced family has some well-armed Russian relatives. Your entertaining analytical genes need to be trimmed from the family tree.
M. Dylan…
In keeping with the holiday spirit might I suggest you contact the following help desk: 1-800-POOCH-LOST. They can perhaps provide you with the assistance you need.
In the meantime, and once again keeping with the holidays, please don’t take any of your hard earned money to Reno or Vegas and place a wager on Mr. Brown not taking office. You might need it for food or toys.
Happy Holidays!
what? no Jacques Barzaghi on the transition team??
In something of a blow to colorful reportage, Jacques now lives in Morocco with his lovely wife and family.
Perhaps a trip on the Marrakesh Express would be in order.
Barzagi was the master of the obvious. lol
if my memory is correct, I believe that would be wife number seven.
I hear Barzagi will head up the Ethics, Employment and Civil Rights law sections.
Since it is very likely you will never see Mr. Barzhagi, it is good to grab now what little fun you will have with him.
I fear that Dr. Hemlock is correct. (Incidentally, where is Gospodin Bierko? There is a track named after him on the new 24 score cd.)
But before regretfully moving on, I’m reminded of one of my own related amusements.
Earlier this year, when Schwarzenegger was hiring Democrats seemingly right and left, I was at gubernatorial media briefing and casually prefaced a question with a reference to Jacques Barzaghi joining the team. Whereupon one of Arnold’s smartest people said: “What?!”
How disappointing, about Jacques. Only met the guy a couple of times, but he seemed to bring a sense of proportion to Jerry-land, along with some added humor. I did some volunteer coding for Jerry’s “We The People” website, a few years back, and got to have dinner at the warehouse a couple times. My snapshot sense of Jacques was that he could take the politics and policy seriously, while puncturing any airs of grandiosity from the players — a useful talent around big egos.
I doubt Arnold and Jerry will clash openly, but I can imagine there might be some tension if Jerry wants to practice Spitzerism and runs up against GOP aversion to such gov’t intervention. The question becomes which Schwarzenegger is dealing with Brown — the ‘05 model, or ‘06, or something else entirely? If the version from this campaign really is still around, I’m doubt there’d be any serious conflict (though there could be howls of protest from Villines, McClintock, etc).
The A.G.’s Office runs itself. The occupant of the 17th Floor office can determine priorities and directions, but the mission of the office has not changed under Evelle Younger, George Deukmejian, John Van DeCamp, Dan Lungren or Bill Lockyer.
The only problem will be if Jerry reverts to his old patterns and tries to bring in someone he met on a plane or in a grocery store as the Chief Deputy A.G., or as Lockyer did, bring in a non-lawyer and give him the title of Chief Deputy Attorney General. That bred contempt among the ranks of the highly qualified attorneys in the office. Lockyer also snuck in peace officer retirement for a select political few. Jerry should avoid these pratfalls.
Most bureaucracies “run themselves,” given the opportunity. Where they run themselves to is a separate question.
What “old pattern” are you referring to of bringing in “someone he met on a plane or a grocery store” chief of staff?
That didn’t happen.
Brown has run for President three times. That is why I ask his position on Iraq.
I don’t know the answer on that.
I’m somewhat suprised the Atty Gen gets only 7 staffers; that’s actually fewer than he has as mayor of Oakland! So, while there’s no transition team, what’s the rumor – is he bringing his Oakland crew with him?
Lungren pulled the same trick re making his Chief Deputy AG a peace officer for retirement purposes, so there has been a bipartisan fleecing of the lowly taxpayer.
By the time Jerry Brown would get around to running for president again, Iraq would be in the past.
Bringing his Oakland crew? I don’t know who he’s going to hire. I suspect we’ll see some people from his campaign.
Government agencies run themselves? Sorta, based on whatever the previous priorities were. What matters too are new public priorities that arise, and the creativity and energy that an elected leader brings to them. Lumping all the previous AGs together obscures the innovations that they enacted, or did not. Leadership matters, in government agencies just as much as businesses, academia, faith denominations…you name it.
Burro-crats think they’re more important than they are.
Everyone thinks they’re more important than they are.
Incidentally, welcome Duane Peterson, a top aide to a very fine AG!
Does anyone think that Dan Lungren and Jerry Brown mean the same kind of Attorney General’s office? You must be a state employee.
>The A.G.’s Office runs itself. The occupant of the 17th Floor office can determine priorities and directions, but the mission of the office has not changed under Evelle Younger, George Deukmejian, John Van DeCamp, Dan Lungren or Bill Lockyer.
Assuming he’s this Duane Peterson, that’s an impressively polymathic career he’s had… Certainly puts him in a good position to remark on how bureaucracies (gov’t, business, whatever) work.
That’s Duane.
He’s a good Democrat.