August 26, September 3, 8, November 25, 1997 February 26, March 3, 1998 Los Angeles, California
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California State Archives State Government Oral History Program Oral History Interview with ANTHONY C. BEILENSON California State Assemblyman, 1962-1966 California State Senator, 1966-1976 United States Congressman, 1976-1996 August 26, September 3, 8, November 25, 1997 February 26, March 3, 1998 Los Angeles, California By Susan Douglass Yates Oral History Program University of California, Los Angeles RESTRICTIONS ON THIS INTERVIEW None. LITERARY RIGHTS AND QUOTATION This manuscript is hereby made available for research purposes only. No part of the manuscript may be quoted for publication without the written permission of the California State Archivist or the Head, Department of Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA. Requests for permission to quote for publication should be addressed to: California State Archives 1020 O Street, Room 130 Sacramento, CA 94814 or Department of Special Collections Charles E. Young Research Library P.O. Box 951575 UCLA Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575 The request should include identification of the specific passages and identification of the user. It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows: Anthony C. Beilenson, Oral History Interview, Conducted 1997 and 1998 by Susan Douglass Yates, UCLA Oral History Program, for the California State Archives State Government Oral History Program. California State Archives Information (916)653-7715 Bill Jones 1020 O Street Administrative Fax (916)653-7134 Secretary of State Sacramento, CA 95814 Reference (916)653-2246 PREFACE On September 25, 1985, Governor George Deukmejlan signed into law A.B, 2104 (Chapter 965 of the Statutes of 1985). This legislation established, under the administration of the California State Archives, a State Government Oral History Program "to provide through the use of oral history a continuing documentation of state policy development as reflected in California's legislative and executive history." The following interview is one of a series of oral histories undertaken for Inclusion in the state program. These interviews offer insights into the actual workings of both the legislative and executive processes and policy mechanisms- They also offer an increased understanding of the men and women who create legislation and implement state policy. Further, they provide an overview of issue development in California state government and of how both the legislative and executive branches of government deal with issues and problems facing the state. Interviewees are chosen primarily on the basis of their contributions to and influence on the policy process of the state of California. They include members of the legislative and executive branches of the state government as well as legislative staff, advocates, members of the media, and other people who played significant roles in specific issue areas of major and continuing importance to California. By authorizing the California State Archives to work cooperatively with oral history units at California colleges and universities to conduct interviews, this program is structured to take advantage of the resources and expertise in oral history available through California's several institutionally based programs. Participating as cooperation Institutions In the State Government Oral History Program are: Oral History Program History Department California State University, Fullerton Oral History Program Center for California Studies California State University, Sacramento Oral History Program Claremont Graduate School Regional Oral History Office The Bancroft Library University of California, Berkeley Oral History Program University of California, Los Angeles The establishment of the California State Archives State Government Oral History Program marks one of the most significant commitments made by any state toward the preservation and documentation of Its governmental his tory. It supplements the often fragmentary historical written record by adding an organized primary source, enriching the historical information available on given topics and allowing for more thorough historical analysis As such, the program, through the preservation and publi cation of Interviews such as the one which follows, will be of lasting value to current and future generations of scholars, citizens, and leaders. John F. Burns State Archivist July 27, 1988 This Interview Is printed on acid-free paper TABLE OF CONTENTS VOLUME 1 INTERVIEW HISTORY i BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY iii SESSION 1, August 26, 1997 [Tape 1, Side A] 1 Family background—Parents, Peter Beilenson and Edna Rudolph Beilenson—Parents establish Peter Pauper Press—Childhood in Mount Vernon, New York—Role of religion in Beilenson's childhood— Family outings during summers--Impact of World War II on Beilenson's family—Attends William Wilson Elementary School--Attends Phillips Academy Andover for last two years of high school—Intramural athletics at Andover—Enters Harvard University--Studies American history and literature—Serves in student government--Becomes a member of Lowell House at Harvard. [Tape 1, Side B] 40 Organizes intramural sports for Lowell House-- Serves on the student council—Helps establish the Harvard Student Council Committee on Academic Freedom in response to U.S. Senator William E. Jenner's investigations of alleged communist activities on college campuses—Beilenson learns skills that will help him in his later political career—More on early participation in school student government—Parents' political views—How Beilenson developed an interest in politics-- Attends Harvard Law School—Hitchhikes from New York to Alaska during the summer of 1952—Works on a resupply mission for a joint Canadian- American air force weather station project— Hitchhikes through the West—More on trip to Alaska--Involvement in Peter Pauper Press-- Reasons Beilenson did not go into family publishing business—Moves to California in 1957— Becomes interested in a career in politics--Works for cousin Laurence W. Beilenson's law firm— Serves as chief counsel to the California State Assembly Committee on Finance and Insurance. [Tape 2, Side A] 80 Laurence Beilenson's law practice—Beilenson opens his own law practice in 1959—More on the Committee on Finance and Insurance—Accepts a position with the State Compensation Insurance Fund—Working at Faith Bumper Company while preparing to run for the Fifty-ninth Assembly District—More on cousin's law practice--Hearing Helen Gahagan Douglas speak at Harvard inspires interest in public service--Political activism while at Harvard—Joins the Beverly Hills Democratic Club upon first moving to California-- More on parents' political views--Republican politics in California in the 1950s--Reasons Beilenson became involved in Democratic politics— The Beverly Hills Democratic Club activities in the late fifties and early sixties--Beilenson wins the club's endorsement to run for the Fifty- ninth Assembly District in 1962--Reasons for wanting to run for public office--Campaigning for the 1962 primary--The Fifty-ninth Assembly District during Thomas M. Rees's tenure--The district's demographics--Tom Rees. SESSION 2, September 3, 1997 [Tape 3, Side A] 115 Campaigning in the 1962 general election-- Previous experience in helping other candidates run for office--Fund-raising for the 1962 race— Positive aspects of campaigning--Hands out cookbooks as a promotional tool--Traveling between Los Angeles and Sacramento during the legislative session--First impressions of the California State Assembly--Commitment to working hard as a legislator--Becoming oriented to serving in the assembly--Developing an acquaintance with fellow assembly members--Role of party alliances in the assembly—Politics of Republican assembly members during the early 1960s—Jesse M. Unruh as assembly speaker—Why politics have become more partisan in recent years--Working with the California Democratic Club—Staffing of capitol and district offices. [Tape 3, Side B] 153 More on Unruh as assembly speaker—The speaker's role in assigning members to committees—Serving on the Workmen's Compensation Study Commission-- Other committees served on during tenure in the assembly—More on the speaker's role in assigning members to committees—Unruh's relationship with Governor Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Sr.—The relationship between the assembly and the California State Senate—Beilenson's objectives as an assemblyman—Carrying legislation--The process of carrying legislation in state government—Beilenson's 1964 campaign against David L. DeLoach--Abortion, pornography, and fair housing as issues during the campaign—Beilenson receives support for his pro-choice stance-- Decision to run for the state senate representing the Twenty-sixth District in 1966. [Tape 4, Side A] 195 The impact of the 1965 Reapportionment Act on campaigning for public office in California in 1966—The geographical Twenty-sixth Senate District—Campaigns against Manny Rohatiner in the primary election—Beilenson's campaign strategies in the sixties—More on campaign against Rohatiner—Republican opponent Alexander N. Campbell attacks Beilenson for voting against the Anti-Advocacy of Genocide Bill—Beilenson supports Governor Pat Brown's refusal to finance a state kosher food inspector--More on Beilenson's campaign strategies. SESSION 3, September 8, 1997 [Tape 5, Side A] . 218 The impact of the 1965 Reapportionment Act on the composition of the California State Senate—The structure and role of the assembly compared to that of the senate--Change in the president pro tem's role during the late sixties—The