Speaker Ousts Calderon From Tax Panel

SACRAMENTO — Assembly Speaker Willie Brown on Monday stripped Assemblyman Charles M. Calderon (D-Alhambra) of his seat on the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee, which oversees bills on taxation.

Calderon and four other dissident Democrats, known as the “Gang of Five,” have been involved in challenges to the San Francisco Democrat’s leadership during the last year.

In response, Brown has stripped the lawmakers of committee assignments, asked contributors not to give them donations and taken other disciplinary action against them.

When the feud erupted last month, Brown removed Calderon from the Ways and Means and Finance and Insurance committees, reduced his staff and relegated him to a smaller office.

On Tuesday, Calderon said he was not surprised by Brown’s latest action and expects the speaker “to remove me from anything and everything that he has control over.”

However, Calderon said, he and his four colleagues plan “continued resistance” to Brown’s leadership over policy and political issues.

Susan Jetton, Brown’s press secretary, said the action was not retribution and had been requested by the committee chairman, Johan Klehs (D-San Leandro).

Calderon represents the strongly Democratic 59th District, which includes Alhambra, Montebello, Monterey Park, Pico Rivera and South El Monte.