Joe Shell

An important political figure in California politics died earlier in the week, his name was Joe Shell. I met him when I first came to Sacramento. Joe had the reputation for being reasonably gruff. He represented the independent oil producers after he left elected office and he did a pretty good job of representing them. That group is a pretty independent group and Joe's demeanor was a pretty fair representation of his clients. He had a strong respect for the process but not so much that he was caught up in it. He died at 89. Joe's political career was mostly in the state Assembly as a member from LA. He founded a volunteer group called United Republicans of California. He became the minority leader of the Assembly before his run for Governor in the primary. But it was his independence that always impressed me. Four short stories about him.

#1 - He ran against Richard Nixon for Governor in the GOP primary in 1962, as a conservative. He lost and was grumpy almost evermore because the LA leaders who eventually supported Reagan four years later did not support him in that run. He later backed George Deukmejian for Governor. As a favor Joe was then appointed to the Agricultural Labor Relations Board by Deuk - one of a number of commissions that old politicians can draw a stipend for minimal work. He soon resigned because, as he said at the time, there is not enough work here for five full time commissioners to draw a salary.

#2 - Joe had a pretty clear sense of both who he was and who his opponents were. At one point he quipped "I've gotten sick and tired of calling people liberals when they're basically socialists."

#3 - In one of my first years as a lobbyist I was fighting a bill by then first term Assemblymember Maxine Waters. We fought her through the Assembly and finally got the amendment we needed in the Senate Judiciary. At the next hearing I found that she had not put the amendment demanded by the committee. She simply told me, "I decided not to" - I saw Joe in the halls and he said go get the chair of the Judiciary committee who was a liberal democrat from LA but who also had a sense of the process. I found him, told him what had happened and then he and I went to the Appropriations Committee, when the bill came up the Chair stepped up, said Waters had ignored a committee amendment and the chair of Approps said Mrs. Waters your bill is dead. She protested but the bill was dead. Joe understood the process well.

#4 - Joe was not much for theory. He was a very practical guy. The first time I met him, I asked him what constitutes a good lobbyist? Joe replied, enigmatically (especially for him), "footprints in the snow." It took me a while but I soon understood his reference. It is still good advice.