State Official Accused of Racism Quitting Job

SACRAMENTO —  Embattled state Parks and Recreation Director William S. Briner, accused of making racist remarks and practicing sex discrimination, said Thursday that he will resign to devote his time to his real estate and investment interests.

Simultaneously, Briner fired assistant deputy director Barbara Rathbun, the Parks and Recreation Department’s top-ranking woman and a critic within the agency of Briner’s treatment of women and minorities.

Briner, whose case caused controversy during the final month of Gov. George Deukmejian’s reelection campaign last year, said his resignation had nothing to do with allegations brought by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that he “routinely” used racist language and forced the department’s highest-ranking black female to quit in 1985.

“I have submitted my resignation, and the governor has accepted it,” Briner said in an interview. “I’ve been working on this for months. It’s not a new item. It’s well planned and now it’s being implemented.”

Joining Briner in resigning was one of his top assistants, Garth Tanner, chief deputy director of operations, who was accused by employees of harassment. Tanner will return to a Civil Service management position in the department.

Briner, whose resignation is effective March 31, has been dogged by accusations of racism almost since the day he was appointed by Deukmejian in 1983.

In 1984, his confirmation as parks and recreation director was delayed by the Senate Rules Committee until Briner issued a public apology to persons who might have been offended by remarks they considered to be ethnic slurs.

Last year, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charged that Briner had wrongfully forced former deputy director Silvester Widemon, the top-ranking black female in the department, to quit her post. Investigators for the commission reported that witnesses said Briner frequently used such terms as nigger, spear chucker, nip, broad, wop and spic.

During his campaign for reelection, Deukmejian ordered deputy resources secretary Terrence Eagan to investigate the charges. Eagan is a longtime friend of Briner, recruited him for the state post and once had business dealings with him. Deukmejian halted Eagan’s investigation on Oct. 24 to await the outcome of the case brought by the commission.

Since the Nov. 4 election, the state has refused a settlement proposed in the Widemon case by the federal commission, according to Greg Finch, Widemon’s attorney, who said he plans to file a lawsuit next week seeking back pay and possible reinstatement.

Kevin Brett, a spokesman for Deukmejian, said Briner’s resignation was received and accepted Thursday. The governor did not ask the director to resign, Brett said.

But Briner said Deukmejian had known for months that he was going to resign and “may have been aware” before the Nov. 4 election of his intention to step down. He said he gave the governor his letter of resignation earlier this month.

The firing of Rathbun could cause new problems. Rathbun is a loyal Deukmejian supporter who was active in his 1982 campaign for governor. As president of the California Republican Assembly, she played a key role in winning support for Deukmejian’s candidacy.

Rathbun refused Thursday to discuss her firing, but department employees said they were organizing a letter-writing campaign to urge Deukmejian to reinstate her.

Deukmejian, who is in Japan on a trade mission, had not yet learned of Rathbun’s dismissal, Brett said.

“I’ve done an excellent job running the park system,” Briner said. “I felt it was a good time to get back into my businesses that have floundered during the past three years.”