Hayden's No Newcomer

By Teresa Rochester

"He's done it before. He's no newcomer," said Sandy Brown about her boss, Tom Hayden's, latest endeavor.

Brown wasn't talking politics. She was talking fatherhood.

Two weeks ago, Hayden and his wife of nine years, Barbara Williams, adopted Liam Jack Diallo Hayden. Last Monday, the couple brought Liam Jack -- born March 26 and weighing a little over seven pounds --- from Illinois.

Liam is Hayden's and William's first child. Hayden has a son, Troy Garrity, and a stepdaughter, Vanessa Vadim.

Brown said Liam's adoption is not the reason Hayden will be leaving the state capitol this November.

"They've wanted to have a child and the adoption came at this time," said Brown, Hayden's deputy chief of staff. "He was really tired of that flight up to Sacramento every week."

Last Tuesday, staffers in Hayden's Los Angeles office were still waiting to sneak a peek of the baby.

"We're all very excited about seeing him," said Brown. "We haven't seen any pictures of him yet."

With one more reason to stay in Los Angeles, many wonder what Hayden will do next.

While rumors abound that he will be running for mayor, Brown said the senator is eyeing Mike Feuer's 5th District Los Angeles City Council seat, which encompasses Westwood, Century City and parts of the Valley. Feuer is running for city attorney in November.