In a surprise move designed to end a brewing battle over who will be the next California Assembly speaker, current Speaker Karen Bass threw her support Wednesday behind rookie Assemblyman John Pérez of Los Angeles. Pérez, a University of California, Berkeley, graduate with long ties to organized labor, was elected last year in Los Angeles' 46th District. Over the last year, he has served as the Assembly's Democratic caucus chairman. If he becomes speaker, Pérez would make history as the first openly gay speaker of the Assembly.