Richard Alatorre

Richard Alatorre

Richard Alatorre is an American politician from California. He served as a prominent member of the California State Assembly from 1973 to 1985, and as a noted member of the Los Angeles City Council from 1985 to 1999.[1][2]

Background

Alatorre was born in 1943 and raised in Los Angeles, California.[1] He graduated from James A. Garfield High School in 1961. He received a bachelor of arts degree from California State University, Los Angeles, and a master of public administration from the University of Southern California. He taught at California State University, Long Beach and the University of California, Irvine.

He was Western Regional Director of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund,[2] where he successfully initiated lawsuits on behalf of children, many of whom because were Spanish speaking, were assigned to classes for the mentally disabled.

Prior to running for elected office himself, he served as an aide to California State Assemblymember Walter Karabian and State Senator Alfred Song in 1968.[3]

In 1972 he was elected to the California State Assembly,[4] serving 14 years in various capacities, including Chairman on the Select Committee on Farm Labor Violence;[5] Chairman of Human services Committee; Chairman of the historic 1980 Elections and Reapportionment Committee; Founder and Chairman of the Chicano Caucus for the California State Legislature; and Chairman of the Prison Reform Committee. During his tenure in the Assembly, he authored the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act.[6]

In 1985 he was elected to the Los Angeles City Council (the first Latino to serve on the city council in 23 years).[7] During his tenure, he served as Chairman of Redistricting, federally mandated by the U.S. Justice Department; Chairman of the Public Safety Committee; and Chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee. He retired in 1999 when he became the object of a federal probe into corruption.[8] He pled guilty to federal tax evasion charges in 2001, and was sentenced to eight months of home detention.[9]

He was appointed by Mayor Tom Bradley to the Los Angeles Regional Transportation Commission, the forerunner to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA); he was elected the first Chairman of the MTA, and during his tenure championed the passage of the Gold Line and led the successful approval of the Eastern Extension of the light rail into East Los Angeles.

In 1999, he was appointed by the State of California to serve on the five-member Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board.

He is a member of the Democratic Party and known as a chief ally of Assemblymember and Speaker Willie Brown, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and Mayors Tom Bradley, Dick Riordan, and Antonio Villaraigosa.

References

  1. ^ a b Schultz, Jeffrey D.; Haynie, Kerry L.; and Aoki, Andrew L. Encyclopedia of Minorities in American Politics: Hispanic Americans and Native Americans. Phoenix, Ariz.: Oryx Press, 2000. ISBN 1573561495
  2. ^ a b Rosales, Francisco Arturo. Chicano!: The History of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement. 2nd ed. Houston, Tex.: Arte Publico Press, 1997. ISBN 1558852018
  3. ^ Navarro, Armando. La Raza Unida Party: A Chicano Challenge to the U.S. Two-Party Dictatorship. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2000. ISBN 1566397707
  4. ^ Del Olmo, Frank. "Growing Latin Political Power Reflected in Election Results." Los Angeles Times. November 14, 1972.
  5. ^ del Castillo, Richard Griswold and Garcia, Richard A. Cesar Chavez: A Triumph of Spirit. Stillwater, Okla.: University of Oklahoma Press, 1997. ISBN 0806129573
  6. ^ "Farm Labor Measure to Be Introduced." Los Angeles Times. March 11, 1974.
  7. ^ "Alatorre to Run for Snyder's Seat, Aide Announces." Los Angeles Times. January 9, 1985; Clayton, Janet. "Alatorre Wins L.A. Council Seat Handily." Los Angeles Times. December 11, 1985.
  8. ^ Lopez, Robert J. and Connell, Rich. "MTA Probes Charities Promoted by Alatorre." Los Angeles Times. July 7, 1997; Connell, Rich and Lopez, Robert J. "Panel Probing Alatorre Goes to Court." Los Angeles Times. August 21, 1997; Connell, Rich and Lopez, Robert J. "Alatorre to Pay Fines for Ethics Violations." Los Angeles Times. September 16, 1997; Lopez, Robert J. and Connell, Rich. "IRS Agents Join Growing Alatorre Investigation." Los Angeles Times. January 9, 1998; Connell, Rich and Lopez, Robert J. "Alatorre Accused in Court Case." Los Angeles Times. April 24, 1998; Shuster, Beth. "Councilman Alatorre to Retire When Term Ends." Los Angeles Times. January 16, 1999; Connell, Rich and Lopez, Robert J. "Alatorre's Fall Belies Early Promise, Achievements." Los Angeles Times. January 17, 1999.
  9. ^ Connell, Rich and Lopez, Robert J. "Guilty Plea Expected in Alatorre Case." Los Angeles Times. April 3, 2001; Connell, Rich and Lopez, Robert J. "Alatorre Probe Focus Shifts to Source of Alleged Bribes." Los Angeles Times. April 4, 2001; Meyer, Josh. "Alatorre Formally Enters Guilty Plea on Income Tax Evasion." Los Angeles Times. April 10, 2001; Connell, Rich and Lopez, Robert J. "Affidavits Reveal Details of Alatorre Inquiry." Los Angeles Times. April 12, 2001; Reich, Kenneth. "Alatorre Will Serve 8-Month Term at Home." Los Angeles Times. August 28, 2001.
Preceded by
Arthur K. Snyder		 Los Angeles City Councilman
14th district
1985—1999		 Succeeded by
Nick Pacheco