Richard Alarcon
Richard Alarcon | |
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Member of Los Angeles City Council from the 7th district | |
In office 1993–1998 2007-2013 | |
Preceded by | Ernani Bernardi Alex Padilla |
Succeeded by | Alex Padilla Felipe Fuentes |
Member of the California State Assembly from the 39th district | |
In office 2006–2007 | |
Preceded by | Cindy Montañez |
Succeeded by | Felipe Fuentes |
Member of the California Senate from the 20th district | |
In office 1998–2006 | |
Preceded by | Herschel Rosenthal |
Succeeded by | Alex Padilla |
Personal details | |
Born | Glendale, California | November 24, 1953
Political party | Democratic |
Residence | Los Angeles, California |
Website | http://www.lacity.org/council/cd7/ |
Richard Anthony Alarcon (born November 24, 1953) is a California politician who was a Los Angeles City Council member. A Democrat, he served in the California State Senate and, for approximately three months, in the California State Assembly.
Alarcon first served as an assistant to Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley before gaining a seat on the City Council to represent the 7th District in 1993. One year into his second term as a City Councilman, Alarcon resigned to become a State Senator in 1998, representing the 20th Senate district. Term limits prevented him from seeking a third Senate term in December 2006. Among Alarcon's accomplishments while in the California Senate were workers' compensation reform and recovery funding for the community of Northridge following the deadly earthquake of 1994. Alarcon served as Majority Whip during all eight of his years in the State Senate.
During the San Fernando Valley secession movement of 2002, there was talk that if the Valley seceded, Alarcon might become mayor of the new city. Alarcon decided not to run for Valley mayor, and instead opposed secession.[1] Alarcon's council district was the most opposed to secession of any district in the San Fernando Valley.
In 2005, Alarcon ran for mayor of Los Angeles. He finished a distant fifth, gaining less than 2% of the vote, behind Bernard Parks, Bob Hertzberg, incumbent James Hahn, and Antonio Villaraigosa. After serving as a state senator for 8 years, in 2006 Alarcon ran unopposed for California's 39th State Assembly district representing the San Fernando Valley area.
Shortly after taking office, Alarcon announced his intention to seek a third term in 2007 as Los Angeles City Councilman in the 7th district. In the special election, held in March, Alarcon won easily (receiving 55%). He resigned from the Assembly soon thereafter. His tenure in the Assembly, totalling 102 days, was the shortest service in that house since 1981.
Richard Alarcon has four children who were educated in public schools in the San Fernando Valley. He is a former teacher. Alarcon lost a son to a fatal car accident.
He is a graduate of California State University, Northridge. He is Roman Catholic.
Residency scandal
In August 2010 Alarcon was indicted on perjury and voter fraud charges for not living in his district and lying in campaign disclosure documents about his official residence.[2]
Six members of his staff—chief of staff Saeed Ali as well as Becca Doten, Ackley Padilla, Lidia Soto, Nancy Hodges and John de la Rosa—testified in front of a grand jury on July 7.[3]
He has raised at least $9,000 from donors to cover legal fees he may face as the investigation continues.[4]
The charges were dismissed by Judge Kathleen Kennedy in May 2012, but District Attorney Steve Cooley refiled them. Alarcon, 58, was charged with 18 counts — two felony counts of filing a false declaration of candidacy in December 2006 and November 2008; seven felony counts of fraudulent voting in elections in 2007, 2008 and 2009; and nine counts of perjury, including three for allegedly filing false driver’s license applications.[5] On July 23, 2014, Alarcon was convicted of three counts of voter fraud and one count of perjury; he faces up to six years in state prison.[6]
External links
References
- ↑ Raphael Sonenshien, The City at Stake, p. 231
- ↑ Zahniser, David; Leonard, Leonard (4 August 2010). "Councilman Richard Alarcon indicted on perjury and voter fraud charges". Los Angeles Times.
- ↑ Zahniser, David (5 July 2010). "L.A. Councilman Richard Alarcon's staff ordered to appear before grand jury". Los Angeles Times.
- ↑ Dave, Paresh (20 July 2010). "L.A. Councilmember Alarcón Raises $9,000 For Legal Fees". Neon Tommy.
- ↑ "District Attorney Refiles Criminal Charges Against Richard Alarcon, Wife Over Residency". CBS Los Angeles. 3 May 2012.
- ↑ Karlamangla, Soumya; Zahniser, David (23 July 2014). "Guilty verdicts another blow to Alarcon family". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
Political offices | ||
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Preceded by Ernani Bernardi |
Los Angeles City Councilmember, 7th District 1993–1998 |
Succeeded by Alex Padilla |
Preceded by Herschel Rosenthal |
California State Senator, 20th District 1998–2006 | |
Preceded by Cindy Montañez |
California State Assemblymember, 39th District 2006–2007 |
Succeeded by Felipe Fuentes |
Preceded by Alex Padilla |
Los Angeles City Councilmember, 7th District 2007 – 2013 |
Succeeded by Felipe Fuentes |
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