150-593: William Westwood Lockyer (born May 8, 1941) is a retired American politician from California, who held elective office from 1973 to 2015, as State Treasurer of California , California Attorney General , and President Pro Tempore of the California State Senate . Lockyer attended the University of California, Berkeley , graduating with a B.A. in Political Science in 1965. The following year, he received
300-588: A Juris Doctor degree from the McGeorge School of Law , University of the Pacific . As legislator, Lockyer won close friends on both sides of the partisan aisle, including Jim Brulte , Republican Minority Leader of the state senate, who would long remember Lockyer's skill at compromise and consensus-building., and Democratic Speaker of the Assembly Willie Brown , who recalled that, by the time Lockyer left
450-580: A Los Angeles convention of the National Association of Attorneys General. That organization elected Lockyer its president in 2003. As attorney general, Lockyer sometimes had to defend official positions he found objectionable, such as asking the courts, in 2004, to invalidate San Francisco same-sex marriage licenses which conflicted with state law, though he personally supported the right of same-sex marriage which brought him under fire from both social conservatives and gay activists. On other occasions,
600-689: A Teaching Credential from CSU in Hayward, then worked for his father's roofing company and as a fork-lift driver at Ward's before getting his first job with the Legislature on the staff of Assemblyman Robert W. Crown. In 1986, Lockyer graduated with a J.D. from University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law . (He returned to the classroom in 2009 as a non-tenured college professor, teaching undergraduate courses in American State Politics at
750-462: A bi-partisan billion-dollar tax "mega-deal", a complex legislative package that cut state income taxes for middle class Californians. Elected attorney general in 1998 after 25 years as a legislator with a small, close-knit staff, Lockyer took on an executive position that demanded both policy direction and managerial acumen. The Department of Justice, of which he was “chief executive officer”, had some 5,000 employees, 1200 of whom were attorneys handling
900-485: A caseload of 100,000 lawsuits – the equivalent, in the private sector of the seventh largest law firm in America. Much of the department's effort was as a service agency for the staggering demands of California's local law enforcement – 90,000 officers at 70,000 police terminals expecting split-second response from a state telecommunications network that received three million inquiries a day; background and fingerprints checks of
1050-461: A combination of Martin King, Angela Davis, Albert Einstein ... Chairman Mao." In 1995, Brown ran for mayor of San Francisco . In his announcement speech, he said San Francisco needed a "resurrection" and that he would bring the "risk-taking leadership" the city needed. Brown placed first in the first round of voting, but because no candidate received 50% of the vote, he faced incumbent Frank Jordan in
1200-418: A complex budget plan which combined spending cuts with various accounting maneuvers. A month later, Standard and Poor's removed California bonds from its "credit watch list", indicating that while the bonds still had a negative outlook, they were not "under threat of an imminent downgrade". Lockyer was optimistic about this "positive development ... It reflects confidence that the budget solution adopted by
1350-406: A compromise bill that included "a drastic restriction in product liability laws offset by fee increases for lawyers prosecuting medical malpractice cases. Doctors got promises that protections already in place against lawsuits would not be touched. Insurance companies won a reprieve from threatened regulations gaining momentum in the Legislature." This compromise had already been worked out; the dinner
1500-400: A country with a "long history" of "elite...autocracy". Soon after the gubernatorial recall election, Lockyer, barred by term limit laws from seeking a third term as attorney general, began contemplating his own run for governor in the 2006 election . In January 2005, he tentatively announced his candidacy for governor: "the one and only office that has held abiding interest for me since I left
1650-728: A decisive vote, Davis was recalled, and Schwarzenegger was elected to replace him. Two weeks later, at a UC Berkeley post-mortem conference on the election, Lockyer made the surprise announcement that while he had voted against the recall, he had also voted for Schwarzenegger, the first time he had ever voted for a Republican in a state election. He explained that he was "tired of transactional, cynical, deal-making politics," and that, for him, "Arnold represented... hope, change, reform, opportunity, upbeat problem solving". He added, "I hope I haven't been conned". Many fellow Democrats and feminists reacted bitterly to Lockyer's surprise announcement, which proved damaging to his future political aspirations. By
SECTION 10
#17328695871341800-647: A doorman, janitor and shoe salesman to pay for college. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He also joined the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) but later quit the ROTC and joined the California Army National Guard 's 126th Medical Battalion, where he was trained as a dental hygienist . Brown earned a bachelor's degree in political science from San Francisco State in 1955. Brown attended University of California, Hastings College of
1950-418: A great legislative accomplishment. "The public is better served", Lockyer said at the time, "when these groups are trying to mend rather than tear the fabric of society". Federal legislation signed by President Clinton in 1996 required California to enact “welfare-to-work” legislation to help welfare recipients move from government assistance to employment and “self-sufficiency”. The resulting establishment of
2100-566: A half dozen other corporations which admitted to "gaming" the State's deregulated energy system. As Attorney General, Lockyer, during the Enron scandal of 2001, achieved some notoriety for his public quip, "I would love to personally escort [Enron CEO] Ken Lay to an 8-by-10 cell that he could share with a tattooed dude who says, 'Hi, my name is Spike, honey'". This remark was widely condemned as an endorsement of prison rape . Lockyer later apologized for
2250-561: A hat, collecting $ 700. He lost the election by 600 votes before winning a second election in 1964. Brown was one of four Black Americans in the Assembly in 1965. The other three were Mervyn M. Dymally , F. Douglas Ferrell and Byron Rumford . He continued to be reelected to the Assembly until 1995. In the 1960s, Brown served as chair of the Legislative Representation Committee, a powerful position that helped him climb
2400-524: A lot done." When the legislature failed to pass a balanced budget before the start of the new fiscal year on July 1, 2009, State Controller John Chiang began issuing IOUs to some state creditors. Lockyer suggested having a respected intermediary mediate between the Republican governor and the Democratic-controlled legislature. Republican State Senator Bob Huff scoffed at the idea, saying, "No caucus
2550-404: A million annual applicants for positions as police officers, teachers and day-care providers, and “live scan” of another million and a half fingerprints taken during booking arrest, plus searches connected with 750,000 outstanding warrants for wanted suspects. This required Lockyer to radically restructure and reinvigorate his department with high-tech efficiencies and policy innovations to modernize
2700-403: A morning radio show with comedian Will Durst on a local San Francisco Air America Radio affiliate. He also does a weekly podcast . Brown established The Willie L. Brown Jr. Institute on Politics & Public Service, an unaffiliated nonprofit organization at San Francisco State University . It trains students for careers in municipal, county and regional governments. The center will be one of
2850-592: A much "smaller bully pulpit" which did not provide a good springboard to higher office. Politician A politician is a person who participates in policy-making processes , usually holding a position in government . Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles or duties that politicians must perform vary depending on the level of government they serve, whether local , national, or international. The ideological orientation that politicians adopt often stems from their previous experience, education, beliefs,
3000-514: A new CalWORKs (California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids) program had a major effect on the state budget, propelling difficult negotiations between the Democratic legislature and conservative Republican governor Pete Wilson . As Senate President Pro Tem, Lockyer was a key negotiator in these private negotiations, which, he later recalled to journalist Daniel Weintraub, produced the State's “last... old-fashioned balanced budget,”, linked to
3150-471: A new business venture using their political connections. The personal histories of politicians have been frequently studied, as it is presumed that their experiences and characteristics shape their beliefs and behaviors. There are four pathways by which a politician's biography could influence their leadership style and abilities. First, a politician’s biography may shape their core beliefs, which are essential to shaping their worldview. The second pathway
SECTION 20
#17328695871343300-441: A new legal activism that reflected his liberal values in such areas of litigation and regulation as civil rights and anti-trust enforcement and consumer and environmental protection. He became one of the two most prominent state Attorneys General in the nation, rivaled in media attention only by New York's Eliot Spitzer . The two men were personal rivals as well, once nearly coming to blows after "screaming expletives at each other" at
3450-652: A new stadium in the China Basin after previous stadium measures had failed on the ballot. The stadium was approved by San Francisco voters in June 1997 and opened in 2000. Due to vacancies on the Board of Supervisors before 2000, Brown was able to appoint eight of the board's 11 members. Due to a change in San Francisco's election laws that took effect in 2000, the board changed from at-large to district-based elections, and all seats on
3600-401: A parking garage on Vallejo Street desired by North Beach and Chinatown merchants, he circumvented neighborhood opponents of the garage by ordering demolition of the site's existing structure to commence on a Friday night and be done by Monday morning, when the group was certain to try to obtain a restraining order. "It was with the demolition permit I outsmarted them", Brown said, claiming that as
3750-597: A pivotal role as a politician because he was the first President of the United States of America . Today, political offices take many forms in the modern century in the United States of America such as ministers, mayors , governors , senators , and presidents, each of whom has different duties. While all government leaders are considered politicians, not all politicians are subject to voters, autocratic and dictatorial regimes remain extant. The identity of politicians
3900-525: A professor at the school facilitated his admission on probation. Brown adjusted to college studies by working especially hard to catch up in his first semester. He joined the Young Democrats and became friends with John L. Burton . Brown originally wanted to be a math instructor but campus politics changed his ambitions. He became active in his church and the San Francisco NAACP . Brown worked as
4050-407: A repeat effort to sabotage Riordan's candidacy by negative attack ads: "If they do the trashy campaign on Dick Riordan ... I think there are going to be prominent Democrats that will defect and just say, 'We're tired of that puke politics. Don't you dare do it again or we're just going to help pull the plug.'" Five days later, Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that he would run as a Republican in
4200-414: A role in legislative gridlock and negatively impact public perception, which negatively impacts politicians’ interests. Additionally, research highlighted that politicians, especially populist politicians, may create a challenge for themselves by increasingly accusing the media of spreading misinformation or “fake news.” Such accusations can undermine the credibility of media platforms, even though trust in
4350-694: A role in shaping shape voter behavior and political preferences Also, educational background in politics also plays an important role in shaping the political awareness of politicians and plays a major role in increasing people’s confidence in them. Some critics often accuse politicians of not communicating with the public. They accuse politicians' speeches of being sometimes overly formal, filled with many euphemisms and metaphors, and generally seen as an attempt to "obscure, mislead, and confuse". Lack of awareness, selfishness, manipulation , and dishonesty are perceptions that people often accuse politicians of, and many see them as prioritizing personal interests over
4500-417: A sharp drop in tax revenues. As negotiations began to revise the state budget, Lockyer tried to convince U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to provide a guarantee for state bond payments. "A fiscal meltdown by California ... would surely destabilize the U.S., if not worldwide financial markets," Lockyer wrote to Geithner on May 13. The Obama Administration declined the request. Earlier, Lockyer warned
4650-592: A significant increase. Brown presided over the " dot-com " era at a time when San Francisco's economy was rapidly expanding. His administration included more Asian-Americans, women, Latinos, gays and African Americans than the administrations of his predecessors. Brown was reelected in 1999 , but term limits prevented him from running for a third term, and he was succeeded by his political protégé Gavin Newsom . San Francisco Chronicle called Brown "one of San Francisco's most notable mayors", adding that he had "celebrity beyond
Bill Lockyer - Misplaced Pages Continue
4800-494: A telephone message on Brown's behalf. Brown's campaign spent $ 3.1 million to Ammiano's $ 300,000. The 1999 mayoral race was the subject of the documentary See How They Run . According to Brown, although he was scheduled for a flight to New York City on the day of the September 11, 2001 attacks , he received a "low key warning" in a phone call from a member of his airport security detail, who advised him not to fly. Brown disregarded
4950-525: A year into Schwarzenegger's governorship, Lockyer increasingly felt the Governor's performance was disheartening, marked by inexperience, lack of strong political conviction, and personal braggadocio. In a 2005 interview, Lockyer criticized Schwarzenegger's leadership style as demonstrating an "arrogance of power" with the "odor of Austrian politics", alluding to the Austrian-born Governor's upbringing in
5100-456: Is going to go with that... I'm not going to vote for new taxes just because some mediator told me to." Throughout the budget crisis, Lockyer warned that an impasse would increasingly raise the costs of short-and long-term state borrowing, ultimately as much as an additional $ 7.5 billion in interest over the next 30 years. On July 6, with no budget agreement yet concluded, Fitch Ratings downgraded California's bond rating to BBB, just one notch above
5250-652: Is influenced by their social and work environments, their ideology, and the parties to which they belong, furthermore, the development of means of communication and social media have increased public participation in policy-making, leading to a reformation of politician's identity and increasing the complexity of political work. Politicians are influential people who use rhetoric to impact people as in speeches or campaign advertisements. They are especially known for using common themes, and media platforms that allow them to develop their political positions, developing communication between them and
5400-548: Is those personal experiences that influence a politician's skills and competence, and which determine where politicians focus their resources and attention as leaders. The third pathway refers to biographical characteristics that influence a politician's resource allocation and responses based on characteristics such as race or gender. The fourth pathway is how a politician's biography affects his public perception, which affects politicians' leadership style and their strategy for gaining people's respect. Numerous scholars have studied
5550-512: The Housing Authority . He helped established an AFL-CIO housing trust to build affordable housing and worked to increase the city's share of federal and state grants. He oversaw declining crime rates and improvements in the city's economy, finances, and credit ratings during his first term. Brown was known for his shrewd and strategic use of the planning process's details to affect and facilitate development projects on his watch. In regard to
5700-628: The Three Strikes Law . Critics have claimed Brown did not do enough to raise the legislature's ethical standards or to protect the environment. During his time in Sacramento, he estimates he raised close to $ 75 million to help elect and reelect state Democrats. Brown led efforts in the Assembly for state universities to divest from South Africa and to increase AIDS research funding. He helped obtain state funds for San Francisco, including funding for public health and mental health funds. Brown held up
5850-664: The University of Southern California and the University of California at Irvine .) With his early legislative experience, Lockyer began his own political career as a School Board member of the San Leandro Unified School District , as chair of the Alameda County Democratic Central Committee, and California coordinator of Senator George McGovern's 1972 campaign for the Presidency . Lockyer, who lives in Hayward and Long Beach, California,
6000-424: The political parties they belong to, or public opinion . Politicians sometimes face many challenges and mistakes that may affect their credibility and ability to persuade. These mistakes include corruption resulting from their misuse and exploitation of power to achieve their interests, which requires them to prioritize the public interest and develop long-term strategies. Challenges include how to keep up with
6150-421: The "Ayatollah of the Assembly". Brown was extremely popular in San Francisco, but less so in the rest of the state. Nevertheless, he wielded great control over statewide legislative affairs and political appointments, making it difficult for his conservative opponents to thwart his power. Partially to remove Brown from his leadership position, a state constitutional amendment initiative was proposed and passed by
Bill Lockyer - Misplaced Pages Continue
6300-477: The "Peer Pressure" Bus Patrol program, which paid former gang members and troubled youth to patrol Muni buses. He claimed the program helped reduce crime. He fired Muni chief Phil Adams and replaced him with his chief of staff Emilio Cruz. In 1998, Brown was mayor during the summer of the Muni meltdown as Muni implemented the new ATC system and he promised riders there would be better times ahead. A voter-approved initiative
6450-427: The 1992 state budget for 63 days until Governor Pete Wilson added another $ 1.1 billion for public schools. Brown had a reputation in the Assembly for his ability to manage people. Republican State Senator Ken Maddy of Fresno noted Brown's ability to "size up the situation and create, sometimes on the spot, a winning strategy." According to Hobson, "He was a brilliant daycare operator. ... He knew exactly how to hold
6600-474: The 2003 film Hulk as the mayor of San Francisco. He appeared as himself, alongside Geraldo Rivera , in an episode of Nash Bridges . Brown was criticized in 1996 for his comments that 49ers backup quarterback Elvis Grbac was "an embarrassment to humankind." He was criticized in 1997 for responding to Golden State Warriors player Latrell Sprewell choking his coach P. J. Carlesimo by saying, "his boss may have needed choking." In 1998, Brown contacted
6750-702: The Assembly ranks. He became the Democrats' Assembly whip in 1969. Brown also served on the Assembly Ways and Means Committee. In 1972, he delivered a speech at the Democratic National Convention . He lost his bid for the speakership in 1972. In 1975, Brown authored and lobbied the successful passing of the Consenting Adult Sex Bill that legalized homosexuality in California, thus earning
6900-562: The Bay Trail marked its 20th year in 2009 with 293 miles so far open to hikers, bicyclists, joggers and walkers. As nominal "father" of the Bay Trail, a segment of the shoreline had been named in Lockyer's honor. In 1984, Lockyer sponsored the State's first "hate crimes" legislation which, as later amended, provided that "no person...shall by force or threat of force, willfully injure, intimidate, interfere with, oppress, or threaten any other person in
7050-530: The California State Assembly is able to have a longer tenure than Brown's. Brown gained a reputation for knowing what was occurring in the state legislature at all times. In 1992, he gave $ 1.18 million to the Democratic Party to help with voter registration and several campaigns, some of which was from contributions from tobacco companies and insurance companies. As Speaker, he worked to defeat
7200-647: The December runoff. Brown gained the support of Supervisor Roberta Achtenberg , who had placed third in the first round of voting. He campaigned on working to address poverty and problems with Muni. He called Jordan the "inept bumbler" and criticized his leadership. Jordan criticized Brown for his relations with special interests during his time in the State Assembly. Brown easily defeated Jordan. Brown's inaugural celebration included an open invitation party with 10,000 attendees and local restaurants providing 10,000 meals to
7350-428: The Democratic minority. Brown's long service in the Assembly and political connections, his strong negotiation skills, and the Assembly's tenure system for leadership appointments combined to give Brown nearly complete control over the California legislature by the time he became Assembly Speaker. According to The New York Times , Brown became one of the country's most powerful state legislators. He nicknamed himself
7500-481: The Equal Benefits Ordinance, which required city contractors to give their employees domestic partner benefits. In 1998, he wrote President Clinton a letter urging him to halt a federal lawsuit aimed at closing medical marijuana clubs. One of Brown's central campaign promises was his "100-Day Plan for Muni ", in which he said he would fix the city's municipal bus system in that many days. Brown supported
7650-622: The Japanese television cooking competition Iron Chef , suggesting San Franciscan Chef Ron Siegel to battle one of the Iron Chefs. Brown appeared on the telecast himself. Brown remained neutral in the 2008 presidential campaign. He has worked as a radio talk show host and a pundit on local and national political television shows and is seen as attempting to build credibility by abstaining from endorsing candidates for office. "I've never been high on endorsements," Brown said. "When you get one, all it does
SECTION 50
#17328695871347800-585: The Law , where he also worked as a janitor. He later said that his decision to attend law school was primarily to avoid being drafted. He befriended future San Francisco mayor George Moscone , for whom Brown later managed a campaign. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Brown was one of a few African-Americans practicing law in San Francisco when he opened his own business. He practiced criminal defense law, representing pimps, prostitutes and other clients that more prominent attorneys would not represent. One early case
7950-527: The Legislature ;... It's the job I want, not only because I think I'll be a great executive, but because I think that I can and will lead the best campaign you've ever seen, a winning Democratic campaign of ideas, ideals and inspiration to stake out a great future for California." Lockyer changed his mind four months later, saying that while he felt strongly about the need to improve education and transportation, and to address "the growing disparity" between
8100-568: The Mexican government introduced the Federal Law on Administrative Responsibilities of Public Officials (2002) which establishes professional and accountable standards for officials against corruption and the spoils system. Also, The Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012 in the USA has established corruption to protect federal employees who report corruption, fraud, or other illegal activities within
8250-506: The San Francisco budget to provide for new employees and programs. In 1999, he proposed hiring 1,392 new city workers and proposed a second straight budget with a $ 100 million surplus. He helped oversee the settling of a two-day garbage strike in April 1997. During Brown's tenure, San Francisco's budget increased to $ 5.2 billion and the city added 4,000 new employees. Brown tried to develop a plan for universal health care , but there wasn't enough in
8400-443: The State's debt rating (though still three levels above "junk" status), because of "increasing" risk to debt service payments. And a London firm which tracks speculative "credit default swaps" ranked California ninth in the world among the 10 governmental entities most likely to default on their financial obligations. A Lockyer spokesman called this assessment "ludicrous", and Lockyer himself continued to insist, as he had done throughout
8550-502: The State's efforts to prod local Police to provide accurate data, some of the information was outdated; and that, as the ACLU contended, there were too few restrictions to protect the civil liberties of those who had already completed their sentences . But the website did draw enormous public interest, receiving over 186,000,000 "hits" from more than 16,000,000 individual users in its first year of operation. Another large-scale bio-tech challenge
8700-403: The accidental death of his political mentor, Bay Area Assemblyman Robert W. Crown . He served in the legislature for the next twenty-five years, more than half that time in the state senate, where, in 1994, he was chosen by his peers to be President Pro Tem, the most powerful position of the upper legislative house. In his spare time, Lockyer attended law school classes in Sacramento and received
8850-400: The accused politicians remains largely unaffected. They will therefore have a negative impact on the credibility of media platforms, and this distrust may extend to the media institutions as a whole that politicians use to communicate with people. Regarding the challenges of gender dynamics, particularly the role of women in politics , some recent research focuses on the life path of women in
9000-446: The backlog of unanalyzed blood samples had been eliminated, leading to identification of suspects in homicide cases more than 15 years old. But then a voter-approved measure of 2004 that allowed police to gather DNA, not just from convicted violent criminals, but from anyone arrested, even without charge or conviction, for any felony, violent or otherwise led Lockyer himself to express reservations. "I personally wouldn't have put arrests in
9150-557: The bay to reduce flight delays. Allegations of political patronage followed Brown from the state legislature through his mayoralty. Former Los Angeles County GOP assemblyman Paul Horcher , who voted in 1994 to keep Brown as speaker, was reassigned to a position with a six-figure salary as head of San Francisco's solid waste management program. Brian Setencich was also appointed to a position by Brown. Both were hired as special assistants after losing their Assembly seats because they supported Brown. Former San Francisco supervisor Bill Maher
SECTION 60
#17328695871349300-586: The board were up for election. The voters elected a new group of supervisors that ran on changing the city's development policy. Voters also passed a measure that weakened the mayor's control over the Planning Commission and Board of Appeals. The new majority limited Brown's power over the Elections Department, the Police Commission, and extending San Francisco International Airport's runways into
9450-436: The budget to do so. He put in long days as mayor, scheduling days of solid meetings and, at times, conducting two meetings at the same time. Brown opened City Hall on Saturdays to answer questions. He would later claim of his mayorship that he helped restore the city's spirit and pride. Brown's opponents in his 1999 mayoral reelection campaign were former mayor Jordan and Clint Reilly . They criticized Brown for spending
9600-493: The careers of other politicians. Brown noted that the difference between Harris and other politicians he had helped was that "Harris is the only one who, after I helped her, sent word that I would be indicted if I 'so much as jaywalked' while she was D.A. That's politics for ya." After leaving the mayor's office, Brown considered running for the State Senate but ultimately declined. From January through September 2006, he hosted
9750-493: The characteristics of politicians and in economic class to explain characteristics impact on politicians' effectiveness and electoral success, comparing politicians involves different dimensions such as level of government (the local and national levels), political ideology (liberal or the more conservative), economic class , and comparing the more successful and less successful in terms of elections. Demographic factors such as age, gender, education, income, and race/ethnicity, play
9900-704: The city payroll. Brown's romantic relationship with Alameda County deputy district attorney Kamala Harris preceded his appointment of Harris to two California state commissions in the mid-1990s. The San Francisco Chronicle called the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board and the California Medical Assistance Commission patronage positions. When the appointments became a political issue in Harris's 2003 race for District Attorney, she responded: "Whether you agree or disagree with
10050-542: The city's $ 1 billion in budget growth without addressing its major problems and creating an environment of corruption and patronage at City Hall. Tom Ammiano was a late write-in candidate and faced Brown in the runoff election. Brown won reelection by a 20-point margin. Most major developers and business interests supported him. Ammiano campaigned on a promise that he would raise the hourly minimum wage to $ 11 and scrutinize corporate business taxes. Brown repeatedly claimed that Ammiano would raise taxes. President Clinton recorded
10200-638: The city's boundaries." He retired from politics after leaving the office in 2004, published an autobiography, and continued to fundraise and advise politicians. Brown was born on March 20, 1934, in Mineola , a small segregated town in East Texas marked by racial tensions, to Minnie Collins Boyd and Lewis Brown. He was the fourth of five children. During Brown's childhood, mob violence periodically erupted in Mineola, keeping African-Americans from voting. His first job
10350-473: The city's expense as a whole. Supporters point to the many development projects completed or planned under his watch, including the restoration of City Hall and historic waterfront buildings; the setting in motion of one of the city's largest ever mixed-use development projects in Mission Bay , and the development of a second campus for the University of California, San Francisco . In contrast, critics objected to
10500-407: The city's relations with Critical Mass had changed. On the 10th anniversary of Critical Mass on September 27, 2002, the city officially closed down four blocks to automobile traffic for the annual Car-Free Day Street Fair. Brown said of the event, "I'm delighted. A new tradition has been born in our city." As mayor, Brown was criticized for aggregating power and favoring certain business interests at
10650-418: The construction of many live-work loft buildings in formerly working-class neighborhoods that they believed led to gentrification and displacement of residents and light industry . Under Brown, City Hall was restored from damages sustained during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake . He insisted on restoring the light courts and having the dome gilded with more than $ 400,000 in real gold . The Embarcadero
10800-494: The consummate politician that when an actor playing a party politician in 1990's The Godfather Part III did not understand director Francis Ford Coppola 's instruction to model his character after Brown, Coppola fired the actor and hired Brown himself to play the role. Brown later appeared in 2000's Just One Night as a judge. He also played himself in two Disney films, George of the Jungle and The Princess Diaries , and in
10950-452: The country's most powerful state legislators. As a legislator, Brown earned a reputation as a supporter of civil rights of gays and lesbians and was able to manage colleagues and maintain party discipline. He served as the speaker of the California State Assembly from 1980 to 1995. His long tenure and powerful position were used as a focal point of the California ballot proposition limiting
11100-475: The court in 2007 (while Dunn was battling terminal cancer) in the "interests of justice". An initiative to recall newly re-elected Governor Gray Davis qualified for the ballot in July 2003, with a special election, scheduled for October, to include both a referendum on the recall itself and a list of candidates vying to replace Davis if the recall succeeded. With some arm-twisting by U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein , all
11250-498: The crisis, that the threat of default was "infinitesimally small... short of a thermonuclear war." Two days later, on July 16, Lockyer stated, “I call on the Governor and Legislature to focus exclusively on what it takes to bring this year’s budget back in balance, honestly and immediately. I urge them to...quit adding or resurrecting endless ideological debating points, and to stop using budget negotiations to score points with political allies or against partisan opponents." He added that
11400-525: The critics rushed toward court, "someone shouted out to them that the building had disappeared over the weekend. They've never recovered from that little maneuver." During his mayoralty, Brown hoped to build a new stadium for the San Francisco 49ers and worked with them to create a plan. No new facility was built for the team during his tenure. Brown worked with the San Francisco Giants to build
11550-455: The development of social media and confronting biased media, in addition to discrimination against them on the basis of gender , race , or belief, which requires them to adapt their communications to engage citizens, confront discrimination, and spread their message effectively. Politicians are people who participate in policy-making, in a multifaceted variety of positions of responsibility both domestically and internationally. The role of
11700-404: The dividing line between investment grade and speculative grade "junk" bonds. A Lockyer spokesman estimated that this downgrade alone would represent an immediate "hit of hundreds of millions of dollars" in higher credit costs. As California continued to issue IOUs to cover $ 350 million in short-term debt, the formal standing of California bonds continued to decline. Moody's joined Fitch in cutting
11850-434: The electorate in 1990, imposing term limits on state legislators. Brown became the focus of the initiative, and raised just under $ 1 million to defeat it. The California legislature challenged the law, but the courts upheld it. California Proposition 140 also cut the legislature's staff budget by 30 percent, causing Brown to reduce legislative staff by at least 600. Under current California term-limits law, no speaker of
12000-564: The end of Brown's mayoralty. In retirement, Brown continued to participate in fundraising for and advising other politicians. In late 2012, Brown became the regulatory lawyer for Wingz , a ride-sharing service. In that capacity, he represented the company before the California Public Utilities Commission , which was creating new regulations to legalize the ability of transportation network companies to operate ridesharing services in California. As mayor, Brown
12150-400: The fall of 2008, with the economy faltering, the legislature very belatedly passed what Los Angeles Times political columnist George Skelton called "another atrocious, short-sighted, gimmicky budget that set a record for procrastination" and "wreaked havoc all across California among small business vendors, healthcare centers and nursing homes that couldn't be paid by the state until a budget
12300-579: The first state regulation of trucks hauling toxic substances on California roads and highways, which preceded federal policies adopted by the EPA. Lockyer considered his greatest environmental achievement to be his 1987 bill to create a Bay Trail, which he envisioned as an eventual 500-mile-long hiking and cycling path, a continuous recreational corridor, with adjacent bayshore parks and protected natural habitats, that would entirely encircle San Francisco and San Pablo Bays. Requiring city, county and regional cooperation,
12450-520: The first to focus on local government in the country. Brown gave its library a collection of his artifacts, videotapes and legislative papers from his 40 years in public office. He is also planning to mentor students, teach a course on leadership, and recruit guest speakers. On February 5, 2008, Simon & Schuster released Brown's hardcover autobiography, Basic Brown: My Life and Our Times , with collaborator P. J. Corkery. The book release coincided with California's Democratic presidential primary on
12600-482: The free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him or her by the Constitution or laws of this state or by the Constitution or laws of the United States because of the other person's race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, gender, or sexual orientation, or because he or she perceives that the other person has one or more of those characteristics." Later, as Attorney General, Lockyer
12750-413: The government. Mattozzi and Merlo argue that politicians typically follow two main career paths in modern democracies. The first is career politicians who remain in government until retirement. The second is political careerists, who have gained a reputation for their experience at various levels of government such as international, federal, state, and local governments, they often leave politics and start
12900-658: The governor and legislature gets us on the right track..." When the Toyota corporation announced it would close the NUMMI auto plant in Fremont, California , after its long-time partner in the facility, General Motors , pulled out of the partnership, Lockyer appointed a blue-ribbon commission that publicized the adverse economic consequences of plant closure and the unemployment of several thousand workers, and pleaded with Toyota to reconsider. The company refused. But then Lockyer, working behind
13050-548: The hand of his Assembly members. He dominated California politics like no other politician in the history of the state". From 1975 to 1978, Brown supported the Peoples Temple , led by Jim Jones , while it was being investigated for alleged criminal wrongdoing. Brown attended the Temple perhaps a dozen times and served as master of ceremonies at a testimonial dinner for Jones where he said in his introduction, "[l]et me present to you
13200-469: The homeless. President Bill Clinton called Brown to congratulate him, and the congratulations were broadcast to the crowd. He delivered his inaugural address without notes and led the orchestra in "The Stars and Stripes Forever". He arrived at the event in a horse-drawn carriage. In 1996, more than two-thirds of San Franciscans approved of Brown's job performance. As mayor, he made several appearances on national talk shows. Brown called for expansions to
13350-488: The immunity from prosecution they receive as politicians results in further corruption and evasion from legal punishment, as represented by the immunity bath depiction by J.J. Hanberg Willie Brown (politician) Willie Lewis Brown Jr. (born March 20, 1934) is an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party , he served as mayor of San Francisco from 1996 to 2004 as the first African American to hold
13500-469: The influence of his office in the aid of various environmental causes. These attempts included: Based on such state programs, Lockyer also sponsored federal legislation (H.R.3525,“Private Activity Bonds for Clean Energy Projects”) introduced in July 2009 by California Congressman Mike Thompson to provide tax-exempt bond financing nationally for private sector Renewable Energy projects, Zero-emission vehicle purchases, and "green" manufacturing facilities. In
13650-479: The integrity of government positions. A notable example of government reform over time are The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act of 1883 passed by the U.S. Congress to combat corruption, favoritism in hiring, and the spoils system. It advocated hiring based on merit and protected civil servants from political influence. In the modern century, many laws have been put in place to protect employees and reduce corruption and favoritism in employment, for example,
13800-566: The interests of advancing and preserving economic and industrial development." While Attorney General, in 2006, Lockyer and his staff conducted a criminal investigation into the Hewlett-Packard pretexting scandal to ascertain whether or not the investigators authorized by Chairman Patricia C. Dunn to discover the source of leaks from within the company illegally obtained the phone records of HP board members and journalists. Charges were subsequently brought against Dunn, which were dismissed by
13950-483: The legislative conference committee that private lenders would be leery of any more "smoke-and-mirrors accounting tricks" and that lawmakers would have to rely heavily on spending cuts to balance the budget: "It seems to me that the kind of budget we will require before the end of June is almost entirely comprised of cuts ... My suggestion to you is don't delay the pain. It's going to be awful, but just get it done. It's going to be worse if it doesn't get done." Lockyer
14100-521: The legislature in 1998, "Capitol insiders took his prolific effectiveness for granted." As a freshman legislator in 1974, Lockyer wrote the first legislation to provide state funding for emergency oil spill decontamination. During his legislative career, as a close ally of environmental pressure groups like the Sierra Club and the Planning and Conservation League , he wrote other environmental laws, including
14250-410: The many actions taken by Lockyer's staff against corporate fraud and malfeasance, the most prominent were related to the state's energy crisis that began in the summer of 2000, marked by rolling blackouts, brownouts and the billions of dollars in price hikes that appeared on consumers' electrical bills. It later emerged that the "crisis" stemmed in part from illegal practices by energy corporations such as
14400-472: The measure," he said, adding that he would also have made it simpler for innocent people to get their information removed from the files – a complaint of civil libertarians who raised the specter of innocent people being kept in the same database as convicted armed felons. This also proved an administrative nightmare, as the backlog eliminated in 2001 had reappeared as a new backlog of 287,000 by 2006, forcing new efforts, with inadequate financial resources, to meet
14550-467: The next year helped improve Muni services. Brown increased Muni's budget by tens of millions of dollars over his tenure. He later said he made a mistake in overpromising with his 100-Day Plan. Brown helped mediate a settlement to the 1997 BART strike. During his first term as mayor, Brown quietly favored the demolition and abolition of the Transbay Terminal to accommodate the redevelopment of
14700-641: The now-defunct Enron . The exposure of these hidden offenses began in August 2000 when Lockyer created an Energy Task Force to launch the State's first investigation of alleged price gouging by power companies. The Wall Street Journal scoffed at million-dollar rewards offered by the Attorney General's office for information about illegal conduct by energy powers, dismissing the allegations as unsupported by clear evidence. But such probes eventually led to some five billion dollars in brokered settlements by Enron and
14850-543: The office. Born in Mineola, Texas , where he graduated from high school, Brown moved to San Francisco in 1951. He graduated from San Francisco State University in 1955 and earned a J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1958, after which he worked as an attorney and was involved in the civil rights movement . He was elected to the California Assembly in 1964, during which he became popular in San Francisco and became known as one of
15000-399: The people. Politicians of necessity become expert users of the media . Politicians in the 19th century made heavy use of newspapers , magazines, and pamphlets, as well as posters to disseminate their messages to appeal to voters' emotions and beliefs in their campaigns. In the 20th century, the scope of media expanded out into radio and television, and a major change occurred as speech
15150-419: The plan, saying criminals could easily obtain unmarked ammunition and that the whole process would create a costly enforcement bureaucracy. Manufacturers also opposed the measure as economically disastrous, since the engraving machines would cost up to half a million dollars each and would make virtually obsolete tens of millions of dollars in existing manufacturing equipment. The bill died in the legislature. Of
15300-465: The police investigation into an incident involving off-duty officers popularly called " Fajitagate ". Brown ended San Francisco's policy of punishing people for feeding the homeless. San Francisco continued to enforce its policy regarding the conduct of the homeless in public places. In 1998, Brown supported forcibly removing homeless people from Golden Gate Park and police crackdowns on the homeless for drunkenness, urinating, defecating, or sleeping on
15450-560: The political field and the challenges surrounding them. For example, there are studies on the "supermader" model in politics in Latin America, which illustrate the difficulties women face and how to balance their home and work and the distinction between women and men that negatively affects their acceptance in political work. . Historically, in patronage-based systems, especially in the 19th century, winning politicians replaced civil servants and government employees who were not protected by
15600-455: The politician has changed dramatically over time, for example, Pericles of Athens played an important role in politics in ancient Greece both in public life and in decision-making as depicted in Philip Foltz's 19th-century painting. Over time the figure of the politician has evolved to include many forms and functions. For example, In the United States of America, George Washington played
15750-474: The positions Lockyer defended matched his own, as when he defended California's 1996 legalization of medical marijuana against federal attacks by the Bush Administration. Lockyer found this particularly satisfying as he had come to strongly support "compassionate use" of Marijuana after living through his mother's and younger sister's deaths from leukemia . In grappling with the sheer size and range of
15900-453: The potential Democratic candidates, including Lockyer, agreed not to run, in the hope that this would strengthen Davis' campaign to defeat the recall. At the start, it appeared that the strongest Republican candidate would be former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan , who had unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for governor the previous year. Lockyer, at the start of August, publicly warned Davis and his political consultants against
16050-512: The public could only access this information about registered sex offenders living in their communities by visiting a police station or calling a 900 toll-line number, until Lockyer's Department, with legislative approval in 2004, launched a public website allowing Internet users, by a simple search, to find personal details about more than 60,000 past sex offenders, and to locate, through an interactive map, such offenders living in their neighborhoods. The website faced initial complaints that, despite
16200-520: The public interests. Politicians in many countries are seen as the “most hated professionals,” and the least trustworthy, leading to public skepticism and constant criticism. In addition, some politicians tend to be negative, this strategy, although it does not enhance their chances of being re-elected or gaining public support, politicians see this negativity as consistent with negative media bias, which increases their chances of securing media access and public attention. Also, lack of accountability and
16350-416: The recall election. Lockyer and Schwarzenegger had been casual friends since Lockyer's state senate years, when the actor had chaired the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, and the two men had together toured charter schools in southern California. Later, Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante announced he would become the only prominent Democrat to place his name on the recall ballot. On October 7, by
16500-514: The relationship between the attorney general and the law enforcement community. Having grown up in the Berkeley 'Sixties atmosphere of anti-police rhetoric, Lockyer, now described by the press as the state's "Top Cop", insisted on attending memorial services for more than 50 officers killed in the line of duty during his years in office. At the same time, Lockyer steered the Justice Department to
16650-465: The rides, calling them "a terrible demonstration of intolerance" and "an incredible display of arrogance." After arrests were made when a Critical Mass event became violent, Brown said, "I think we ought to confiscate their bicycles" and "a little jail time" would teach Critical Mass riders a lesson. On the night of the July 25, 1997, ride, 115 riders were arrested for unlawful assembly , jailed, and had their bicycles confiscated. By 2002, Brown and
16800-414: The rules of government service with their supporters, a so-called “ spoils system .” In response to the corruption this system fostered, government job reforms were introduced. These reforms required elected politicians to work with existing civil servants and officials to pursue long-term public interest goals, rather than simply rewarding their supporters. This shift aimed to reduce corruption and prioritize
16950-548: The same day. On July 20, 2008, Brown began writing a column for the San Francisco Chronicle , a move that drew the ire of some Chronicle staff members and ethicists for the failure to disclose multiple conflicts of interest. In 2009, Brown was defending general construction contractor Monica Ung of Alamo, California . Accused of flouting labor laws and defrauding immigrant construction workers of their wages from laboring on Oakland municipal construction projects, Ung
17100-514: The scenes, helped arrange a new partnership at the NUMMI plant between Toyota and Tesla Motors , an electric car company, which he had assisted in the past through the Treasurer's "Green Wave" investment policies. Three of Lockyer's predecessors as state treasurer – Jesse Unruh , Kathleen Brown , and Phil Angelides – had lost gubernatorial campaigns, and Democratic pundits considered the treasurer's job
17250-597: The sidewalk. Brown introduced job training programs and a $ 11 million drug treatment program. San Francisco, the country's 13th-largest city at the time, had the nation's third-largest homeless population, at a peak of 16,000. In November 1997, Brown requested nighttime helicopter searches in Golden Gate Park. His administration spent hundreds of millions of dollars creating new shelters, supportive housing, and drug treatment centers to address homelessness, but these measures did not end homelessness. In 1996, Brown approved
17400-717: The site for market-rate housing. Centrally located at First and Mission Streets near the Financial District and South Beach , the terminal originally served as the San Francisco terminus for the electric commuter trains of the East Bay Electric Lines , the Key System of streetcars and the Sacramento Northern railroads which ran on the lower deck of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge . Since
17550-497: The speed of spread and interaction. Politicians, who rarely meet voters in person, seek to use the media as a means of communicating with people, winning votes, and obtaining political roles. Some research confirms that the media increases the popularity of a politician, and indicates that negative news has a stronger effect on popularity than positive news. Some research has suggested that politicians tend to use social media more than traditional media because their perception of
17700-521: The state's credit rating was moving "closer and closer to the junk pile... If our credit rating sinks to junk status, the state will find the door to the infrastructure bond market locked shut". One Democratic insider stated that by this "tongue-lashing of legislative leaders", the "ever-blunt" Lockyer "didn't win...any friends in the Capitol". Four days after Lockyer's remarks, the Governor and legislative leaders finally announced they had reached agreement on
17850-488: The state's law enforcement responsibilities, Lockyer confronted, with varying success, several challenges that required his department to give new high-technology support to law enforcement agencies. In 1996, the state legislature had passed California's version of " Megan's Law ", which required authorities to make publicly available registration information provided to local police by former child molesters, rapists and others sex offenders after being released from custody. But
18000-545: The state's rich and poor, he was unwilling "to spend the next 10 years of my life" in the daily "partisan fighting" that plagued governors of both parties. In June 2005, he announced he would instead run for state treasurer. He was elected to that office in November 2006. As treasurer (and ex officio trustee of CalPERS and CalSTRS , the two largest public employee pension funds in the United States) Lockyer tried to use
18150-579: The statement in a letter to the Los Angeles Times , saying, "My anger over the activities of energy barons doesn't come close to my lifelong outrage at the crime of rape. ... I guess I let my anger get the better of me in talking about the mercenary corporate executives who are making life so miserable for millions of Californians." On September 20, 2006, Lockyer filed a lawsuit against what his office referred to as "the big six automakers" for their alleged contributions to global warming . Initial reaction
18300-460: The strong and lasting support of San Francisco's gay community . Similarly, he voted against AB 607, which banned same-sex marriage in 1977, further building his reputation as a supporter of the civil rights of gays and lesbians. During the 1970s, Brown continued to expand his legal practice, including the representation of several major real estate developers. He won the Speakership in 1980. Brown
18450-522: The system, I did the work". Brown's relationship with Harris gained renewed attention in early 2019 after she had become a U.S. senator and ran for president. Brown addressed the questions by publishing a piece in the San Francisco Chronicle titled "Sure, I dated Kamala Harris. So what?" He wrote that he may have "influenced" her career by appointing her to boards and supporting her run for District Attorney, but added that he had also influenced
18600-807: The television-viewing public's rising expectations of law enforcement efficiency. After a Seattle company unveiled a new technology for "coding" individual bullets, Lockyer sponsored the first legislation in the country which would have required all handgun (but not rifle) ammunition sold in California to be engraved with a unique serial identification number. "We are losing too many of our young people to seemingly random shootings and anonymous killers," said Lockyer. The bill "will strip criminals of their anonymity and give law enforcement evidence it can use to quickly and effectively solve more gun crimes." The National Rifle Association and other gun rights groups – already at odds with Lockyer over enforcement of State prohibitions against semi-automatic rifles – strongly condemned
18750-596: The terminal is being planned for redevelopment as a regionwide mass transit hub maintaining the current bus services, but with a new tunnel that would extend the Caltrain commuter rail line from its current terminus at Fourth and Townsend Streets to the site. Since 1992, cyclists riding in San Francisco's monthly Critical Mass bicycle rides had used the "corking" technique at street intersections to block rush-hour cross-traffic. In 1997, Brown approved San Francisco Police Department Chief Fred Lau 's plan to crack down on
18900-503: The termination of streetcar service in 1958, the terminal has seen continuous service as a major bus facility for East Bay commuters; AC Transit buses transport riders from the terminal directly into neighborhoods throughout the inner East Bay. The terminal also serves passengers traveling to San Mateo County and the North Bay aboard SamTrans and Golden Gate Transit buses respectively, and to tourists arriving by bus motorcoach . Today,
19050-446: The terms of state legislators that passed in 1990. During the last of his three allowed post-initiative terms, Brown maintained control of the Assembly despite a slim Republican majority. Near the end of his final term, he decided to run for mayor of San Francisco. During Brown's tenure as mayor of San Francisco, the city's budget was expanded, and real estate development, public works, city beautification, and other city projects saw
19200-662: The traditional media’s influence as a public informant greatly affects their satisfaction with democratic processes. So they prefer to use social media and communicate directly with people in order to have greater control over their message and easier communication. This continuous evolution in media has made politicians adapt their discourse to these diverse and evolving platforms for greater communication and effectiveness. In this century of advanced communications, politicians face challenges and difficulties while communicating with people through various social media platforms . The implicit importance of social media for politics stems from
19350-413: The virtual space these platforms have created for expressing ideas and spreading mutual messages without restrictions. Misinformation , rumors, and discrimination complicate their political behavior and communication with people. Also, Political polarization created by the media plays a role in influencing politicians’ behavior and communications, which reinforces negative campaigns. They also play
19500-641: The warning and was waiting for a ride to the airport for an 8 a.m. Pacific Time flight, when he learned of the attacks. He immediately ordered the city to close schools and courts, concerned over the potential for additional terrorist attacks. In addition, he recommended to representatives of other possible targets in San Francisco, including the Bank of America Tower and Transamerica Pyramid , that they also close. In February 2003, Brown's appointed police chief, Earl Sanders , and several top San Francisco Police Department officials were arrested for conspiring to obstruct
19650-542: Was California's first Black American speaker of the Assembly, and served in the office from 1981 to 1995. In 1990, he helped negotiate an end to a 64-day budget standoff. In 1994, Brown gained the vote of a few Republicans to maintain the Speakership when the Democrats lost control of the Assembly to the Republicans led by Jim Brulte . Brown regained control in 1995 by making a deal with Republican defectors Doris Allen and Brian Setencich , both of whom were elected speaker by
19800-474: Was a sting operation concerning a fake fish company attempting to bribe Brown; he was not charged with a crime. The FBI further investigated Brown from 1998 to 2003 over his appointees at the Airport Commission for potential conflicts of interests. Brown's friend, contributor, and former law client Charlie Walker was given a share of city contracts. Walker had previously thrown several parties for Brown and
19950-405: Was also hired as a special assistant after campaigning for Brown in his first mayoral race. Brown is also accused of favoritism to Carolyn Carpeneti, a philanthropic fundraiser with whom he had a child. In 1998 Brown arranged for Carpeneti to obtain a rent-free office in the city-owned Bill Graham Civic Auditorium . Between then and 2003, a period that included the birth of their daughter, Carpeneti
20100-406: Was also quoted as telling Democratic legislators that, "fair or not", angry voters blamed them for "12 years of flowing red ink". "Why don't you start with the realization that probably none of you are going to be back here next year?", after the 2010 elections. "You're not going to get reelected. Just put the politics out of your brain ... That's a very liberating thought, and with it you can get
20250-690: Was among his biggest fundraisers. He had served jail time in 1984 for violating laws concerning minority contracting. The FBI investigated Walker. The FBI also investigated Brown's approval of expansion of Sutro Tower and SFO. Scott Company, with one prominent Brown backer, was accused of using a phony minority front company to secure an airport construction project. Robert Nurisso was sentenced to house arrest. During Brown's administration, there were two convictions of city officials tied to Brown. Brown reassigned Parking and Traffic chief Bill Maher to an airport job when his critics claimed Maher should have been fired. Brown also put his former girlfriend Wendy Linka on
20400-410: Was an appearance of favoritism and conflicts of interest in the awarding of city contracts and development deals, a perception that large contracts had an undue influence on City Hall, and patronage with the hiring of campaign workers, contributors, legislative colleagues, and friends to government positions. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated Brown when he was speaker. One investigation
20550-771: Was arraigned on dozens of felony fraud charges on August 24, 2009, in Alameda County Superior Court. Brown's decision to defend Ung angered many in the East Bay's labor community. In September 2013, the western span of the Bay Bridge was officially named for Brown. In early 2015, he was named to the board of directors of the San Francisco-based biopharmaceutical company Global Blood Therapeutics. Brown has often been associated with former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger , who served for seven years after
20700-439: Was as a shoeshine boy in a whites-only barber shop. He later worked as a janitor, fry cook and field hand. He learned his strong work ethic at a young age from his grandmother. He graduated from Mineola Colored High School , which he later described as substandard, and left for San Francisco in August 1951 at the age of 17 to live with his uncle. Although Brown did not meet the qualifications for San Francisco State College ,
20850-410: Was enacted." Lockyer was also critical of the budget, describing its budgetary provisions to Skelton as "banana republic financing", based on accounting gimmicks (that "give gimmicks a bad name"), "phony inflated estimates of revenue" and a "boondoggle" of "massive" corporate tax breaks at a time of mounting State deficit. In 2009, it was discovered that the state faced a $ 25 billion deficit, following
21000-633: Was expansion of State Crime Lab facilities to process DNA genetic samples taken from convicted felons, aiming to create the largest state-run DNA criminal data-bank in the country. Since 1988, California law had required blood samples taken from felons convicted of specific sex and violent crimes, in the hope of reinvigorating often “cold” investigations of unsolved crimes. When Lockyer took office, 100,000 of these blood samples were sitting in cold storage, still waiting to be analyzed and compared to DNA taken from crime scene evidence. In June 2001, Lockyer announced that with an expanded DNA Lab staff and new equipment,
21150-493: Was married in April 2003 to public service attorney Nadia Lockyer , a former Alameda County Supervisor, with whom he has three children: a son born in 2004; and two twin sons, born in December 2015. By an earlier marriage, he also has an adult daughter who is an attorney at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Lockyer first won a State Assembly seat in a Special Election of September 4, 1973, following
21300-399: Was meant to ratify a future "peace pact" among all the concerned parties to abide by the compromise. Lockyer, who had acted as mediator during the earlier negotiations, scribbled the terms of the "pact" on a restaurant cloth napkin, and so ended a political war. The compromise bill was then ramrodded through the assembly and state senate on the last night of that year's legislative session, and
21450-461: Was mixed, with some environmental groups being supportive, and an auto industry trade calling it a 'nuisance suit'. A similar suit in New York had been dismissed by a federal court. The California suit was dismissed on September 17, 2007, with the court saying that "The adjudication of plaintiff's claim would require the court to balance the competing interests of reducing global warming emissions and
21600-484: Was now presented visually as well as verbally as evidenced by the Kennedy-Nixon debates , marking a new era where visual media became crucial to campaigns. The twenty-first century has provided wide and diverse media platforms represented by Facebook, and Twitter, which has now become X, Instagram, YouTube, and others. This development has made their rhetorical messages faster, shorter more efficient, and characterized by
21750-402: Was often portrayed mockingly but affectionately by political cartoonists and columnists as a vain emperor, presiding in a robe and crown over the kingdom of San Francisco. He enjoyed the attention this brought to his personal life, disarming friends and critics with humor that directed attention away from the policy agendas he was pursuing. Brown's flamboyant style made him so well known as
21900-536: Was paid an estimated $ 2.33 million by nonprofit groups and political committees, though not all this money went directly to Carpeneti. Brown increased the city's special assistants payroll from $ 15.6 to $ 45.6 million between 1995 and 2001. Between April 29, and May 3, 2001, San Francisco Chronicle reporters Lance Williams and Chuck Finnie released a five-part story on Brown and his relations with city contractors, lobbyists, and city appointments and hires he had made during his mayoralty. The report concluded that there
22050-614: Was redeveloped and the Mission Bay Development project began. Brown also oversaw the approval of the Catellus Development Corp., a $ 100 million restoration of the century-old Ferry Building , the new Asian Art Museum , the new M. H. de Young Memorial Museum , the expansion of the Moscone Convention Center and San Francisco International Airport 's new international terminal. Brown worked to restructure
22200-656: Was responsible for coordinating enforcement of this statute by local law enforcement. On September 10, 1987, while Lockyer chaired the State Senate Judiciary Committee, he and Speaker of the Assembly Willie Brown met at Frank Fat's Restaurant in Sacramento with representatives of bitterly competing special interests – insurance companies, trial lawyers, doctors and manufacturers – to formalize their agreement to "the most sweeping changes in California's civil liability laws in decades". After many days of painstaking negotiations, these warring interests had accepted
22350-474: Was signed into law by Republican governor George Deukmejian . Though it was only Lockyer's "theatrical touch" of writing the agreement on a napkin that made it especially memorable, the "napkin deal" became legendary in the State Capitol. Proudly reproducing the original napkin on a poster titled "Tort-Mania 1987", Lockyer and Brown regarded the special interests compromise and conciliation they had arranged as
22500-465: Was to defend Mario Savio on his first civil disobedience arrest. He quickly became involved in the Civil Rights Movement , leading a well-orchestrated sit-in to protest housing discrimination after a local real estate office refused to work with him because of his race. Brown began his first run for the California State Assembly in 1962 by having local African American ministers pass around
#133866