Al Sturgeon
Member of the Iowa Senate
from the 1st district
In office
12 January 1987 – 8 January 1995
Preceded byMilo Colton
Succeeded bySteven D. Hansen
Member of the Iowa House of Representatives
from the 2nd district
In office
10 January 1983 – 11 January 1987
Preceded byDouglas Ritsema
Succeeded byMichael R. Peters
Member of the Iowa House of Representatives
from the 51st district
In office
12 January 1981 – 9 January 1983
Preceded byDonald V. Doyle
Succeeded byRichard Running
Personal details
Born (1956-02-14) 14 February 1956
Sioux City, Iowa, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationMorningside College (BA)
University of Iowa College of Law (JD)

Al Sturgeon (born 14 February 1956) is an American lawyer and former politician.

Early life and political career

Al Sturgeon is a native of Sioux City, Iowa, born on 14 February 1956. He graduated from East High School and Morningside College in his hometown. Sturgeon was then employed as a consultant to the Northwest Regional Library, and also worked in production for the Continental Baking Company for six and a half years before winning his first statewide legislative election in 1980, representing District 51 of the Iowa House of Representatives as a Democrat. Sturgeon subsequently won reelection to House District 2 in 1982 and 1984. During his third consecutive term as state representative, Sturgeon began attending the University of Iowa College of Law. Sturgeon was elected to the first of two terms on the Iowa Senate in 1986 and completed his Juris Doctor degree in 1989.[1] After defeating Milo Colton in a 1990 party primary,[2] Sturgeon held the Senate District 1 seat until 1995.[1]

After leaving the Iowa General Assembly, Sturgeon later served as chairman of the Woodbury County Democratic Party.[3] He stepped down from the position in 2005, and was succeeded by Tim Bottaro.[4]

Personal life

In April 1986, Sturgeon attended a party with legislative colleagues, and was charged by a grand jury that August with indecent exposure.[5] The charge was filed as a misdemeanor,[6] and Sturgeon pled innocent during a September court hearing.[7] He eventually pled guilty to the lesser charge of disorderly conduct in February 1987.[8] Sturgeon's first application to sit for the Iowa bar exam was rejected due to this controversy.[9] During the legal proceedings for this case, Sturgeon admitted to birthing a child out of wedlock in 1984,[10][11] and agreed to pay child support.[12]

Al Sturgeon's father Harold Allen Sturgeon Sr. died on 31 July 2010.[13] His mother Opal Grace Sturgeon died on 3 April 2020.[14][15]

References

  1. 1 2 "Senator Al Sturgeon". Iowa General Assembly. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  2. ↑ Zerschling, Lynn (31 May 2015). "25 years ago: National Guard jets out of Sioux Falls collide over Royal, Iowa". Sioux City Journal. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  3. ↑ Quinlan, John (7 November 2002). "Election fair in spite of absentee snafu, Gill says". Sioux City Journal. Retrieved 18 September 2022. Nagourney, Adam (29 March 2003). "Antiwar Stance Buoys Howard Dean in Iowa". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 September 2022. Hulse, Carl (23 April 2003). "A Dark Horse Fights the Odds Again". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 September 2022. "Al Sturgeon demands apology from Wieck for conflict of interest". Sioux City Journal. 25 July 2003. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  4. ↑ Hayworth, Bret (10 March 2006). "Woodbury County Democrats meet Saturday, Wolff now chairing group". Sioux City Journal. Retrieved 18 September 2022. Wolff succeeds Sioux City attorney Tim Bottaro, who held the chairman position for one year, taking the last half of a term given up early by Al Sturgeon.
  5. ↑ "2 IOWA LEGISLATORS INDICTED IN BACHELOR PARTY CASE". The New York Times. Associated Press. 19 August 1986. Retrieved 18 September 2022. "Two Legislators Among Five Indicted For Actions At Bachelor Party". Associated Press News. 19 August 1986. Retrieved 18 September 2022. Alternate URL 1, 2, 3
  6. ↑ "Stag party indictments worsen Legislature's 'ugly' image". United Press International. 23 August 1986. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  7. ↑ "A state representative and an exotic dancer, who authorities..." United Press International. 8 September 1986. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  8. ↑ Fowler, Cornell (11 February 1987). "State senator pleads guilty to reduced charge". United Press International. Retrieved 18 September 2022. "Sturgeon pleads guilty to disorderly conduct". The Dispatch. 12 February 1987. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  9. ↑ "Sturgeon pushes to gain law license". Quad-City Times. 11 October 1989. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  10. ↑ "Senator accused in party at Mingo admits paternity". Des Moines Register. 29 January 1987. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  11. ↑ "Sturgeon: Mind your own business". The Dispatch. 4 February 1987. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  12. ↑ "Panel chairman owes agency money". Longview News-Journal. 30 January 1987. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  13. ↑ "Al Sturgeon Sr". Sioux City Journal. 1 August 2010. Retrieved September 19, 2022. Alternate URL
  14. ↑ "Opal G. Sturgeon". Sioux City Journal. 7 April 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2022. Alternate URL
  15. ↑ Sturgeon, Al (10 May 2020). "The regulars: first Mother's Day without mom, Opal Sturgeon, arrives". Sioux City Journal. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
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