Joseph B. Montoya
Member of the California State Senate
from the 26th district
In office
December 4, 1978 – February 9, 1990
Preceded byAlfred H. Song
Succeeded byCharles Calderon
Member of the California State Assembly
In office
January 8, 1973 – November 30, 1978
Preceded byWilliam Campbell
Succeeded bySally Tanner
Constituency50th district (1973–1974)
60th district (1977–1978)
Personal details
Born(1939-04-30)April 30, 1939
Rocky Ford, Colorado, U.S.
DiedJune 21, 2022(2022-06-21) (aged 83)
Sacramento, California, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Pilar Gonzalez
Rita Stephenson
Children4

Joseph Bernardino Montoya Jr. (April 30, 1939 – June 21, 2022) was an American politician who served in the California State Legislature from 1973 to 1990. He served in the State Assembly from 1973 to 1978 from 50th and 60th districts, and in the California State Senate from the 26th district from 1978 until his resignation in 1990. Prior to that, he was a member of the La Puente City Council and served as Mayor of La Puente.

His political career was cut short due his Montoya being indicted on the BRISPEC sting operation, and he was convicted of extortion, money laundering, and racketeering. He was imprisoned for five years, being released in 1995.[1]

Early life and career

Montoya was born on April 30, 1939, in Rocky Ford, Colorado to Joseph and Rosalia Maria Montoya. When he was a teenager, his family moved to California, where he attended and graduated from La Puente High School and later the University of California, Los Angeles after serving four years in the United States Air Force.[2][3][4]

Political career

In 1968, he was elected to the La Puente City Council, serving until his election to the State Assembly.[5] In 1970, Montoya ran for California State Assembly for the 50th district against incumbent William Campbell, and was endorsed by the Congress of Mexican American Unity.[6][3] He lost the election, but two years later due to redistricting, the seat was now vacant. He won the election narrowly against his opponent, Kieth W. Miller, in 1972.[7]

In 1978, Montoya announced that he would be challenging incumbent Alfred H. Song for the Democratic nomination for State Senate, using an investigation into Song by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for political corruption.[8] Running as a "good government" candidate, Montoya defeated Song and won the Democratic nomination for State Senate in the 26th district.[9]

Montoya was convicted of all but three counts, with other Senators calling on him to resign before he would be expelled from the Senate.[10] On February 5, 1990, the Senate Rules Committee stripped Montoya of his committee memberships and gave him the deadline of February 8 to resign or he would face expulsion; he resigned on February 9, saying in a speech that he would be cleared of the charges.[11] He was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison.[12][13] In 1991, the Court of Appeals reversed the conviction of Montoya on five of the seven counts.[14] The Court did not ask for Montoya to be released, but instead asked to reduce his sentence.[15] He was released from prison in 1995.[5]

Personal life

Montoya was married to Pilar Gonzalez in 1960, with the couple living in La Puente.[3] Sometime afterwards, he married Rita Stephenson. Montoya had four children and one stepchild. He died in Sacramento, California on June 21, 2022.

References

  1. ↑ Paddock, Richard C. (April 26, 1990). "Montoya Gets 6 1/2 Years in Prison : Ex-Lawmaker Put His Office 'Up for Sale,' Judge Says". Los Angeles Times.
  2. ↑ "As FBI Takes Aim in Capitol, Four Legislators Appear in the Sights: Joseph Montoya: Not Afraid to Fight". Los Angeles Times. September 12, 1988.
  3. 1 2 3 "50TH DISTRICT: Assembly Incumbent Faces Tough Odds". Los Angeles Times. October 25, 1970.
  4. ↑ Newman, Martha (December 28, 1989). "Montoya Trial Brings Dismay to District : Politics: Gloom deepens in the San Gabriel Valley as the testimony continues. But the state senator is not without his supporters". Los Angeles Times.
  5. 1 2 Vassar, Alex (April 6, 2017). "Where are they now? Joseph Montoya". Capitol Weekly.
  6. ↑ "CMAU announces top endorsements". Belvedere Citizen / Eastside Journal. Vol. 37, no. 42. October 15, 1990.
  7. ↑ Ward, Mike (November 11, 1972). "Winning Democrat Bitter at Foe's Tactic Labeling Him McGovernite". Los Angeles Times.
  8. ↑ Ingram, Carl (February 15, 1990). "Montoya Case Turns the Tables for Ex-Sen. Song". Los Angeles Times.
  9. ↑ Woo, Elaine (October 14, 2004). "Alfred H. Song, 85; Legislature's First Asian American Left Under a Cloud". Los Angeles Times. Montoya, who had run as a "good government" candidate, attacked the incumbent in a tabloid-style mailer that suggested, as Song put it, that "I was going to be indicted tomorrow." Song came in a distant third in the three-way race and faded into political oblivion.
  10. ↑ Paddock, Richard C. (February 3, 1990). "Montoya Convicted on 7 Corruption Charges : Justice: State senator is found guilty of trading his vote for money. Colleagues pressure him to resign before he is ousted". Los Angeles Times.
  11. ↑ Paddock, Richard C. (February 9, 1990). "Montoya Quits Senate, Says He Will Be Cleared". Los Angeles Times.
  12. ↑ Paddock, Richard C. (April 27, 1990). "Montoya Gets 6 1/2 Years in Prison for Selling His Vote". Los Angeles Times.
  13. ↑ Keyser, Marc (July 11, 1990). "Poor Taxpayer's Almanac: Political Corruption and Dirty Money". News-Ledger. Vol. 27, no. 28.
  14. ↑ Jacobs, Paul (October 11, 1991). "Aides found guilty in Capitol sting". The California Aggie. Vol. 110, no. 129.
  15. ↑ Paddock, Richard C. (September 21, 1991). "5 Extortion Verdicts Against Montoya Upset Corruption: Convictions for racketeering, money-laundering are upheld. Sentence will be reviewed". Los Angeles Times.
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