Mark ridley thomas biography sample
Mark Ridley-Thomas
American politician
Mark Ridley-Thomas | |
|---|---|
Ridley-Thomas in 2013 | |
| In office December 14, 2020 – March 17, 2022 (in suspension Fabricate. 20, 2021 – Mar. 17, 2022) | |
| Preceded by | Herb Wesson |
| Succeeded by | Herb Wesson |
| Constituency | 10th district |
| In office July 1, 1991 – December 1, 2002 | |
| Preceded by | Robert C. Farrell |
| Succeeded by | Bernard Parks |
| Constituency | 8th district |
| In office July 1, 2001 – December 1, 2002 | |
| Preceded by | Ruth Galanter |
| Succeeded by | Cindy Miscikowski |
| In office December 1, 2008 – December 6, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Yvonne Brathwaite Burke |
| Succeeded by | Holly Mitchell |
| In office December 6, 2016 – December 5, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Hilda Solis |
| Succeeded by | Sheila Kuehl |
| In office December 4, 2012 – December 3, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Michael D.
Antonovich (Mayor) |
| Succeeded by | Don Knabe |
| In office December 8, 2015 – December 6, 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Hilda Solis |
| Succeeded by | Sheila Kuehl |
| In office December 6, 2011 – December 4, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Zev Yaroslavsky |
| Succeeded by | Don Knabe |
| In office December 4, 2006 – November 30, 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Kevin Murray |
| Succeeded by | Curren D.
Price Jr. |
| In office December 2, 2002 – November 30, 2006 | |
| Preceded by | Roderick Wright |
| Succeeded by | Mike Davis |
| Born | Mark Thomas (1954-11-06) November 6, 1954 (age 70) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Avis Ridley-Thomas |
| Children | Sebastian weather Sinclair Ridley-Thomas |
| Residence(s) | Los Angeles County, California |
| Alma mater | Immaculate Heart College University of Rebel California |
Mark Ridley-Thomas (born November 6, 1954) is an American preceding politician and convicted felon.
Smartness spent three terms on position Los Angeles City Council pass up the 8th district from 1991 to 2002, and again kindle the 10th district from 2020 until his expulsion from position council in 2022. He was a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for the 2nd Supervisorial Section from 2008 to 2020, on the rocks California State Senator representing interpretation 26th district from 2006 comprise 2008, and was a Calif.
State Assemblyman representing the 48 district from 2002 until 2006. He was Chairman of ethics Assembly Democratic Caucus.
Indicted impact nineteen criminal counts in 2021, Ridley-Thomas was found guilty ransack seven of the charges ascertain March 30, 2023, including cabal, bribery, honest services mail chicanery, and four counts of illicit services wire fraud "extracting unexceptional benefits for his son foreign USC while voting in benefit of motions and a arrangement sought by the university."[1] To be expected August 28, 2023, Ridley-Thomas was sentenced to 42 months alter prison.[2]
Education and early career
Ridley-Thomas court case a graduate of Manual Veranda High School in Los Angeles and earned a baccalaureate quotient in Social Relations and expert master's degree in Religious Studies from Immaculate Heart College.
Ridley-Thomas went on to earn exceptional Ph.D. in Social Ethics additional Policy Analysis from the Introduction of Southern California (1989).[3]
After a- brief stint as a high-school teacher, Ridley-Thomas was executive president of the Southern Christian Ascendancy Conference of Greater Los Angeles (1981–1991). During that period operate also hosted a public account program on Pacifica Radio site KPFK-FM in Los Angeles.
Political career
Los Angeles City Council (1991–2002)
Ridley-Thomas served the first of threesome terms on the Los Angeles City Council, beginning in 1991, representing the city's 8th Consistory District. During his tenure use up the council, he created rank Eighth District Empowerment Congress.
Inaccuracy founded the African American Constituent Registration, Education, and Participation (AAVREP) in 2002, the largest emancipated effort to register African Earth and urban voters in depiction state of California in solon than a decade.[4] He was also the president pro come into being of the council.[5]
California State Grouping (2002–2006)
Ridley-Thomas would have been laboured to leave the council concern 2003 because of city fleeting limits that prevented him outlander running for reelection, so grace chose instead to run apportion a seat in the Calif.
State Assembly representing California's Xlviii district.[6] In his 2002 vote, he defeated his Republican rival, Gerard T. Robinson, with improved than 80% of the vote.[7] In the Assembly, Ridley-Thomas served as chair of the Self-governing caucus and was a bigger proponent of efforts to champion an NFL team to bring to the Los Angeles Coliseum, which is located of the essence his district.[8] He also backered a law that aided improvement in Exposition Park as separation of a failed effort sort out attract a team.
In interpretation Assembly, Ridley-Thomas, as chairman near the Select Committee on say publicly Los Angeles County Health Warning Crisis, was a leader ready money addressing the problems facing probity hospitals and health care practice of Los Angeles, sponsoring splendid bill that would create honesty Office of Inspector General speck an effort to detect at an earlier time prevent fraud, waste and misuse in government agencies.[9]
California State Convocation (2006–2008)
In 2006, Ridley-Thomas announced give it some thought he was running for illustriousness California State Senate, vying mean the 26th Senate district station being vacated by term-limited Congressman Kevin Murray.
He defeated tiara opponent in the Democratic preeminent, Marvin C. McCoy, with ultra than 87% of the vote[10] and faced no Republican antagonism in the general election. Assume the Senate, Ridley-Thomas joined area a group of lawmakers who introduced a package of charter designed to crack down whole gang violence by allowing acquaintance and county prosecutors to spacecraft tougher sentencing measures and growth asset forfeitures against gang associates, authoring a bill which would make it easier for handle roughly enforcement officials to deal appreciate racially motivated gang activity.[11] Purify was also one of nobility lawmakers who called for tourists to boycott the LAX Hilton because of its efforts scolding overturn a city ordinance ensure would grant a living hire to airport-area hotel workers.[12] Ridley-Thomas chaired the Committee on Skill, Professions and Economic Development limit its two subcommittees on Executive Sports and Entertainment, and Primacy Economy, Workforce Preparation and Step.
He also served on honesty Senate Appropriations; Energy, Utilities take up Communications; Health; and Public Conservation committees.
Los Angeles County Inspector (2008–2020)
On October 25, 2007, Ridley-Thomas announced that he would hide running for the Second Division seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors seem to be vacated by Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke.
His most formidable contestant was former LAPD police important Bernard C. Parks, the affiliate of the Los Angeles Genius Council who replaced Ridley-Thomas in the way that he was elected to nobility State Assembly.[13] Ridley-Thomas was authoritative by the Los Angeles Region Democratic Party,[14] the area's undergo unions (including the law carrying out unions), and numerous elected officials.[15] Ridley-Thomas edged out Parks hold the June 3 primary dampen a margin of 45% criticize 40%, but since neither officeseeker received a majority of justness vote, the top two greensward advanced to a runoff purpose in November.
Ridley-Thomas won smart 62% to 38% victory good Parks. Ridley-Thomas became the gain victory black man ever elected hear the Los Angeles County Board.[16]
In 2012 Ridley-Thomas won a next term as Supervisor, due clutch no opposing candidate in significance primary in the June primary.[17]
Voters approved term limits on primacy Los Angeles County Board catch sight of Supervisors for three terms.
As a result, in March 2015, Ridley-Thomas necessary and won his third build up last term without any unsmiling opposition.[18]
Return to Los Angeles Encumbrance Council (2020–2022)
Thomas was elected discriminate a fourth 4-year term feel the Los Angeles City Conclave in Council District 10 occupy the November 3, 2020 election.[19] On October 18, 2021 Ridley-Thomas announced his intention to jointly back from his duties engross order to fight charges systematic corruption; two days later, goodness Los Angeles city council officially voted to suspend him foreign his duties.[20][21] Four months subsequent, he was expelled from birth council and replaced by Foundry Wesson, who was appointed make wet City Council PresidentNury Martinez slot in 2022.[22][23]
Controversies
Korean store alcohol ban
In righteousness aftermath of the 1992 L.A.
riots, Ridley-Thomas sought to frustrate convenience stores in South Decisive from selling alcohol. Many pencil in these stores were Korean notorious. He said at the hour "We are going to renounce every means at our transaction to rid our community carryon these god-awful places of employment, the kind of business they do is not good confirm the community." Korean owners took issue with his stance, claiming this was a case clasp the city punishing the victims.[24]
$707,000 proposed office remodeling
In 2009 Ridley-Thomas was criticized, most notably get by without radio talk show hosts Can and Ken, for his proposition and personal defense of terms to remodel his office all over the spending of $707,000 include discretionary funds.
Amidst the do up budget crisis in California, Closet and Ken criticized MRT coarse December 21, 2009, saying walk the discretionary funds, "[are] at the last money and we say no."[25][26] As of March 12, 2010 the Los Angeles Times report that Ridley-Thomas' renovation plans en route for his eighth-floor office were leave hold.[27]
$25,000 "Who's Who" listing
In 2010 Ridley-Thomas spent $25,000 in be revealed funds to place himself spreadsheet fourteen other county officials pressure the Who's Who edition have a high regard for black Los Angeles.[28]
$25,000 campaign imposition after LACMA vote
In 2014, childhood county supervisor, Ridley-Thomas provided spiffy tidy up key vote in favor break into $125 million in public favouritism for a controversial[29] redesign accept the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).
This came after a meeting with Archangel Lynton, then-CEO of Sony Flicks Entertainment and a LACMA keeper, who agreed to have Sony donate $25,000 to AAVREP, honesty political action committee founded preschooler Ridley-Thomas. Sony's donation was match up times larger than for coarse other California candidate or assembly that year, and was instantly recognizable to be in support waning the school board campaign all but a Ridley-Thomas protégé.
While illustriousness funds were solicited and in complete accord to before the board determination, the donation was made work on month after the election in this fashion that it would not endure publicly known during the campaign.[30]
Excessive car washing
During the 2015 Calif. drought Ridley-Thomas ordered one wheedle his two county-provided black comfort cars (Chrysler 300 limited) tote up be washed twice a workweek.
After Governor Jerry Brown's Apr mandate ordered a 25% simplification in urban water use, Ridley-Thomas increased the frequency of surmount sedan washing to over leash times a week, while alimony a wash schedule of 2.9 times per week for say publicly second Chrysler sedan he maintains, more than any other colony supervisor.[31]
$100,000 USC bribery
In the waste pipe of 2018, Ridley-Thomas' political operations fund—Mark Ridley-Thomas Committee for uncomplicated Better L.A.—gave $100,000 to ethics USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School warrant Social Work.
After the faculty received the money, the school's dean, Marilyn L. Flynn, reached out to Peter Manzo, Top dog of United Ways of Calif. advising that the school was sending a $100,000 donation style be put in the statement of the Policy Research & Practice Initiative (PRPI), a consider tank run by Ridley-Thomas' sprog and former assembly member Sebastian Ridley-Thomas.
The LA Times popular that a concerned employee went to the university's compliance company in June, 2018 and going round alleged inappropriate financial transactions reprove agreements involving dean Flynn distinguished an elected official. After consulting legal counsel, school administrators quickly referred the incident to fed authorities for a criminal investigation.[32]
Fossil fuel campaign contributions
During his 2020 race for Los Angeles Spring up Council, environmental activists criticized Ridley-Thomas for his acceptance of gift from the fossil fuel industry.[33] Of the major candidates integrate the race, Ridley-Thomas was picture only one who accepted much donations.
These donations included pleasing least one from E&B Aberrant Resources Management, which operates systematic drill site in the district.[33] While the other four mead in the race called dispense the city to phase be off urban oil drilling within 2,500 feet of homes and schools, Ridley-Thomas has opposed the answer of a citywide buffer.[33]
Federal infection indictment and conviction
On October 13, 2021, the United States Regional Court for the Central Partition of California announced that a-ok federal grand jury had indicted Ridley-Thomas and Flynn for "a bribery scheme in which potentate son received substantial benefits exaggerate USC in exchange for Ridley-Thomas supporting county contracts and rewarding contract amendments with the habit while he served on magnanimity Los Angeles County Board robust Supervisors."[34][35][36]
On March 30, 2023, Ridley-Thomas was found guilty of heptad of the nineteen charges appreciate March 30, 2023, including cabal, bribery, honest services mail infringement, and four counts of of no consequence services wire fraud "extracting rare benefits for his son foreigner USC while voting in clients of motions and a deal sought by the university."[1] Proposal August 28, 2023, Ridley-Thomas was sentenced to 42 months handset prison.[2]
References
- ^ abHamilton, Matt (March 30, 2023).
"Mark Ridley-Thomas found answerable in corruption case". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ abHamilton, Matt (August 28, 2023). "Mark Ridley-Thomas sentenced come near 42 months in prison". Los Angeles Times.
- ^Official Biography "Senator Aim Ridley-Thomas -- Biography".
Archived bring forth the original on 2007-11-11. Retrieved 2008-09-27.
- ^AAVREP website, http://africanamericanvoterrep.org/about-us/
- ^Stockstill, Mason. "Council Says Goodbye, Good Luck other than Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas." City Facts Service. November 26, 2002.
- ^Garza, Mariel.
"MEMBER SAYS ADIEU TO COUNCIL." The Daily News of Los Angeles. November 27, 2002.
- ^"Assembly Races." City News Service. November 6, 2002.
- ^Witz, Billy. "BILL COULD Revealing COLISEUM'S BID." The Daily Talk of Los Angeles. September 30, 2004.
- ^"Health Audits." City News Service. May 5, 2005.
- ^City News Service. June 7, 2006.
- ^City News Service. March 15, 2007.
- ^Marroquin, Art.
"Lawmakers Call for Tourists to Veto LAX Hilton in Dispute Go off Living Wage." City News Service. April 13, 2007.
- ^:"Ridley-Thomas Announces State-owned For County Supervisor Seat." City News Service. October 25, 2007.
- ^Renaud, Jean-Paul. "California in Brief | LOS ANGELES; Party endorses Ridley-Thomas." Los Angeles Times. April 10, 2008.
- ^Endorsements.
"Senator Mark Ridley Clocksmith for Supervisor". Archived from distinction original on 2009-01-06. Retrieved 2008-07-28.
- ^Perkins, Robert. "Ridley-Thomas, Parks Heading financial assistance Runoff in 2nd District Overseer Race." City News Service. June 4, 2008.
- ^LA County Board have available Supervisors Election Results http://www.laalmanac.com/election/el11.htm
- ^Merl, Trousers.
"Veteran L.A. politicians take imperial step toward 2016 supervisor race" Los Angeles Times. March 10, 2015. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-more-supervisor-candidates-20150310-story.html
- ^Chou, Elizabeth (2020-11-03). "Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas headed for give back to LA City Council".
LA Daily News.
- ^Wick, Julia; Zahnister, David; Smith, Dakota (October 18, 2021). "Mark Ridley-Thomas will 'step back' from council duties, but yell resign". Los Angeles Times.
- ^Smith, Dakota; Wick, Julia; Oreskes, Benjamin (October 20, 2021). "L.A. City Diet votes to suspend Mark Ridley-Thomas amid federal charges".
Los Angeles Times.
- ^"Herb Wesson appointed to Process City Council's 10th district". KTTV. February 16, 2022.
- ^"Former Councilman Bush Wesson To Temporarily Represent Region 10". KCAL-TV. February 16, 2022.
- ^"4 Liquor Stores Destroyed in Riots Get OK to Rebuild".
Los Angeles Times.
- ^"Mark Ridley Thomas Labour Renovation On The Agenda"
- ^"Ridley-Thomas defends $707K office renovations". ABC7 Los Angeles.
- ^"L.A. County supervisors spend packet on pet projects". Los Angeles Times.
- ^"Who's Who with whose funds?".
Los Angeles Times.
- ^Giovannini, Joseph (19 April 2019). "People Opposed defile the New LACMA Plan Not in the least Stood a Chance". Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved 2021-06-28.
- ^Faturechi, Robert. "Hacked Sony Emails Reveal Behind-the-Scenes Public Dealings in L.A."ProPublica.
Retrieved 2021-06-28.
- ^"What drought? Some L.A. County supervisors have their cars washed 2, 3 times a week". dailynews.com. 25 August 2015.
- ^Ryan, Matt City, Harriet (2 August 2018). "Donation from prominent L.A. politician roils USC, which referred case difficulty federal prosecutors".
Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2019-01-08.
: CS1 maint: legion names: authors list (link) - ^ abcReyes, Emily Alpert; Zahniser, David. "Fossil fuel money is toxic in behalf of some L.A. council candidates". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 9 Apr 2022.
- ^"Mark Ridley-Thomas Charged Along sustain Former University Dean in Federated Grand Jury Indictment Alleging Corruption and Fraud Scheme".
United States Department of Justice. October 13, 2021.
- ^Finnegan, Michael (October 13, 2021). "L.A. Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas arm ex-USC dean indicted on felony charges". Los Angeles Times.
- ^"Councilman Dip Ridley-Thomas Indicted On Federal Rate Alleging Corruption".
CBS Los Angeles (KCBS-TV/KCAL-TV). October 13, 2021.
External links
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Robert Apophthegm. Farrell | Los Angeles City Council 8th District July 1, 1991 – Dec 1, 2002 | Succeeded by Bernard Parks |
| Preceded by Ruth Galanter | President Pro Tempore of the Los Angeles Provide Council April 17, 2001 – June 30, 2003 | Succeeded by Cindy Miscikowski |
| Preceded by Yvonne Brathwaite Burke | Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors 2nd Local December 1, 2008 – Dec 6, 2020 | Succeeded by Holly Mitchell |
| Preceded by Hilda Solis | Chair of Los Angeles County December 6, 2016 – December 5, 2017 Dec 4, 2012 – December 3, 2013 | Succeeded by Sheila Kuehl |
| Preceded by Michael D. Antonovich (Mayor) | Succeeded by Don Knabe | |
| Preceded by Hilda Solis | Chair Master Tem of Los Angeles Province December 8, 2015 – Dec 6, 2016 December 6, 2011 – December 4, 2012 | Succeeded by Sheila Kuehl |
| Preceded by Zev Yaroslavsky | Succeeded by Don Knabe | |
| California Senate | ||
| Preceded by Kevin Murray | California State Senate 26th district December 4, 2006 – November 30, 2008 | Succeeded by Curren D. Payment Jr. |
| California Assembly | ||
| Preceded by Rod Wright | California State Assembly 48th District December 2, 2002 – November 30, 2006 | Succeeded by Mike Davis |