Robert Hertzberg
Encyclopedia
Robert Myles Hertzberg served as Speaker of the California State Assembly
. He was twice elected unanimously Speaker of the State Assembly, and served two terms. In the State Assembly, he represented more than 400,000 constituents in the San Fernando Valley
communities of Los Angeles
. Since leaving the State Assembly in 2002, he has served as Co-Chair of California Forward and a member of The Think Long Committee of California, lost a 2005 bid to become mayor of Los Angeles, and maintains a law practice at the international firm Mayer Brown LLP
, where he serves as Vice Chairman.
Robert Myles Hertzberg was born on November 19, 1954 in Los Angeles, California to Harrison W. Hertzberg and Antoinette "Bunny" Taussig Hertzberg. He was a 1972 graduate of Palm Springs High School
. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Redlands
with a Bachelor of Arts
double major in History and English in 1976. While in college, he wrote a 400-page handbook, entitled A Commonsense Approach to English. Three years, later Hertzberg earned his Juris Doctor
from Hastings College of the Law
at the University of California in San Francisco. He has been an active member of the California State Bar since 1979.
After graduating law school in 1979, Hertzberg was an associate at the Beverly Hills law firm of Fulop, Rolston, Burns, & McKittrick. In 1983, he co-authored a manual on real estate law, California Lis Pendens Practice, published by the University of California, with a Second Edition eleven years later. He was then a full partner in several small Los Angeles-area law firms until running for the State Assembly in 1996. In 2007, the Los Angeles Business Journal named Hertzberg in the article "Best of the Bar: Who's Who In L.A. LAW."
Hertzberg's first political job was a driver for Lt. Governor Mervyn Dymally in 1973 and 1974, which ended in Dymally's election as the first African-American Lt. Governor in California history. He then did a part-time stint as an advance man in the White House under President Jimmy Carter
in 1977-80. From the 1970s through the 1990s, he worked for numerous California Democrats, including LA County Supervisor Gloria Molina
, U.S Representatives Dennis Cardoza
(Campaign Chair), Brad Sherman
, Julian Dixon, Xavier Becerra
(Campaign Co-chair), Lucy Roybal-Allard & Hilda Solis
, LA City Council Members Mike Hernandez
(Co-chair) & Herb Wesson
(Chair), and also State Assembly members Antonio Villaraigosa
(Campaign Treasurer), Hersh Rosenthal, and Richard Alatorre
, among many others.
passing bills on alternative energy and protecting the environment;
public safety as with anti-gang efforts such as the CLEAR
program;
improving the integrity of the legislative process through new ethics rules;
enhancing legislative oversight, which helped lead to the investigation that caused the resignation of Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush
on misconduct charges; and
establishing the Capitol Institute to better train legislators and their employees.
The non-partisan California Journal rated Hertzberg as the best Member in the Assembly for being a successful coalition-builder, for working the hardest and having "serious brain wattage."
During his time in the Assembly, Hertzberg helped open up discussion with local business leaders, sponsored legislation to make state government more accessible to the public via the Internet, to make it easier to vote, to create more "Criminal Scene Investigations (CSI) laboratories, to cut $1.5 billion in taxes, and worked with Senate President Pro Tem John Burton
& State Senator Deborah Ortiz
to increase funds to revamp public education through the "Cal-Grant"
Program. The Cal-Grants Program was "hailed by educators as a turning point that will give poor students unprecedented access to California's colleges and universities" and Hertzberg commented upon the bill's passage, "California is back." (Hertzberg believed deeply in community colleges, seeing them as the key to growth in "New Economy"). Under Hertzberg's Speakership, the state also spent much needed money on fixing public transportation, and Hertzberg co-sponsored the legislation creating CLEAR, an anti-gang program, which Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley called "the most successful gang prevention program in California history." (More specifics are listed immediately below).
Another success for Hertzberg was the bipartisan 2001 redistricting. In previous decades like the 1970s and 1990s, the remap process ended up in the California Supreme Court because the two parties could not reach agreement on a plan. Working closely both with the Republicans and Democratic House Leader (and now House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi
, Hertzberg was able to craft a redistricting plan that passed the Assembly by 71-8 and the State Senate by 40-0. The plan maintained Democratic control of the State Legislature and generated less controversy than other plans.
In 2000, Hertzberg addressed the Democratic National Convention
in Los Angeles. Later on that year, Hertzberg, at the Electorial College, presided over the California delegation in casting California's 54 electoral votes for Al Gore
in the hotly-contested election of 2000.
On the issue of international terrorism, Hertzberg has shown tremendous foresight: A full two years before September 11, 2001, Hertzberg was issuing warnings and sponsoring legislation to thwart terrorism. (See AB140 below). After the attacks of September 11, 2001, Speaker Hertzberg temporarily shut down the State Assembly and created the Bi-partisan Legislative Task Force on Terrorism to combat potential threats to California's food and water supplies.
His longest-lasting accomplishment was being the architect of a compromise that allowed numerous school bond measures to go forward. His successful negotiations with State Senator Betty Karnette
(D-Long Beach) allowed the State Legislature to break a decade-long legislative logjam and place school bonds on the 1998 and 2000 ballots. In 2002, he sponsored another school bond, AB16, to place an additional $25.35 billion worth of school bonds on the ballot in November 2002 and then successfully campaigned to pass the bond. Using the framework designed by Hertzberg, California was able to pass over $70 billion in school bonds, the largest bond measures anywhere. For nearly two decades, California state government had been deadlocked with a Democratic State Legislature facing Republican Governors George Deukemijian and Pete Wilson. Hertzberg and Senate President Pro Tem John Burton
broke the gridlock to pass the most progressive social legislation since the 1960s. (See below).
AB513 - Meth Sentence Enhancement (1997) increases criminal penalties for selling methamphetamine.
AB853 - Gang Prevention Programs (1997) establishes the Community Law Enforcement and Recovery (CLEAR) Demonstration Project to combat gangs in Los Angeles County.
AB856 - CA Witness Protection Program (1997) creates a state witness protection program run by the Attorney General.
AB880 - Elder Financial Abuse (1998) expands criminal penalties for financial abuse of the elderly and dependent populations.
AB2011 - Gun control (1998) requires that a serial number must be on a non-antique modern gun as a condition for transfer of ownership and requires law enforcement tracing of all seized guns.
AB2351 - Electronic threats (1998) adds threats made by electric communications, such as the Internet, to the list of prohibitions.
AB39 - Contraceptives (1999) Requires health care plans to pay for contraceptive services.
AB140 - Anti-Terrorism (1999) makes illegal the possession, use, manufacture, attempt or threat to use weapons of mass destruction.
AB185 - San Fernando Valley re-organization (1999) allows the San Fernando Valley section of Los Angeles to request a citywide vote on secession.
AB187 - Grant Information (1999) allows state agencies to make available on their web sites a list of all grants administered by that agency.
AB925 - Conservators (1999) creates a Statewide Registry for conservators and guardians.
AB1094 - Voter Registration (2000) reduces the deadline for registering to vote from 29 to 14 days before the election.
AB1391 - Forensic Laboratories (1999) authorizes the construction and remodeling of forensic laboratories.
AB1473 - Infrastructure plans (1999) requires the Governor to submit annual five-year construction spending plans.
AB1665 - Cal-OSHA Funding (1999) extends the funding for the California Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration inspection program.
AB1717 - Gun Control (2000) requires the Department of Justice to evaluate
ballistic identification systems and report back to the Legislature.
ACR181 - California History Month (2000) designates September as "California History Month.
AB16 - Education Bonds (2002) authorized spending of $25.35 billion in education bond funds.
AB56 - Voting Modernization Bonds (2001) authorizes a $200 million bond to update and repair California's voting equipment.
AB423 - Farm Labor Contracts (2001) enhances enforcement of farm labor contracts and the payment of back wages owed.
AB669 - State Non-emergency phone number (2001) authorizes local public agencies to establish a "311" non-emergency phone number.
AB865 - Credit Cards (2001) requires credit card companies to detail the time and cost of paying off credit card debts by only making the monthly minimum payments.
AB935 - Public Interest Attorneys (2001) helps lawyers who work in the public interest or indigent defendant field to pay off their student loans.
AB1657 - LA County Healthcare (2001) requires the State Auditor to evaluate the financial capacity of the LA County Department of Health Services to meet its responsibilities.
AB1781 - Instructional materials funding (2002) provides funding for school districts to purchase instructional materials.
AB1838 - Terrorism - W.M.D. (2002) makes use of weapons of mass destruction murder in the first degree and a capital crime.
AB2321 - Court claims (2002) creates rules for personal injury claims against California State and local courts.
AB2717 - Water Desalination (2002) requires the Department of Water Resources to report to the Legislature by 2004 on the possibility of seawater desalination in California.
, Hertzberg worked to create the Capitol Institute to train new legislators and employees in state ethics rules and computer systems. After his tenure as Speaker ended, the Legislature under successor Speaker Herb Wesson
named the Capitol Institute after Hertzberg. Hertzberg also created the Speaker's Office of International Relations and Protocol, a forward-thinking move in light of the "globalization" economic trends and the fact that if California were a separate nation, it would be among the world's 10 largest economies. The non-partisan magazine California Journal, gave Hertzberg high marks for working hard, being intelligent, having high ethical standards and for being a successful coalition-builder.
, formerly Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw, the nation's 6th largest law firm as a full partner. At the firm, Hertzberg has specialized in government affairs, providing strategic advice to companies doing business in California and nationally. He has been particularly interested in the fields of the environment, climate-change, energy, water and Indian related issues, as well as the telecom and real estate industries.
Besides his law practice, Hertzberg has also been very active in the alternative energy business, founding Solar Integrated Technology in 2002, Renewable Capital in 2006 and co-founding G24 Innovations Limited in 2006. (See introduction above).
But a steady series of fundraising scandals where members of Mayor James Hahn
's Administration were investigated by a grand jury for allegedly awarding city contracts to campaign contributors and the general drift of Hahn (some critics called him "Mayor Yawn") created an opening. In a LA Times poll, only 48% of voters considered Hahn honest.
Antonio Villaraigosa
, who lost a tough race to Mayor Hahn in 2001, had been elected to the Los Angeles City Council
in 2003 while promising not to run for mayor, something he quickly reconsidered when Hahn proved vulnerable. Bernard Parks, the African-American City Councilman who had been dumped as Police Chief by Hahn and State Senator Richard Alarcon also jumped in, as did a number of minor candidates. Hertzberg's allies convinced him to run, and in 2004, he started a web site ChangeLA.Com to promote his candidacy.
Hertzberg advocated a "boroughs" system to make city government smaller, more efficient and more accountable to the grassroots, plus giving the Mayor's office more power, especially over the school system. He also opposed raising taxes, while favoring synchronizing traffic lights to ease congestion. Hertzberg's campaign platform consisted of four main planks:
He told the LA Times that it was more than ambition that caused him to run, but a sense of duty as well:
"Could I go out and make a ton of money in my businesses and law firm? Sure. But when I'm 70 years old, I look in the mirror and I watched this place crumble and knew I could have done something about it. I just couldn't let that happen. Believe me, otherwise I wouldn't have done it. The sacrifices to me and to my family are extraordinary."
Over half of LA city voters did not know much about Bob Hertzberg. To boost his public standing, Hertzberg launched a TV campaign that featured a giant image of him towering over a city full of problems. He also unveiled an endorsement from former Mayor Richard Riordan
. The LA Times expressed a preference for a Villaraigosa-Hertzberg run-off, while the Los Angeles Daily News endorsed Hertzberg. The African-American newspaper, The Los Angeles Sentinel, also endorsed Hertzberg, the first time they had ever endorsed a white candidate against a serious black candidate.
Hertzberg efforts paid off as a second LA Times poll found the primary too close to call. Meanwhile, Hahn's supporters fought back with a hardball negative campaign through the mail.
Analysis by the LA Times showed that Hertzberg ran best in the San Fernando Valley and West LA, among white middle class voters and Jews. Hertzberg also won twice as many precincts as Hahn, but fell short when Hahn's negative ads decreased his support in the Valley. A lead editorial after the election in the LA Times, "Paging Bob Hertzberg," claimed a debate between Hahn and Villaraigosa made them "miss Bob Hertzberg and his outsized ideas."
After just missing the run-off, Hertzberg strongly endorsed the eventual winner Villaraigosa, helping the first Latino Mayor immensely in the San Fernando Valley, plus the Jewish and business communities where Hertzberg had run particularly strong in the primary. Villaraigosa ended up winning the run-off by 59-41%.
Since Arnold Schwarzenegger
's election as California Governor in the 2003 recall election
, Hertzberg has served as both a formal and informal advisor to the "Governator." In 2003, Schwarzenegger appointed him to his Transition Committee and Hertzberg helped guide the passage of the new Governor's "Economic Recovery Package" through the Legislature that allowed the state to weather the financial crisis of 2003-04. According to The People's Machine by Joe Matthews, Schwarzenegger then offered Hertzberg the position of Chief of Staff, nicknaming him "Hertzie." Hertzberg chose to stay in the private sector, but did advise Arnold to "build a thoroughly bipartisan government." Hertzberg wrote in the LA Daily News that his advice was: "Take the initiative to go and meet with members of the Legislature, Democrats and Republicans alike. Sit in their offices, meet with them as human beings, and learn to work with them."
After finishing a close third in the 2005 Mayoral Election, Hertzberg also served as the Chair of Mayor-elect Villaraigosa's Transition Team. In 2009, Hertzberg also served as the co-chair of the Transition Team for newly elected Los Angeles City Attorney, Carmen Trutanich.
, who is both pro-business and pro-labor. He told the Los Angeles Business Journal that education is the key to the future and "we're trying to pave the way for what's coming next in California; intellectual property, not low-wage jobs." And Hertzberg told the Speaker's Commission on Regional Government: ""The winners in the New Economy will be the regions that learn to work together to relieve traffic congestion, build affordable housing, preserve open space and promote economic development. If government is going to be effective in this new age, it is going to have to start thinking regionally. This Commission is an important first step."
When he was running for Mayor, Hertzberg told the LA Weekly: "Get it done or get the heck out of the way is my philosophy. I start out as a holistic thinker. I'm the big picture, holistic thinker... It really boils down to the issue of getting the work done. I am sick and tired of the noise. Sick and tired of the empty promises."
The web site of California Forward states that they are seeking “A Comprehensive Solution” to California’s problems, including 1) Fiscal reforms (performance-based budgeting, a more rational tax system and pay-as-you-go rules; 2) Structural reforms where more power is returned from Sacramento to local governments, pension reforms and a revitalized education system; 3) Democracy reforms, including non-partisan redistricting and voting systems. Accordingly, California Forward strongly supports redistricting reform and “Open Primary” initiatives (where voters can choose candidates regardless of partisan registration), all of which California voters passed via the ballot box in 2008 and 2010.
In conjunction with Chairing California Forward, Hertzberg is also a member of the Think Long Committee of California. This Committee is another non-partisan civic group focused on fixing California’s dysfunctional state and local government structures. The Think Long Committee promotes a vision of 21st Century government in California that is more efficient and “user-friendly” to ordinary California citizens.
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
. He was twice elected unanimously Speaker of the State Assembly, and served two terms. In the State Assembly, he represented more than 400,000 constituents in the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
communities of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Since leaving the State Assembly in 2002, he has served as Co-Chair of California Forward and a member of The Think Long Committee of California, lost a 2005 bid to become mayor of Los Angeles, and maintains a law practice at the international firm Mayer Brown LLP
Mayer Brown
Mayer Brown is an international law firm head-quartered in Chicago which specializes in commercial transactions and litigation. The firm employs more than 1,600 lawyers, including approximately 875 in the Americas, 425 in Europe and 300 in Asia....
, where he serves as Vice Chairman.
Early life
Palm Springs High School
Palm Springs High School is a public high school for grades 9 through 12 located in Palm Springs, California as part of the Palm Springs Unified School District...
. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Redlands
University of Redlands
The University of Redlands is a private liberal arts and sciences university located in Redlands, California. The university's campus sits on near downtown Redlands. The university was founded in 1907 and was associated with the American Baptist Church. The land for the university was donated by...
with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
double major in History and English in 1976. While in college, he wrote a 400-page handbook, entitled A Commonsense Approach to English. Three years, later Hertzberg earned his Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Hastings College of the Law
University of California, Hastings College of the Law
University of California, Hastings College of the Law is a public law school in San Francisco, California, located in the Civic Center neighborhood....
at the University of California in San Francisco. He has been an active member of the California State Bar since 1979.
Legal career and early political work
Hertzberg's first political job was a driver for Lt. Governor Mervyn Dymally in 1973 and 1974, which ended in Dymally's election as the first African-American Lt. Governor in California history. He then did a part-time stint as an advance man in the White House under President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
in 1977-80. From the 1970s through the 1990s, he worked for numerous California Democrats, including LA County Supervisor Gloria Molina
Gloria Molina
Jesus Gloria Molina is an American politician, a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and the current chairwoman of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.-Background and career:...
, U.S Representatives Dennis Cardoza
Dennis Cardoza
Dennis A. Cardoza is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. The district takes in a large swath of the Central Valley, from Stockton to Fresno. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
(Campaign Chair), Brad Sherman
Brad Sherman
Bradley J. "Brad" Sherman is an American politician. He has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1997, representing ....
, Julian Dixon, Xavier Becerra
Xavier Becerra
Xavier Becerra is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is based in Los Angeles.-Early life, education and career:...
(Campaign Co-chair), Lucy Roybal-Allard & Hilda Solis
Hilda Solis
Hilda Lucia Solis is the 25th United States Secretary of Labor, serving in the Obama administration. She is a member of the Democratic Party and served in the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2009, representing the 31st and 32nd congressional districts of California that include...
, LA City Council Members Mike Hernandez
Mike Hernández
Mike Hernandez was a Los Angeles, California City Councilman. In 1997 Hernandez was arrested and pleaded guilty to purchasing and possessing cocaine. Because he struck a plea agreement whereby he agreed to seek treatment, the arrest was not in his record, and he was not required to resign his seat...
(Co-chair) & Herb Wesson
Herb Wesson
Herb J. Wesson, Jr. is an American politician. He currently serves as a Los Angeles City Councilman, representing the 10th district. He served in the State Assembly representing the 47th district from 1998 until 2004. He served as Speaker of the California State Assembly from 2002 until 2004...
(Chair), and also State Assembly members Antonio Villaraigosa
Antonio Villaraigosa
Antonio Ramón Villaraigosa , born Antonio Ramón Villar, Jr., is the 41st and current Mayor of Los Angeles, California, the third Mexican American to have ever held office in the city of Los Angeles and the first in over 130 years. He is also the current president of the United States Conference of...
(Campaign Treasurer), Hersh Rosenthal, and Richard Alatorre
Richard Alatorre
Richard Alatorre is an American politician from California. He served as a prominent member of the California State Assembly from 1973 to 1985, and as a noted member of the Los Angeles City Council from 1985 to 1999.-Background:...
, among many others.
Election to State Assembly
In 1996, Democratic Assemblywoman Barbara Friedman of the 40th Assembly District encompassing North Hollywood, Studio City, Van Nuys and Woodland Hills in the "San Fernando Valley" section of Los Angeles was forced to retire due to term limits. Hertzberg ran for the seat and was opposed in the Democratic primary in March 1996 by Fran Oschin, an aide to Los Angeles Councilman Hal Bernson. According to the California Political Almanac, Hertzberg "racked up a sheaf of endorsements and raised well over $200,000 for the primary." He easily won the primary by 72-28%. In the November general election, Hertzberg rolled to an easy 59-31% victory over Republican Ron Culver. Hertzberg's know-how and connections from over 100 local campaigns gave him the edge over the less-experienced Assembly Members who were coming into the Legislature due to the new "term limits" law. In 1998 and 2000, Hertzberg was re-elected by successively greater margins, 69% and 70%, respectively.Speaker of the Assembly - 2000-2002
On April 13, 2000, Robert Hertzberg was unanimously elected by a voice vote as the 64th Speaker of the California State Assembly. In 1996, when Hertzberg was first elected to the Assembly, the Democrats had 38 of 80 seats. By 2000, when Speaker Hertzberg was directing the Assembly Democratic campaigns, his party was up to 50 seats and he was the last Speaker to gain seats until the Obama landslide of 2008. As Speaker, his principle priorities were:passing bills on alternative energy and protecting the environment;
public safety as with anti-gang efforts such as the CLEAR
Clear
Clear may refer to:* Clear, Alaska is an unincorporated community in Denali Borough, Alaska, United States-Music:*Clear , a 1969 album by Spirit*Clear , a 1995 album by Bomb the Bass...
program;
improving the integrity of the legislative process through new ethics rules;
enhancing legislative oversight, which helped lead to the investigation that caused the resignation of Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush
Chuck Quackenbush
Charles "Chuck" Quackenbush is a Florida law enforcement officer and former California Republican politician. He served as Insurance Commissioner of California from 1995–2000 and as a California State Assemblyman representing the 22nd District, from 1986–1994.- Background and political career :As...
on misconduct charges; and
establishing the Capitol Institute to better train legislators and their employees.
The non-partisan California Journal rated Hertzberg as the best Member in the Assembly for being a successful coalition-builder, for working the hardest and having "serious brain wattage."
During his time in the Assembly, Hertzberg helped open up discussion with local business leaders, sponsored legislation to make state government more accessible to the public via the Internet, to make it easier to vote, to create more "Criminal Scene Investigations (CSI) laboratories, to cut $1.5 billion in taxes, and worked with Senate President Pro Tem John Burton
John L. Burton
John Lowell Burton is the current Chairman of the California Democratic Party. He is an American politician who served as a Democratic California State Senator from 1996 until 2004, representing the 3rd district. From 1998 until he was forced out of office by term limits in 2004, he served as the...
& State Senator Deborah Ortiz
Deborah Ortiz
Deborah V. Ortiz is an American politician from Sacramento, California. A Democrat, she served in both chambers of the California State Legislature. A then-member of Sacramento City Council, Ortiz was elected to the California State Assembly in 1996 and served a single two-year term representing...
to increase funds to revamp public education through the "Cal-Grant"
Cal Grant
Cal Grant is a financial aid program administrated by the California Student Aid Program in California that provides aid to California undergraduates, vocation training students, and those in teacher certification programs...
Program. The Cal-Grants Program was "hailed by educators as a turning point that will give poor students unprecedented access to California's colleges and universities" and Hertzberg commented upon the bill's passage, "California is back." (Hertzberg believed deeply in community colleges, seeing them as the key to growth in "New Economy"). Under Hertzberg's Speakership, the state also spent much needed money on fixing public transportation, and Hertzberg co-sponsored the legislation creating CLEAR, an anti-gang program, which Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley called "the most successful gang prevention program in California history." (More specifics are listed immediately below).
Another success for Hertzberg was the bipartisan 2001 redistricting. In previous decades like the 1970s and 1990s, the remap process ended up in the California Supreme Court because the two parties could not reach agreement on a plan. Working closely both with the Republicans and Democratic House Leader (and now House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...
, Hertzberg was able to craft a redistricting plan that passed the Assembly by 71-8 and the State Senate by 40-0. The plan maintained Democratic control of the State Legislature and generated less controversy than other plans.
In 2000, Hertzberg addressed the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
in Los Angeles. Later on that year, Hertzberg, at the Electorial College, presided over the California delegation in casting California's 54 electoral votes for Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
in the hotly-contested election of 2000.
On the issue of international terrorism, Hertzberg has shown tremendous foresight: A full two years before September 11, 2001, Hertzberg was issuing warnings and sponsoring legislation to thwart terrorism. (See AB140 below). After the attacks of September 11, 2001, Speaker Hertzberg temporarily shut down the State Assembly and created the Bi-partisan Legislative Task Force on Terrorism to combat potential threats to California's food and water supplies.
His longest-lasting accomplishment was being the architect of a compromise that allowed numerous school bond measures to go forward. His successful negotiations with State Senator Betty Karnette
Betty Karnette
Betty Karnette was elected to a second stint in the California State Assembly in November, 2004, to represent the 54th District. Her district included the cities of Avalon, Long Beach, Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, San Pedro, Signal Hill...
(D-Long Beach) allowed the State Legislature to break a decade-long legislative logjam and place school bonds on the 1998 and 2000 ballots. In 2002, he sponsored another school bond, AB16, to place an additional $25.35 billion worth of school bonds on the ballot in November 2002 and then successfully campaigned to pass the bond. Using the framework designed by Hertzberg, California was able to pass over $70 billion in school bonds, the largest bond measures anywhere. For nearly two decades, California state government had been deadlocked with a Democratic State Legislature facing Republican Governors George Deukemijian and Pete Wilson. Hertzberg and Senate President Pro Tem John Burton
John L. Burton
John Lowell Burton is the current Chairman of the California Democratic Party. He is an American politician who served as a Democratic California State Senator from 1996 until 2004, representing the 3rd district. From 1998 until he was forced out of office by term limits in 2004, he served as the...
broke the gridlock to pass the most progressive social legislation since the 1960s. (See below).
Legislative Accomplishments
AB206 - "Citizens' Complaint Act." (1997) Requires state agencies, with web sites, to provide a form on the web site for individuals to register complaints or comments regarding the agency's performance.AB513 - Meth Sentence Enhancement (1997) increases criminal penalties for selling methamphetamine.
AB853 - Gang Prevention Programs (1997) establishes the Community Law Enforcement and Recovery (CLEAR) Demonstration Project to combat gangs in Los Angeles County.
AB856 - CA Witness Protection Program (1997) creates a state witness protection program run by the Attorney General.
AB880 - Elder Financial Abuse (1998) expands criminal penalties for financial abuse of the elderly and dependent populations.
AB2011 - Gun control (1998) requires that a serial number must be on a non-antique modern gun as a condition for transfer of ownership and requires law enforcement tracing of all seized guns.
AB2351 - Electronic threats (1998) adds threats made by electric communications, such as the Internet, to the list of prohibitions.
AB39 - Contraceptives (1999) Requires health care plans to pay for contraceptive services.
AB140 - Anti-Terrorism (1999) makes illegal the possession, use, manufacture, attempt or threat to use weapons of mass destruction.
AB185 - San Fernando Valley re-organization (1999) allows the San Fernando Valley section of Los Angeles to request a citywide vote on secession.
AB187 - Grant Information (1999) allows state agencies to make available on their web sites a list of all grants administered by that agency.
AB925 - Conservators (1999) creates a Statewide Registry for conservators and guardians.
AB1094 - Voter Registration (2000) reduces the deadline for registering to vote from 29 to 14 days before the election.
AB1391 - Forensic Laboratories (1999) authorizes the construction and remodeling of forensic laboratories.
AB1473 - Infrastructure plans (1999) requires the Governor to submit annual five-year construction spending plans.
AB1665 - Cal-OSHA Funding (1999) extends the funding for the California Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration inspection program.
AB1717 - Gun Control (2000) requires the Department of Justice to evaluate
ballistic identification systems and report back to the Legislature.
ACR181 - California History Month (2000) designates September as "California History Month.
AB16 - Education Bonds (2002) authorized spending of $25.35 billion in education bond funds.
AB56 - Voting Modernization Bonds (2001) authorizes a $200 million bond to update and repair California's voting equipment.
AB423 - Farm Labor Contracts (2001) enhances enforcement of farm labor contracts and the payment of back wages owed.
AB669 - State Non-emergency phone number (2001) authorizes local public agencies to establish a "311" non-emergency phone number.
AB865 - Credit Cards (2001) requires credit card companies to detail the time and cost of paying off credit card debts by only making the monthly minimum payments.
AB935 - Public Interest Attorneys (2001) helps lawyers who work in the public interest or indigent defendant field to pay off their student loans.
AB1657 - LA County Healthcare (2001) requires the State Auditor to evaluate the financial capacity of the LA County Department of Health Services to meet its responsibilities.
AB1781 - Instructional materials funding (2002) provides funding for school districts to purchase instructional materials.
AB1838 - Terrorism - W.M.D. (2002) makes use of weapons of mass destruction murder in the first degree and a capital crime.
AB2321 - Court claims (2002) creates rules for personal injury claims against California State and local courts.
AB2717 - Water Desalination (2002) requires the Department of Water Resources to report to the Legislature by 2004 on the possibility of seawater desalination in California.
Personal style
Extremely warm and outgoing, Hertzberg has been given the nicknames "Huggy" and "Hugsberg" for his habit of offering embraces to colleagues, employees, voters and even opponents. Staffers also know to be on call whenever the Speaker would get a new idea. Republican consultant Tony Quinn described Hertzberg as the "Energizer Bunny with a 150 I.Q. -- always willing to discuss policy."Legacy as Speaker
With Republican Assemblyman Bill LeonardBill Leonard
William R. Leonard is a Republican U.S. politician who served as a member of the California State Board of Equalization from 2002 until his resignation in March 2010.-Life and career:After earning his B.A...
, Hertzberg worked to create the Capitol Institute to train new legislators and employees in state ethics rules and computer systems. After his tenure as Speaker ended, the Legislature under successor Speaker Herb Wesson
Herb Wesson
Herb J. Wesson, Jr. is an American politician. He currently serves as a Los Angeles City Councilman, representing the 10th district. He served in the State Assembly representing the 47th district from 1998 until 2004. He served as Speaker of the California State Assembly from 2002 until 2004...
named the Capitol Institute after Hertzberg. Hertzberg also created the Speaker's Office of International Relations and Protocol, a forward-thinking move in light of the "globalization" economic trends and the fact that if California were a separate nation, it would be among the world's 10 largest economies. The non-partisan magazine California Journal, gave Hertzberg high marks for working hard, being intelligent, having high ethical standards and for being a successful coalition-builder.
Criticism of Bob Hertzberg
Veteran Los Angeles Times columnist George Skelton said of Hertzberg’s tenure as Speaker: “Reviews are mixed. Hertzberg is an intense bundle of energy, an all-night negotiator, an affable, incessant hugger. But critics contend there’s often more motion than forward movement.” However, Skelton noted Hertzberg’s string of legislative accomplishments and ended the column with “Hertzberg cared. He tried. And he’s leaving the house in better shape than he found it.” In the non-partisan California Journal, Sherry Jeffe criticized what she called Hertzberg’s “micro-management” and giving Republican “porky bribes” to ensure passage of the budget. She also complained that he was “rolled on redistricting by Senate pro tem John Burton” and commented that “the low point for this speaker – with his penchant for organization, structure and fastidious to detail – came the last night of the 2000 legislative session when, argued one Capitol insider, ‘as a result of disorganization, a great number of bills which would have been enacted fell through the cracks.” Conservative Sacramento Bee columnist Dan Walters said Hertzberg’s promise of legislative oversight of the executive branch “faded, particularly when the subjects were the energy crisis and the performance of his fellow Democrat, Governor Gray Davis.”Private law practice and alternative energy ventures, 2002 to current
After retiring from the State Assembly in 2002, Hertzberg joined Mayer Brown LLPMayer Brown
Mayer Brown is an international law firm head-quartered in Chicago which specializes in commercial transactions and litigation. The firm employs more than 1,600 lawyers, including approximately 875 in the Americas, 425 in Europe and 300 in Asia....
, formerly Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw, the nation's 6th largest law firm as a full partner. At the firm, Hertzberg has specialized in government affairs, providing strategic advice to companies doing business in California and nationally. He has been particularly interested in the fields of the environment, climate-change, energy, water and Indian related issues, as well as the telecom and real estate industries.
Besides his law practice, Hertzberg has also been very active in the alternative energy business, founding Solar Integrated Technology in 2002, Renewable Capital in 2006 and co-founding G24 Innovations Limited in 2006. (See introduction above).
2005 Campaign for Mayor
Assemblyman Hertzberg retired from the Assembly in 2002. At the time, he said he had no plans to run for any other office, expressing a desire to "take care of my kids."But a steady series of fundraising scandals where members of Mayor James Hahn
James Hahn
James Kenneth "Jim" Hahn is an American politician. Hahn was elected the 40th Mayor of Los Angeles in 2001. He served until 2005, at which time he was defeated in his bid for re-election...
's Administration were investigated by a grand jury for allegedly awarding city contracts to campaign contributors and the general drift of Hahn (some critics called him "Mayor Yawn") created an opening. In a LA Times poll, only 48% of voters considered Hahn honest.
Antonio Villaraigosa
Antonio Villaraigosa
Antonio Ramón Villaraigosa , born Antonio Ramón Villar, Jr., is the 41st and current Mayor of Los Angeles, California, the third Mexican American to have ever held office in the city of Los Angeles and the first in over 130 years. He is also the current president of the United States Conference of...
, who lost a tough race to Mayor Hahn in 2001, had been elected to the Los Angeles City Council
Los Angeles City Council
The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles.The Council is composed of fifteen members elected from single-member districts for four-year terms. The president of the council and the president pro tempore are chosen by the Council at the first regular meeting after...
in 2003 while promising not to run for mayor, something he quickly reconsidered when Hahn proved vulnerable. Bernard Parks, the African-American City Councilman who had been dumped as Police Chief by Hahn and State Senator Richard Alarcon also jumped in, as did a number of minor candidates. Hertzberg's allies convinced him to run, and in 2004, he started a web site ChangeLA.Com to promote his candidacy.
- Break up the Los Angeles Unified School DistrictLos Angeles Unified School DistrictLos Angeles Unified School District is the largest public school system in California. It is the 2nd largest public school district in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population...
to make it smaller, more responsive and more efficient. (Hertzberg called the District's 50% dropout rate the biggest threat to the city's future). - A "Commuters' Bill of Rights" to help ease traffic woes.
- Using 25% of new revenue to hire at least 500 more police officers.
- Using revenue bond money to build "green" infrastructure immediately.
He told the LA Times that it was more than ambition that caused him to run, but a sense of duty as well:
"Could I go out and make a ton of money in my businesses and law firm? Sure. But when I'm 70 years old, I look in the mirror and I watched this place crumble and knew I could have done something about it. I just couldn't let that happen. Believe me, otherwise I wouldn't have done it. The sacrifices to me and to my family are extraordinary."
Over half of LA city voters did not know much about Bob Hertzberg. To boost his public standing, Hertzberg launched a TV campaign that featured a giant image of him towering over a city full of problems. He also unveiled an endorsement from former Mayor Richard Riordan
Richard Riordan
Richard J. Riordan is a Republican politician from California, U.S.A. who served as the California Secretary for Education from 2003–2005 and as the 39th Mayor of Los Angeles, California from 1993–2001...
. The LA Times expressed a preference for a Villaraigosa-Hertzberg run-off, while the Los Angeles Daily News endorsed Hertzberg. The African-American newspaper, The Los Angeles Sentinel, also endorsed Hertzberg, the first time they had ever endorsed a white candidate against a serious black candidate.
Hertzberg efforts paid off as a second LA Times poll found the primary too close to call. Meanwhile, Hahn's supporters fought back with a hardball negative campaign through the mail.
Analysis by the LA Times showed that Hertzberg ran best in the San Fernando Valley and West LA, among white middle class voters and Jews. Hertzberg also won twice as many precincts as Hahn, but fell short when Hahn's negative ads decreased his support in the Valley. A lead editorial after the election in the LA Times, "Paging Bob Hertzberg," claimed a debate between Hahn and Villaraigosa made them "miss Bob Hertzberg and his outsized ideas."
After just missing the run-off, Hertzberg strongly endorsed the eventual winner Villaraigosa, helping the first Latino Mayor immensely in the San Fernando Valley, plus the Jewish and business communities where Hertzberg had run particularly strong in the primary. Villaraigosa ended up winning the run-off by 59-41%.
Political advisory roles
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
's election as California Governor in the 2003 recall election
California recall election, 2003
The 2003 California gubernatorial recall election was a special election permitted under California state law. It resulted in voters replacing incumbent Democratic Governor Gray Davis with Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger. The recall effort spanned the latter half of 2003...
, Hertzberg has served as both a formal and informal advisor to the "Governator." In 2003, Schwarzenegger appointed him to his Transition Committee and Hertzberg helped guide the passage of the new Governor's "Economic Recovery Package" through the Legislature that allowed the state to weather the financial crisis of 2003-04. According to The People's Machine by Joe Matthews, Schwarzenegger then offered Hertzberg the position of Chief of Staff, nicknaming him "Hertzie." Hertzberg chose to stay in the private sector, but did advise Arnold to "build a thoroughly bipartisan government." Hertzberg wrote in the LA Daily News that his advice was: "Take the initiative to go and meet with members of the Legislature, Democrats and Republicans alike. Sit in their offices, meet with them as human beings, and learn to work with them."
After finishing a close third in the 2005 Mayoral Election, Hertzberg also served as the Chair of Mayor-elect Villaraigosa's Transition Team. In 2009, Hertzberg also served as the co-chair of the Transition Team for newly elected Los Angeles City Attorney, Carmen Trutanich.
Civic affairs/public policy activism
Hertzberg has stayed involved in policy debates and formulation through his service on numerous boards of public policy committees and several universities, including:- Board Member, Town Hall Los AngelesTown Hall Los AngelesTown Hall Los Angeles is a non-profit speaker's forum based in Los Angeles. It was founded in 1937. It has hosted over 3500 unpaid speakers, including* John F Kennedy* Robert F Kennedy* Ronald Reagan* Condoleezza Rice* General Anthony Zinni...
- Member, USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Board on History and Culture
- Fellow, USC Keston Institute for Infrastructure
- USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, Board of Councilors
- Board of Visitors for Pepperdine School of Public Policy, Member
- Robert M. Hertzberg Library and Learning Center at Los Angeles Valley College, Chairman of the Board
- California Historical Society, Trustee to 2007
- National Speaker's Conference, Honorary Member, Executive Committee
- Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA), Board of Directors to 2007
- Board Member, Rose Institute of State and Local Government at Claremont McKenna College
- Century Housing Corporation, Board of Directors, 2003-2008
- Member, Executive Committee, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
- Member, Council on Foreign Relations
- Center for Governmental Studies, Board Member
- Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF), Board Member to 2008
- Southern California Leadership Council, Board Member
- California Center For Regional Leadership, Board Member
- Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, Chairman 2004, Executive Committee 2005 to date. In April of 2011, Hertzberg was elected Chairmain once again.
- Los Angeles World Affairs Council, appointed Board Member in 2008.
- California Forward, Leadership Council co-chair (see below).
- Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), Board Member
- Nominated by Governor Schwarzenegger to serve on Climate Change Strategy Panel(name of panel TBD)
- Metropolitan Water Committee, Blue Ribbon Committee
- In November of 2010, Hertzberg was appointed vice chairman at Pacific Capital Group, a Los Angeles investment firm founded by former Global Crossing CEO Gary Winnick.
- In 2011, Hertzberg was elected Chairmain of Palogix International, a world leader in the field of re-usable (and re-cyclable) transportation containers & storage bins.
- Member, Think Long Committee of California, (see below).
- He is also an elected member of the Board of Directors to The China-US Energy Efficiency Alliance, a nonprofit organization working to combat global climate change by promoting industrial energy efficiency in China.
Political vision/ideals
Hertzberg calls himself a "New Democrat" in the mold of Bill ClintonBill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, who is both pro-business and pro-labor. He told the Los Angeles Business Journal that education is the key to the future and "we're trying to pave the way for what's coming next in California; intellectual property, not low-wage jobs." And Hertzberg told the Speaker's Commission on Regional Government: ""The winners in the New Economy will be the regions that learn to work together to relieve traffic congestion, build affordable housing, preserve open space and promote economic development. If government is going to be effective in this new age, it is going to have to start thinking regionally. This Commission is an important first step."
When he was running for Mayor, Hertzberg told the LA Weekly: "Get it done or get the heck out of the way is my philosophy. I start out as a holistic thinker. I'm the big picture, holistic thinker... It really boils down to the issue of getting the work done. I am sick and tired of the noise. Sick and tired of the empty promises."
California Forward
Since 2009, Hertzberg has been the co-chair of California Forward, a bi-partisan civic group dedicated to (in the words of their Mission Statement): “to help create a "smart" government – one that’s small enough to listen, big enough to tackle real problems, smart enough to spend our money wisely in good times and bad, and honest enough to be held accountable for results.”The web site of California Forward states that they are seeking “A Comprehensive Solution” to California’s problems, including 1) Fiscal reforms (performance-based budgeting, a more rational tax system and pay-as-you-go rules; 2) Structural reforms where more power is returned from Sacramento to local governments, pension reforms and a revitalized education system; 3) Democracy reforms, including non-partisan redistricting and voting systems. Accordingly, California Forward strongly supports redistricting reform and “Open Primary” initiatives (where voters can choose candidates regardless of partisan registration), all of which California voters passed via the ballot box in 2008 and 2010.
In conjunction with Chairing California Forward, Hertzberg is also a member of the Think Long Committee of California. This Committee is another non-partisan civic group focused on fixing California’s dysfunctional state and local government structures. The Think Long Committee promotes a vision of 21st Century government in California that is more efficient and “user-friendly” to ordinary California citizens.