Bob Filner
Bob Filner | |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 51st district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2003 | |
| Preceded by | Duke Cunningham |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 50th district | |
| In office January 3, 1993 – January 2, 2003 | |
| Preceded by | None (District Created after the United States Census of 1990) |
| Succeeded by | Duke Cunningham |
| Chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee | |
| In office January 4, 2007 – January 3, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Steve Buyer |
| Succeeded by | Jeff Miller |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Earl Filner September 4, 1942 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Relations | Jane Merrill (Ex-Wife) Erin Filner (Daughter) |
| Residence | San Diego, California |
| Alma mater | Cornell University |
| Occupation | college professor |
Robert Earl "Bob" Filner (born September 4, 1942) is the U.S. Representative for California's 51st congressional district, and previously the 50th, serving since 1993, and was Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs 2007-2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is one of the most ethnically diverse in the nation, including much of San Diego's southern section, the cities of Chula Vista and National City and all of Imperial County. It includes most of California's border with Mexico, except for the city of Imperial Beach.
Early life, education, and academic career
Filner was born in Pittsburgh, in Squirrel Hill into a Jewish family. Filner began his advocacy for civil rights at the age of 18 when he became one of the first people to set foot on a Greyhound bus that was headed into the deep south on what would become known as, the Freedom Rides. [1] At the time he was a student at Cornell University where he was studying engineering. In June 1961, after pulling into the bus station in Jackson, Mississippi, Filner was arrested along with his co-riders for "disturbing the peace and inciting a riot". It was there in Jackson, that Filner would stand up for what he believed in by not taking the easy road out. Filner refused to post bond in for his release and remained incarcerated in prison for two months.[2][3] His case was eventually overturned by the Supreme Court of the United States along with all the cases for other activists. It was when this happened, that they also overturned the laws for racial separation. This overturning of the case was nothing that Filner was pushing for though. Filner believes that what he did during that Freedom Ride is what he needed to do to have a say in what was happening. In Filner's own words he says "I've never been a passive person". "I've always felt that, if you think something should be changed, it's your responsibility to actively pursue that change." [4]
Also, as a student, he worked as a member of the Cornell Daily Sun, the student newspaper. He graduated from Cornell in 1963 with a degree in chemistry, and earned his doctorate in history of science from the same school six years later. Shortly after earning his PhD, he moved to San Diego, becoming a history professor at San Diego State University for more than 20 years. He resigned his position in 1992 to run for Congress.[citation needed]
Early political career
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (March 2012) |
Filner was long interested in politics, serving as a staffer for U.S. Senator Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota in 1975 and for Congressman Don Fraser, also of Minnesota, in 1976. He also served as a staffer for U.S. Congressman Jim Bates from the San Diego area in 1984.
His elective career began in 1979, when his opposition to the closing of a neighborhood school led him to run for the San Diego Board of Education, where he defeated a longtime incumbent. Even though he was the only Democrat on the board, his "back to basics" approach to education won him wide praise, and his colleagues elected him president of the board in 1982. For part of his tenure on the board, he served alongside Susan Davis, who now represents most of the other side of San Diego in the House. He was elected to the San Diego City Council in 1987. He was handily reelected in 1991, and his colleagues elected him Deputy Mayor of San Diego. His main interest was in economic expansion.
Over the years, Representative Filner has held many local offices in his area of San Diego, California especially in the areas of education. For 20 years, he was a professor of history at San Diego State University. He was also on the San Diego Board of Education for 5 years following his teaching career.[5]
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
| This section needs additional citations for verification. (March 2012) |
California gained seven seats after the 1990 census, and one of them was the 50th District in south San Diego (renumbered the 51st District after the 2000 census). In 1992, Filner ran in a five-way Democratic primary for the seat and won a narrow victory. One of his primary opponents was his former boss, Jim Bates, who had lost his seat in a sexual harassment scandal in 1990[6] and whose home had been drawn into the district. Another opponent was veteran state Senator Wadie Deddah, who was term-limited. Filner defeated Deddah by a narrow margin, with Bates finishing third place in the primary. The district was almost 40% Hispanic (redistricting in 2000 made it 53% Hispanic) and heavily Democratic, and his victory in November (with 57 percent of the vote) was a foregone conclusion. He has been reelected six times with no substantive Republican opposition. He ran unopposed in 1998.
Filner has a bitter rivalry with Juan Vargas, another Democratic politician who has run against Filner in the Democratic primary three times. Filner won the latest Democratic primary, on June 6, 2006, with 51% of the vote, in a race against Vargas and two minor challengers, Danny Ramirez and Jesse Bresnihan. Filner and Vargas have accused each other of corruption. Filner easily won re-election in November 2006, defeating Republican Blake Miles and Libertarian Dan Litwin. Filner won about 67 percent of the vote cast in the district. Miles received about 31 percent and Litwin about 2 percent.
Tenure
Filner is a founding member of the Progressive Caucus. He is also a member of the Congressional Motorcycle Safety Caucus and International Conservation Caucus
He was one of the 31 who voted in the House to not count the electoral votes from Ohio in the 2004 presidential election.[7]
In 2008, Filner sponsored a resolution, passed by the House of Representatives, in support of National Aviation Maintenance Technician Day.
- Phillippines
In February 2009, a bill was filed in the Philippine House of Representatives by Rep. Antonio Diaz seeking to confer honorary Filipino citizenship on Filner, Senators Daniel Inouye, Daniel Akaka and Ted Stevens, for their role in securing the passage of benefits for Filipino World War II veterans.[8]
- Airline worker controversy
On August 20, 2007, Filner was involved in an altercation with a United Airlines Employee at Dulles International Airport after he became upset that his baggage had not yet arrived on a baggage carousel. Filner entered the baggage claim office and became irritated when the employee was busy helping another customer and asked the congressman to wait his turn. It was at this point that it is alleged that Filner attempted to enter the employee only area of the office. He was asked to leave the area several times by airline employees but refused to do so until airport police were called in.[9]
Filner was on his way to visit troops in Iraq at the time of the incident. He released a statement saying "suffice it to say now, that the story that has appeared in the press is factually incorrect and the charges are ridiculous".[9] He was later charged with assault and battery.[10] Filner entered a plea after prosecutors reduced the charge to trespassing.[11] The House Ethics Committee began a probe into the event,[12] but it was later dropped.[13]
- MEK controversy
Filner has been a vocal supporter of the People's Mujahedin of Iran, a group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States. Filner, along with several, senior US officials, has argued that the group's designation should be removed, and considers the MEK an ally against the Iranian regime. He has accepted free trips,[14] and paid speaking engagements from the group for which he has been criticized by the National Iranian American Council.[15]
Committee assignments
2012 San Diego mayoral election
Filner announced on June 8, 2011 that he is a candidate for Mayor of San Diego California. [16]
Personal life
Filner has a daughter, Erin Filner, who is a social studies teacher at The Fox Lane Middle School in Bedford, NY. He also has a son, Adam Filner who is married and is the father of two young children.
References
- ^ http://www.house.gov/filner/issues/civrights.htm
- ^ http://www.openleft.com/diary/20977/congressmember-bob-filner-confronting-racist-tea-party-violence-on-election-night
- ^ [1]
- ^ Horstman, Barry M. (17 October 1987). "Filner: Being a Freedom Rider Changed the Course of His Life". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ http://www.house.gov/filner/biography.htm
- ^ Horstman, Barry M. (September 28, 1991). "Apologetic Bates Plans Comeback". The Los Angeles Times.
- ^ [2]
- ^ Leila Salaverria (2009-02-24). "4 US solons as honorary Filipinos". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 2009-03-20.
- ^ a b Molly Hooper (20 August 2007). "Rep. Bob Filner Charged With Assault on Virginia Airport Worker". Fox News. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
- ^ "Congressman Bob Filner Served Court Summons on Assault Charge". Fox News. 4 September 2007. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
- ^ Dana Wilkie (29 November 2007). "Va. airline employee rips". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
- ^ Paul Kane (19 September 2007). "House Ethics Committee Opens Probe into Filner's Airport Altercation". Washington Post. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
- ^ Patrick O'Conner (21 December 2007). "House ethics gives Filner mild rebuke". Politico. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
- ^ Matt Potter (27 July 2011). "Filner's Road to Paris". San Diego Reader. Retrieved 5 Dec 2011.
- ^ David Elliot (10 June 2010). "Congressmen working with MEK to remove terrorist designation". NIAC Insight. Retrieved 5 Dec 2011.
- ^ [3]
External links
- U.S. Representative Bob Filner official U.S. House site
- Bob Filner for U.S. Congress official campaign site
- Bob Filner for mayor of San Diego official campaign site
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Profile at Vote Smart
Articles
- Bigamy, bribery, other allegations plague California congressional race Miriam Raftery, Raw Story, June 5, 2006
- Rep. Filner beats Democratic rival in latest rematch Philip J. LaVelle and Dani Dodge, San Diego Union-Tribune, June 7, 2006
- CA 51: Slim Margin Gives Way to Safety for Filner This Fall CQ Politics, June 7, 2006
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