Mark DeSaulnier
Mark DeSaulnier | |
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Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 11th district | |
Assumed office January 3, 2015 | |
Preceded by | George Miller |
Member of the California State Senate from the 7th district | |
In office December 1, 2008 – January 2, 2015 | |
Preceded by | Tom Torlakson |
Succeeded by | Steve Glazer |
Member of the California State Assembly from the 11th district | |
In office December 4, 2006 – December 1, 2008 | |
Preceded by | Joe Canciamilla |
Succeeded by | Tom Torlakson |
Member of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors from the 4th district | |
In office January 29, 1994 – December 4, 2006 | |
Preceded by | Sunne McPeak |
Succeeded by | Susan Bonilla |
Personal details | |
Born | Lowell, Massachusetts, U.S. | March 31, 1952
Political party | Democratic (2000–present) |
Other political affiliations | Republican (before 2000) |
Spouse | Melinda Clune (divorced)[1] |
Children | 2 |
Education | College of the Holy Cross (BA) |
Website | House website |
Mark James DeSaulnier (/dəˈsoʊnieɪ/;[2] born March 31, 1952) is an American politician who has served since 2015 as the U.S. Representative for California's 11th congressional district. The district includes most of Contra Costa County, a suburban county in the East Bay. He has been a member of the Democratic Party since 2000; he was a liberal Republican prior to then.
Prior to serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, DeSaulnier was a member the Concord City Council (1991–1994), a Contra Costa County Supervisor (1994–2006), and a member of the California State Legislature, representing the 11th State Assembly district from 2006 to 2008 and the 7th State Senate district from 2008 to 2015.
Early life and education
DeSaulnier was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, and raised in a Roman Catholic family.[3] He earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from the College of the Holy Cross.[4]
After his father, Edward, a Massachusetts Superior Court judge, became involved in a scandal in the early 1970s, DeSaulnier moved to California.[5] He settled in Concord, California. As a young man, DeSaulnier worked as a probation officer, a truck driver, and a hotel services employee.[6] DeSaulnier owned and operated several restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area.[7]
Early political career
This section needs additional citations for verification. (June 2020) |
DeSaulnier was appointed to the Concord Planning Commission in 1988. In 1991, he was elected to the Concord City Council[4] and served as mayor of Concord in 1993. He was also a member of the University of California Toxic Substances Research and Teaching Program Advisory Committee.[citation needed]
In early 1994, Republican Governor Pete Wilson appointed DeSaulnier, then a fellow Republican, to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors district 4, filling a vacancy caused by the resignation of Supervisor Sunne McPeak.[8] He was elected in 1994 and re-elected in 1998 and 2002. In June 1998, he received 98.4 percent of the vote against write-in candidates.[9] In March 2002, DeSaulnier was reelected with 79 percent of the vote against challenger Dione Mustard.[10]
During DeSaulnier's tenure on the Board of Supervisors, he sponsored the Industrial Safety Ordinance and the Refinery Flare Rule for local refineries and chemical facilities. DeSaulnier served on the executive boards of the Association of Bay Area Governments, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. He was appointed to represent the Bay Area on the California Air Resources Board by the Air District (1997–2006).[citation needed]
As a member of the Air Resources Board, DeSaulnier supported strong environmental regulations, including cleaner-burning gasoline, lower-emission vehicles (LEVs), the identification of diesel exhaust as a toxic air contaminant, dioxin monitoring in the Bay Area, the banning of methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) in gasoline, the identification of secondhand smoke as a carcinogen, the reduction of emissions from dairy farms, the phase-out of rice straw in the central valley and the reduction of emissions from cruise ships.[citation needed]
On a county level, DeSaulnier introduced a Women's Health Program to serve the health-care needs of all women in Contra Costa County. He also established the annual Children and Families' Budget, a separate County budget that reviews and measures the effectiveness of County programs in these areas. His other projects for children include AfterSchool4All, the Future Fund and the Children and Families Committee of the Board of Supervisors.[citation needed]
The Contra Costa Times editorial board was critical of DeSaulnier's record as county supervisor. An editorial published in 2009 stated, "Many of the financial problems that afflict Contra Costa County today stem directly from decisions DeSaulnier championed while he was supervisor. Most notably, in 2002, at a time when the county faced a $31.5 million shortfall, was already laying off workers and was already experiencing increased public employee pension costs, DeSaulnier supported unsustainable pension increases that hiked benefits for public safety workers by as much as 50 percent. The plan allowed public safety workers to retire at age 50 with a pension worth 3 percent of their salary for each year served. Such excessive public employee union benefits have strained some local jurisdictions to the brink of bankruptcy."[11]
California State Assembly
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Mark_DeSaulnier_2009_CROPPED.jpg)
In the June 2006 Democratic primary, DeSaulnier carried 52 percent of the vote against Pittsburg School Board Trustee Laura Canciamilla and two other opponents.[12] DeSaulnier was endorsed by the San Francisco Chronicle, the Contra Costa Times,[13] U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer and California Senator Tom Torlakson. DeSaulnier won a decisive victory in the 2006 general election against Republican Arne Simonsen and Libertarian Cory Nott with 66% of all votes cast.[14]
In the Assembly, DeSaulnier chaired the Committee on Transportation and the Select Committees on Growth Management and Air Quality. He was also a member of the Assembly Committees on Appropriations, Human Services, Rules and Labor and Employment. He authored or co-authored over 40 bills during the 2007–2008 legislative session. His bills addressed truancy among school children, preschool access, suicide prevention, childhood obesity, reducing air pollution, smoke-free workplaces, and the creation of opportunities for at-risk youth.[citation needed]
One bill introduced by DeSaulnier, AB 1617, would have restricted tobacco smokers from purchasing tobacco products via the internet.[15] The bill was vetoed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.[16] Another DeSaulnier bill, AB 2235, which would require that a biometric feature be incorporated into all new handguns sold in California.[17]
For the Live Earth concert in July 2007, DeSaulnier delivered the Democratic weekly radio address on steps people can take to reduce their carbon footprint.[18]
California State Senate
DeSaulnier was elected to the California State Senate in November 2008, representing the 7th Senate district which includes most of Contra Costa County. DeSaulnier received early support from the Contra Costa Central Labor Council, the Contra Costa Building Trades Council and the California League of Conservation Voters. He received 98% of the vote in the June 2008 Democratic primary election against write-in candidates; former Assemblyman Joe Canciamilla initially was to challenge DeSaulnier for the Senate seat, but dropped out of the race. In the 2008 general election, DeSaulnier received 66.6% of the vote against Republican Christian Amsberry.[citation needed]
In the Senate, DeSaulnier was the chair of the Labor and Industrial Relations committee, and a member of the Health, Transportation and Housing, and Appropriations committees. He was also the chair of the select committees on Constitutional Reform and Growth Management.[19]
DeSaulnier authored over 20 bills that addressed the ability of workers to designate their treating physician prior to an injury, providing for greater prescription drug safety, supporting increased funding for alcohol-abuse programs, expanding electronic recycling and funding for climate protection. He supported Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR)3 to propose to California voters the question of whether to call a convention to reform the state constitution.[20]
In September 2009, DeSaulnier amended SB 88 to attempt to restrict the ability of local governments to shed pension programs through bankruptcy protection.[21]
In 2012, DeSaulnier proposed a bill, SB1366, that would require gun owners whose guns are stolen or lost report the fact to police within 48 hours.[22][23] Failure to comply would result in fines on the first and second offenses, with higher fines and possible jail on the third.[22] The bill was endorsed by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the California Police Chiefs Association,[24] and opposed by the California Rifle and Pistol Association.[22]
In November 2014, DeSaulnier was elected to represent California's 11th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. As a result, DeSaulnier resigned his state senate seat in order to elevate to Congress.[25]
U.S. House of Representatives
2009 special election
In 2009, DeSaulnier announced his candidacy for the United States House of Representatives in the special election in California's 10th congressional district after the resignation of the incumbent Ellen Tauscher, who endorsed him. In the September 1 Democratic primary, DeSaulnier came in second, behind John Garamendi.[26]
2014 election
In 2014, after George Miller announced his retirement from the U.S. House of Representatives, DeSaulnier announced his candidacy for California's 11th congressional district to succeed him.[27] He won the general election in a landslide victory.[28] DeSaulnier took office on January 3, 2015.
Tenure
DeSaulnier and Representative David Cicilline introduced legislation that creates a pathway for local newspapers to operate on a non-profit level. They attribute the loss of local ad revenue to the shift in media consumption habits. "As consumers have turned to online platforms like Facebook and Google to read the news, advertisers have followed, taking away a vital source of revenue local publications need to maintain their staffing levels. Local news organizations do not get a cut of the financial benefit when their stories are shared online". The bill grants local news companies a 48-month safe harbor from anti-trust laws to negotiate with prominent online platforms for ad profits to address the shortage of journalists.[29]
In May 2019, DeSaulnier introduced the Bots Research Act (H.R. 2860), a bill to establish a task force of experts at the Federal Trade Commission to determine the impact of bots on social media, public discourse, and elections in the United States.[30]
Committee assignments
114th United States Congress[31]
115th United States Congress[32]
- Committee on Education and the Workforce
- Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
- Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Caucuses
Leadership
- 114th United States Congress[33]
- Congressional Innovation and the Human Condition Caucus (Chair)
- Congressional Friends of Jesuit Colleges and Universities Caucus (Co-Chair)
- 115th United States Congress[33]
- Congressional Cancer Survivors Caucus (Co-Chair)
- Congressional Caucus on Urban Regional Studies (Co-Chair)
Membership[34]
- American Sikh Congressional Caucus
- Innovation and the Human Condition Caucus
- Congressional Progressive Caucus[35]
- Gun Violence Prevention Task Force
- Out of Poverty Caucus
- Humanities Caucus
- Animal Protection Caucus
- Safe Climate Caucus
Personal life
A member of the Concord Chamber of Commerce and the Contra Costa Council, DeSaulnier lives in Concord, California, where he raised his two sons. He is an avid runner and has completed twenty-one marathons.[36]
In May 2016, DeSaulnier announced that he had been diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in 2015, and had undergone chemotherapy.[37] While the cancer was described as incurable, DeSaulnier said he would still seek re-election.[37]
On March 13, 2020, DeSaulnier was hospitalized in Washington, D.C., for a rib fracture sustained during a run, as well as for pneumonia.[38] On March 21, it was announced that his health had declined, and he was reported as being in critical condition.[39] He steadily recovered, and was released from the hospital on May 4.[40]
Electoral history
California 11th Assembly District Democratic Primary Election, 2006 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Mark DeSaulnier | 20,328 | 51.7 |
Democratic | Laura Canciamilla | 15,436 | 39.2 |
Democratic | Emmanuel Gbenga Ogunleye | 1,811 | 4.6 |
Democratic | Gerold Lee Gorman | 1,788 | 4.5 |
California 11th Assembly District Election, 2006 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Mark DeSaulnier | 69,054 | 66.5 |
Republican | Arne Simonsen | 31,048 | 29.9 |
Libertarian | Cory Nott | 3,743 | 3.6 |
California 7th Senate District Election, 2008 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Mark DeSaulnier | 256,311 | 66.6 |
Republican | Christian Amsberry | 128,878 | 33.4 |
California 7th Senate District Election, 2012 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Mark DeSaulnier | 229,105 | 61.5 |
Republican | Mark Meuser | 143,707 | 38.5 |
California's 10th congressional district special primary, 2009[41] | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | John Garamendi | 27,580 | 25.70 |
Republican | David Harmer | 22,582 | 21.05 |
Democratic | Mark DeSaulnier | 18,888 | 17.60 |
Democratic | Joan Buchanan | 12,896 | 12.02 |
Democratic | Anthony Woods | 9,388 | 8.75 |
Republican | Chris Bunch | 4,871 | 4.54 |
Republican | Gary Clift | 4,158 | 3.88 |
Republican | John Toth | 3,340 | 3.11 |
Republican | David Peterson | 1,671 | 1.56 |
Green | Jeremy Cloward | 552 | 0.51 |
Republican | Mark Loos | 418 | 0.39 |
Democratic | Adriel Hampton | 376 | 0.35 |
American Independent | Jerome Denham | 309 | 0.29 |
Peace and Freedom | Mary McIlroy | 272 | 0.25 |
Democratic | Tiffany Attwood (write-in) | 2 | 0.00 |
California's 11th Congressional District Primary Election, 2014 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Mark DeSaulnier | 59,605 | 58.8 |
Republican | Tue Phan | 28,242 | 27.9 |
Democratic | Cheryl Sudduth | 4,913 | 4.8 |
Democratic | Tony Daysog | 3,482 | 3.4 |
Independent | Jason Ramey | 2,673 | 2.6 |
Democratic | Ki Ingersol | 2,313 | 2.3 |
American Independent (Write-in) | Virginia Fuller | 140 | 0.1 |
California's 11th Congressional District Election, 2014 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Mark DeSaulnier | 117,502 | 67.3 |
Republican | Tue Phan | 57,160 | 32.7 |
California's 11th Congressional District Primary Election, 2016[42] | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Mark DeSaulnier | 133,317 | 75.3 |
Republican | Roger A. Petersen | 43,654 | 24.7 |
California's 11th Congressional District Election, 2016[43] | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Mark DeSaulnier | 214,868 | 72.1 |
Republican | Roger A. Petersen | 83,341 | 27.9 |
California's 11th Congressional District Primary Election, 2018 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Mark DeSaulnier | 107,115 | 68.3 |
Republican | John Fitzgerald | 36,279 | 23.1 |
California's 11th Congressional District Election, 2018 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Mark DeSaulnier | 204,369 | 74.1 |
Republican | John Fitzgerald | 71,312 | 25.9 |
References
- ^ "DeSaulnier meditates on political journey". September 12, 2013.
- ^ Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (June 18, 2015). "Congressman DeSaulnier Celebrates LGBT Pride Month 2015". YouTube. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 5, 2015. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ a b Feathers, Todd. "Calif. congressman's political seed sown in Lowell area – Lowell Sun". Lowellsun.com. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
- ^ "Mark DeSaulnier: Personal tragedy and public service - Capitol Weekly | Capitol Weekly | Capitol Weekly: The Newspaper of California State Government and Politics". Capitol Weekly. August 20, 2013. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
- ^ Perks, Ashley (November 12, 2014). "Rep.-elect Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.-11)". TheHill.
- ^ "Supervisor Goes From Saloon Keeper to Key Power Broker / Mark DeSaulnier, owner of TR's, pours himself into politics". SFGate. September 10, 1998. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
- ^ Erin Hallissy, "McPeak's Successor Appointed: Concord Mayor to Join Contra Costa Board," San Francisco Chronicle, January 29, 1994, p. A17.
- ^ "Election Results Frame". Ca-contracostacounty.civicplus.com. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
- ^ "Mark DeSaulnier – Publication Details". Cms.markdesaulnier.com. Archived from the original on October 27, 2007. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
- ^ "Editorial: John Garamendi is our recommended choice for the 10th Congressional District". Contracostatimes.com. August 24, 2009. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
- ^ "CA Secretary of State – Primary Election- State Assembly District 11 – Districtwide". sos.ca.gov. Archived from the original on February 7, 2012. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
- ^ "Mark DeSaulnier – Publication Details". Cms.markdesaulnier.com. Archived from the original on October 23, 2007. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on June 11, 2007. Retrieved July 10, 2007.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ DeSaulnier (February 23, 2007). "AB 1617 Assembly Bill – INTRODUCED". Leginfo.ca.gov. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
- ^ DeSaulnier. "AB 1617 Assembly Bill – Bill Analysis". Leginfo.ca.gov. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
- ^ "Bill List". Leginfo.ca.gov. February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
- ^ <"Archived copy". Archived from the original on August 8, 2007. Retrieved July 10, 2007.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)> - ^ "Senator Tom Torlakson -- Senator Torlakson's Committee Membership". Web.archive.org. July 8, 2007. Archived from the original on July 8, 2007. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
- ^ "Bill List". Leginfo.ca.gov. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
- ^ "Our View: Cities' last real line of defense threatened - cities, pay,…". Appeal-democrat.com. July 22, 2012. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
- ^ a b c "Important Alert – OPPOSE SB 1366!". Archived from the original on December 20, 2012.
- ^ "Bill would mandate quick reporting of stolen guns". Sacramento Bee. May 14, 2012. Archived from the original on May 17, 2012.
- ^ "Bill would mandate quick reporting of stolen guns". May 14, 2012.
- ^ Payton, Allen (January 2015). "Meuser is first to jump into special State Senate election, Bonilla will also run". Herald. Antioch, California. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
- ^ "Garamendi Tops Dem Primary, Favored To Succeed Tauscher In Congress : It's All Politics". NPR. September 2, 2009. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
- ^ Cadelago, Christopher; Rosenhall, Laurel (January 13, 2014). "George Miller to retire from Congress; DeSaulnier to run". Sacbee.com. The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
- ^ "There are LOTS of new members of the House. Here's the one sentence you need to read about each of them". The Washington Post. December 2, 2014. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
- ^ "DeSaulnier: Why Congress needs to help save local journalism". The Mercury News. April 9, 2019. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
- ^ "H.R.2860 - To direct the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission to establish a task force for the purpose of studying the effects of automated accounts on social media, public discourse, and elections". USA.gov. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
- ^ "Congress Profiles | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives". History.house.gov. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
- ^ "Committees". Congressman Mark DeSaulnier. December 13, 2012. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
- ^ a b "115th Congress Congressional Member Organizations" (PDF). Congressional House Administration. November 3, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
- ^ "Caucuses". Congressman Mark DeSaulnier. April 7, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
- ^ "Caucus Members". Congressional Progressive Caucus. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
- ^ Gartell, Nate (March 21, 2020). "Rep. Mark DeSaulnier's condition worsens, now listed as critical". East Bay Times. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
- ^ a b Sarah D. Wire (May 6, 2016). "U.S. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier says blood cancer won't keep him from seeking another term". Los Angeles Times.com. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
- ^ Hurd, Rick (March 16, 2020). "Congressman Mark DeSaulnier hospitalized in running fall". The Mercury News. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
- ^ White, Jeremy B. (March 21, 2020). "Rep. Mark DeSaulnier declines to 'critical condition' in pneumonia fight". Politico. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
- ^ Borenstein, Daniel (May 4, 2020). "Rep. Mark DeSaulnier released after nearly two months in hospital". The Mercury News. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Special Primary Election - September 1, 2009" (PDF). Elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov. September 1, 2009. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
- ^ "Presidential Primary Election - Statement of Vote, June 7, 2016" (PDF). June 7, 2016. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
- ^ "Statement of Vote - November 8, 2016, General Election" (PDF). November 8, 2016. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Congressman Mark DeSaulnier official U.S. House website
- Campaign website
- Mark DeSaulnier at Curlie
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- 1952 births
- 20th-century American politicians
- 21st-century American politicians
- American restaurateurs
- California city council members
- California Democrats
- California Republicans
- California state senators
- College of the Holy Cross alumni
- County supervisors in California
- Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives
- John F. Kennedy School of Government staff
- Living people
- Mayors of places in California
- Members of the California State Assembly
- Members of the United States House of Representatives from California
- People from Concord, California
- People with cancer
- Politicians from Lowell, Massachusetts