State Government Oral History Program Oral History
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California State Archives State Government Oral History Program Volume 2 Oral History Interview with MERVYN M. DYMALLY United States Congressman, 1981-1992 Lieutenant Governor, 1975-1979 California State Senator, 1967-1975 California State Assemblyman, 1963-1967 December 21, 1996, January 4, February 8, March 3, April 5, 12, 26, June 7, 14, 21, 24, July 2, 7, 17, 23, August 8, 11, 1997 Los Angeles, California By Elston L. Carr Oral History Program University of California, Los Angeles TABLE OF CONTENTS VOLUME 2 SESSION 7, April 26, 1997 [Tape 8, Side A] 348 Dymally's unwillingness to say "no" to people who ask for his help—Rumors that Dymally would be indicted during the 1978 campaign for lieutenant governor—The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigates Dymally—More on rumors that Dymally would be indicted—Rumors' impact on the 1978 campaign—More on busing—Willie Herron runs for Dymally's senate seat in 1972—Paul Ziffren— First meeting of the national conference of black elected officials—Publishing The Black Politician! His Struggle for Power—The decline of Phillip Burton's influence and the rise of Henry A. Waxman, Howard L. Herman, and Meldon E. Levine—Tom Bradley--Dymally's influence in getting black candidates elected to public office—Bradley*s support of black candidates— More on Yvonne Brathwaite Burke—Billy Mills— More on Bradley's support of black candidates— Rosalind W. Wyman's support of Dymally. [Tape 8, Side B] 376 Events leading to decision to run for lieutenant governor in 1974—Kicking off the campaign— Reasons for deciding to run for lieutenant governor in 1974--Alan Cranston—Raising funds for the campaign--Working relationship with Republican opponent John L. Harmer—Working together with Republicans on legislation— Governor Ronald Reagan strengthens the office of lieutenant governor—George Moscone--Events leading to James R. Mill's becoming president pro tern of the state senate in 1971--David Roberti— The importance of personal rather than political alliances in the senate—More on Dymally's 1974 campaign—Supports giving the Public Utilities Commission the power to regulate oil—Dymally's goals as lieutenant governor—Supports prisoner rights—Gay rights legislation--Relationship with Willie L. Brown Jr. SESSION 8, June 7, 1997 [Tape 9, Side A] 407 Dymally's opposition to Howard Miller's appointment to the Los Angeles City Board of Education—Endorsing Jerry Brown for president in 1976—Dymally's relationship with Jerry Brown— James E. Carter as a presidential candidate— More on Dymally's relationship with Jerry Brown—Brown's record of support for blacks— Brown's attempts to reduce the power of the lieutenant governor--Dymally supports business in California—Business community fails to support Dymally for a second term as lieutenant governor--More on Dymally's relationship with Jerry Brown—Gray Davis— Jesse Jackson calls for an independent probe into the FBI's involvement in Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination—Meets with Yvonne Brathwaite Burke to persuade Burke to run for lieutenant governor--Dymally's decision to run for a second term as lieutenant governor. [Tape 9, Side B] 438 More on Dymally's second bid for lieutenant governor—His decision to run for the U.S. House of Representatives--Maxcy D. Filer—The United States attorney general's office investigates Dymally on charges of bribery—The California attorney general's office investigates the use of Urban Affairs Institute funds--Accomplishments of the Urban Affairs Institute. SESSION 9, June 14, 1977 [Tape 10, Side A] 455 More on the Urban Affairs Institute investigation--Serves as ex officio member of the University of California board of regents—Latino support for Dymally's reelection to the lieutenant governor's office—The FBI leaks information on Dymally to the media—1978 Democratic opponent Patricia E. "Penny" Raven— Public perceptions of Dymally—FBI investigation of Dymally during reelection campaign for lieutenant governor—The 1978 campaign against opponent Mike Curb—Democratic women's support leading—Jane Fonda—Dymally's legislation focused on women's issues—Senator Edward M. Kennedy intervenes in investigation of Dymally— More on Yvonne Brathwaite Burke. [Tape 10, Side B] 485 More on relationship with Bill Burke--Proposition 13—More on the campaign against Mike Curb. SESSION 10, June 21, 1997 [Tape 11, Side A] 494 Conference of black political leaders in 1976— The presidential election of 1968—The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC)—The Democratic party's shift to the right—Ronald Reagan as governor and president—More on the Democratic party's shift to the right—Black reporters and the white media—More on 1978 campaign against Mike Curb—Democratic leaders' support of Dymally's candidacy—Grand jury investigation into bribery allegations related to fund-raising for the 1978 campaign. [Tape 11, Side B] 527 More on grand jury investigation into bribery allegations—FBI surveillance of Dymally—Plans after losing the 1978 campaign—Decides to run for the U.S. House of Representatives—Researches the demographics of the Thirty-first Congressional District—Prominent Democrats' last minute support of Dymally in the 1978 election— Dymally's support in rural districts—Reasons Dymally lost the election^-His constituents' response to bribery allegations--Signs executive orders decreasing the power of the lieutenant governor just prior to leaving office in 1978. SESSION 11, June 24, 1997 [Tape 12, Side A] 560 More on signing executive orders decreasing the power of the lieutenant governor—The Southwest Regional Border Commission—Establishes the California State Commission on Food and Nutrition—The Rural Youth Employment Project— Working with legislators from rural areas of California—Assemblyman John E. Thurman Jr.— Blacks located in rural areas of California-- Attempts to make the lieutenant governor's role more substantive—Constitutional amendment to provide for a joint election of the governor and lieutenant governor—Dymally's staff—Dymally's relationship to the black political leadership in Los Angeles—Conservative political attitudes among blacks—Bill Greene's continued support of Dymally--More on March Fong Eu—Ken Cory—Public officials who have continued to support Dymally. [Tape 12, Side B] 593 Los Angeles blacks who have supported Dymally— Support for Dymally during the 1978 campaign-- Virna Canson—Stance on proposal to divide the Los Angeles Unified School District—Voter registration drives targeted toward blacks—More on Alan Cranston—Appointment to the California Coordinating Council of Higher Education-- Affirmative action--U.S. attorney general's office investigation into bribery case involving an Escondido church—Mike Curb endorses Dymally in the 1980 congressional race—Dymally*s prediction that California was becoming a Third World state—Decision to run against incumbent Charles H. Wilson for the Thirty-first Congressional District—Issue of candidates moving into a district immediately prior to the election—Campaigning for congressional office— Raising funds—Campaign organizers and supporters. SESSION 11, June 24, 1997 [Tape 13, Side A] 630 More on investigation into bribery case involving an Escondido church—Ed Masry--President James E. Carter—Lack of voter support for Carter in California—1980 race between Bobbi Fiedler and James C. Corman—A1 Rodda--Yvonne Burke's first campaign for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors—Robert Dornan--More on Alan Cranston—Tom Metzger—Raising money for Dymally*s 1980 campaign for the U.S House of Representatives--Blacks who did and did not support Dymally's candidacy for the House of Representatives—More on Tom Bradley. [Tape 13, Side B] 661 Impact of legislators compared to impact of the mayor in the Los Angeles black community—FBI investigation of Dymally is discontinued on grounds of insufficient evidence—More on blacks who did and did not support Dymally's candidacy for the House of Representatives—More on plans after losing 1978 campaign for second term as lieutenant governor—Charles H. Wilson—Serves as a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee— Dymally's support of the aerospace industry— Relationship with his constituency--Compton's city government—Walter Tucker and Walter Tucker Jr.—More on relationship with the constituency— Activities while serving on the Foreign Affairs Committee—Working with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)—Successes while serving on the Foreign Affairs Committee—President Reagan's relationship with the Congressional Black Caucus-- Federal aid for local government disappears during Reagan's administration--David Dreier— Eugene A. Chapie—Increase in partisanship since Newton L. Gingrich became Speaker of the House of Representatives—Bobbi Fiedler—Learning the ropes in the House of Representatives--Dymally's congressional staff. 348 [Session 7, April 26, 1997] [Begin Tape 8, Side A] DYMALLY; Now, you've been asking me some tough questions as we go along in this interview, and I have, in part, been defensive. I don't want to give the impression that I am some saint, that all of the criticism against me was either inaccurate or racist. The fact is, I made some mistakes. They were not mistakes of a criminal nature. Neither were they a deliberate display of arrogance, although I have used arrogance as a defense against racism. Neither were they a design to be unethical. Rather, they were mistakes of the heart, and a bit of naivete. Let me suggest one bit of naivete. Growing up in Trinidad, the police in my time—I don't think that's the case now—was a friend of the family, a friend of the village. There was no telephone, so it was not unusual that he would bring a wireless message to you or stop by in the rum shop and have a drink with you. I noticed 349 one thing they had to do when they did that, they had to take their hats off. So I trusted the law enforcement, and in Trinidad there was no such thing as conspiracy under the British law.