Dick Mountjoy

Richard L. Mountjoy (January 13, 1932 – May 18, 2015) was a Republican politician from Monrovia, California.[1]

Richard L. Mountjoy
Member of the California State Senate
In office
1995–2000
Member of the California State Assembly
In office
1978–1995
Personal details
Born(1932-01-13)January 13, 1932
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DiedMay 18, 2015(2015-05-18) (aged 83)
Monrovia, California, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Earline Winnett (1952–2009)

Personal life

Mountjoy was born in Los Angeles, California and graduated from Monrovia-Arcadia-Duarte High School in 1950.[2] He joined the US Navy and served oversea during the Korean War. After his navy service he worked briefly as an auto mechanic. Then did construction work with his brother Gordon, the two later started the Mountjoy Construction Company. He was married to Earline Winnett until her death in 2009. He has two sons, Michael and Dennis Lee, and one daughter, Judy. Dennis was a member of the California State Assembly, having represented his father's old district from 2000 to 2006. Dick is Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Political career

Mountjoy served as the mayor of Monrovia from 1968 to 1976. He served in the California State Assembly from 1978 to 1995 from the California's 59th State Assembly district. From 1982 to 1984 he served as the California Assembly Republican Caucus Chair. While there he introduced California Proposition 187, which denied government services to illegal immigrants. He served in the California State Senate from 1995 to 2000 in the California's 29th State Senate district. His political platform fit with that of the conservative wing of the Republican Party: he was anti-abortion, opposed same-sex marriage, and supported both the war in Iraq and possible military intervention in Iran.

On September 22, 2006, the Los Angeles Times reported that a statement in his website's biography, that he served in the Korean War aboard the USS Missouri, was incorrect; ship records later confirmed that he actually served aboard the USS Bremerton. Mountjoy said, "I think it was just something that somebody picked up, it didn’t come from me." However, Feinstein's campaign opined that the error raised enough doubts about Mountjoy’s credibility that Mountjoy was "not qualified to serve the people of California."[3]

Mountjoy was defeated by incumbent U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein by a wide margin (59-35 percent) in the general election held on November 7, 2006.

He died on May 18, 2015, aged 83.[1]

California Assembly
Preceded by
Xavier Becerra		 Member of the California State Assembly from the 59th district
1978-1995		 Succeeded by
Bob Margett
California Senate
Preceded by
Frank C. Hill		 California State Senate
29th district
1995-2000 		Succeeded by
Bob Margett
Party political offices
Preceded by
Tom Campbell		 Republican Party nominee for United States Senator from California (Class 1)
2006		 Succeeded by
Elizabeth Emken
gollark: It would break GPS, which is a bigger issue, I suppose.
gollark: But we can just write and delete a file, not a huge issue.
gollark: It needs labelling too? Are you sure?
gollark: I mean, if you write a file to it, anyway.
gollark: Yes it would.

References
  1. Los Angeles Times (19 May 2015). "Richard Mountjoy, GOP legislator and key Prop. 187 backer, dies at 83". latimes.com.
  2. "Richard "Dick" Mountjoy, Previous Candidate for United States Senate, California". vote-ca.org.
  3. "Senate candidate admits wrong info on bio". NBC News.
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