John Garamendi

John Garamendi
John Garamendi
Member of the; U.S. House of Representatives; from California
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; November 5, 2009
Preceded by	Ellen Tauscher
Constituency	10th district (2009–2013); 3rd district (2013–present)
46th Lieutenant Governor of California
	In office; January 8, 2007 – November 3, 2009
Governor	Arnold Schwarzenegger
Preceded by	Cruz Bustamante
Succeeded by	Mona Pasquil (acting)
1st and 5th Insurance Commissioner of California
	In office; January 6, 2003 – January 8, 2007
Governor	Gray Davis; Arnold Schwarzenegger
Preceded by	Harry Low
Succeeded by	Steve Poizner
	In office; January 7, 1991 – January 2, 1995
Governor	Pete Wilson
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Chuck Quackenbush
1st United States Deputy Secretary of the Interior
	In office; August 15, 1995 – April 1998
President	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	David J. Hayes
Member of the California Senate
	In office; December 3, 1976 – November 30, 1990
Preceded by	Al Alquist
Succeeded by	Patrick Johnston
Constituency	13th district (1976–1984); 5th district (1984–1990)
Member of the California State Assembly; from the 7th district
	In office; December 7, 1974 – November 30, 1976
Preceded by	Bill Bagley
Succeeded by	Norman S. Waters
Personal details
Born	John Raymond Garamendi; January 24, 1945 (age 76); Camp Blanding, Florida, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Patricia Wilkinson (m. 1965)
Children	6
Residence	Walnut Grove, California, U.S.
Education	University of California, Berkeley (BA); Harvard University (MBA)
Website	House website

John Raymond Garamendi (/ˌɡærəˈmɛndi/; born January 24, 1945) is an American businessman, politician, and member of the Democratic Party who has represented areas of Northern California between San Francisco and Sacramento, including the cities of Fairfield and Suisun City, in the United States House of Representatives since 2009. Garamendi was the California Insurance Commissioner from 1991 to 1995 and 2003 to 2007, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Interior from 1995 to 1998, and the 46th lieutenant governor of California from 2007 until his election to Congress in late 2009.^[1]

Garamendi was born in Camp Blanding, Florida, and raised in Mokelumne Hill, California. He earned a B.A. in business from the University of California, Berkeley, and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, then served in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia from 1966 to 1968. He was elected to the California State Assembly in 1974, serving a single term before being elected in 1976 to the California State Senate, where he served four terms until 1990. During this time he had a spell as Majority Leader and ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nominations for governor of California in 1982 and California State Controller in 1986.

In 1990, Garamendi became the first elected California Insurance Commissioner, serving from 1991 to 1995. He ran for governor in the 1994 election, losing in the Democratic primary. He left public office and served as President Bill Clinton's Deputy Secretary of the Interior from 1995 to 1998, then worked for the Peace Corps again. He was elected insurance commissioner again in 2002 and briefly ran for governor again in the 2003 recall, before dropping out to support Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante.^[2] In 2006, he was elected lieutenant governor to succeed the term-limited Bustamante.

Garamendi had planned to run for governor a fourth time in 2010,^[3] but after U.S. Representative Ellen Tauscher of California's 10th congressional district resigned to become Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security,^[4] Garamendi won the November 2009 special election to succeed her.^[5]^[6]

Early life and education[]

Garamendi was born in Camp Blanding, Florida, and was raised in Mokelumne Hill, California, the son of Mary Jane (née McSorley) and Raymond V. Garamendi. His paternal grandparents were Basque immigrants from Spain and his mother was of half Irish and half Italian ancestry.^[7]^[8] Garamendi received a Bachelor of Arts in business from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was a football player and wrestler, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School.^[9] He served in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia from 1966 to 1968.^[10] Garamendi is an Eagle Scout and a member of Sigma Chi, as a brother of the Alpha Beta Chapter at Berkeley.^[11]

California legislature (1977–1991)[]

State Assembly[]

In 1974, Garamendi decided to run for California's 7th State Assembly district. Six-term Republican incumbent William T. Bagley did not run for reelection, instead running for California State Controller. In the election to succeed Bagley, Garamendi faced Republican State Assemblyman Douglas F. Carter. Carter had won a special election in the 12th Assembly district in July 1973 to succeed Robert T. Monagan. In the general election, Garamendi defeated Carter, 60,380 votes (64.08%) to 33,842 (35.92%), as Democrats won a supermajority in the California State Assembly for the first time since the 1800s.^[12]^[13]

State Senate[]

In 1976, Garamendi decided to retire after one term to run in California's 13th State Senate district. He defeated Republican Bob Whitten, 53%-47%.^[14] He was reelected in 1980 (60%),^[15] 1984 (69%),^[16] and 1988 (69%).^[17]

While in the California Senate, Garamendi served as Majority Leader. He chaired the Joint Committee on Science and Technology, the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, and the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee.^[18]

1982 gubernatorial election[]

Garamendi first ran for governor of California in 1982. In the Democratic primary, Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley defeated him, 61%-25%.^[19]

1986 controller election[]

In the 1986 Democratic primary for California State Controller, Garamendi lost to Assemblyman Gray Davis, 50%-38%.^[20]

Insurance commissioner (1991–1995)[]

Garamendi as California Insurance Commissioner

1990 election[]

Garamendi first ran for California Insurance Commissioner in 1990. He won the Democratic primary with a plurality of 36% of the vote. His closest challenger was radio talk show host Bill Press, who got 28% of the vote.^[21] In the general election, he defeated Republican Wes Bannister, 52%-38%.^[22]

Tenure[]

In 1991, while serving as California Insurance Commissioner, Garamendi seized Executive Life, a failing life insurance company, and resold it to French investors who turned out to be fronts for a government-owned French bank. They made billions of dollars selling off the company's portfolio of junk bonds while the Californians with Executive Life policies were very negatively affected. This became a scandal in both the U.S. and France, with the U.S. government filing criminal charges, because it was illegal for a government-owned bank to own a U.S. insurer. Policyholders blamed Garamendi for putting them in this position.^[23]^[24]

Eventually the U.S. government reached a settlement with the French bankers, and in 2005 Garamendi agreed to a settlement, the terms of which further angered Executive Life policyholders, who, according to the Sacramento Bee, "had been damaged to the tune of perhaps $5 billion." A leader of the policyholders' interest group, Sue Watson, said, "We are shocked and outraged that the largest financial fraud in California history would be settled for so little and without even a fight." The Bee editorialized that "Garamendi cannot simultaneously assert that the sale was a good deal and a multibillion-dollar fraud, and then defend a cents-on-the-dollar settlement that left the buyers with billions of dollars in windfall profits. It just does not make sense."^[25]^[26]

1994 gubernatorial election[]

Garamendi ran for California governor a second time in 1994. In the Democratic primary, State Treasurer Kathleen Brown defeated him, 48%-33%.^[27]^[28]

1995–2003[]

After Garamendi's tenure as insurance commissioner, President Bill Clinton appointed him Deputy Secretary of the Interior, the second-highest post in the U.S. Department of the Interior. He resigned in 1998 and worked with the Peace Corps.^{[citation needed]} He then spent time in the private sector.^{[citation needed]}

Insurance commissioner (2003–2007)[]

2002 election[]

Garamendi ran for California insurance commissioner for a second time in 2002. He won the Democratic primary with 39% of the vote.^[29] In the general election, he defeated Republican Gary Mendoza 46%-42%.^[30]

2003 gubernatorial election[]

On August 7, 2003, Garamendi announced his candidacy for governor a third time in the gubernatorial recall election, but dropped out two days later to endorse Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante.^{[citation needed]}

Lieutenant governor (2007–2009)[]

2006 election[]

On July 16, 2004, Garamendi announced his candidacy for lieutenant governor of California. He was endorsed by former Vice President Al Gore, the Sierra Club, the California Teachers Association, the California League of Conservation Voters, the Peace Officers Research Association of California, the California Professional Firefighters Association, former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, and former U.S. Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt. Garamendi won the Democratic primary by defeating state senators Jackie Speier and Liz Figueroa 43%-40%-18%.^[31] In the general election, he defeated Republican State Senator Tom McClintock 49%-45%.^[32]

U.S. House of Representatives (2009–present)[]

2009

In the September election, no candidate reached the 50% threshold to avoid a runoff. Garamendi ranked first among Democrats with 26% of the vote, defeating State Senator Mark DeSaulnier (18%) and Assemblymember Joan Buchanan (12%). In the November runoff, Garamendi defeated Republican nominee David Harmer 53%-43%.^[33]^[34] Garamendi was sworn in as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives on November 5, 2009.^[35]

2010

Garamendi was reelected to his first full term, defeating Republican nominee Gary Clift 59%-38%.^[36]

2012

After redistricting, Garamendi filed papers in March 2012 to run in the newly redrawn 3rd district.^[37]^[38]

Garamendi was running in a district that was over 77% new to him. While the old 10th district traditionally favored Democrats, the new 3rd was somewhat more of a swing district.^[39] Buy the bulk of its vote was in Democratic-leaning territory between the Bay Area and Sacramento, Garamendi's base. Garamendi defeated Republican Kim Vann 54.2%-45.8%.

2014

Garamendi was reelected.

Political positions[]

Donald Trump[]

Garamendi was critical of President Donald Trump, suggesting in December 2016 that because of his international real-estate business, Trump was weighed down by conflicts of interest. He also said he was disturbed by the placement of "generals, ex-generals in every one of the key positions dealing with the military, dealing with international affairs."^[40]

At a July 2017 town hall in Davis, Garamendi said that developments in the Trump administration were "far more serious" than Watergate.^[41]

In July 2017, Garamendi said that during recent visits to Vietnam, South Korea, and Australia, he had encountered "angst, worry and concern about what's happening in America."^[41]

Garamendi said in January 2018 that he was "angry" when Trump referred to certain Third World nations as "shithole countries."^[42]

Joe Biden[]

As of August 2021, Garamendi had voted in line with President Joe Biden's stated position 100% of the time.^[43]

Economic policy[]

In January 2018, Garamendi called the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 a "tax scam" that would primarily benefit the so-called "1 percent." He asserted that House "deficit hawks" wanted to "cut out the social safety net" to pay for the bill.^[44]

In a January 2018 interview, Garamendi said of the U.S. treasury: "There's no money. They gave it all away." He complained that current economic policies, including the large 2017 tax cuts, benefited the rich and corporations, not the middle class.^[42]

Immigration[]

In January 2018, Garamendi expressed the desire to "make sure every person is identified" and charged that E-Verify, a system intended to curtail undocumented employment, had "not really been enforced." He said that it was possible to compromise on the issue between conservative and progressive House members, and expressed concern about the fate of "undocumented immigrants who are not considered Dreamers."^[42]

Internet privacy[]

After Mark Zuckerberg's April 2018 testimony before a joint Senate committee, Garamendi called for a privacy law that would cover social media.^[45]

Military[]

Garamendi speaks with generals during the District Commanders Course, 2015

In May 2011, by a vote of 60–1, the House Armed Services Committee approved a $553 billion military funding bill that would increase pay and fund new aircraft, ships, and submarines. Garamendi cast the sole "no" vote.^[46] The same month, he introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would withdraw 90% of troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2013. Along with eight other members of Congress he wrote a letter to President Obama asking him to end the war.^[47]^[48]

With Dianne Feinstein and Martin Heinrich, Garamendi sponsored the Due Process Guarantee Act, a 2012 bill pushed by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) that would bar the military from indefinitely detaining U.S. citizens or residents within the country without charge or trial.^[49]^[50]

Garmendi actively opposed a GOP-backed construction of a missile defense site on the East Coast, saying it was fiscally irresponsible to be "spending up to $5 billion in the next three years on a missile defense system that doesn't work."^[51]

He voted against extending the Patriot Act.^[52]

National security[]

In a May 2011 article, Garamendi wrote, "our national security is much more dependent on ending desperate poverty, funding good schools, and empowering women in the developing world while eradicating international terrorist networks like al Qaeda. With bin Laden dead and al Qaeda in Afghanistan largely extinguished, it's time we revisited the wisdom of continuing the war in Afghanistan."^[53]

In April 2018, he expressed opposition to building a border wall and said, "If you want to go where the problem is, fund the Coast Guard."^[54]

Student loans[]

In the fall of 2017, Garamendi and Brian Fitzpatrick co-introduced H.R. 4001, the Student Loan Refinancing and Recalculating Act. "For many Americans, the price of a college education is too high," he said.^[55]

Syria[]

On November 19, 2015, Garamendi voted for HR 4038, legislation that would effectively halt the resettlement of refugees from Syria and Iraq to the United States.^[56]

On March 31, 2018, he described Trump's approach to Syria as "helter-skelter" and "chaos."^[57] In April 2018, he expressed opposition to a military strike on Syria. "You have to have a strategy. This president doesn't have a clue about how to build a strategy."^[45]

Water supply[]

In a June 2017 article, Garamendi rejected the proposal known as California WaterFix, calling it an "expensive boondoggle," and instead expressed support for Proposition 1.^[58]

Committee assignments[]

^[59]

Caucus memberships[]

House Democratic Caucus
American Sikh Caucus (co-chair)
Air Force Caucus
Alzheimer's Task Force
Blue Collar Caucus
Military Families Caucus
Peace Corps Caucus (co-chair)
Shipbuilding Caucus
Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition
United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus^[60]
Veterinary Medicine Caucus^[61]
Wine Caucus