Ernie Konnyu
Encyclopedia
Ernest Leslie Konnyu is a former Republican
U.S. Representative
from California's 12th congressional district
.
Konnyu attended parochial schools in Jefferson City
and St. Louis, Missouri
, and the University of Maryland, College Park
, and earned his B.S. at Ohio State University
in 1965. He served in the United States Air Force
at the rank of captain from 1959 to 1969 and as a major
in the Air Force Reserve from 1970 to 1981. He served as director of internal audit
at National Semiconductor
in Santa Clara, California
, from 1974 to 1980.
Konnyu represented California's 22nd Assembly District, including part of Santa Clara County
, from 1980 to 1986. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986 and served one term after incumbent Ed Zschau
opted to make an unsuccessful run for the U.S. Senate.
Konnyu's one term in Congress was scarred with several claims of sexual harassment
. A female member of his staff complained that Konnyu told her to remove her nametag because it drew attention to her breasts which he was said to have described as small. Another staffer said that in a discussion on her office attire, Konnyu allegedly instructed her to stand up and turn around so he could look her over. A female lobbyist also scolded Konnyu in a Washington, D.C.
, bar for touching her knee and for his conduct toward women. The numerous controversies cost him the Republican primary in 1988 to Tom Campbell, who went on to win the general election.
Konnyu resides in Saratoga, California
. He regularly posts comments to the blog Calbuzz.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from California's 12th congressional district
California's 12th congressional district
California's 12th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that spans from the southwestern portions of San Francisco in the north down to San Mateo in the south, and from Moss Beach in the west to the edge of San Mateo in the east, where it borders...
.
Konnyu attended parochial schools in Jefferson City
Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City is the capital of the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Cole County. Located in Callaway and Cole counties, it is the principal city of the Jefferson City metropolitan area, which encompasses the entirety of both counties. As of the 2010 census, the population was 43,079...
and St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, and the University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, and earned his B.S. at Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
in 1965. He served in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
at the rank of captain from 1959 to 1969 and as a major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
in the Air Force Reserve from 1970 to 1981. He served as director of internal audit
Internal audit
Internal auditing is an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organization's operations. It helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk...
at National Semiconductor
National Semiconductor
National Semiconductor was an American semiconductor manufacturer, that specialized in analog devices and subsystems,formerly headquartered in Santa Clara, California, USA. The products of National Semiconductor included power management circuits, display drivers, audio and operational amplifiers,...
in Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
, from 1974 to 1980.
Konnyu represented California's 22nd Assembly District, including part of Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County, California
Santa Clara County is a county located at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 it had a population of 1,781,642. The county seat is San Jose. The highly urbanized Santa Clara Valley within Santa Clara County is also known as Silicon Valley...
, from 1980 to 1986. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986 and served one term after incumbent Ed Zschau
Ed Zschau
Edwin Van Wyck Zschau represented California's 12th District in the United States House of Representatives from 1983-1987. In 1986 he ran as the Republican candidate for a seat in the United States Senate...
opted to make an unsuccessful run for the U.S. Senate.
Konnyu's one term in Congress was scarred with several claims of sexual harassment
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment, is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In some contexts or circumstances, sexual harassment is illegal. It includes a range of behavior from seemingly mild transgressions and...
. A female member of his staff complained that Konnyu told her to remove her nametag because it drew attention to her breasts which he was said to have described as small. Another staffer said that in a discussion on her office attire, Konnyu allegedly instructed her to stand up and turn around so he could look her over. A female lobbyist also scolded Konnyu in a Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, bar for touching her knee and for his conduct toward women. The numerous controversies cost him the Republican primary in 1988 to Tom Campbell, who went on to win the general election.
Konnyu resides in Saratoga, California
Saratoga, California
Saratoga is a city in Santa Clara County, California, USA. It is located on the west side of the Santa Clara Valley, directly west of San Jose, in the San Francisco Bay area. The population was 29,926 at the 2010 census....
. He regularly posts comments to the blog Calbuzz.