John P. Cassidy
Encyclopedia
John P. Cassidy was a newspaperman and public relations practitioner who became a Los Angeles City Council member in District 12 between 1962 and 1967. Before and after his term he was a field deputy to two City Council members, and in 1967 he was briefly the head of public relations for the city's Recreation and Parks Department.
, Cassidy was the son of Henry Francis Cassidy and Mae Zelette Cassidy. The elder Cassidy was the founder and publisher of The Evening Journal, a newspaper begun in 1908 in Santa Monica, California
. Zelette continued as publisher after the death of her husband until the outbreak of World War I. The couple had four children—Henry, Helen, Margaret and John Patrick. Cassidy attended St. Joseph's Academy in Berkeley, California
, Los Angeles High School
, St. Mary's College, UCLA and USC
.
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He was a merchant sailor for three years, and during World War II he was in the U.S. Navy. As a journalist, he worked on the Los Angeles Record, Los Angeles Daily News
, Los Angeles Examiner, the Associated Press
, United Press and International News Service
. He directed his own public relations
office for 14 years and conducted political campaigns on national, state and local levels over a period of 27 years.
Cassidy was the father of three children—Patricia Colleen (Balyeat), Sue and John Jr. He was later divorced.
Cassidy was a friend of City Councilman Ransom M. Callicott
and served five years as the councilman's field deputy; Callicott had been elected in 1955 to represent the Los Angeles City Council District 12
, which in that year covered a downown
area bounded roughly by Venice Boulevard on the south, Sunset Boulevard
on the north, Catalina Street on the west and Figueroa Street
on the east.. Callicott died in 1963, and Cassidy was appointed at the age of 59 by unanimous vote of the City Council on December 7, 1962, to succeed him until the April 2, 1963, primary election. The Los Angeles Times reported:
Cassidy faced the downtown voters in April 1963 and was elected to a four-year term. In the meantime, though, a move was afoot to shift the 12th District City Council seat into the San Fernando Valley
, which had experienced steady population growth over the years, and in July 1964 the councilman agreed to the arrangement and said he would relocate into his new district area. The new Valley district included Granada Hills, Northridge
, Chatsworth
, Panorama City and the northern half of Canoga Park. It had a population of about 190,000.
In 1967 he ran for reelection in his new area but was ousted in the final balloting by Robert M. Wilkinson
, who garnered a vote of 24,312 to Cassidy's 7,127. It was "a bitter campaign marked by frequent exchanges of 'smear' charges."
, Cassidy's successful opponent in the 1967 election, who had to drop the matter when it was determined that the council had no authority over the appointment.
In February 1968, though, it was announced that Cassidy had scored ninth in the civil service examination for the position and would have to give it up because the rules required the post be given to one of the top three candidates. He was quickly offered a job as field deputy for 15th District Councilman John S. Gibson, Jr.
In November 1968 Cassidy was subpoenaed
to appear before a grand jury
investigating a contract to design a $4 million golf complex
in the San Fernando Valley, but he refused to testify on the grounds of possible self-incrimination. The hearing led to the indictment
of City Councilman Thomas D. Shepard
, who was convicted of receiving a bribe and served time in prison. Cassidy took a month's leave from his position as Gibson's deputy, saying he did not want to "embarrass you or your office." There is nothing in the public record about Cassidy subsequent to this.
Biography
Born about 1912 in Boise, IdahoBoise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
, Cassidy was the son of Henry Francis Cassidy and Mae Zelette Cassidy. The elder Cassidy was the founder and publisher of The Evening Journal, a newspaper begun in 1908 in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
. Zelette continued as publisher after the death of her husband until the outbreak of World War I. The couple had four children—Henry, Helen, Margaret and John Patrick. Cassidy attended St. Joseph's Academy in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, Los Angeles High School
Los Angeles High School
Los Angeles High School is the oldest public high school in the Southern California Region and in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Its colors are blue and white and the teams are called the Romans....
, St. Mary's College, UCLA and USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
.
He was a merchant sailor for three years, and during World War II he was in the U.S. Navy. As a journalist, he worked on the Los Angeles Record, Los Angeles Daily News
Los Angeles Daily News (historic)
The Los Angeles Daily News , often referred to simply as the Daily News, was a newspaper published from 1923 to 1954. It was operated through most of its existence by Manchester Boddy...
, Los Angeles Examiner, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, United Press and International News Service
International News Service
International News Service was a U.S.-based news agency founded by newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst in 1909.Established two years after the Scripps family founded the United Press Association, INS scrapped among the newswires...
. He directed his own public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
office for 14 years and conducted political campaigns on national, state and local levels over a period of 27 years.
Cassidy was the father of three children—Patricia Colleen (Balyeat), Sue and John Jr. He was later divorced.
Appointment and elections
See also List of Los Angeles municipal election returns, 1963 and 1967Cassidy was a friend of City Councilman Ransom M. Callicott
Ransom M. Callicott
Ransom M. Callicott was president of the National Restaurant Association, co-founder of Meals for Millions and a member of the Los Angeles, California, City Council from 1955 until his death...
and served five years as the councilman's field deputy; Callicott had been elected in 1955 to represent the Los Angeles City Council District 12
Los Angeles City Council District 12
Los Angeles City Council District 12 is one of the 15 districts of the Los Angeles City Council. It encompasses the far northwestern section of the city in the San Fernando Valley. Mitchell Englander is the current officeholder....
, which in that year covered a downown
Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, United States, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area...
area bounded roughly by Venice Boulevard on the south, Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades...
on the north, Catalina Street on the west and Figueroa Street
Figueroa Street
Figueroa Street is a street in Los Angeles County, California named for General José Figueroa , governor of Alta California from 1833 to 1835, who oversaw the secularization of the missions of California...
on the east.. Callicott died in 1963, and Cassidy was appointed at the age of 59 by unanimous vote of the City Council on December 7, 1962, to succeed him until the April 2, 1963, primary election. The Los Angeles Times reported:
Cassidy had been Callicott's personal choice as a successor. . . . Callicott, who died last month, asked Cassidy to move from West Los Angeles into the 12th district two years ago. The late councilman was in poor health and was understood to be grooming Cassidy for the $12,000-a-year job.
Cassidy faced the downtown voters in April 1963 and was elected to a four-year term. In the meantime, though, a move was afoot to shift the 12th District City Council seat into the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
, which had experienced steady population growth over the years, and in July 1964 the councilman agreed to the arrangement and said he would relocate into his new district area. The new Valley district included Granada Hills, Northridge
Northridge
Northridge is the name of some places in the United States of America:*Northridge, Los Angeles, California, a community in California's San Fernando Valley** California State University, Northridge** The Northridge earthquake of 1994...
, Chatsworth
Chatsworth
-Places:Australia* Chatsworth, Queensland* Electoral district of Chatsworth, Queensland, AustraliaCanada* Chatsworth, Ontario, a township* Chatsworth, Ontario , located within above townshipSouth Africa* Chatsworth, Durban* Chatsworth, Western Cape...
, Panorama City and the northern half of Canoga Park. It had a population of about 190,000.
In 1967 he ran for reelection in his new area but was ousted in the final balloting by Robert M. Wilkinson
Robert M. Wilkinson
Robert M. Wilkinson was a political figure and lobbyist in the San Fernando Valley in California. He was a member of the Los Angeles City Council from 1953 to 1957 and from 1967 to 1979.-Biography:...
, who garnered a vote of 24,312 to Cassidy's 7,127. It was "a bitter campaign marked by frequent exchanges of 'smear' charges."
Positions
- Cassidy generally supported the policies of Mayor Sam Yorty.
- Basing his opposition on a postcard survey of 600 property owners, in 1963 he urged the abandonment of a $250 million controversial urban renewal project of 182 acres in his downtown district, which would establish a complex of high-rise office buildings, apartments and businesses. The "blighted area" was bounded by the HollywoodHollywood FreewayThe Hollywood Freeway is one of the principal freeways of Los Angeles, California and one of the busiest in the United States. It is the principal route over the Cahuenga Pass, the primary shortcut between the Los Angeles Basin and the San Fernando Valley...
and Harbor freeways, First Street and Glendale BoulevardGlendale BoulevardGlendale Boulevard is a north–south street in Los Angeles that starts off as Lucas Avenue at 7th Street west of Downtown LA. The name changes at Beverly Boulevard. Echo Park is located north of the 101 at Bellevue Avenue. State Route 2 runs from Alvarado Street until the freeway entrance...
.
- He introduced a successful resolution in 1966 honoring Police Chief William H. Parker; it stated that Parker had done "everything in his power to establish a pattern of realistic human relations in all aspects of community life." The resolution was opposed by all three Negro members of the City Council—Tom BradleyTom Bradley (politician)Thomas J. "Tom" Bradley was the 38th Mayor of Los Angeles, California, serving in that office from 1973 to 1993. He was the first and to date only African American mayor of Los Angeles...
, Billy G. MillsBilly G. MillsBilly G. Mills is a retired Los Angeles Superior Court judge and a former Los Angeles City Council member, serving from 1963 to 1974. He was one of the first three African-Americans elected to the council.-Biography:...
and Gilbert W. LindsayGilbert W. LindsayGilbert W. Lindsay , also known as Gil Lindsay, was a Los Angeles, California, politician who worked his way up from City Hall janitor to become the city's first black City Council member and one of its most powerful elected officials...
—and favored by the twelve white members. Cassidy said Parker had made "substantial contributions to community life."
- In 1966 he was an advocate of adding fluorides to Los Angeles drinking water to bring all parts of the city up to medical standards.
- Cassidy and nine other council members voted in favor of a resolution commending Police Chief Tom Reddin and his department for their actions in controlling a crowd of ten thousand anti-Vietnam War protesters at the Century Plaza HotelCentury Plaza HotelThe Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles is a landmark 19-story luxury hotel forming a sweeping crescent design fronting the spectacular fountains on Avenue of the Stars adjacent to the twin Century Plaza Towers and the CAA building.- History :...
in June 1967; there were 45 arrests and injuries to 40 marchers and four policemen. Four council members were opposed.
Post-council
On July 1, 1967, a day after Cassidy left his City Council post, General Manager William Frederickson Jr. of the city's Recreation and Parks Department made an "emergency" appointment of Cassidy to a new post of the departmental public relations director at a salary of $17,988—which was $988 more than Cassidy was earning as a councilman. The appointment was castigated by Councilman Robert M. WilkinsonRobert M. Wilkinson
Robert M. Wilkinson was a political figure and lobbyist in the San Fernando Valley in California. He was a member of the Los Angeles City Council from 1953 to 1957 and from 1967 to 1979.-Biography:...
, Cassidy's successful opponent in the 1967 election, who had to drop the matter when it was determined that the council had no authority over the appointment.
In February 1968, though, it was announced that Cassidy had scored ninth in the civil service examination for the position and would have to give it up because the rules required the post be given to one of the top three candidates. He was quickly offered a job as field deputy for 15th District Councilman John S. Gibson, Jr.
John S. Gibson, Jr.
John S. Gibson, Jr. was a powerful San Pedro, California, politician who was on the Los Angeles City Council for thirty years between 1951 and 1981. He was the president of the council for sixteen of those years and was acting mayor when the mayor was out of the city...
In November 1968 Cassidy was subpoenaed
Subpoena
A subpoena is a writ by a government agency, most often a court, that has authority to compel testimony by a witness or production of evidence under a penalty for failure. There are two common types of subpoena:...
to appear before a grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
investigating a contract to design a $4 million golf complex
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
in the San Fernando Valley, but he refused to testify on the grounds of possible self-incrimination. The hearing led to the indictment
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
of City Councilman Thomas D. Shepard
Thomas D. Shepard
Thomas D. Shepard, or Tom Shepard, was a Los Angeles City Council member between 1961 and 1967. He left office when he was convicted of receiving a bribe, and he served time in state prison.-Biography:...
, who was convicted of receiving a bribe and served time in prison. Cassidy took a month's leave from his position as Gibson's deputy, saying he did not want to "embarrass you or your office." There is nothing in the public record about Cassidy subsequent to this.