Matthew G. Martínez
Encyclopedia
Matthew Gilbert "Marty" Martínez (February 14, 1929 – October 15, 2011) was a Congressional representative
who was both a member of the Democratic Party
and the Republican Party
from California's 30th congressional district
from 1983 to 1993 and California's 31st congressional district
from 1993 to 2001. Martínez switched parties to become a Republican after being defeated in a 2000 primary.
when he was young, and he attended public schools in Los Angeles
. In 1949 he graduated from Roosevelt High School. From 1947 to 1950 he served in the U.S. Marine Corps
, achieving the rank of private first class
. In 1956 he received a certificate of competence from the Los Angeles Trade-Technical College
.
For the next fifteen years he owned and operated a custom furniture upholstery company, and worked as a building contractor.
Planning Commission, and served until 1974 when he was elected to the Monterey Park City Council. He served until 1980, including two terms as mayor in 1974 and 1980.
In 1980, Martínez defeated incumbent Jack R. Fenton
in the Democratic primary election
in California's 59th State Assembly district
. He was elected to the California State Assembly
with no major party opponent.
In 1982 George E. Danielson
left the U.S. House of Representatives to take the bench
. Martínez won the special election to succeed him, and was reelected nine times by varying margins.
In his first term in Congress he was assigned to the Education and Labor Committee
. In the 99th Congress
(1985–87) he chaired the Subcommittee
on Employment Opportunities. In 1991, he became the Chairman of the Human Resources Subcommittee. In 1992, Martínez was named to the Foreign Affairs Committee
, and served on the Subcommittee on International Security, International Organizations and Human Rights.
In 2000, Martínez was defeated in the Democratic primary by liberal State Senator Hilda Solis
62% to 29%. She charged he was out of touch with his district when he voted to ban partial-birth abortion and opposed gun control
. (He was both Roman Catholic and a member of the National Rifle Association
.) While he had been a reliably Democratic vote on most issues throughout his congressional career, after his primary loss Martinez began to vote overwhelmingly with Republicans. On July 27, 2000, Martínez switched to the Republican Party, arguing that the Democrats had abandoned him. There was no Republican candidate on the ballot in the district for the 2000 Election, and Martinez declined to attempt a write-in candidacy, though he remained critical of Solis and promised to stay active in the Republican party. His term in Congress ended on January 3, 2001 at the end of the 106th Congress
.
, served in the State Assembly from 1992 to 1998.
. He had suffered from congestive heart failure.
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...
who was both a member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and the Republican Party
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...
from California's 30th congressional district
California's 30th congressional district
California's 30th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in Los Angeles County. The district includes many of the upper-class suburbs of Los Angeles, most notably Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Calabasas, Agoura Hills,...
from 1983 to 1993 and California's 31st congressional district
California's 31st congressional district
California's 31st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in Los Angeles County. It is currently the only congressional district entirely based within the city of Los Angeles and includes the heavily Hispanic/Latino portions of inner-city Los...
from 1993 to 2001. Martínez switched parties to become a Republican after being defeated in a 2000 primary.
Early life
Martínez's family moved to Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
when he was young, and he attended public schools in Los Angeles
Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District is the largest public school system in California. It is the 2nd largest public school district in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population...
. In 1949 he graduated from Roosevelt High School. From 1947 to 1950 he served in the U.S. Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, achieving the rank of private first class
Private First Class
Private First Class is a military rank held by junior enlisted persons.- Singapore :The rank of Private First Class in the Singapore Armed Forces lies between the ranks of Private and Lance-Corporal . It is usually held by conscript soldiers midway through their national service term...
. In 1956 he received a certificate of competence from the Los Angeles Trade-Technical College
Los Angeles Trade-Technical College
Los Angeles Trade-Technical College is a public community college in Los Angeles, California. It offers academic courses towards 4-year colleges and numerous vocational training programs including associate degree and certificate programs in Fashion Design, Fashion Merchandising, Culinary Arts,...
.
For the next fifteen years he owned and operated a custom furniture upholstery company, and worked as a building contractor.
Political career
He began his political career in 1971 when he became a member of the Monterey ParkMonterey Park, California
Monterey Park is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, east of downtown Los Angeles. The city's motto is "Pride in the past, Faith in the future"...
Planning Commission, and served until 1974 when he was elected to the Monterey Park City Council. He served until 1980, including two terms as mayor in 1974 and 1980.
In 1980, Martínez defeated incumbent Jack R. Fenton
Jack R. Fenton
Jack R. Fenton represented California's 51st State Assembly district and California's 59th State Assembly district 16 years in the California State Assembly. He was part of the Democratic leadership, majority leader in 1972, and helped establish California's occupational health and safety...
in the Democratic primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
in California's 59th State Assembly district
California's 59th State Assembly district
California's 59th State Assembly District is one of 80 districts in the California State Assembly. It is currently represented by Republican Tim Donnelly of Twin Peaks...
. He was elected to the California State Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
with no major party opponent.
In 1982 George E. Danielson
George E. Danielson
George Elmore Danielson was an American politician who served as a Democratic Congressional representative from California for the 29th District and 30th District ....
left the U.S. House of Representatives to take the bench
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
. Martínez won the special election to succeed him, and was reelected nine times by varying margins.
In his first term in Congress he was assigned to the Education and Labor Committee
United States House Committee on Education and the Workforce
The Committee on Education and the Workforce is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. From 1947 until 1994 and again from 2007 to 2011, during Democratic control of the House, it was known as the Committee on Education and Labor.-History of the Committee:Attempts were...
. In the 99th Congress
99th United States Congress
The Ninety-ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1985 to January 3, 1987, during the fifth and sixth...
(1985–87) he chaired the Subcommittee
United States Congressional subcommittee
A congressional subcommittee in the United States Congress is a subdivision of a United States congressional committee that considers specified matters and reports back to the full committee....
on Employment Opportunities. In 1991, he became the Chairman of the Human Resources Subcommittee. In 1992, Martínez was named to the Foreign Affairs Committee
United States House Committee on International Relations
The Committee on Foreign Affairs of the U.S. House of Representatives, also known as the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives which has jurisdiction over bills and investigations related to the foreign affairs of the United States...
, and served on the Subcommittee on International Security, International Organizations and Human Rights.
In 2000, Martínez was defeated in the Democratic primary by liberal State Senator Hilda Solis
Hilda Solis
Hilda Lucia Solis is the 25th United States Secretary of Labor, serving in the Obama administration. She is a member of the Democratic Party and served in the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2009, representing the 31st and 32nd congressional districts of California that include...
62% to 29%. She charged he was out of touch with his district when he voted to ban partial-birth abortion and opposed gun control
Gun control
Gun control is any law, policy, practice, or proposal designed to restrict or limit the possession, production, importation, shipment, sale, and/or use of guns or other firearms by private citizens...
. (He was both Roman Catholic and a member of the National Rifle Association
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
.) While he had been a reliably Democratic vote on most issues throughout his congressional career, after his primary loss Martinez began to vote overwhelmingly with Republicans. On July 27, 2000, Martínez switched to the Republican Party, arguing that the Democrats had abandoned him. There was no Republican candidate on the ballot in the district for the 2000 Election, and Martinez declined to attempt a write-in candidacy, though he remained critical of Solis and promised to stay active in the Republican party. His term in Congress ended on January 3, 2001 at the end of the 106th Congress
106th United States Congress
The One Hundred Sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1999 to January 3, 2001, during the last two...
.
Family
Martínez was married to Elvira Yorba Martinez, with whom he had five children: Matthew Adrian, Michael Gilbert, Diane, Susan, and Carol Ann. His daughter, Diane MartínezDiane Martinez
Diane Janet Martinez is an American politician who served in the California State Assembly from 1992 until 1998. She was "reviled as just about the worst legislator in Sacramento by the insider magazine California Journal." Her outbursts and other strange behavior led many to believe she was...
, served in the State Assembly from 1992 to 1998.
Death
On October 15, 2011, Martínez died at his home in Fredericksburg, VirginiaFredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia located south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,286...
. He had suffered from congestive heart failure.
Memberships
- San Gabriel ValleySan Gabriel ValleyThe San Gabriel Valley is one of the principal valleys of Southern California, United States. It lies to the east of Los Angeles, to the north of the Puente Hills, to the south of the San Gabriel Mountains, and west of the Inland Empire. It derives its name from the San Gabriel River that flows...
YMCAYMCAThe Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
board of directorsBoard of directorsA board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors... - Hispanic American Democrats
- National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials
- Communications Workers of AmericaCommunications Workers of AmericaCommunications Workers of America is the largest communications and media labor union in the United States representing about 550,000 members in both the private and public sectors. The union has 27 locals in Canada via CWA-SCA Canada representing about 8,000 members...
- Veterans of Foreign WarsVeterans of Foreign WarsThe Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a congressionally chartered war veterans organization in the United States. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, VFW currently has 1.5 million members belonging to 7,644 posts, and is the largest American organization of combat...
- American LegionAmerican LegionThe American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
- Latin Business Association
- Monterey Park Chamber of CommerceChamber of commerceA chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
- Navy League (director)
- Rotary InternationalRotary InternationalRotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
External links
- Biography from the Library of CongressLibrary of CongressThe Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...