Ricardo Bordallo
Encyclopedia
Ricardo Jerome "Ricky" Bordallo (born on December 11, 1927, in Hagatna, Guam
– January 31, 1990), U.S. Democratic Party
politician, He served as Governor of Guam from 1975 to 1979 and from 1983 to 1987.
, before returning to Guam
and becoming a successful businessman and car dealer. Among other positions, he was the proprietor of "Ricky's Suburban Club," a restaurant and bar in Tamuning, Guam
.
Bordallo first ran for governor in the 1970 election, which was the first election in which the people of Guam were allowed to elect their governor. He ran with Senator Richard "Dick" Taitano against two other gubernatorial teams: Former governor Manuel Guerrero and runningmate Dr. Antonio C. (Tony) Yamashita, as well as attorney and former Speaker Joaquin Camacho Arriola and runningmate Vicente Bamba, retired judge and popular former senator. Bordallo-Taitano came in first in the primary election by a close margin over Guerrero-Yamashita, and then won the run-off election. However, due to the contentious Democratic campaign, Bordallo-Taitano lost in the general election to the Republican team of incumbents Carlos G. Camacho
and Kurt S. Moylan. The election was significant for Bordallo, however, as he and Dick Taitano created Guam's first "grassroots" political organization throughout the villages.
Bordallo's wife, Madeleine Bordallo
, also proved to be a passionate and untiring campaigner and helped draw many supporters to the organization. This organization and base of supporters would prove valuable when Bordallo ran again in the 1974 election. Madeleine Bordallo was most known for her humanitarian pursuits. She sponsored many civil cultural events including the Guam Symphony and a program for instructing children in the Suzuki method of violin.
Bordallo ran for governor for a second time in 1974, this time with Rudy Sablan. They were up against four other Democratic tickets: Manuel Guerrero and runningmate David D.L. Flores; Pedro C. Sanchez and Esteban U. Torres; and Joaquin Arriola and Ted Nelson. Dick Taitano was the manager of the Bordallo-Sablan campaign and broadened the organization he had set up in 1970. This organization proved decisive, and Bordallo-Sablan easily beat the other Democratic teams.
Bordallo-Sablan then went on to beat the Camacho-Moylan team, which had just barely beat the Republican rival team of Paul Calvo and Antonio Palomo in the primary. Calvo ran as a write-in candidate in the general election, drawing support from Camacho-Moylan, and Bordallo-Sablan won by less than 600 of the 22,000-plus votes.
Bordallo ran for a third time in 1983 with Eddie Reyes. He beat out Democrats Carl Gutierrez and John P. Aguon for the ticket and won office yet again.
and extortion
were overturned in August, 1988, leaving charges of obstruction of justice
and witness tampering. On December 13, 1989, he was sentenced to four years in prison on the remaining charges.
in California
, the former Governor committed suicide in Hagatna, Guam, by wrapping himself in a Guam flag, chaining himself to a statue of Chief Kepuha
(or Quipuha, Guam's first native chief to adopt Roman Catholicism) located on Marine Drive (the island's primary thoroughfare), and shooting himself in the head with a .38-calibre pistol.
In addition to wrapping himself in the Guam flag, Bordallo had set up four placards, one of which said: "I regret that I only have one life to give to my island."
Ricardo J. Bordallo died of massive brain damage at 4:28 P.M. at Naval Hospital.
, was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor in 1990, and subsequently served as Lieutenant Governor of Guam
from 1995 to 2003, and as the island's non-voting Delegate in the United States House of Representatives
since 2003.
Hagåtña, Guam
Hagåtña , formerly English Agana and in Spanish Agaña, is the capital of the United States island territory of Guam. It is the island's second smallest village in both area and population. From the 18th through mid 20th century, it was Guam's population center...
– January 31, 1990), U.S. 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...
politician, He served as Governor of Guam from 1975 to 1979 and from 1983 to 1987.
Early life
He was the son of B. J. Bordallo, a popular politician from the 1930s to 1950s. He attended the University of San FranciscoUniversity of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
, before returning to Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
and becoming a successful businessman and car dealer. Among other positions, he was the proprietor of "Ricky's Suburban Club," a restaurant and bar in Tamuning, Guam
Tamuning, Guam
Tamuning, also known as Tamuning-Tumon-Harmon is a municipality or "village" located on the western shore of the island of Guam. The village of Tamuning can be viewed as the economic center of Guam, containing Tumon , Harmon Industrial Park, and commercial districts in other parts of the...
.
Political career
Bordallo was first elected to the Guam Legislature in 1956 as a member of the Popular Party (predecessor to the Democratic Party of Guam). Bordallo served in the territorial legislature from 1956 to 1970, and twice served as Chairman of the Democratic Party of Guam. As a senator, he introduced the law that first created an unofficial Guam delegate to the U.S. Congress.Bordallo first ran for governor in the 1970 election, which was the first election in which the people of Guam were allowed to elect their governor. He ran with Senator Richard "Dick" Taitano against two other gubernatorial teams: Former governor Manuel Guerrero and runningmate Dr. Antonio C. (Tony) Yamashita, as well as attorney and former Speaker Joaquin Camacho Arriola and runningmate Vicente Bamba, retired judge and popular former senator. Bordallo-Taitano came in first in the primary election by a close margin over Guerrero-Yamashita, and then won the run-off election. However, due to the contentious Democratic campaign, Bordallo-Taitano lost in the general election to the Republican team of incumbents Carlos G. Camacho
Carlos Camacho
Carlos Garcia. Camacho was a U.S. Republican Party politician. He served as Governor of Guam from 1969 to 1975....
and Kurt S. Moylan. The election was significant for Bordallo, however, as he and Dick Taitano created Guam's first "grassroots" political organization throughout the villages.
Bordallo's wife, Madeleine Bordallo
Madeleine Bordallo
Madeleine Mary Zeien Bordallo is the Delegate from Guam to the United States House of Representatives.She was the first woman ever to serve as Guam's Delegate, Guam's first female Lieutenant Governor , Guam's first female candidate for Governor , and the first Democratic woman elected to the...
, also proved to be a passionate and untiring campaigner and helped draw many supporters to the organization. This organization and base of supporters would prove valuable when Bordallo ran again in the 1974 election. Madeleine Bordallo was most known for her humanitarian pursuits. She sponsored many civil cultural events including the Guam Symphony and a program for instructing children in the Suzuki method of violin.
Bordallo ran for governor for a second time in 1974, this time with Rudy Sablan. They were up against four other Democratic tickets: Manuel Guerrero and runningmate David D.L. Flores; Pedro C. Sanchez and Esteban U. Torres; and Joaquin Arriola and Ted Nelson. Dick Taitano was the manager of the Bordallo-Sablan campaign and broadened the organization he had set up in 1970. This organization proved decisive, and Bordallo-Sablan easily beat the other Democratic teams.
Bordallo-Sablan then went on to beat the Camacho-Moylan team, which had just barely beat the Republican rival team of Paul Calvo and Antonio Palomo in the primary. Calvo ran as a write-in candidate in the general election, drawing support from Camacho-Moylan, and Bordallo-Sablan won by less than 600 of the 22,000-plus votes.
Bordallo ran for a third time in 1983 with Eddie Reyes. He beat out Democrats Carl Gutierrez and John P. Aguon for the ticket and won office yet again.
Governor of Guam
Bordallo's first term in office, from 1975–1979, was contentious. He was characterized as highly charismatic but highly controversial, and wasn't afraid to speak his mind on any issue. During this time the issue of independence, statehood, commonwealth status or continuation as a U.S. territory was put to the voters. Bordallo's brother Senator Paul Bordallo favored independence. The voters elected to keep the status quo as a dependent territory.Criminal conviction
In February 1987, Bordallo was convicted on ten counts of corruption and was sentenced to nine years in prison and fined more than $100,000. He was accused of receiving over $100,000 worth of bribes and extortion in connection with favors he performed in office for campaign contributions. His convictions on eight counts of briberyBribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
and extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
were overturned in August, 1988, leaving charges of obstruction of justice
Obstruction of justice
The crime of obstruction of justice, in United States jurisdictions, refers to the crime of interfering with the work of police, investigators, regulatory agencies, prosecutors, or other officials...
and witness tampering. On December 13, 1989, he was sentenced to four years in prison on the remaining charges.
Suicide
On February 1, 1990, hours before he was scheduled to report to a minimum-security federal prisonFederal prison
Federal prisons are run by national governments in countries where subdivisions of the country also operate prisons.In the United States federal prisons are operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. In Canada the Correctional Service of Canada operates federal prisons. Prison sentences in these...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, the former Governor committed suicide in Hagatna, Guam, by wrapping himself in a Guam flag, chaining himself to a statue of Chief Kepuha
Chief Kepuha
Chief Kepuha , also spelled Kipuhá or Quipuha, was the island of Guam's first Catholic chief. The chief's name means "striving to capsize." He granted the lands to Spanish missionaries upon which the first Catholic church in the Marianas was built...
(or Quipuha, Guam's first native chief to adopt Roman Catholicism) located on Marine Drive (the island's primary thoroughfare), and shooting himself in the head with a .38-calibre pistol.
In addition to wrapping himself in the Guam flag, Bordallo had set up four placards, one of which said: "I regret that I only have one life to give to my island."
Ricardo J. Bordallo died of massive brain damage at 4:28 P.M. at Naval Hospital.
Madeleine Bordallo
His widow, Madeleine BordalloMadeleine Bordallo
Madeleine Mary Zeien Bordallo is the Delegate from Guam to the United States House of Representatives.She was the first woman ever to serve as Guam's Delegate, Guam's first female Lieutenant Governor , Guam's first female candidate for Governor , and the first Democratic woman elected to the...
, was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor in 1990, and subsequently served as Lieutenant Governor of Guam
Lieutenant Governor of Guam
The Guamanian self governing government consists of a locally elected Governor, Lieutenant Governor and a fifteen member Legislature. The current Lieutenant Governor is Ray Tenorio, who has been in office since January 3, 2011....
from 1995 to 2003, and as the island's non-voting Delegate in the United States House of Representatives
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...
since 2003.
External links
- Ricardo Bordallo Bio at Guampedia, Guam's Online Encyclopedia