Frank Hill (American politician)
Frank Hill | |
|---|---|
| Member of the California Senate from the 29th district | |
| In office December 7, 1992 – July 8, 1994 | |
| Preceded by | Robert G. Beverly |
| Succeeded by | Dick Mountjoy |
| Member of the California Senate from the 31st district | |
| In office April 16, 1990 – November 30, 1992 | |
| Preceded by | Bill Campbell |
| Succeeded by | Bill Leonard |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 52nd district | |
| In office December 6, 1982 – April 16, 1990 | |
| Preceded by | Gerald N. Felando |
| Succeeded by | Paul Horcher |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 19, 1954 El Paso, Texas |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Faye |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | UCLA |
Frank C. Hill III (born February 19, 1954) is a former American politician from California and a member of the Republican party. He was convicted of corruption in 1994.
Political Career
[edit]As a political science graduate fresh out of UCLA, Hill went directly to work as a staffer for Republican S.I. Hayakawa's successful 1976 U.S.Senate campaign.[1] He then worked as a legislative aide to Rep. Wayne Grisham (R-La Mirada).[1]
State Assembly
[edit]In 1982 Hill won election to California's 52nd State Assembly district, which was open after reapportionment.[2] He won easy reelection in 1984, 1986 and 1988 in the solidly Republican district based around his hometown of Whittier.[3]
State Senate
[edit]In 1990 Hill ran in a special election for the 31st State Senate district left open when Republican Bill Campbell resigned to become President of California Manufacturers Association.[4] In a bitter, hard fought primary Hill narrowly defeated fellow assemblyman Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach), Brea councilman Ron Isles and Diamond Bar councilman Gary Miller,[5] then went on to easily hold the heavily Republican seat in the runoff.
The district was redrawn after the 1991 reaportionment and renumbered the 29th. Hill had little trouble holding the seat in 1992, though by then the FBI had already searched his offices (he would be indicted the following year).[1] That, plus the Democratic tilt to the election allowed Democratic candidate Sandy Hester to hold him to 56% of the vote.[6]
Corruption
[edit]In 1994, Hill was convicted of taking $2,500 from an undercover FBI agent for help with legislation about a bogus shrimp processing plant dubbed "shrimpgate" and "shrimpscam", in what was part of the BRISPEC sting operation. The conviction resulted in a 4 year prison sentence.[7][8] The sting also brought down other elected officials: state senators Paul B. Carpenter (D-Cerritos), Alan Robbins (D-Van Nuys), Joseph B. Montoya (D-Whittier) and assemblyman Pat Nolan (R-Glendale).[9] Carpenter had been elected to the State Board of Equalization in 1986.[10]
In August 2020, Hill was served a search warrant and his home in Whittier was raided in connection with a corruption probe into a failed solar project that cost the City of Industry $20 million and left taxpayers with nothing to show for.[11] Hill and three others were charged in September 2021 by Los Angeles County prosecutors as a result of the probe.[12]
Electoral history
[edit]| Year | Office | Democrat | Votes | Pct | Republican | Votes | Pct | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | California State Assembly District 52 |
Michael A. Reza | 31,104 | 34.1% | Frank Hill | 60,101 | 65.9% | |||
| 1984 | California State Assembly District 52 |
Daniel Arguelo | 32,189 | 29.8% | Frank Hill | 75,946 | 70.2% | |||
| 1986 | California State Assembly District 52 |
Judith Prather | 26,812 | 30.8% | Frank Hill | 60,272 | 69.2% | |||
| 1988 | California State Assembly District 52 |
Terry Lee Perkins | 42,468 | 36.6% | Frank Hill | 73,665 | 63.4% | |||
| 1990 | California State Senate District 31 |
Janice Lynn Graham | 20,142 | 35.7% | Gil Ferguson 21.8% Frank Hill 22.6% |
34,345 | 60.9% | |||
| 1992 | California State Senate District 29 |
Sandy Hester | 116,021 | 43.8% | Frank Hill | 148,754 | 56.2% |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Ingram, Carl (1993-04-28). "Charges Derail Hill From Fast Track". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
- ^ "JoinCalifornia - 11-02-1982 Election". www.joincalifornia.com. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
- ^ "JoinCalifornia - Frank Hill". www.joincalifornia.com. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
- ^ "JoinCalifornia - William P. "Bill" Campbell". www.joincalifornia.com. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
- ^ Lesher, Dave (1990-02-08). "Hill's Victory in 31st Senate District Aided by Absentee Ballots". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
- ^ https://www.joincalifornia.com/election/1992-11-03
- ^ Jacobs, Paul (June 17, 1994). "Hill Convicted of Extortion in State Capitol Sting Case". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
- ^ John Howard (March 9, 2006). "Where are they now? Former state Senator Frank Hill". capitolweekly.net.
- ^ Stewart, Ileana Wachtel and Jill (2018-12-02). "List of Top California Politicians Sent to Prison and Why". www.citywatchla.com. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
- ^ https://www.joincalifornia.com/candidate/1058
- ^ "Homes, businesses raided in corruption probe related to $20 million lost on City of Industry solar project". 15 August 2020.
- ^ Winton, Richard (September 3, 2021). "Bell city manager, ex-state senator, developer charged in corruption case". Los Angeles Times.