Dick Mountjoy

Richard L. Mountjoy (January 13, 1932 – May 18, 2015) was an American Republican politician from Monrovia, California.[2]

Dick Mountjoy
Member of the California Senate
from the 29th district
In office
December 5, 1994 – November 30, 2000
Preceded byFrank Hill
Succeeded byBob Margett
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 59th district
In office
December 7, 1992 – January 23, 1995
Preceded byXavier Becerra
Succeeded byBob Margett
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 42nd district
In office
December 6, 1982 – November 30, 1992
Preceded byWilliam H. Ivers
Succeeded byBurt M. Margolin
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 61st district
In office
December 4, 1978 – November 30, 1982
Preceded byBud Collier
Succeeded byBill Leonard
Personal details
Born
Richard Lee Mountjoy[1]

(1932-01-13)January 13, 1932
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DiedMay 18, 2015(2015-05-18) (aged 83)
Monrovia, California, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Earline Winnett
​
​
(m. 1952; died 2009)​
Children3
Military service
Branch/service United States Navy
Battles/warsKorean War

Personal life

Mountjoy was born in Los Angeles, California and graduated from Monrovia-Arcadia-Duarte High School in 1950.[3] He joined the US Navy and served oversea during the Korean War. After his navy service he worked briefly as an auto mechanic. Then did construction work with his brother Gordon, the two later started the Mountjoy Construction Company. He was married to Earline Winnett until her death in 2009. He has two sons, Michael and Dennis Lee, and one daughter, Judy. Dennis was a member of the California State Assembly, having represented his father's old district from 2000 to 2006. Dick is Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Political career

Mountjoy served as the mayor of Monrovia from 1968 to 1976. He served in the California State Assembly for the 61st, 42nd, and 59th district from 1978 to 1995. From 1982 to 1984 he served as the California Assembly Republican Caucus Chair. While there he introduced California Proposition 187, which denied government services to illegal immigrants. He served in the California State Senate from 1994 to 2000 in California's 29th State Senate district. His political platform fit with that of the conservative wing of the Republican Party: he was anti-abortion, opposed same-sex marriage, and supported both the war in Iraq and possible military intervention in Iran.

On September 22, 2006, the Los Angeles Times reported that a statement in his website's biography, that he served in the Korean War aboard the USS Missouri, was incorrect; ship records later confirmed that he actually served aboard the USS Bremerton. Mountjoy said, "I think it was just something that somebody picked up, it didn’t come from me." However, Feinstein's campaign opined that the error raised enough doubts about Mountjoy’s credibility that Mountjoy was "not qualified to serve the people of California."[4]

Mountjoy was defeated by incumbent U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein by a wide margin (59-35 percent) in the general election held on November 7, 2006.

He died on May 18, 2015, aged 83.[2]

References
  1. "Richard Lee "Dick" Mountjoy (1932-2015) - Find A". Find a Grave.
  2. Los Angeles Times (19 May 2015). "Richard Mountjoy, GOP legislator and key Prop. 187 backer, dies at 83". Los Angeles Times.
  3. "Richard "Dick" Mountjoy, Previous Candidate for United States Senate, California". vote-ca.org.
  4. "Senate candidate admits wrong info on bio". NBC News.
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