Thomas John Umberg (born September 25, 1955) is an American
politician
A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...
who serves in the
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature, the lower house being the California State Assembly. The State Senate convenes, along with the State Assembly, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento, Cal ...
. A
Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
, he represents the
34th district, which encompasses parts of northern
Orange County
Orange County most commonly refers to:
*Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Orange County may also refer to:
U.S. counties
*Orange County, Florida, containing Orlando
*Orange County, Indiana
*Orange County, New ...
and a small portion of
Long Beach
Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California.
Incorporate ...
. Previously, he served in the
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature, the upper house being the California State Senate. The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento.
The A ...
, representing the 69th District. He is a partner at Umberg Zipser LLP in Orange County.
Military service and family
Born in
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
of German ancestry, Umberg graduated with honors from the
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...
in 1977. He was commissioned
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank.
Australia
The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
in the
U.S. Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
, then promoted to
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
. Umberg served with the
2nd Infantry Division in
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
and with
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
forces in Italy during his time in the army. Umberg also served as a paratrooper with the US Army Special Operations Command, US Army Special Warfare Center and the XVIIIth Airborne Corp. Umberg completed the
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
,
Kennedy School of Public Policy, Program for Senior Executives in National Security. He was also awarded a master's degree in Strategic Studies from the
U.S. Army War College
The United States Army War College (USAWC) is a U.S. Army educational institution in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on the 500-acre (2 km2) campus of the historic Carlisle Barracks. It provides graduate-level instruction to senior military officer ...
. Umberg remained in the
U.S. Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces.
Since July 2020 ...
, rising to the rank of
colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
. Umberg's military decorations include: the Bronze Star,
Meritorious Service Medal A Meritorious Service Medal is an award presented to denote acts of meritorious service, and sometimes gallantry, that are worthy of recognition. Notable medals with similar names include:
*Meritorious Civilian Service Award
*Meritorious Service Med ...
(2d award), the US
Coast Guard Distinguished Public Service Award, the
Army Commendation Medal
The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth ...
(2d award), the
Army Achievement Medal
The Achievement Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. The Achievement Medal was first proposed as a means to recognize outstanding achievement or meritorious service of military personnel who were not eligible to recei ...
. Umberg is married to
Brigadier General
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
(USA)
Robin Umberg, and has three children, Brett, Tommy, and Erin Umberg. Tommy and Erin Umberg are both attending law school at UC Berkeley.
Early career
After receiving his
Juris Doctor
The Juris Doctor (J.D. or JD), also known as Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D., JD, D.Jur., or DJur), is a graduate-entry professional degree in law
and one of several Doctor of Law degrees. The J.D. is the standard degree obtained to practice law ...
degree from UC
Hastings College of the Law
The University of California, Hastings College of the Law (UC Hastings) is a Public university, public Law school in the United States, law school in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1878 by Serranus Clinton Hastings, UC Hastings was the ...
in 1980, he was appointed an Assistant
U.S. Attorney
United States attorneys are officials of the U.S. Department of Justice who serve as the chief federal law enforcement officers in each of the 94 U.S. federal judicial districts. Each U.S. attorney serves as the United States' chief federal ...
in
Orange County
Orange County most commonly refers to:
*Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Orange County may also refer to:
U.S. counties
*Orange County, Florida, containing Orlando
*Orange County, Indiana
*Orange County, New ...
. He had a 100% conviction rate prosecuting drug dealers, gang members, white collar criminals, and civil rights cases. He also served as a military prosecutor between 1980 and 1985.
Elected office
First stint in Assembly
Umberg was first elected to the
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature, the upper house being the California State Senate. The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento.
The A ...
in 1990, defeating incumbent Republican
Curt Pringle
Curtis L. "Curt" Pringle (born June 27, 1959) is an American politician from the U.S. state of California. He is the most recent Republican Party (United States), Republican to have served as the Speaker of the California State Assembly. He is a ...
. Umberg was re-elected in 1992. While in the Assembly he served as Chairman of the Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee. Instead of seeking a third term in 1994, Umberg ran for
Attorney General of California
The attorney general of California is the state attorney general of the Government of California. The officer's duty is to ensure that "the laws of the state are uniformly and adequately enforced" (Constitution of California, Article V, Section ...
but lost to
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
Dan Lungren
Daniel Edward Lungren (born September 22, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the U.S. representative for from 2005 to 2013. A member of the Republican Party, during his tenure, the district covered most of Sacramento Count ...
in the
general election
A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...
.
Clinton Administration
Umberg then joined the law firm of
Morrison & Foerster LLP
Morrison & Foerster LLP (also known as MoFo) is an American multinational law firm headquartered in San Francisco, California, with 17 offices located throughout the United States, Asia, and Europe. The firm has over 1,000 lawyers who advise cli ...
in 1995 as a partner. He was the Managing Partner of Morrison & Foerster's Orange County Office from 2003 until 2005. During the
1996 presidential election, he served as the chairman of the
Clinton re-election campaign in California. Clinton appointed Umberg as the Deputy Director of the
Office of National Drug Control Policy
The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) is a component of the Executive Office of the President of the United States.
The Director of the ONDCP, colloquially known as the Drug Czar, heads the office. "Drug Czar" was a term first used ...
in 1997.
Second stint in Assembly
In 2000, Umberg left the Clinton administration and returned to California. In 2002, he lost the Democratic Party nomination for
State Insurance Commissioner to
John Garamendi
John Raymond Garamendi (; born January 24, 1945) is an American businessman, politician, and member of the Democratic Party who has represented areas of Northern California between San Francisco and Sacramento, including the cities of Fairfield ...
. In 2004, Umberg won election to the Assembly to represent the 69th District. During his third term, Umberg chaired the Elections and Redistriciting Committee. While in the legislature, Umberg authored over 60 measures which became law. These laws include measures dealing with hate crimes, white collar crime, campaign finance reform, high-speed rail transport and school meal programs.
2006 Senate campaign
Umberg sought the seat of retiring
State Senator
A state senator is a member of a state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature.
Description
A state senator is a member of an upper house in the bicameral legislatures of 49 U ...
Joe Dunn (D) in the 2006 elections. Orange County
Supervisor
A supervisor, or lead, (also known as foreman, boss, overseer, facilitator, monitor, area coordinator, line-manager or sometimes gaffer) is the job title of a lower-level management position that is primarily based on authority over workers or ...
and former Assemblyman
Lou Correa
Jose Luis Correa ( ; born January 24, 1958) is an American businessman and politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 2017. His district is based in Orange County and includes the communities of Anaheim and Santa Ana, as well as p ...
jumped in the race in January 2006 despite pressure from the local Democratic party for him to stay out (although with pressure from the state Democratic party for him to jump in), stating that he was running in part because of the allegations about Umberg's residency. Aside from other negative articles, Umberg also received criticism that he voted to legalize
gay marriage
Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being Mexico, constituting ...
. Umberg attempted to get Correa off the ballot because Correa submitted more than the number of signatures required to qualify for the ballot, but ultimately failed. Umberg also claimed that an alliance between Correa and State Senate President Pro Tem
Don Perata
Don Richard Perata (born April 30, 1945) is a California lobbyist
and former Orange County Board of Supervisors
The Orange County Board of Supervisors is the five-member governing body of Orange County, California along with being the executive of the county.
Membership
The Board consists of five Supervisors elected by districts to four-year terms by the ...
, representing the 1st Supervisorial District. 52% of 1st Supervisorial District voters are also voters in the 69th Assembly District, formerly represented by Umberg. 73% of 1st Supervisorial District voters are also 34th Senate District voters, so Umberg was believed to be the favorite. On 6 February 2007, Umberg received 21.4%, coming in third, far less than he had been expected to poll.
The winner was
Garden Grove City councilwoman Janet Nguyen
Janet Q. Nguyen (born May 1, 1976) is an American politician who serves in the California State Assembly. A Republican, she represents the 72nd district, encompassing parts of northern coastal Orange County which includes the cities of Huntin ...
.
Electoral history
* 2007 Orange County Board of Supervisors, 1st District
**
Janet Nguyen
Janet Q. Nguyen (born May 1, 1976) is an American politician who serves in the California State Assembly. A Republican, she represents the 72nd district, encompassing parts of northern coastal Orange County which includes the cities of Huntin ...
(R), 10,919 - 24.1%
** Trung Nguyen (R), 10,912 - 24.1%
** Tom Umberg (D), 9,725 - 21.4%
** Carlos Bustamante (R), 7,460 - 16.5%
* 2006 Democratic Primary Election for State Senate, 34th District
**
Lou Correa
Jose Luis Correa ( ; born January 24, 1958) is an American businessman and politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 2017. His district is based in Orange County and includes the communities of Anaheim and Santa Ana, as well as p ...
(D), 17,409 - 59.8%
** Tom Umberg (D), 11,731 - 40.2%
* 2004 General Election for State Assembly, 69th District
** Tom Umberg (D), 38,516 - 61.4%
** Otto Bade (R), 19,811 - 31.5%
** George Reis (L), 4,470 - 7.1%
* 2004 Democratic Primary Election for State Assembly, 69th District
** Tom Umberg (D), 8,498 - 51.2%
** Claudia Alvarez (D), 8,122 - 48.8%
* 2002 Democratic Primary Election for Insurance Commissioner
**
John Garamendi
John Raymond Garamendi (; born January 24, 1945) is an American businessman, politician, and member of the Democratic Party who has represented areas of Northern California between San Francisco and Sacramento, including the cities of Fairfield ...
(D), 800,146 - 38.6%
** Tom Umberg (D), 586,112 - 28.3%
**
Thomas M. Calderon (D), 476,234 - 22.9%
** Bill Winslow (D), 213,239 - 10.2%
* 1994 General Election for Attorney General
**
Dan Lungren
Daniel Edward Lungren (born September 22, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the U.S. representative for from 2005 to 2013. A member of the Republican Party, during his tenure, the district covered most of Sacramento Count ...
(R), 4,438,733 - 53.9%
** Tom Umberg (D), 3,256,070 - 39.5%
** Richard N. Burns (L) - 274,335 - 3.3%
** Robert J. Evans (P&F) 271,459 - 3.3%
* 1994 Democratic Primary Election for Attorney General
** Tom Umberg (D), 1,715,098 - 100.0%
* 1992 General Election for State Assembly, 69th District
** Tom Umberg (D), 32,700 - 60.0%
** Jo Ellen Allen (R), 18,560 - 34.1%
** David R. Keller (L), 3,217 - 5.9%
* 1992 Democratic Primary Election for State Assembly, 69th District
** Tom Umberg (D), 9,637 - 100.0%
* 1990 General Election for State Assembly, 72nd District
** Tom Umberg (D), 25,247 - 51.9%
**
Curt Pringle
Curtis L. "Curt" Pringle (born June 27, 1959) is an American politician from the U.S. state of California. He is the most recent Republican Party (United States), Republican to have served as the Speaker of the California State Assembly. He is a ...
(R), 23,411 - 48.1%
References
External links
*
Umberg/Zipzer LLPOfficial campaign web site for Umberg's supervisor campaign, archived in 2007Official Morrison & Foerster biographyJoin California Tom Umberg*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Umberg, Thomas J.
Democratic Party California state senators
1955 births
Living people
American people of German descent
Harvard Kennedy School alumni
Democratic Party members of the California State Assembly
United States Army officers
University of California, Los Angeles alumni
University of California, Hastings College of the Law alumni
21st-century American politicians
Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States)
20th-century American politicians
People associated with Morrison & Foerster