Omar Bradley (California politician)
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Omar Bradley (born May 9, 1958) is an American politician who served as mayor of
Compton, California Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, situated south of downtown Los Angeles. Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and, on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city in Los Angeles County to incorporat ...
from 1993 until 2001.


Biography

Omar Bradley grew up in
Compton, California Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, situated south of downtown Los Angeles. Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and, on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city in Los Angeles County to incorporat ...
. As an adult, he stayed in the neighborhood and taught high school before entering politics. In 1991, Bradley defeated Pedro Pallan to become City Councilman for the 1st District of Compton. Despite winning the race decisively with 2,904 votes over Pallan's 1,577, Bradley adopted a very conciliatory tone, when he said, "My first priority is to extend the olive branch to the Latino community, find out what they lack in city services and find out how to meet them." Just two years later in the spring of 1993, Bradley faced off against Councilwoman Patricia A. Moore for the city's top job. In a bitterly fought runoff campaign, Bradley received just 349 votes over Moore to replace the outgoing Mayor
Walter R. Tucker III Walter Rayford Tucker III (born May 28, 1957) is an American politician and minister who served as mayor of Compton and a U.S. Representative from California. Parents and education Tucker was born in Compton, California, the son of Walter R. Tu ...
. Immediately upon taking office, Bradley stirred controversy. During his campaign he had garnered the support of many
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
voters with the promise that if he were elected mayor, he would appoint a Latino to replace him on the council. It was generally assumed that he would appoint his former opponent Pallan, who was the first Latino in Compton to qualify for a run-off election. On the night of the presumed appointment, Bradley joined two other council members to appoint political newcomer Ronald Green, an African American instead. That fall, comments he made regarding the violence in rap videos angered members of the
Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
community. When gangster rapper
Eazy-E Eric Lynn Wright (September 7, 1964 – March 26, 1995), known professionally as Eazy-E, was an American rapper who propelled West Coast rap and gangsta rap by leading the group N.W.A and its label, Ruthless Records. He is often referred t ...
was seeking permission to film a music video in Compton, Bradley scolded him during a council meeting by saying that he was being exploited by a "specific ethnic group" that was "having a bar mitzvah at the same time." On October 13, 1993 he held a press conference with
Eazy-E Eric Lynn Wright (September 7, 1964 – March 26, 1995), known professionally as Eazy-E, was an American rapper who propelled West Coast rap and gangsta rap by leading the group N.W.A and its label, Ruthless Records. He is often referred t ...
to announce his approval of the music video and to apologize for his previous remarks. In 2001, Bradley narrowly lost his bid for re-election to a third term to political novice
Eric J. Perrodin Eric Joseph Perrodin (born February 26, 1959) is an American politician who served as Mayor of Compton, California from 2001 to 2013. Biography Perrodin grew up in Compton, California. Soon after graduation from California State University, Do ...
.


Controversies

After leaving office, Bradley was investigated and convicted of misappropriating public funds during his tenure as City Mayor. Bradley was convicted of using a city-issued credit card to pay for golf rounds, hotel rooms, clothing and in-room movies, among other things. He was convicted of taking cash advances for city business expenses and then charging those items to his city credit cards and pocketing the money. Bradley charged over $3,800 in personal expenses on his City credit card, double-billed the City over $3,700 and in addition failed to return travel advances for two conferences that the jury could infer he failed to attend. The district attorneys office alleged that Bradley misspent closer to $19,000. City Manager John D. Johnson II and council member Amen Rahh were convicted on similar charges of misappropriating public funds and were sentenced to prison. On May 14, 2004 Bradley was sentenced to three years in state prison on felony corruption charges. Bradley served his time in a halfway house, from which he was allowed to leave five days a week to work in a job-training program for the developmentally disabled in
Carson, California Carson is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, in the South Bay region of Los Angeles, located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately away from Los Angeles International Airport. Incorporated on February 20, 1968, ...
. Bradley was released in August 2005 because he had served jail time while awaiting trial. Bradley's corruption conviction was overturned by an appeals court in August 2012.


2013 Campaign for Mayor of Compton

Omar Bradley ran again for
mayor of Compton This is a list of mayors of Compton, California. Mayors While 65% of Compton's residents are Hispanic or Latino American, there is yet to be a Hispanic mayor. Mayoral races (winners are in bold) NOTE: If no incumbent, winner is listed fir ...
, Ca in 2013. He came in a close second in the primary nominating election on April 16, 2013. Bradley came in with 26.5% with
Aja Brown Aja Lena Brown ( Clinkscale; born April 17, 1982) is an American politician who is the former mayor of Compton, California. She won the election, defeating both incumbent mayor Eric J. Perrodin and former mayor Omar Bradley. Early life Brown ...
receiving 27.8% of the vote. The incumbent mayor,
Eric J. Perrodin Eric Joseph Perrodin (born February 26, 1959) is an American politician who served as Mayor of Compton, California from 2001 to 2013. Biography Perrodin grew up in Compton, California. Soon after graduation from California State University, Do ...
, ended up in third place with only 24.5% of the vote. Brown defeated Bradley in the June 4 runoff by a 64% to 36% margin.


References


External links


Omar Bradley Campaign for Change.Org
the website for Omar Bradley's 2013 mayoral candidacy. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bradley, Omar 1958 births Living people Educators from California Mayors of Compton, California African-American mayors in California Compton, California City Council members African-American city council members in California 21st-century African-American people 20th-century African-American people