State Sen. President Darrell Steinberg Wrong About Wright

Last month, a Los Angeles jury found State Senator Roderick Wright (D-Inglewood) guilty of eight counts of felony voter fraud and perjury.

In 2010, LA prosecutors had sought an indictment against Wright because he did not live at the address listed on his voter registration. State law requires that every state legislator live in the district that he/she represents. Because of the false address on his registration, he committed perjury and voted fraudulently in five elections.

Residency requirements are a serious matter in California, specifically Los Angeles politics. An LA City Councilman faced similar charges, and the LA County District Attorney investigated residency accusations against a Hermosa Beach city councilmember.


So, Wright has been found in the wrong, declared guilty of voter fraud by a jury of his peers, and awaits sentencing. Wright's legal team has vowed to file an appeal, yet Wright at this time remains a convicted felon.

To add insult to indictment and conviction, Wright attempted to introduce a bill which would reduce non-violent felonies to misdemeanors, two days after he was convicted of eight felony counts himself! Even though the convicted state senator claimed that he did not introduce the bill to save himself the humiliation of being barred from pursuing elected office in the past, the legislation would have indeed softened the blow of his eight felony counts to misdemeanors. Wright's outrageous move did not escape State Senate President Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), and Wright pulled his bill. "Wrong author, wrong time," shared Steinberg's spokesman.

Of course, Steinberg's disapproval does not mean that the Democratic Supermajority will not consider the bill at a later time. What's more disturbing, Steinberg has done nothing to have convicted felon Steinberg expelled from the state senate. As of now, only three Republican lawmakers have called on the upper chamber to move for Wright's expulsion, as well as independent candidate for Secretary  of State David Schnurr. While Steinberg has asserted that since an appeal will render a final determination, the state senate will wait before proceeding. The state senate President has even justified leaving Wright on committee assignments.

Is this the proper precedent for handling felonious legislators?

In 1994, state senator Frank Hill (R-Whittier) was convicted of non-violent felonies (soliciting a bribe from an undercover agent). Hill stopped voting on bills and stepped down from his committee assignments after his conviction. After that, the state senate government committee voted 4-0 to expel him after the guilty verdict. Why is the state senate stalling this time?

The San Francisco Chronicle, the Los Angeles Daily News (whose owner includes the Daily Breeze), and the Inland Empire’s Press-Enterprise Editorial Boards have all called for Wright’s resignation or expulsion from the state senate.

And who has not? The entire Democratic Party caucus in Sacramento, Assembly and State Senate, Assembly Speaker John Perez, Governor Jerry Brown, and of course, state senate President Darrell Steinberg. The state senate President’s silence on Wright’s felony record is deafening, demeaning, and indefensible.

Call State Senator Steinberg, and tell him to pressure his convicted colleague Roderick Wright to resign or at least move the government committee to enact a resolution expelling Wright from the state senate.

Capitol Office
State Capitol, Room 205
Sacramento,  CA  95814
Phone:  (916) 651-4006
Fax:  (916) 651-4906

District Office
1020 N Street, Room 576
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-1529
Fax: (916) 327-8754