{{Short description|American politician (born 1957)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2011}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Ronald Calderon | image = Ron Calderon.jpg | state_senate = California State | district = 30th | term_start = December 4, 2006 | term_end = November 30, 2014 | predecessor = Martha Escutia | successor = Holly Mitchell ''(redistricted)'' | state_assembly1 = California | district1 = 58th | term_start1 = December 2, 2002 | term_end1 = November 30, 2006 | predecessor1 = Thomas M. Calderon | successor1 = Charles M. Calderon | birth_name = Ronald Steven Calderon | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|8|12}} | birth_place = Montebello, California, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Democratic | relations = Charles Calderon (brother)<br />Tom Calderon (brother)<br />Lisa Calderon (sister-in-law)<br />Ian Calderon (nephew) | spouse = Ana Calderon | children = 2 | occupation = Owner, financial services sales and marketing firm<br />Mortgage banker<br />Real estate agent | education = University of California, Los Angeles (BA) }}
'''Ronald Steven Calderon''' (born August 12, 1957, in Montebello, California) is a former Democratic California State Senator from the 30th Senate District.<ref name="ca_leg_handbook_2007-08">{{cite web|url=http://www.assembly.ca.gov/clerk/billslegislature/documents/Asm_Handbook_2007-08.pdf|title=California Legislature 2007–08|publisher=State of California|pages=34 of 548 in PDF|first1=Gregory|last1=Schmidt|first2=E. Dotson|last2=Wilson|date=June 30, 2007|accessdate=October 4, 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091011025926/http://www.assembly.ca.gov/clerk/BILLSLEGISLATURE/documents/Asm_Handbook_2007-08.pdf|archivedate=October 11, 2009|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Calderon is also known for receiving bribes from Michael Drobot.<ref name=":0" />
==Early life == On August 12, 1957, Calderon was born in Montebello, California. Calderon attended Montebello High School.<ref name="votesmart_calderon">{{cite web |url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/28545/ron-calderon |title=Ron Calderon's Biography |publisher=votesmart.org |accessdate=July 10, 2019}}</ref>
== Education == In 1980, Calderon earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from UCLA. Calderon graduated from the Western State University of Law.<ref name="votesmart_calderon"/>
== Career == Calderon served as a manager in the manufacturing industry, a mortgage banker, and a real estate agent.<ref name=VoteSmart>[http://votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=28545 Senator Ronald S. Calderon – Biography]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://dist30.casen.govoffice.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B8F38BA7F-CAA7-4DEE-841A-51EEB8DF83E8%7D|title=Senator Ron Calderon -- Biography|date=September 8, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070908115344/http://dist30.casen.govoffice.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B8F38BA7F-CAA7-4DEE-841A-51EEB8DF83E8%7D|archive-date=September 8, 2007}}</ref>
Calderon's political career began when he served as chief of staff for Ed Chavez.<ref name="votesmart_calderon"/>
Calderon is the second of his family to serve in the senate and the third to hold a seat in the legislature. Prior to Ronald's election his brothers Charles and Thomas also served in the state assembly.
===California Assembly=== After redistricting, Calderon's brother Tom Calderon decided to run for California Insurance Commissioner in 2002. Calderon ran for the seat vacated by his brother Tom and won the Democratic primary with 46% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=288694|title=Our Campaigns - CA State Assembly 58- D Primary Race - Mar 05, 2002|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> He won the general election with 63% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=5709|title=Our Campaigns - CA State Assembly 58 Race - Nov 05, 2002|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> In 2004, he won re-election with 62% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=72811|title=Our Campaigns - CA State Assembly 58 Race - Nov 02, 2004|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> In 2006, he retired to run for the California State Senate. His brother, Charles, succeeded him.
Calderon served as Chairman of the Assembly Banking and Finance Committee. He was also elected Assistant Majority Leader.
===California Senate=== Calderon was elected to the 30th Senate District, which includes: Bell, Bell Gardens, Commerce, Cudahy, Huntington Park, La Mirada, Los Angeles, Montebello, Norwalk, Pico Rivera, California, Santa Fe Springs, South El Monte, South Gate, Whittier, East Whittier, East Los Angeles, Florence-Graham, Hacienda Heights, South Whittier, and West Whittier-Los Nietos.<ref name="sen_2001_district_plan">{{cite web|url=http://www.sen.ca.gov/ftp/sen/senplan/SD30.HTM|title=Senate District 30 (District Profile)|date=September 13, 2001|publisher=State of California|accessdate=October 4, 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101008020721/http://www.sen.ca.gov/ftp/SEN/senplan/SD30.HTM|archivedate=October 8, 2010|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="asm_2001_district_plan">{{cite web|url=http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/committee/c7/asmfinal/AD58.HTM|title=Assembly District 58 (SB 802)|date=September 13, 2001|publisher=State of California|accessdate=October 4, 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101008044044/http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/committee/c7/asmfinal/AD58.HTM|archivedate=October 8, 2010|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
In 2006, incumbent Democratic State Senator Martha Escutia decided to retire. In the Democratic primary, Calderon defeated fellow State Representative Rudy Bermúdez 50.4%-49.7%, a difference of just 305 votes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=213953|title=Our Campaigns - CA State Senate 30 - D Primary Race - Jun 06, 2006|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> He won the general election with 71% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=214074|title=Our Campaigns - CA State Senate 30 Race - Nov 07, 2006|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> In 2010, he won re-election with 69% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=654376|title=Our Campaigns - CA State Senate 30 Race - Nov 02, 2010|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> In 2014, Calderon could not run for re-election due to term limits, and he was succeeded by Tony Mendoza.
Calderon was chairman of the Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee. Senate President Don Perata selected Calderon to lead senate efforts to reform term-limits and redistricting laws, as well as moving the state's presidential primary from June to February.{{Citation needed|date=October 2010}} Calderon also chaired the Select Committee on International Business Trade, in addition to sitting on the Appropriations and Energy, Utilities and Communications committees. Calderon also sat on the California Film Commission, which is tasked with promoting and subsidizing the California film industry.<ref name=VoteSmart />
===2012 congressional election=== {{Main|United States House of Representatives elections in California, 2012}}
In August 2011, Calderon announced he would be running for the United States Congress in the newly redrawn California's 38th congressional district against incumbent U.S. Congresswoman Linda Sánchez in the Democratic primary. Calderon's State Senate district represented around 70% of the redrawn thirty-eighth.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.roncalderon.com/announcement.htm|title=RonCalderon.com|website=www.roncalderon.com}}</ref> Calderon withdrew from the race in January 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2012/01/ron-calderon-drops-bid-for-congress-endorses-linda-sanchez.html|title=Capitol Alert: Ron Calderon drops bid for Congress, endorses Linda Sanchez|date=February 5, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205105438/http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2012/01/ron-calderon-drops-bid-for-congress-endorses-linda-sanchez.html|archive-date=February 5, 2012}}</ref>
==Corruption case== On June 4, 2013, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) raided Calderon's offices in the California State Capitol in an attempt to find evidence regarding accusations of criminal activity.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kcra.com/news/fbi-searches-state-capitol-office-of-sen-ron-calderon/-/11797728/20426150/-/4y5kh1z/-/index.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130616043201/http://www.kcra.com/news/fbi-searches-state-capitol-office-of-sen-ron-calderon/-/11797728/20426150/-/4y5kh1z/-/index.html|title=FBI searches offices tied to California Sen. Ron Calderon | News - KCRA Home|archive-date=June 16, 2013}}</ref>
An FBI affidavit was published online on October 30, 2013, by cable network Al Jazeera America with a claim that State Sen. Ron Calderon accepted about $88,000 in bribes from a Southern California hospital executive, Michael Drobot, for legislation regarding workers' compensation for an expensive surgical procedure, and an undercover FBI agent posing as a film studio owner during a wide-ranging probe into his conduct as a legislator.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sacbee.com/2013/10/30/5867780/california-state-sen-ron-calderon.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031153430/http://www.sacbee.com/2013/10/30/5867780/california-state-sen-ron-calderon.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 31, 2013|title=California state Sen. Ron Calderon accepted $88,000 in bribes, FBI affidavit alleges|website=The Sacramento Bee}}</ref> On November 12, 2013, Calderon was suspended from his committee assignments, citing the ongoing inquiry into the alleged bribe.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-calderon-20131113-story.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202223705/http://articles.latimes.com/2013/nov/12/local/la-me-calderon-20131113|url-status=live|archive-date=December 2, 2013|title=Sen. Ronald Calderon stripped of committee assignments amid inquiry|first=Patrick|last=McGreevy|date=November 12, 2013|publisher=|via=LA Times}}</ref>
On February 21, 2014, Calderon agreed to surrender to federal authorities after being named in a federal grand jury indictment.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/usao/cac/Pressroom/2014/026.html|title=California State Senator Ronald Calderon Charged With Taking Bribes In Exchange For Official Acts On Behalf Of Hospital Owner And Independent Film Studio That Was Actually An FBI Front|website=www.justice.gov|date=June 22, 2015 }}</ref> After surrendering to authorities on February 24, 2014, Calderon appeared in Court and pleaded not guilty to 24 charges relating to wire fraud, bribery, money laundering and falsification of tax returns. His trial was scheduled to commence on April 22, 2014. Calderon was released on a $50,000 surety bond. He could have faced a prison term of up to a maximum 396 years if convicted on all charges. The California Senate gave the senator until March 3, 2014, to either resign or take a leave of absence, failing which a vote would be taken to suspend him from office.<ref name="CaldronTrialSet">{{cite news|title=Corruption accused US lawmaker pleads not guilty|url=http://www.californiatelegraph.com/index.php/sid/220229235/scat/805170b4ac37e387/ht/Corruption-accused-US-lawmaker-pleads-not-guilty|accessdate=February 26, 2014 |publisher=California Telegraph}}</ref> On March 2, Calderon announced that he would take a leave of absence. He was absent until the end of the 2014 session, at which point he was term-limited out of office.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/03/02/embattled-state-sen-ron-calderon-takes-indefinite-leave-of-absence/|title=Embattled State Sen. Ron Calderon Takes Indefinite Leave Of Absence|date=March 2, 2014|publisher=}}</ref>
On June 13, 2016, federal prosecutors announced that Calderon agreed to plead guilty to mail fraud. A week earlier his brother Tom pleaded guilty to money-laundering.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Whitcomb|first1=Dan|title=Ex-California lawmaker to plead guilty in corruption case: prosecutors|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/markets/ex-california-lawmaker-to-plead-guilty-in-corruption-case-prosecutors-idUSL1N1951ST/|accessdate=27 August 2016|work=Reuters|date=13 June 2016}}</ref>
In October 2016, Calderon was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Christina A. Snyder to serve 42 months in federal prison and perform 150 hours of community service. Calderon began his prison sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution, Sheridan in January 2017, and released in January 2019, after serving only 24 months of his 42-month sentence.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/former-state-senator-ronald-calderon-sentenced-42-months-federal-prison-receiving-over |title=Former State Senator Ronald Calderon Sentenced 42 Months in Federal Prison Receiving Over 150,000 Dollars in Bribes |publisher=justice.gov |date=October 21, 2016 |accessdate=July 10, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-ronald-calderon-released-20190119-story.html|title=Former state Sen. Ronald Calderon released after serving three years in political corruption case|newspaper= Los Angeles Times|first=Patrick|last=McGreevy|date=January 19, 2019|access-date=January 22, 2019}}</ref> Through his attorney, Mark Geragos, he had petitioned the Bureau of Prisons to be released 12 month earlier, in January 2018, under the Second Chance Act of 2007.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article166851517.html|title=Former California lawmaker seeks early release from prison on corruption charges|date=August 14, 2017|last=Koseff|first=Alexei|newspaper=Sacramento Bee}}</ref>
==Personal life== In 1982, Calderon married Ana. They have two children, Jessica and Zachary. Calderon resides in Montebello, California.<ref name="votesmart_calderon"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.joincalifornia.com/candidate/6143 |title=Ronald S. Calderon |publisher=joincalifornia.com |accessdate=July 10, 2019}}</ref>
== See also == * List of 2010s American state and local politicians convicted of crimes#California
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.sen.ca.gov/calderon Official Senate web site] * [https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/losangeles/press-releases/2014/california-state-senator-ronald-calderon-charged-with-taking-bribes-in-exchange-for-official-acts-on-behalf-of-hospital-owner-and-independent-film-studio-that-was-actually-an-fbi-front California Senator Calderon at archives.fbi.gov] * [https://www.scpr.org/blogs/news/2014/02/21/13904/fbi-raids-who-s-who-in-the-investigation-of-calif/ Calderon corruption: Who's who in the investigation.. at scpr.org] * [http://www.joincalifornia.com/candidate/6143 Join California Ronald Calderon]
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-ca-hs}} {{succession box | title=California State Assemblyman, 58th District | before=Thomas M. Calderon | after=Charles M. Calderon | years=2002–2006}} {{s-par|us-ca-sen}} {{succession box | title=California State Senator, 30th District | before=Martha Escutia | after=Tony Mendoza | years=2006–2014}} {{s-end}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Calderon, Ronald}} Category:1957 births Ron Category:Bankers from California Category:American businesspeople in finance Category:Democratic Party California state senators Category:Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in California Category:Living people Category:Democratic Party members of the California State Assembly Category:People from La Mirada, California Category:People from Montebello, California Category:American real estate brokers Category:UCLA College of Letters and Science alumni Category:Western State University College of Law alumni Category:American politicians of Mexican descent Category:California politicians convicted of crimes Category:21st-century members of the California State Legislature