April 10 Vote Set to Fill Montoya’s Seat

A special election will be held April 10 to replace state Sen. Joseph B. Montoya, the veteran San Gabriel Valley politician who resigned last month after his conviction on seven felony charges of political corruption.

If no candidate wins a majority in the April 10 race, a runoff election will be held June 5 in conjunction with the statewide primary.

Assemblyman Charles M. Calderon (D-Whittier) was the first to announce his candidacy for the 26th Senate District seat that Montoya had held since 1978.

The 26th Senate District includes not only Montoya’s home town of El Monte and Calderon’s of Montebello, but also the eastern Los Angeles County communities of Alhambra, Baldwin Park, Irwindale, La Puente, Monterey Park, Pico Rivera, Rosemead and San Gabriel.

Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 2 to 1 in the district, which has a large Latino population.

Montoya, 50, has said he plans to appeal his conviction on the seven counts of extortion, racketeering and money-laundering. A federal court jury in Sacramento found Montoya guilty of repeatedly using his position as a senator to extract honorariums and campaign contributions from individuals seeking legislative action.

Montoya is the only legislator indicted in an ongoing federal investigation of political corruption in the state Capitol. He was snared in an FBI sting operation in June, 1988, when he accepted a $3,000 payment from an undercover agent at a breakfast meeting near the Capitol that was secretly videotaped.

He is due to be sentenced April 26. He faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the seven counts and could be fined more than $1.75 million. California authorities have also filed a a lawsuit against Montoya seeking $270,000 in penalties for his alleged misuse of campaign funds and failure to disclose certain financial dealings.

Montoya resigned Feb. 8 from the state Senate but insisted that he ultimately will be cleared of the counts against him.

Returning to La Puente City Hall where he got his start in politics, a subdued Montoya told a group of nearly 100 supporters it was “with a great deal of sadness” that he was stepping down from the post.

“As you know, I have maintained my innocence throughout the indictment and trial, and I believe in my heart that I will be eventually vindicated on appeal,” the Whittier Democrat said. “I must dedicate all of my energies and time to that ultimate vindication, and in that I ask for your continued support and prayers.”