No One Shocked by News But Many Seem Saddened

Local politicians and political activists in southeast Los Angeles County were hardly shocked by Thursday’s indictment of Paul Carpenter, their former state senator. After all, many noted, allegations of political corruption are almost commonplace these days.

But there was a feeling of regret that the one-time senator may have gone bad.

“I had the highest regard for him,” said veteran Norwalk Councilman Robert E. White. “He’s always been a straight arrow with me in Norwalk, but nowadays, absolutely nothing surprises me.”

Cerritos Councilwoman Diana Needham was Carpenter’s administrative assistant in 1983 and 1984. Needham, who headed Carpenter’s district office in Cypress, emphasized she never raised funds for Carpenter.

“I’m sorry to hear that this has occurred, because he was an outstanding representative of this area as our former senator for a number of years,” Needham said.

The Democratic, but relatively conservative, district reaches into Whittier and Downey to the north, and south to Lakewood and Cerritos. It also includes a portion of northern Orange County.

Three years after leaving office, Carpenter--who now lives in Downey and is a member of the State Board of Equalization--is remembered by local government officials as an interested, if not always effective, senator.

“Paul was one of the few state elected representatives that would just drop by City Hall out of the blue to see what was going on and if he could be of any help,” Bellflower City Administrator Jack A. Simpson said. “He always had an open ear.”

Simpson said Carpenter was good to work with, but he could not remember any instances where Carpenter had helped the city to meet its goals.

Downey Councilman Robert G. Cormack said he worked unsuccessfully with Carpenter to bring a refuse-to-energy plant to Downey. The plant ended up in the nearby City of Commerce.

As for the indictment, Cormack mused: “They seem to get so involved in building a war chest to win and retain their seats that they forget what they’re there for.”