Richard Riordan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Riordan
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| 39th Mayor of Los Angeles | |
| In office July 1, 1993 – July 1, 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Tom Bradley |
| Succeeded by | James Hahn |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Richard Joseph Riordan
May 1, 1930 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | April 19, 2023 (aged 92) |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1952–1955 |
| Rank |  First Lieutenant |
| Battles/wars | Korean War |
Richard Joseph Riordan (May 1, 1930 – April 19, 2023) was an American businessman, lawyer, politician, and a veteran of the Korean War. He was a member of the Republican Party. Riordan is best known for serving as the 39th Mayor of Los Angeles from 1993 to 2001.
He was elected mayor in 1993 and then again in 1997. He served until 2001, when he could no longer run for office due to term limits. He was the last Republican Mayor of Los Angeles for over twenty years. After his time as mayor, he continued his work in business.
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Early Life and Career
Riordan was born in Flushing, Queens, New York, into an Irish-American family. He grew up in New Rochelle, New York. He went to Princeton University, graduating in 1952 with a degree in philosophy. Later, he earned a law degree from The University of Michigan Law School in 1956.
That same year, he moved to Los Angeles. He began working at a law firm called O'Melveny & Myers. In 1959, he became a partner at another law firm, Nossaman LLP. He also helped start his own law firm, Riordan & McKinzie, in 1975. In 1982, he co-founded a company called Riordan, Lewis & Haden, which helped invest in and grow other businesses.
Mayor of Los Angeles
When the previous mayor, Tom Bradley, announced he was retiring, Riordan decided to run for mayor in the 1993 Los Angeles mayoral election. Riordan won the election, becoming the first Republican mayor in Los Angeles in over 36 years.
As mayor, Riordan faced some challenges. The City Council, which had many members from the Democratic Party, sometimes disagreed with his ideas. For example, he wanted to hire many new police officers, but the police academy didn't have enough space or teachers to train them all. Despite this, he made some important changes. He made it easier for businesses to follow city rules and created "one-stop" centers where people could get different city services, like permits, all in one place.
In 1997, he was re-elected mayor, defeating California State Senator Tom Hayden.
One big challenge during Riordan's time as mayor involved the cost of building the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Red Line subway. The subway's high costs meant less money for bus services. A group called the Bus Riders Union sued the city, saying this was unfair. This led to an agreement in 1996 that changed how money was spent on public transportation. Riordan later said that signing this agreement was his biggest mistake as mayor.
Before becoming mayor, Riordan had supported a rule that limited how many terms a mayor could serve. Because of this rule, he could not run for re-election in 2001. He supported his friend, Steve Soboroff, to take his place. However, Soboroff did not win. Instead, James Hahn became the next mayor.
Run for Governor
In 2002, Riordan decided to run for governor. He competed in the Republican primary election against two other candidates: businessman Bill Simon and former California Secretary of State Bill Jones. Even though Riordan was ahead in the polls early on, he lost the primary election to Bill Simon.
One reason for his loss was that many conservative Republicans did not support his more moderate views. The sitting Democratic Governor, Gray Davis, also spent a lot of money on ads against Riordan during the Republican primary. Davis hoped that Simon would be an easier opponent to beat in the main election. This strategy worked, and Riordan lost the primary. Governor Davis then defeated Simon in the general election.
Personal Life and Legacy
Richard Riordan passed away at his home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, on April 19, 2023, at the age of 92.
The Richard J. Riordan Central Library in Los Angeles is named in his honor. Riordan also owned two well-known Los Angeles restaurants: the Original Pantry Cafe, which has been open since 1924, and Gladstones Malibu, which opened in 1972.
Images for kids
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Riordan with President Bill Clinton in 1993
