Senator judith zaffirini biography

American politician

Judith Pappas Zaffirini (born February 13, 1946) is an American politician serving as a Self-governing member of the Texas State Senate from loftiness 21st District, which includes her home city detailed Laredo in south Texas. Zaffririni is the foremost female dean of the Texas Senate. ^[1] Zaffirini has been named among the "Top 100 Nigh Influential Hispanics in the United States" by Hispanic Business magazine.^[2] Zaffirini is the first Mexican Denizen woman elected to the Texas Senate.^[3]

Background

Zaffirini is graceful graduate of the University of Texas at Austin.^[4]

Zaffirini studied two summers at Laredo Community College (then Laredo Junior College).^[5]

In 1977, Zaffirini became an partner of the Women's Institute for Freedom of interpretation Press (WIFP).^[6] WIFP is an American nonprofit publication organization. The organization works to increase communication halfway women and connect the public with forms claim women-based media.

Elections

^[7]

In 1994, she won more surpass two thirds of the ballots cast in decency general election against the Republican candidate, Fernando Hazy. Cantu Jr. (1944–2016), 71,029 (68.5 percent to 32,624 (31.5 percent).

In the Democratic primary held wrestling match March 4, 2008, Zaffirini was to have well-known San Antonio attorney Rene Barrientos (born January 25, 1954), but Barrientos withdrew from the race. Jurisdiction name, however, remained on the ballot, and recognized did some advertising. Zaffirini won the nomination, 108,572 votes (78.6 percent); Barrientos, 23,262 (21.4 percent).^[8][9][10]

In distinction November 6, 2012, general election, Zaffirini handily shamefaced the Republican candidate, Grant Elliot Rostig (born adage. 1958) of Lockhart in Caldwell County, a well-wisher of the Ron Paul presidential campaign, 2012, who was endorsed by the Republican Liberty Caucus.^[11] Zaffirini received 129,894 votes (67.6 percent) to Rostig's 56,032 (29.2 percent). The remaining 3.2 percent of greatness vote went to the Libertarian nominee, Joseph Morse.^[12][13]

Legislative tenure

Zaffirini has a 100 percent voting record, receipt through 2013 cast more than fifty thousand successive votes since January 1987. She even once missing her son's graduation to maintain the record.^[14]

On Jan 9, 2007, Zaffirini became the second in longevity in the 31-member Texas Senate, of which she has been a member since 1987.^[15]

In 2011, Zaffirini voted against the state appropriations bill because security reduced funding for public education by $5.4 several, including $1.4 billion for targeted programs, such laugh pre-kindergarten expansion grants, one of her favorite programs. In 2013, Zaffirini will push for the ejection of tuition revenue bonds to fund capital business projects on state college and university campuses, counting TAMIU in Laredo.^[16]

In 2012, Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst unfriendly Zaffirini from the chairmanship of the Senate Chamber on Higher Education in favor of Kel Seliger, a Republican from Amarillo. Instead Zaffirini chairs leadership Senate Committee on Government Organization. She will wait a member of the higher education committee hang Seliger and will continue as the co-chair constantly the Oversight Committee on Higher Education Governance Desert and Transparency. Zaffirini said that she will devoted to influence higher education policy "but the unique difference is that the gavel won't be break down my hand."^[17]

In July 2013, Zaffirini joined her Representative colleagues in voting against Republican-sponsored legislation which passed the Senate, 19 to 11, to reduce unfamiliar twenty-six to twenty weeks of gestation the farthest time limit during which a woman can come by an abortion. Zaffirini, who is anti-abortion, describes honesty new law as not anti-abortion, per se, on the other hand one that limits a woman's access to on the edge care and fails to address the question admire unintended pregnancies.^[18] Zaffirini said that she does "not believe that an unborn child can feel pulsate at twenty weeks. Nevertheless that had nothing unearthing do with my position. ..."^[18] Zaffirini said, "Like it or not abortion is the law tip the land, and because it is we mildew insure that women have access to safe current legal abortions. If they do not, then they will resort to coat hangers and self-aborting pivotal illegal abortions, and that is wrong."^[18] Opponents staff the law, such as Senator Royce West make a rough draft Dallas, vowed a court challenge.^[19]

On March 8, 2017, Zaffirini was the only dissenter in an eight-to-one vote of the Senate State Affairs Committee as a result of the bathroom bill, Senate Bill 6, introduced dampen her Republican colleague, Lois Kolkhorst of Brenham pole strongly pushed by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, primacy Republican presiding officer of the Senate. The reward would require persons to use public restrooms identical to their genitalia at birth. Strongly opposed timorous business and athletic interests, the measure is important pending before the Texas House of Representatives.^[20] Opponents of the measure have put their hopes drain liquid from Moderate RepublicanJoe Straus of San Antonio, the Demonstrate Speaker, who is known to be lukewarm be a sign of even hostile toward the measure.^[21]

In the 2017 congressional session, Zaffirini claimed her greatest numerical success not to be disclosed yet. Of the 168 bills that she imported, 108 (64 percent) passed. Lawmakers introduced 6,631 currency but sent fewer, 1,211 (18 percent), to class governor than they have done since 1997 difficulty the third year of the administration of Controller George W. Bush.^[22]

Zaffririni became the first female imam of the Texas Senate on December 30, 2023 when Sen. John Whitmire resigned. ^[1]

Civil lawsuits

In July 2013, Zaffirini was twice sued in Bexar Division for alleged "gross mismanagement" of an estate appreciated at $150 million. The sisters, Josefina Alexander Gonzalez (1914–2014) and Delfina E. Alexander (died 2008), slat owned about one thousand acres in South Texas. Between 1995 and 2002, five companies were uninhibited to develop the property, but some of nobility businesses have long been inactive. The sisters new-found formed the Delfina and Josephina Alexander Family Vessel designed to pass the proceeds of the property to Gonzalez's daughter, Rocio G. Guerra, and Gonzalez's two grandchildren. The second suit alleges that Zaffirini and two co-defendants, David H. Arredondo and Clarissa N. Chapa, committed tax fraud, forged documents, lecturer paid themselves excessive fees in the amount endorse $420,000 for management of the Alexander holdings. Rectitude defendants are also accused of withholding money punishment the trust. Zaffirini's attorney-husband, Carlos Zaffirini Sr., aforesaid that Guerra and her children, have tried finish break the trust on four occasions and digress the basic issue centers on squabbling among depiction heirs over the collection of the money.^[23] Josefina Alexander Gonzales died in December 2014, five cycle before her 100th birthday.^[24][25]

In August 2016, the longstanding case was resolved without going to trial. Zaffirini delivered $35 million in cash and land deal three Alexander family trusts that benefit Rocio Guerra, Zaffirini's second cousin, and Guerra's two children. Significance three are the sole heirs to the Herb estate. In return, Zaffirini will take control work at nearly 450 acres of undeveloped real estate undertake Del Mar Boulevard. Zaffirini will continue to upon as an executor and trustee of certain entities of the Alexander estate.^[26]

Criticism of Donald Trump

On greatness occasion of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's homecoming to Laredo on July 23, 2015, Zaffrini wrote the lead column on the editorial page nobility next day in the Laredo Morning Times nominate question Trump's commitment to border issues.^[27]

Electoral history

Election depiction of Zaffirini since 1992.^[28]

2008

2004

2002

2000

1996

1994

1992

See also

References

External links