José Granados
Encyclopedia
José Granados Navedo, is a former Speaker Pro Tem of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico
. Married, with three children, he lives with his family in Florida.
Granados initiated his political career as a student leader at the University of Puerto Rico
campus in Río Piedras, along with future House Speaker Edison Misla Aldarondo, future Senator Oreste Ramos, Jr. and future Senate Vice President Orlando Parga
, Jr. In 1968 he was an unsuccessful candidate for elective office under the Statehood Republican Party (SRP) banner, as most statehooders switched their allegiance to the New Progressive Party
(NPP), an offshoot of the SRP, which went on to win that year's general election. As Secretary General of Acción Progresista, a pro-statehood student organization, he founded the longest lasting pro-statehood newspaper weekly, Decisión, in 1971. In that year, he was elected president of the New Progressive Party Youth organization and was nominated as one of that party's candidates for an at-large seat in the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico
.
's defeat in 1976, Granados was elected in 1977 as the Majority Leader in the House. In 1981, after the NPP lost control of that legislative body, he became outgoing Speaker Angel Viera Martínez
' Minority Whip. When Viera Martínez bolted the NPP to join the Puerto Rico Renewal Party (PRP) in 1983, Granados became House Minority Leader, a position he held until 1988.
In 1981, Granados founded the Puerto Rico Statehood Commission
, a grassroots non-partisan organization dedicated to research and education on Puerto Rico statehood. The organization operated until 1986 and included among its leaders a wide array of prominent statehooders, such as attorney Zaida Hernández, who subsequently served as House Speaker and subsequently an appellate court judge, attorney Zulma Rosario, former Corrections Administrator and current head of the Government Ethics Office, attorney Nélida Jiménez Velázquez, also an appellate judge, then Senator Oreste Ramos, Jr., Sol Luis Descartes
, a former Treasury Secretary under PDP Governor Luis Muñoz Marín
, current Secretary of State and former Senate President Kenneth McClintock
and attorney Luis Dávila Colón
, currently Puerto Rico's most prominent political analyst. His ideological organization still serves as a model, a quarter century later, for NPP educational efforts.
Many elected public officials in Puerto Rico initiated their incursion into electoral politics, either as members of the youth organizations he presided or as members of his legislative staff. The youth organization served as a launching pad for Charlie Rodriguez
, who later became President of the Senate; Senators Anibal Marrero and former senator Freddy Valentin, State Representatives Albita Rivera, Antonio Silva and Benjamin Velez; and Mayors Juan Cruz Manzano of Manati and Benjamin Cinton of Patillas. Also State Representative Carlos Lopez who later served as Ombudsman.
His legislative office was also a breeding ground of future political leaders. The present Governor, Luis Fortuño
, who led his party in 2008 to its largest landslide victory in history, was a summer intern at Granados' office while studying at Georgetown University. His aide, Zaida Hernadez, later became Speaker of the House of Representatives; Kenneth McClintock culminated a four-term senatorial career as the 13th President of the Senate before becoming Puerto Rico's 22nd Secretary of State, while Orlando Parga
, another Granados' aide, served as McClintock's Senate President pro tem; and Héctor O'Neill who became Senator and later Mayor of Guaynabo and President of the Mayors Federation. The best recognition of the "breeding ground" status of his office can be found in the refusal by a political opponent, House Speaker
Severo Colberg to approve a staffer selected by Granados, Manuel Agromayor, which resulted in litigation in the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and reached the United States Supreme Court.
An interesting trivia about Granados is that while studying the budget for a special election to fill a vacant House seat he was appalled by the cost of the ballot boxes that, at the time, were constructed in wood with the option of using metal. He pulled out a piece of paper and designed the cardboard ballot box that is being used now throughout the world. He did not patent it. This was one of the more successful inventions attributed to him.
A forceful public speaker, he organized the mass rallies that provided the "grand finales' of the NPP's electoral campaigns in 1976 and 1980 where his party's candidate, Carlos Romero Barcelo, was elected and subsequently narrowly reelected to the governorship. He also produced a daily 30 second editorial advertising transmitted during TV newscasts under the name Directo Al Punto credited by some with having contributed greatly to Pedro Rossello's triumph as Governor in 1992 and 1996.
In 1988, when San Juan Mayor Baltasar Corrada del Río
lost his bid for Governor in that year's PDP landslide, Granados lost the race to succeed Corrada in City Hall by a minuscule margin that was finally decided in the courts.
Jose Granados made a political comeback in 1992 when he was returned by the people to the House, where he became Majority Leader. As Chairman of the Socio-Economic and Planning Commission he conducted studies on the condition of Puerto Rico's economic infrastructure including land, air and maritime transportation, water and sewage, energy production and waste management and was responsible for most of Rosselló's legislative agenda that laid the foundation for the major accomplishments of his gubernatorial administration. In 1997 he became Speaker Pro Tem until his resignation from office. He was later indicted in federal court, although not convicted, (since he cooperated with the federal authorities), for wrongdoings of intervening in the process leading to the construction of Puerto Rico's North Coast Superaqueduct during Governor Pedro Rosselló
's administration.
He authored a novel, The Aikman Theory, that is being edited for publication and is writing a second one: The Dome on the Wall.
House of Representatives of Puerto Rico
The House of Representatives of Puerto Rico is the lower house of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, the territorial legislature of Puerto Rico...
. Married, with three children, he lives with his family in Florida.
Early years
While attending the Academia Catolica during his school years he was elected President of his Sophomore Class, School Newspaper publisher and President of the Student Council. After enrolling in the University of Puerto Rico he was elected President of the General Studies Student Council and thus a member of the Campus Student Council. While in college, he represented Puerto Rico in the First International Youth Congress held at the United Nations General Assembly Hall.Granados initiated his political career as a student leader at the University of Puerto Rico
University of Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico is the state university system of Puerto Rico. The system consists of 11 campuses and has approximately 64,511 students and 5,300 faculty members...
campus in Río Piedras, along with future House Speaker Edison Misla Aldarondo, future Senator Oreste Ramos, Jr. and future Senate Vice President Orlando Parga
Orlando Parga
- Early life:Orlando Parga-Figueroa is a former Senator of Puerto Rico born in Mayaguez and currently resides in Caguas with his wife, Teresita. His father, Orlando Parga Tossas, was a leader of the StatehoodRepublican Party and a right-hand man to SRP leader Miguel A. García Méndez...
, Jr. In 1968 he was an unsuccessful candidate for elective office under the Statehood Republican Party (SRP) banner, as most statehooders switched their allegiance to the New Progressive Party
New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico
The New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico is a political party that advocates for Puerto Rico's admission to the United States of America as the 51st state...
(NPP), an offshoot of the SRP, which went on to win that year's general election. As Secretary General of Acción Progresista, a pro-statehood student organization, he founded the longest lasting pro-statehood newspaper weekly, Decisión, in 1971. In that year, he was elected president of the New Progressive Party Youth organization and was nominated as one of that party's candidates for an at-large seat in the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico
House of Representatives of Puerto Rico
The House of Representatives of Puerto Rico is the lower house of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, the territorial legislature of Puerto Rico...
.
Elective office
Elected to the House at the age of 26, he became an outspoken member of the opposition. After Gov. Rafael Hernández ColónRafael Hernández Colón
Rafael Hernández Colón is a Puerto Rican politician who served as the fourth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for three non-consecutive terms, from 1973 to 1977 and from 1985 to 1993. An experienced politician, Hernández holds the record for being the youngest Governor of Puerto Rico,...
's defeat in 1976, Granados was elected in 1977 as the Majority Leader in the House. In 1981, after the NPP lost control of that legislative body, he became outgoing Speaker Angel Viera Martínez
Angel Viera Martínez
Attorney Angel Viera Martínez was a prominent pro-statehood public servant in Puerto Rico during the second half of the 20th century.He began his public service as a prosecutor. In 1968 he ran as a candidate for state representative under the banner of the New Progressive Party, which he helped...
' Minority Whip. When Viera Martínez bolted the NPP to join the Puerto Rico Renewal Party (PRP) in 1983, Granados became House Minority Leader, a position he held until 1988.
In 1981, Granados founded the Puerto Rico Statehood Commission
Puerto Rico Statehood Commission
The Puerto Rico Statehood Commission was a grassroots non-partisan organization dedicated to research and education on Puerto Rico statehood.Founded by then Rep...
, a grassroots non-partisan organization dedicated to research and education on Puerto Rico statehood. The organization operated until 1986 and included among its leaders a wide array of prominent statehooders, such as attorney Zaida Hernández, who subsequently served as House Speaker and subsequently an appellate court judge, attorney Zulma Rosario, former Corrections Administrator and current head of the Government Ethics Office, attorney Nélida Jiménez Velázquez, also an appellate judge, then Senator Oreste Ramos, Jr., Sol Luis Descartes
Sol Luis Descartes
Sol Luis Descartes, a graduate in agricultural economics from Cornell University, served as Puerto Rico's Secretary of the Treasury during the administration of Governor Luis Muñoz Marín from 1949 to 1955....
, a former Treasury Secretary under PDP Governor Luis Muñoz Marín
Luis Muñoz Marín
Don José Luis Alberto Muñoz Marín was a Puerto Rican poet, journalist, and politician. Regarded as the "father of modern Puerto Rico," he was the first democratically elected Governor of Puerto Rico. Muñoz Marín was the son of Luis Muñoz Rivera, a renowned autonomist leader...
, current Secretary of State and former Senate President Kenneth McClintock
Kenneth McClintock
Kenneth D. McClintock-Hernández is the current Secretary of State of Puerto Rico. Mr. McClintock served as co-chair of Hillary Clinton presidential campaign's National Hispanic Leadership Council in 2008, co-chaired Clinton's successful Puerto Rico primary campaign that year and served as the...
and attorney Luis Dávila Colón
Luis Dávila Colón
Luis Dávila Colón is one of Puerto Rico's best-known political analysts, radio commentators and newspaper columnist. His daily radio talk show, broadcast for a decade, until December 2009, from 4:30 to 7:00 pm by the Notiuno radio network moves to UnivisionRadio WKAQ-AM in 2010...
, currently Puerto Rico's most prominent political analyst. His ideological organization still serves as a model, a quarter century later, for NPP educational efforts.
Many elected public officials in Puerto Rico initiated their incursion into electoral politics, either as members of the youth organizations he presided or as members of his legislative staff. The youth organization served as a launching pad for Charlie Rodriguez
Charlie Rodríguez
Charles "Charlie" Rodríguez is a New York City-born Puerto Rican politician affiliated with the New Progressive Party . He served as the eleventh President of the Senate of Puerto Rico from 1997 until 2000.-Early life:...
, who later became President of the Senate; Senators Anibal Marrero and former senator Freddy Valentin, State Representatives Albita Rivera, Antonio Silva and Benjamin Velez; and Mayors Juan Cruz Manzano of Manati and Benjamin Cinton of Patillas. Also State Representative Carlos Lopez who later served as Ombudsman.
His legislative office was also a breeding ground of future political leaders. The present Governor, Luis Fortuño
Luis Fortuño
Luis Guillermo Fortuño Burset is the governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States of America. Fortuño is also the president of the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico , a member of the Republican National Committee, and will be president of the Council of State...
, who led his party in 2008 to its largest landslide victory in history, was a summer intern at Granados' office while studying at Georgetown University. His aide, Zaida Hernadez, later became Speaker of the House of Representatives; Kenneth McClintock culminated a four-term senatorial career as the 13th President of the Senate before becoming Puerto Rico's 22nd Secretary of State, while Orlando Parga
Orlando Parga
- Early life:Orlando Parga-Figueroa is a former Senator of Puerto Rico born in Mayaguez and currently resides in Caguas with his wife, Teresita. His father, Orlando Parga Tossas, was a leader of the StatehoodRepublican Party and a right-hand man to SRP leader Miguel A. García Méndez...
, another Granados' aide, served as McClintock's Senate President pro tem; and Héctor O'Neill who became Senator and later Mayor of Guaynabo and President of the Mayors Federation. The best recognition of the "breeding ground" status of his office can be found in the refusal by a political opponent, House Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
Severo Colberg to approve a staffer selected by Granados, Manuel Agromayor, which resulted in litigation in the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and reached the United States Supreme Court.
An interesting trivia about Granados is that while studying the budget for a special election to fill a vacant House seat he was appalled by the cost of the ballot boxes that, at the time, were constructed in wood with the option of using metal. He pulled out a piece of paper and designed the cardboard ballot box that is being used now throughout the world. He did not patent it. This was one of the more successful inventions attributed to him.
A forceful public speaker, he organized the mass rallies that provided the "grand finales' of the NPP's electoral campaigns in 1976 and 1980 where his party's candidate, Carlos Romero Barcelo, was elected and subsequently narrowly reelected to the governorship. He also produced a daily 30 second editorial advertising transmitted during TV newscasts under the name Directo Al Punto credited by some with having contributed greatly to Pedro Rossello's triumph as Governor in 1992 and 1996.
In 1988, when San Juan Mayor Baltasar Corrada del Río
Baltasar Corrada del Río
Baltasar Corrada del Río is a former politician from Puerto Rico. He held various high political offices in the island, including President of the Puerto Rico Civil Rights Commission, Resident Commissioner , Mayor of the capital city of San Juan , Puerto Rico's 15th Secretary of State and...
lost his bid for Governor in that year's PDP landslide, Granados lost the race to succeed Corrada in City Hall by a minuscule margin that was finally decided in the courts.
Jose Granados made a political comeback in 1992 when he was returned by the people to the House, where he became Majority Leader. As Chairman of the Socio-Economic and Planning Commission he conducted studies on the condition of Puerto Rico's economic infrastructure including land, air and maritime transportation, water and sewage, energy production and waste management and was responsible for most of Rosselló's legislative agenda that laid the foundation for the major accomplishments of his gubernatorial administration. In 1997 he became Speaker Pro Tem until his resignation from office. He was later indicted in federal court, although not convicted, (since he cooperated with the federal authorities), for wrongdoings of intervening in the process leading to the construction of Puerto Rico's North Coast Superaqueduct during Governor Pedro Rosselló
Pedro Rosselló
Pedro Juan Rosselló González, M.D., , is a Puerto Rican physician and politician who served as the sixth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico from 1993 to 2001...
's administration.
Literary accomplishments
In the early 1980s, Granados co-wrote and edited a ten-volume collection of educational lesson books on his most important issue, statehood for Puerto Rico.He authored a novel, The Aikman Theory, that is being edited for publication and is writing a second one: The Dome on the Wall.