Walter R. Tucker III
Encyclopedia
Walter Rayford Tucker III (born May 28, 1957) is a former U.S.
Democratic politician
from California
.
Tucker was born in Compton, California
, and was scion to a political dynasty known as the "Kennedys of Compton." He is the son of Walter R. Tucker, Jr.
, a dentist who was mayor of Compton. He finished Compton Senior High School as class valedictorian
and attended Princeton University
1974-1976, then the University of Southern California
1976-1978. He graduated from the Georgetown University
School of Law with a Juris Doctor, 1981; was admitted to the bar in 1984.
Tucker commenced the practice of law in Compton; deputy district attorney, Los Angeles County, 1984-1986. After his father died while still in office, the younger Tucker won a special election to replace him. He served from 1991 to 1992, during the civil unrest in Los Angeles County spawned by the Rodney King
verdict, until he was elected to the House of Representatives
as a Democrat. Tucker defeated the daughter of the retiring Rep. Mervyn Dymally. His younger brother Kenneth Tucker ran in a special election to replace him, but was unsuccessful, losing by the slimmest of margins in a hotly contested battle. For the first time in more than two decades a Tucker did not hold local political office in the City of Compton.
In Congress, Tucker served on the Committee on Public Works and Transportation and the House Small Business Committee. Tucker was an ordained minister who was known to give the occasional Sunday morning sermon while visiting a church in his congressional district or even host bible studies in his Capitol office. He introduced legislation promoting Random Acts of Kindness, opposed passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), fought to save the Long Beach Naval Shipyard, and worked to ensure the successful development of the Alameda Corridor Project. He also worked with the Army Corps of Engineers to secure federal funding to repair the long neglected Compton Creek
, thus eliminating the possibility of costly flood damage to the homes and property on either side of the waterway.
Tucker resigned from Congress on December 15, 1995, due to scandals involving accepting and demanding bribes while mayor of Compton. Tucker was sentenced to 27 months in prison in 1996 for extortion and tax evasion.
Tucker is currently the pastor of a church in the Chicago area. He is married to Robin Marie and has two children, Walter Rayford IV and Autumn.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Democratic politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Tucker was born in Compton, California
Compton, California
Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city of Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city to incorporate. The city is considered part of the South side by residents of Los...
, and was scion to a political dynasty known as the "Kennedys of Compton." He is the son of Walter R. Tucker, Jr.
Walter R. Tucker, Jr.
Walter R. Tucker, Jr. was a dentist who served nine years as the Mayor of Compton, California.- Biography :Walter Rayford Tucker, Jr. was born in Oklahoma. He became a dentist and moved to Compton, California in the 1950s...
, a dentist who was mayor of Compton. He finished Compton Senior High School as class valedictorian
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
and attended Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
1974-1976, then the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
1976-1978. He graduated from the Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
School of Law with a Juris Doctor, 1981; was admitted to the bar in 1984.
Tucker commenced the practice of law in Compton; deputy district attorney, Los Angeles County, 1984-1986. After his father died while still in office, the younger Tucker won a special election to replace him. He served from 1991 to 1992, during the civil unrest in Los Angeles County spawned by the Rodney King
Rodney King
Rodney Glen King is an American best known for his involvement in a police brutality case involving the Los Angeles Police Department on March 3, 1991...
verdict, until he was elected to the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
as a Democrat. Tucker defeated the daughter of the retiring Rep. Mervyn Dymally. His younger brother Kenneth Tucker ran in a special election to replace him, but was unsuccessful, losing by the slimmest of margins in a hotly contested battle. For the first time in more than two decades a Tucker did not hold local political office in the City of Compton.
In Congress, Tucker served on the Committee on Public Works and Transportation and the House Small Business Committee. Tucker was an ordained minister who was known to give the occasional Sunday morning sermon while visiting a church in his congressional district or even host bible studies in his Capitol office. He introduced legislation promoting Random Acts of Kindness, opposed passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), fought to save the Long Beach Naval Shipyard, and worked to ensure the successful development of the Alameda Corridor Project. He also worked with the Army Corps of Engineers to secure federal funding to repair the long neglected Compton Creek
Compton Creek
Compton Creek is a major tributary of the Los Angeles River in and surrounding Compton in Los Angeles County, California, and it is in desperate need of salvation. The stream drains a watershed of...
, thus eliminating the possibility of costly flood damage to the homes and property on either side of the waterway.
Tucker resigned from Congress on December 15, 1995, due to scandals involving accepting and demanding bribes while mayor of Compton. Tucker was sentenced to 27 months in prison in 1996 for extortion and tax evasion.
Tucker is currently the pastor of a church in the Chicago area. He is married to Robin Marie and has two children, Walter Rayford IV and Autumn.