Ed Reinecke

Ed Reinecke
Name	Ed Reinecke
Order	37th
Office	Lieutenant Governor of California
Governor	Ronald Reagan
Term start	January 8, 1969
Term end	October 2, 1974
Predecessor	Robert Finch
Successor	John L. Harmer
State1	California
District1	27th
Term start1	January 3, 1965
Term end1	January 21, 1969
Predecessor1	Everett G. Burkhalter
Successor1	Barry Goldwater Jr.
Birth name	Edwin Reinecke
Birth date	7 January 1924
Birth place	Medford, Oregon, U.S.
Death date	24 December 2016
Death place	Sacramento, California, U.S.
Party	Republican
Spouse	Janet Gray (m. 1948; div. 1972), Janet C. Moore (m. 1973)
Education	California Institute of Technology (BS)
Branch	United States Navy
Serviceyears	1943–1946
Rank	Lieutenant (jg)
Battles	World War II

Ed Reinecke was an American politician who served as the 37th Lieutenant Governor of California under Governor Ronald Reagan. His career in the United States House of Representatives and state executive office was ultimately cut short by his conviction in the Watergate-era ITT Corporation affair. Reinecke's tenure was marked by his alignment with the conservatism of the Reagan administration and his advocacy for issues like aerospace development and water policy in California.

Early life and education

Edwin Reinecke was born in Medford, Oregon, and moved to Southern California as a youth. He demonstrated an early aptitude for engineering and science, which led him to attend the prestigious California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering, an education that would later inform his political interests in technology and infrastructure.

Military service

During World War II, Reinecke interrupted his studies to serve in the United States Navy. He was commissioned as an officer and achieved the rank of lieutenant (junior grade), serving in the Pacific Theater of Operations. His military service provided him with leadership experience and a network of contacts that would prove valuable in his subsequent career in California politics.

Political career

Reinecke's political career began in the United States House of Representatives, where he represented California's 27th congressional district, which included parts of Los Angeles County. Elected in 1964, he served in the 89th United States Congress and the 90th United States Congress. In Washington, D.C., he was known as a reliable Republican vote and developed a focus on issues related to the Defense Department and NASA, reflecting his technical background.

Lieutenant governorship

In 1969, Reinecke was appointed Lieutenant Governor of California by Governor Ronald Reagan following the resignation of Robert Finch to join the Nixon administration. He was elected to a full term in 1970. As lieutenant governor, he served as President of the California State Senate and sat on the University of California Board of Regents and the California State Lands Commission. His tenure was dominated by his role in a controversy involving the ITT Corporation and its merger with the Hartford Fire Insurance Company, which led to his indictment for perjury.

Post-political career and later life

Following his conviction in 1974 for lying to a United States Senate committee about the ITT Corporation case, Reinecke resigned his office. His conviction was later overturned on appeal, but he did not return to elected office. He embarked on a successful career in business, working in real estate development and serving as a consultant. In his later years, he remained in Sacramento and was involved in various civic and philanthropic organizations until his death.

Personal life

Ed Reinecke was married twice, first to Janet Gray, with whom he had four children. After their divorce, he married Janet C. Moore in 1973. He was an avid pilot and outdoorsman, interests he maintained throughout his life. Reinecke died in Sacramento, California at the age of 92, leaving behind a complex legacy intertwined with the political rise of Ronald Reagan and the scandals of the early 1970s.

Category:1924 births Category:2016 deaths Category:Lieutenant Governors of California Category:California Republicans Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from California