Omar Bradley (California politician)

Omar Bradley (May 9, 1958—)cite web
url=http://www.ancestry.com
title= California Birth Index, 1905-1995 [database on-line]
publisher= The Generations Network
location= United States
accessdate=2008-07-23] was the controversial mayor of Compton from 1993 until 2001.

Biography

Omar Bradley grew up in Compton, California. As an adult, he stayed in the neighborhood and taught high school before entering politics.

In 1991, Bradley defeated Pedro Pallan to become City Councilman for the 1st District of Compton. Despite winning the race decisively with 2,904 votes over Pallan's 1,577, Bradley adopted a very conciliatory tone, when he said, "My first priority is to extend the olive branch to the Latino community, find out what they lack in city services and find out how to meet them." cite news
url=http://www.NewsLibrary.com/
title=Bradley, Robbins Leading in Compton Council Vote
work=The Long Beach Press-Telegram |date=1991-06-05 |accessdate-2008-07-23]

Just two years later in the spring of 1993, Bradley faced off against Councilwoman Patricia A. Moore for the city's top job. In a bitterly fought runoff campaign, Bradley received just 349 votes over Moore to replace the outgoing Mayor Walter R. Tucker III. cite news
title=Councilman Bradley wins mayoral contest
first= Tina |last=Griego
page=B1
work=The Los Angeles Times |date=1993-06-02 |accessdate-2008-07-25] Immediately upon taking office, Bradley stirred controversy. During his campaign he had garnered the support of many Latino voters with the promise that if he were elected mayor, he would appoint a Latino to replace him on the council. It was generally assumed that he would appoint his former opponent Pallan, who was the first Latino in Compton to qualify for a run-off election. On the night of the presumed appointment, Bradley joined two other council members to appoint political newcomer Ronald Green, an African American instead.cite news
title=Office Politics; His critics say he is divisive and has split Compton apart with his actions and his rhetoric. But Mayor Omar Bradley says he's just a tough guy--and tough guys win.
first=Greg |last=Krikorian
page=1
work=The Los Angeles Times |date=1997-01-12 |accessdate-2008-07-25] cite news
title=Vote to Put Bradley Ally on Council Angers Latinos Politics: New mayor joins colleagues in appointing political newcomer to fill his vacant seat. Community leaders say he betrayed them.
first=Emily |last=Adams
page=1
work=The Los Angeles Times |date=1993-06-10 |accessdate-2008-07-26]

That fall, comments he made regarding the violence in rap videos angered members of the Jewish community. When gangster rapper Easy-E was seeking permission to film a music video in Compton, Bradley scolded him during a council meeting by saying that he was being exploited by a "specific ethnic group" that was "having a bar mitzvah at the same time." On October 13, 1993 he held a press conference with Easy-E to announce his approval of the music video and to apologize for his previous remarks.cite news
title=Singer, mayor rap up a comprise
first=Emily |last=Adams
page=B1
work=The Los Angeles Times |date=1993-10-14 |accessdate-2008-07-25]

In 2001, Bradley narrowly lost his bid for re-election to a third term by political novice Eric J. Perrodin in another hotly contested race.

References