Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan has died at the age of 92.
His death was announced Wednesday night by his family who said he died peacefully at his Brentwood home.
Riordan was a businessman, Korean War veteran, investment banker and lawyer before throwing his hat into politics. He was 62-years-old when he was elected as Mayor of Los Angeles and served from 1993 to 2001.
In 2014, Riordan talked about his unconventional entry into politics and why people encouraged to run with Larry Mantle on AirTalk, our public affairs show on LAist 89.3.
“I’ve always been a very good problem solver, even in my late 20’s and 30’s and into my 40’s waiters at a club I used to belonged to would all come up to me if they had a problem,” Riordan said. “People throughout the city heard about it. I always found a solution and the solution may have been to talk to somebody else who knew more than I do.”
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass released a statement on Riordan’s death saying that though he was born in New York, he will always be remembered as an “L.A. original.”
She also said:
“Mayor Riordan’s legacy includes our City’s iconic Central Library, which he saved and rebuilt, and which today carries his name.
In the wake of the Northridge earthquake, Mayor Riordan set the standard for emergency action — he reassured us and delivered a response with an intensity that still pushes us all to be faster and stronger amidst crisis.”
Riordan was moderate Republican known for supporting rights for immigration, gay and abortion-rights.
His election stood out in a city known for electing Democrats. Before his 1993 win, the last Republican elected mayor was Norris Poulson who left office in 1961. No Republican has won since Riordan.
He was elected to…
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