Robert Hertzberg

Robert Myles Hertzberg (born November 19, 1954) is an American politician who previously served in the California State Senate.

Hertzberg experience with politics begin at 19 as a driver for State Senator Mervyn Dymally, who ran in the Lieutenant Governor of California race, in 1974.

There he built his networks within the Latino political circles, including Gloria Molina, Richard Alatorre, and Antonio Villaraigosa.

Hertzberg did legal work for Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina.

He was later appointed to the California State Board of Pharmacy.

He went to Palm Springs High School then graduated magna cum laude from the University of Redlands in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and English.

Hertzberg earned his Juris Doctor from University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1979.

After graduating from law school, Hertzberg was an associate at the Beverly Hills law firm of Fulop, Rolston, Burns, & McKittrick.

He and his father later formed the Hertzberg & Hertzberg law firm.

The younger Hertzberg left in 1985 and sued his father over the firm's assets in 1986, seeking $1 million in punitive damages.

After his father's passing in 1987, the case was settled as part of the estate.

In 1994, Hertzberg contemplated running for the 40th Assembly District, which encompassed North Hollywood to Canoga Park in the San Fernando Valley, but never announced his candidacy.

In 1996, Assemblywoman Barbara Friedman of the 40th Assembly District termed out.

In the March Democratic primaries, Hertzberg ran against Francine Oschin, aide to Los Angeles City Councilman Hal Bernson.

According to the California Political Almanac, Hertzberg "racked up a sheaf of endorsements and raised well over $200,000 for the primary."

He won the primary with 72% of the vote.

In the November general election, Hertzberg had a 59–31% victory over Republican Ron Culver.

In 1998 and 2000, Hertzberg was re-elected with 69% and 70% respectively.

Term limits in the Assembly meant a large influx of new members with every new session.

In November 1999, Antonio Villaraigosa announced his resignation as Speaker of the Assembly the following April to run for Los Angeles mayor in 2001 and immediately endorsed Hertzberg as his replacement.

Assemblymen Kevin Shelley and Carole Migden of San Francisco and Tony Cárdenas of Sylmar were seen as potential opponents for the position.

Hertzberg created the California Assembly Program for Innovative Training and Orientation for the Legislature (CAPITOL) Institute with Assemblyman Bill Leonard in 2000 to educate first time legislators and their staff.

They offered training on a variety of topics: including ethics, legislative deadlines, key personnel at the capital, voting procedures, restrictions, and committees.

After his tenure as Speaker ended, the succeeding Speaker Herb Wesson named the Capitol Institute after Hertzberg.

Hertzberg also created the Speaker's Office of International Relations and Protocol.

On April 13, 2000, Hertzberg was unanimously elected by a voice vote as the 64th Speaker of the California State Assembly.

After Hertzberg retired from the State Assembly in 2002, Mickey Kantor recruited him to full partnership at Mayer Brown LLP, formerly Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw.

Prior to being elected to the State Senate in 2014, he served as the 64th Speaker of the California State Assembly, representing the 40th Assembly District.

Hertzberg left Mayer Brown in 2014, after being sworn in as a State Senator.

Shortly after being elected to the California State Senate in November 2014, Hertzberg was hired as a "of counsel" government affairs attorney with the Los Angeles law firm Glaser Weil.

Hana Callaghan, director of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, has raised concerns over potential conflict of interests, as the firm services many clients who are affected by state legislation.

In December 2017, he and Glaser Weil mutually agreed to the suspension of their relationship, following sexual assault allegations against State Assemblyman Matt Dababneh, whom is represented by Glaser Weil.

A Democrat he represented the 18th Senate District, which includes parts of the San Fernando Valley.

He was Majority Leader from January 2019 to January 2022.

He announced he would not seek re-election and instead announced his candidacy for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

He lost the supervisor election to Lindsey Horvath.

Hertzberg was born the third of five sons in Downtown Los Angeles.

His father, Harrison Hertzberg, was a constitutional lawyer.

He grew up in Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles.

The family later moved to Palm Springs, California.