Oral Histories

Interview of Walter A. Zelman

Lobbyist for the California Common Cause from 1978 to 1989.
Subtitle:
Walter A. Zelman
Series:
California State Archives State Government Oral History Program
Topic:
Politics and Government
Biographical Note:
Lobbyist for the California Common Cause from 1978 to 1989.
Interviewer:
Vasquez, Carlos
Interviewee:
Zelman, Walter A.
Persons Present:
Zelman and Vasquez.
Place Conducted:
Zelman's office in Los Angeles, California.
Supporting Documents:
Records relating to the interview are located in the office of the UCLA Library's Center for Oral History Research.
Interviewer Background and Preparation:
The interview was conducted by Carlos Vasquez, Director, UCLA State Government Interview Series, UCLA Oral History Program; B.A., Political Science, UCLA; M.A., Political Science, Stanford University; Ph.D. candidate, History, UCLA.There exist no private papers which the interviewer was able to consult for this interview.
Processing of Interview:
Carlos Vasquez edited the interview. He checked the verbatim transcript of the interview against the originaltape recordings, edited for punctuation, paragraphing, and spelling, and verified proper names. Insertions by theeditor have been bracketed. The interviewer also prepared the introductory materials.Zelman declined to review the edited transcript due to campaign commitments but authorized the UCLA Oral History Program to finalize the transcript.
Language:
English
Copyright:
CSA
Series Statement:
Interviews in this series were undertaken by the UCLA Oral History Program under the auspices of the California State Archives and in conjunction with the California State University, Fullerton, Oral History Program; California State University, Sacramento, Center for California Studies Oral History Program; Claremont Graduate School Oral History Program; and the University of California, Berkeley, Regional Oral History Office. Funds were allocated to the state archives after Governor George Deukmejian signed into law Assembly Bill 2104 (Chapter 965 of the Statutes of 1985), establishing a state government oral history program "to provide through the use of oral history a continuing documentation of state policy development as reflected in California's legislative and executive history." All interviews in the series are available at the California State Archives in Sacramento.
Abstract:
Youth and early education in New York City; matriculation at the University of Michigan and UCLA; teaching at several Southern California higher education institutions; field director and executive director of California Common Cause; organization addresses conflict-of-interest rules for public officials, political campaign finance reforms, special-interest influence, and reapportionment; announces candidacy for California insurance commissioner in 1989; articulates position on major issues of politics and government and the public interest.