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Chuck Quackenbush

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Charles Quackenbush
2nd California Insurance Commissioner
In office
January 2, 1995 – July 10, 2000
GovernorPete Wilson (1995–1999)
Gray Davis (1999–2000)
Preceded byJohn Garamendi
Succeeded byJ. Clark Kelso
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 24th district
In office
December 7, 1992 – November 30, 1994
Preceded byDominic L. Cortese
Succeeded byJim Cunneen
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 22nd district
In office
December 1, 1986 – November 30, 1992
Preceded byErnest L. Konnyu
Succeeded byJohn Vasconcellos
Personal details
Born
Charles Quackenbush

(1954-04-20) April 20, 1954 (age 70)
Tacoma, Washington, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseChris Quackenbush
Children3
ResidenceFlorida
EducationUniversity of Notre Dame
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1976–1982
RankCaptain

Charles Quackenbush (born April 20, 1954) is an American former politician and Florida law enforcement officer. A Republican, he served as Insurance Commissioner of California from 1995 to 2000 and as a California State Assemblyman representing the 22nd District, from 1986 to 1994.

Background and political career

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Quackenbush was born on April 20, 1954, in Tacoma, Washington.[1] As a child, he grew up in a military family and after graduating University of Notre Dame on a full ROTC scholarship, he joined the United States Army and rose to the rank of Captain as a helicopter pilot. In 1982, he left the military to join the family business in Silicon Valley. He was elected as a Republican to the California Assembly in 1986.

In 1994 he was elected insurance commissioner, effectively applying considerable campaign contributions from various insurance companies.[2][3] He won re-election in 1998.

Resignation

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Note: For a timeline of the events associated with this section see[4]

In early 2000, Cindy Ossias, then a senior lawyer for the California Department of Insurance (CDI), charged the Department with corruption.

After the 1994 Northridge earthquake, it was alleged that Quackenbush allowed insurance companies to compensate their clients much less than the actual damages. In exchange, the insurance companies set up special "educational funds". Those funds were used to create television commercials in which Quackenbush appeared as a basketball referee with Shaquille O'Neal in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform. While couched as public service announcements, suspicions rose that main idea behind the commercials was to increase Quackenbush's name identification, which is critical for electoral success in California statewide races. In addition to the educational funds, those same insurance companies contributed to his wife's unsuccessful 1998 assembly campaign, as well as his children's football camps.[5]

On June 28, 2000, Quackenbush announced his resignation (to become effective on July 10).[citation needed]

In February 2002, an 18-month investigation conducted by federal, state and Sacramento County prosecutors ended with prosecutors declining to press charges against Quackenbush, as they felt the evidence was not strong enough.[6][7]

Life after insurance commissioner

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After resigning as California's insurance commissioner, Quackenbush moved to Hawaii, where he was "doing political and military intelligence consulting". Quackenbush then moved to Florida and in 2005 became a sheriff's deputy in Lee County, Florida.[8] [9]

In 2007 he was suspended for accepting free food.[10]

While working as a sheriff's deputy in February 2008, Quackenbush shot and critically wounded a suspect who was reported as resisting arrest. He was placed on paid leave during the investigation of the shooting, a standard practice for the agency.[11][10]

In September 2016, he resigned, after making several racially controversial Facebook postings. At the time of his resignation from the Sheriff's Department, he also served as the vice-chair of the Lee County Republican Executive Committee and his wife was running for the Lee County school board.[10]

References

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  1. ^ "Chuck W. Quackenbush". joincalifornia.com.
  2. ^ Article: Insurers contribute heavily to Quackenbush's campaign...[dead link] (at HighBeamResearch, original Article from National Underwriter Property & Casualty-Risk & Benefits Management, requires registration for free read of complete article)
  3. ^ Quackenbush settles campaign violations (California Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush faces $50,000 fine for incomplete reports) National Underwriter Life & Health-Financial ServicesEdition, April 7, 1997, Howard, J.C (at www.encyclopedia.com)
  4. ^ The Downfall of California's Insurance Commissioner (Insurance Journal)
  5. ^ Virginia Elllis (Mar 26, 2000). "Donations to Quackenbush Paid Wife's Campaign Debts". Los Angeles Times.
  6. ^ Former Calif. Insurance Commissioner Won't Face Federal Charges (Insurance Journal West)
  7. ^ "$3.37 Billion in Fines Reduced to $10 Million in Tax-Deductible Donations". consumerwatchdog.org/.
  8. ^ Johnson, Ed (January 2, 2007). "From politics to night patrol". Fort Myers News-Press.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ Bauder, Don (August 31, 2006). "From $132,000 to $33,000 Per Year". San Diego Reader.
  10. ^ a b c Kingston, Michelle (September 7, 2016). "Lee deputy under investigation submits letter of resignation". WINK News.
  11. ^ Kim, Victoria (March 1, 2008). "Ex-insurance commissioner shoots suspect – Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 10, 2016.
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Political offices
Preceded by Member of the California State Assembly
from the 22nd district

1986–1992
Succeeded by
Preceded by California Insurance Commissioner
1995–2000
Succeeded by