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Arthur K. Snyder

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American lawyer and politician

Arthur K. Snyder
Snyder in 1973
Member of the Los Angeles City Council from the 14th district
In office
July 1, 1967 – October 4, 1985
Preceded byJohn C. Holland
Succeeded byRichard Alatorre
Personal details
Born(1932-11-10)November 10, 1932
Los Angeles, California
DiedNovember 7, 2012(2012-11-07) (aged 79)
Huntington Beach, California, United States
Spouses
Mary Frances Neely ​ ​(m. 1953, divorced)​
Michele Maggie Noval ​ ​(m. 1973, divorced)​
Delia Wu ​(m. 1981)​
Children3
EducationB.A. George Pepperdine College 1953
J.D. University of Southern California 1958
LL.D. Union University 1980
Occupation

Arthur Kress Snyder (November 10, 1932 – November 7, 2012) was an American lawyer, politician, and restaurateur. He served on the Los Angeles, California, City Council between 1967 and 1985 and later engaged in a private law practice.

Biography

Snyder was born in the Lincoln Heights area of Los Angeles on November 10, 1932, and went to school in Los Angeles. He was a graduate of Los Angeles City College, with a major in speech, and of Pepperdine College, where he earned a bachelor of arts in political science. He "Worked his way through college as hod carrier, ditch digger, brick factory worker, sawmill worker, recreation director and private investigator." He earned a Juris Doctor degree at the University of Southern California while at the same time doing public relations work for the American Institute of Architects.

A Baptist, he was married on March 5, 1954, to his first wife, Mary Frances Neely, a teacher who was active in Highland Park and Eagle Rock civic affairs. They had two children, Neely Arthur, born 1960, and Miles John, born 1963. He was later married to Michele Noval, "who fought the councilman in a bitter divorce and child custody case."

Snyder was a captain in the U.S Marines between 1952 and 1955, when he was a legal officer. He was a licensed real estate broker from 1959 to 1967 and was field deputy for City Councilman John C. Holland before being elected himself. He was a director of the Southside Chamber of Commerce in 1957-58 and of the United Northeast Economic Development Association in 1966-68. He was president of the Small Property Owners' League of Los Angeles County in 1957-59. He was active in the American Legion.

He opened a law firm specializing in immigration, international trade and personal injury in 1982.

City Council

Snyder, field deputy for longtime Councilman John C. Holland, was elected in 1967 to represent Los Angeles City Council District 14 as the successor to Holland, who retired. In that era (1971) the district began "in the East Los Angeles Mexican-American barrios of El Sereno and Lincoln Heights extends westward across the Pasadena Freeway to Anglo middle-class homes in Glassell Park, Highland Park and Eagle Rock through Griffith Park. Around the western edge of the district is the Los Feliz District, with some of the city's more expensive homes."

He was reelected in 1971 and 1975 and had no opposition in 1981. In 1984, however, he faced a recall election based partially on the fact that the district had shifted toward being heavily Hispanic in population but also because Snyder had suffered through a string of "political disasters." He was called "a grating symbol to those seeking to elect a Latino to the City Council for the first time in more than 20 years." It was said that he won because of a huge absentee ballot campaign and high turnout in Anglo areas; but he did carry Hispanic Lincoln Heights.

Snyder resigned in a "dramatic fashion" from the City Council in January 1985, but the resignation was not to take effect until July 1. In a press conference that included his current wife, Delia, 34, Snyder said that she was expecting a child in August and "it is my conclusion that on the advice of her doctor that she deserves a more peaceful and productive life than I have been able to give her in the past two years."

Post-council

Snyder later became a lobbyist.

Snyder was convicted (1996) of campaign finance violations, and his license to practice law was suspended (2001) for six months.

In 2008, Snyder was a semi retired lawyer and real estate investor with holdings in Las Vegas and Texas. He maintained his Eagle Rock home as a Law office, serving friends and former clients part-time. In 2007, his firm Marisol, LLC, owned the name Don the Beachcomber restaurants.

Controversies

  • Driving record. Snyder's driving record was called into question when it was reported that he had seven minor traffic accidents while driving city automobiles between 1972 and 1980, His first trial on a misdemeanor drunk driving charge ended in a hung jury in October 1980. The District Attorney's office refiled and he was allowed to plead guilty to a reduced charge of reckless driving.
  • Campaign finances. The councilman was accused by auditors of the California Franchise Tax Board of "personally receiving more than $12,000 in interest from his campaign war chest in 1979 without publicly disclosing it."
  • Via Marisol. In 1978 Snyder "renamed venerable Hermon Avenue 'Via Marisol' for his 3-year-old daughter, Erin-Marisol ... Locals were outraged. But there were only about 2,500 of them at the time and their tiny number didn't carry much weight at City Hall."
  • Criminal investigation. Snyder was investigated in 1985 by authorities for alleged molestation of his young daughter, and a judge concluded that the evidence "substantiated allegations of abuse by both parents, including several molestations by Snyder." The daughter was unwilling to testify in her father’s presence, and the district attorney's office decided not to prosecute.

References

  1. "Fmr. L.A. City Councilman Art Snyder Has Died". ktla.com. November 10, 1932. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  2. ^ Los Angeles Public Library reference file
  3. ^ Susan Schmidt and Dan Morain, "What Snyder's Driving Record Has Cost the City," Los Angeles Herald Examiner, April 3, 1980 (scroll down)
  4. ^ Janet Clayton, "Snyder Picks the Date: 18-Year Council Career to End Friday," Los Angeles Times, October 3, 1985, page B-1
  5. Bill Boyarsky, "Snyder Expected to Win Easily," Los Angeles Times, March 25, 1971, page C-1
  6. Janet Clayton, "Absentee Votes, Wide Ethnic Appeal Worked for Snyder," Los Angeles Times, August 23, 1984, page E-1
  7. Janet Clayton, "Snyder to Quit City Council," Los Angeles Times, January 2, 1985
  8. "Despite lobbying, Andersen bid remains in limbo". Los Angeles Business Journal. August 20, 1990. Retrieved February 12, 2009. Veteran lobbyist Arthur K. Snyder, hired by Andersen earlier in the year, has been doggedly trying to persuade city officials to reverse Andersen's South-African listing, sources said. Several council members, including, Michael Woo Michael "Mike" Woo, have been personally lobbied by Snyder. Snyder, himself a former councilman, did not return phone calls.
  9. White, Todd (June 11, 1990). "Loophole in city disclosure law conceals total earnings paid to lobbyists by special interests". Los Angeles Business Journal. Archived from the original on February 16, 2007. Retrieved February 12, 2009.
  10. "State Bar of CA :: Arthur K Snyder". State Bar of California. Retrieved February 12, 2009.
  11. Seeherman, Ellen J. (August 27, 2007). "In re Marisol, LLC" (PDF). United States Patent and Trademark Office, Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. p. 10. Retrieved February 12, 2009. Serial No. 76600374
  12. Bill Hazlett, "Snyder Case Declared Mistrial," Los Angeles Times, October 11, 1980, page C-1
  13. Claire Spiegel, "Audit Shows Snyder Didn't List Interest on Campaign Funds," Los Angeles Times, January 1, 1981, page C-1
  14. Bob Pool, "Corner of L.A. Might Be Small, but It's Home," Los Angeles Times, April 3, 2003, page B-2
  15. "Corner of L.A. Might Be Small, but It's Home". Los Angeles Times. April 3, 2003. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  16. Lois Timnick and Janet Clayton, "Snyder Won't Be Charged With Alleged Molestation," Los Angeles Times, May 3, 1985, page C-5
  17. Timnick, Lois; Clayton, Janet (May 2, 1985). "Abuse Charges Won't Be Filed Against Snyder". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 13, 2024.

External links

Preceded byJohn C. Holland Los Angeles City Council
14th District
1967–85 		Succeeded byRichard Alatorre
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