California AG Rob Bonta explains why he’s an ‘activist elected official’
By Greg Hardesty
Rob Bonta remembers picking up “To Kill a Mockingbird” as a kid and becoming enthralled with the classic novel.
“I thought, ‘If these are what attorneys are,’” Bonta says of protagonist Atticus Finch, “‘then I want to become one.’”
He became one – and then some.
Bonta, sworn in as California’s first Filipino American attorney general in April 2021 (he’s the second Asian American to hold the post, after Vice President Kamala Harris), describes himself as an “activist elected official.”
He was the featured speaker at the 10th George Washington Leadership Lecture Series, sponsored by the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy and the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon.
Parental influence
This year’s March 19 lecture was held at USC. The series also is held at the Mount Vernon estate originally owned by the nation’s first president.
Bonta, California’s 34th top law enforcement official, discussed leadership qualities, his parents’ activist past, and key issues his office is tackling.
“Having the opportunity to interview the attorney general allowed me to see how he has translated his childhood and early adult fascination with social justice into active campaigns to support women seeking abortions, reformers trying to improve our criminal justice system, and overseeing efforts to improve housing options for both the homeless and people feeling left out of the housing market,” said moderator David Sloane, USC Price School professor and chair of the Department of Urban Planning and Spatial Analysis.
“His parents obviously gifted him a proud Filipino heritage, a commitment to social justice, and the perseverance and commitment to succeed in life,” Sloane added.
‘Fist in the air’
Bonta, whose family immigrated to California when he was an infant, said he grew up with his “fist in the air.”
His parents fled from their homeland to escape dictatorship and served on the frontlines of social justice movements. His father marched in the 1965 voting rights movement in Selma, Ala., and both were involved in California’s United Farm Workers labor movement.
“My fist is still in the air, and it always will be,” said Bonta. “It’s that spirit that has led me on this path.”
In 1998, Bonta earned his law degree from Yale Law School.
Before Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed him AG two years ago, he was a member of the California State Assembly for the 18th district from 2012 to 2021 and as a member of the Alameda City Council from 2010 to 2012.
In 2022, Bonta was elected to a full four-year term as AG.
Full slate of issues
George Washington named Edmund Randolph the nation’s first AG in 1789. The first AG in California was named in 1850 but the position didn’t become full time until 1938, when California Gov. Earl Warren formalized the office.
Bonta oversees 1,200 attorneys and nearly 6,000 employees in California’s Department of Justice.
Public safety, homelessness, and housing are top-of-mind issues for Bonta, although he said he thrives on his office tackling as many issues as possible. Most of the legal cases his office handles are civil, as opposed to criminal, he noted.
“I often say to myself, ‘Don’t tell me there’s not someone on our team who can do this,’” Bonta said. “I know there’s someone who can do this, so let’s do this. Our goal is to be at the forefront of all issues.”
Making an impression
Prison reform is critical, Bonta said. And it must happen on the front end, he explained, with more focus, emphasis, and resources for the prevention of crime by addressing healthcare, food security, job opportunities, and investments.
On the back end, rehabilitation is necessary, Bonta said.
“I believe people can change, be redeemed and be restored with support and love and compassion and humanity,” he said.
As for effective leadership, Bonta said: “A key part is loving the people you’re fighting for and working for…it’s not about you. One, care. Two, try. If you care about challenges, you will try to solve them.”
He added: “I’m always trying to deliver. Did you deliver solutions? That’s the only metric to measure.”
Bonta was asked if history informs his decisions.
“History is filled with information and clues for the future,” he said, “but I always think you have to charge ahead, too.”
Referring to the ongoing lecture series, Patrick Spiro, executive director of George Washington National Library at Mount Vernon, said: “It’s exchanges like this that remind us how we are one nation connected no matter how far apart we are.”
Added Sloane, of Bonta: “I was repeatedly impressed by how eloquently and passionately he discussed hot-button issues like abortion, homelessness, and crime. He left an impression.”
See more photos of the George Washington Leadership Lecture Series at the USC Price School’s Flickr page.