Richard Alatorre, pioneering Eastside politician, dies at 81

https://www.latimes.com/obituaries/story/2024-08-13/richard-alatorre-pioneering-eastside-politician-dies-at-81

Alatorre died Tuesday morning at his home in Eagle Rock after a long battle with cancer, surrounded by friends, family and former staffers. He was 81.


In Sacramento as an Assembly member, the gravel-voiced Alatorre pushed through bills on prison reform, bilingual services and farmworker rights. He oversaw a landmark reapportionment in the 1980s that helped Latinos enter the state Legislature in numbers never before seen, doing the same for Los Angeles after joining the City Council.

“A lot of us considered Alatorre to be a vato who made good,” said Jaime Regalado, professor emeritus of political science at Cal State L.A. Alatorre frequently spoke at Regalado’s classes and was more than happy to take questions from students who thought he was a vendido — a sellout.

“But lo and behold, through his reputation in his years, he became the vato for a lot of people,” Regalado concluded.

As he won rights and access for Latinos statewide, Alatorre built an Eastside political machine that drew accolades and criticism. At the end of his career, scandal threatened his legacy as he fended off investigations into alleged corruption and cronyism. Ultimately, his stature remained undiminished among supporters and even some rivals.