Maureen O'Connor (California politician)
| Maureen O'Connor | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 31st Mayor of San Diego | |
|
In office June 3, 1986 — December 7, 1992 |
|
| Preceded by | Ed Struiksma (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Susan Golding |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
July 14, 1946 San Diego, California |
| Nationality |
 American
|
| Political party | Democrat |
| Spouse(s) | Robert O. Peterson (1977-1994) |
| Alma mater | San Diego State University |
Maureen Frances O'Connor (born July 14, 1946) is an American Democratic politician from California. She was mayor of San Diego from 1986 to 1992, the first woman to serve in that position. In 2013, federal prosecutors charged her with money laundering, but deferred prosecution based on her agreement to pay back the funds involved. The charges were formally dismissed by U.S. Dist Judge David Bartick Feb. 24, 2015.
Maureen O'Connor was born 1946 in San Diego, California. She was one of 13 children; her parents were Jerome O'Connor, formerly a local boxer known as "Kid Jerome" who later owned several liquor stores in San Diego, and Frances Mary O'Connor. She and her twin sister Mavourneen ("Mo") were avid athletes in their youth—she a swimmer and her sister a tennis player. All seven O'Connor daughters competed as precision swimmers, together winning more than 1000 team and individual medals and trophies. Maureen graduated from San Diego State University in 1970. After graduation, O'Connor was a physical education teacher and counselor for Rosary High School for a few years.
Although shy, she got her start in politics after being treated rudely at City Hall. In 1971 she ran for and was elected to the San Diego City Council and served to 1979. O'Connor was commissioner for the Port of San Diego from 1980–1985.
O'Connor met her future husband Robert O. Peterson, founder of the Jack in the Box fast food chain, while first running for city council, and were married in 1977 in Europe. Although a Republican, he supported her in her political campaigns. He filed for divorce in 1985 but they soon reconciled. Peterson died in 1994. They had no children.
In 1983 she ran unsuccessfully for mayor against Roger Hedgecock, but won in 1985 after Hedgecock resigned under a cloud of scandal. O'Connor was San Diego's first female mayor, and the first Democrat to hold the office since 1971. She served two terms. O'Connor once spent a few nights incognito with the homeless to see first-hand how they were doing. A nun recognized her and whispered to her that "if you want to conceal your identity, you should remember that homeless women don't read the financial pages."
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