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The Finding Aid of the Lynn Schenk papers
0240
0240
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Table of contents
Title: Lynn Schenk papers
Collection number: 0240
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
12.38 linear ft.
12 boxes
Date: 1975-1985
Abstract: Lynn Schenk was a representative from California. She served as Deputy Attorney General in the California State Attorney General's
Office, Criminal Division for about a year before taking a position with San Diego Gas and Electric as an in-house lawyer.
In 1976, she left San Diego Gas and Electric when she was offered a position to be special assistant to Vice Presidents Nelson
A. Rockefeller and Walter F. Mondale. From 1977 to 1980, she served as Secretary of California's State Department of Business,
Transportation and Housing. In 1992, Schenk ran for Congress from California's 49th congressional district, which covers most
of San Diego. Schenk won becoming the first woman elected to the United States House of Representatives to represent the San
Diego area and the first Democrat to represent the area in 40 years. After serving in Congress, Schenk held various positions
in the California state government during the tenure of California Governor Gray Davis. One of those positions included serving
as Chief of Staff from 1998 until Davis was recalled in 2003. The materials in this collection date from 1975-1985. Included
in the collection are speeches given by Schenk, press releases, pamphlets, meeting minutes, notes, schedules, briefings, correspondence,
reports, financial records, budgets, conference handouts, memos, and copies of assembly bills. Topics covered in the documents
pertain primarily to business, transportation, foreign relations, the economy, and housing issues in California.
creator:
Schenk, Lynn, 1945-
[Box/folder# or item name], Lynn Schenk papers, Collection no. 0240, Regional History Collections, Special Collections, USC
Libraries, University of Southern California
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. Advance notice required for access.
Lynn Alice Schenk was born on January 5, 1945 in New York City, New York. She moved with her family to California at the age
of 14 where she attended Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, California. Upon graduation, Schenk attended Santa Monica College
before transferring to the University of Los Angeles. Schenk graduated in 1967 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and entered
Law School at the University of San Diego. She graduated in 1970 with her Juris Doctor degree. Schenk went on to study international
law at the London School of Economics in London, England from 1970-1971.
In July 1971, Schenk took a job with the State Attorney General Office working as a Deputy Attorney General in the criminal
division. In May of 1972 she was offered a position with San Diego Gas and Electric as an in-house lawyer and remained until
1976 when she was appointed a White House Fellow by President Ford. She served as a special assistant to both Vice Presidents
Nelson Rockefeller and Walter Mondale. Around the same time that she was appointed to the position of in-house lawyer for
San Diego Gas and Electric, she married University of San Diego law professor, C. Hugh Friedman, and subsequently, became
step-mother to his three children.
From 1977 to 1983, Schenk served as California's Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing as part of Governor Jerry
Brown's cabinet. She was the first women to hold this position and oversaw 14 departments that included 30,000 plus employees
and a budget of nearly $2 billion. In addition she also played a large role in California's international trade relations
between Mexico, Canada, Japan, Korea, and China.
In 1984, Schenk ran for San Diego County Supervisor against Republican Susan Golding. Schenk lost the election 45% to 55%.
Late in the election, Golding's campaign mailed out literature accusing Schenk of financial irregularities and Schenk later
sued Golding for slander. The two settled out of court.
In 1992, Schenk ran for Congress from California's 49th congressional district, which covers most of San Diego. Schenk won
and became the first woman elected to the United States House of Representatives to represent the San Diego area and the first
Democrat to represent the area in 40 years. Schenk sat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and its subcommittees on
Telecommunications, Finance, Transportation, and Hazardous Materials. She also sat on the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee.
Schenk was recognized as the congressional leader on matters relating to biotechnology and high-speed rail. She was defeated
for re-election in 1994 by Brian Bilbray, the Republican mayor of Imperial Beach.
After serving in Congress, Schenk held various positions in the California state government during the tenure of California
Governor Gray Davis. One of those positions included serving as Chief- of- Staff from 1998 until Davis was recalled in 2003.
As Chief of Staff, she oversaw the day-to-day operations of the states' government. She was the Governor's chief executive
and top policy advisor.
As of late, Schenk has been practicing corporate law. She sits on the boards of various organizations including the Scripps
Research Institute Board of Trustees. She is a member of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, on the Board of the San
Diego Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, a director of Sempra Energy, and a member of the University of San Diego School
of Law, Board of Visitors. In 2006, she completed her term as a commissioner of the California Medical Assistance Commission.
Included in the subject files are speeches given by Schenk, press releases, pamphlets, meeting minutes, notes, schedules,
briefings, correspondence, reports, financial records, budgets, conference handouts, memos, and copies of assembly bills.
Topics covered in the documents pertain primarily to business, transportation, the economy, foreign relations, and housing
issues in California. In regards to transportation, topics discussed include the prospects of building a high speed rail,
the transportation budget, the San Diego Trolley system, Caltrans, Union Station, Century freeway, California Highway Patrol,
Department of Motor Vehicles, and the Sacramento light rail. Also discussed are foreign relations with Mexico, Japan, China,
and Korea, California’s economy, real estate ventures, savings and loans, business mergers, and technology developments for
the future. The materials in this collection date from 1975-1985.
The collection was given to the University of Southern California by Lynn A. Schenk in 1988.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Brown, Jerry, 1938- -- Archives
California Association of Realtors. -- Archives
California Bankers Association. -- Archives
California Chamber of Commerce. -- Archives
California. Dept. of Transportation. -- Archives
Davis, Gray, 1942- -- Archives
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. -- Archives
Madrid Romandia, Roberto de la -- Archives
Pasadena Chamber of Commerce. -- Archives
Reagan, Ronald -- Archives
San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. -- Archives
Schenk, Lynn, 1945- -- Archives
Southwest Border Regional Commission. California Office. -- Archives
Alcohol--Law and legislation--California--Archival resources
Banks and banking, Foreign--Archival resources
California Century Freeway (Calif.)--Archival resources
California--Economic conditions--20th century--Archival resources
California--Housing--20th century--Archival resources
California--Politics and government--20th century--Archival resources
China--Foreign relations--20th century--Archival resources
Correspondence
Financial records
Interstate banking--Archival resources
Japan--Foreign relations--20th century--Archival resources
Korea--Foreign relations--20th century--Archival resources
Memorandums
Mexico--Foreign relations--20th century--Archival resources
Minutes
Notes
Pamphlets
Press releases
Reports
Savings and loan associations--California--Archival resources
Speeches
Technology and state--California--20th century--Archival resources
Transportation--California--20th century--Archival resources
United States--Politics and government--20th century--Archival resources