Background
Garcia, Robert was born on January 9, 1933 in Bronx, New York, United States. Son of Rafael and Rosa (Rodriguez) Garcia.
Garcia, Robert was born on January 9, 1933 in Bronx, New York, United States. Son of Rafael and Rosa (Rodriguez) Garcia.
He attended public schools and graduated from Haaren High School in Manhattan in 1950. He continued his education from 1953-1957 by enrolling in the City College of New York, although he also attended the Community College of New York as well as the Radio Corporation of America Institute.
See Robert Garcia, disambiguation page for other individuals with the same or similar names. He served in the United States Army during the Korean War with the Third Infantry Division, from 1950-1953. After graduation, he worked as a computer engineer with International Business Machines Corporation Control Data, from 1957-1965.
On March 28, 1967, he was elected to the New York State Senate, to fill the vacancy caused by the conviction of Eugene Rodriguez.
Garcia retained his seat in the Assembly until the end of the session of 1967, and resigned on April 17. He took his seat in the State Senate at the beginning of the session of 1968, and remained in the Senate until 1978, sitting in the 177th, 178th, 179th, 180th, 181st and 182nd New York State Legislature.
In the Senate he was Deputy Minority Leader from 1975-1978. He was a delegate to the 1976 Democratic National Convention.
Garcia was elected on the Republican and Liberal tickets on February 14, 1978, to the 95th United States Congress, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Herman Badillo, and took his seat on February 21, 1978, as a Democrat.
He was re-elected to the 96th, 97th, 98th, 99th, 100th and 101st United States Congresses, remaining in Congress until January 7, 1990, when he was forced to resign as a result of his involvement in the Wedtech scandal. Garcia was convicted of extortion and served 3 months in jail. After his resignation, the Department of Justice through its district attorney"s office chose to end the prosecution against him and filed its nolle prosequi after suffering two reversals handed down by unanimous appellate courts, the last of which cited to United States Supreme Court precedence.
Member Democratic Charter Commission, 1974. Delegate Democratic National Convention, 1976. Board directors Mount Sinai Hospital.
National board Americans for Democratic Action. Member Puerto Rican Legal Defense (board directors), National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, National Association Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, National Council La Raza (associate), Americans for Democratic Action (national board directors).
Married Jane Lee, November 24, 1980. Children: Robert, Kenneth, Caroline, Edward, Kirsten.