Nannini, Rico J. (OH 89-17)

Oral History Interview with Rico J. Nannini. (1986, 1987). Assistant Secretary of State, 1975-1984; Deputy Secretary of State, 1960-1966.

Nannini describes a period of growth and professionalism in the Department, 1948-1984. He was closely involved in the development of the California Uniform Commercial Code, and the development of an electronic data processing system for those records, including the Central Records Depository. The interview also discusses notaries, the development of state election services, state budgets and personnel procedures, affirmative action, and the Political Reform Act of 1974, which changed the requirements for reporting campaign financing, both for candidates and lobbyists. He also discusses the administrative style of Secretaries of State Jordan, Sullivan, Brown, and Eu.

Navarro, Armando (OH 90-28)

Oral History Interview with Armando Navarro. (1989). State Director, Californios for Fair Representation.

Navarro discusses his early life and education in Cucamonga, California, military service and higher education, and provides information about his role as scholar/community activist in such organizations as La Raza Unida, Californios for Fair Representation as well as organizing regional conferences and meetings to discuss such issues as immigration reform, voter registration and education, policy-community relations, church-community relations, and United States-Mexico relations.

Nejedly, John A. (OH 89-31)

Oral History Interview with John A. Nejedly. (1988). Senator, 1969-1980.

Nejedly discusses the work of the Contra Costa County District Attorney and Nejedly's innovations during the 1960s. It covers his career in the state senate, where he carried much environmental improvement legislation, serving as chairman of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildlife.

Nelson, Helen Ewing (OH KB-20)

"The First Consumer Counsel in California," Pat Brown: Friends and Campaigners. (1979). Consumer Counsel, 1961-1966.

Nelson recounts what it was like to be the official consumer advocate working within the governmental system and simultaneously helping to create and direct citizen pressure from the outside. She discusses her efforts to research citizen complaints; organize PTA members, shopping-cooperative members, and mothers into lobbying groups; use the consumer counsel's independence from the governor's office to take highly visible positions that the governor could not take; and extend the educational arm of the consumer counsel by supplying consumer news to fill papers and prime-time public affairs programming on radio and TV. She also discusses the approach of encouraging enforcement of existing laws to get at consumer fraud rather than creating fresh legislation. She includes observations on persons of influence surrounding the governor and comments on the importance of gaining access to the governor. She also discusses the particular frustrations she encountered as a woman in politics and government in dealing with the male-dominated legislature and bureaucracy where policy and political alliances are often forged after hours in a nearby bar.

Nevins, Richard (OH 91-19)

Oral History Interview with Richard Nevins. (1987, 1989). Board of Equalization, 1958-1986.

Nevins discusses family and career background, activities in California Democratic organizations, and profiles the Board of Equalization. He reviews developments in California taxation since 1933, interweaving them with BOE policy and structural change. He emphasizes A.B. 80, Reagan era tax reform, Proposition 13 (1978), property and unitary tax issues, and specialized taxes. He concludes with his elections and the election process.

Newman, Frank C. (OH 93-10)

Oral History Interview with Frank C. Newman. (1989, 1991). Justice, California Supreme Court, 1977-1989; Professor of Law, UC Berkeley, 1946-1996.

Newman discusses his education and career, including work with the Office of Price Administration, the University of California (with mention of security/loyalty issues, the Tenney Committee, Governors Earl Warren, Pat and Jerry Brown, and faculty colleagues). Newman discusses the California Supreme Court from 1977 to 1983 with references to his fellow jurists, the Constitutional Revision Commission, and the Commission on Judicial Performance. He talks about human rights work with Amnesty International and the United Nations and his visits to Greece and Chile. He also makes references to politicians, judicial personnel, and presidents throughout the period.

Nichols, Leland L. (OH 93-9)

Oral History Interview with Leland L. Nichols. (1991). Governor's Radio-Television Press Secretary and Chief Consultant to the Assembly, 1960-1968.

Nichols discusses his family and educational background, working as a reporter for NBC News, especially during the 1960 Democratic convention, working for Governor Pat Brown as Radio-Television Press Secretary, working with Jesse Unruh as an assembly staff member and devising and institutionalizing the staff system for the California State Assembly. He also reflects on being gay in political and personal life.

Nielsen, Vigo G., Jr. (OH 90-15)

Oral History Interview with Vigo G. Nielsen, Jr. (1989). Assistant Deputy Controller, 1967-1968; Chief Administrative Officer, California State Assembly, 1969; Chief of Staff, Lt. Governor's Office, 1970-1971; Attorney, Political and State Government Law, 1972- .

Nielsen discusses his youth and education in southern California and at Yale University, his Coro foundation fellowship and work on Ed Reinecke's first campaign for Congress; Flournoy's campaign for controller in 1966 and his staff position in controller's office; duties and politics of chief administrative officer for Assembly; work of lieutenant governor's office under Reinecke, Reinecke's reelection campaign, alleged perjury. He also discusses the emergence of field of political law 1972-present; his legal work for Republican Party candidates and for initiative campaigns; and the effects of Political Reform Act of 1974. He assesses the Fair Political Practices Commission under four chairmen and changes in the state legislature since 1967.

Nigg, Cyril C. (OH 94-4)

Oral History Interview with Cyril C. Nigg. (1993). Regent, University of California, 1955-1957.

Nigg discusses his family background, education at the University of California, Los Angeles, long-time involvement in and support for the UCLA Alumni Association, and the business of the Regents of the University of California during his two years of service as alumni association president.

Nofziger, Franklyn C. (OH R-20)

"Press Secretary for Ronald Reagan, 1966," Issues and Innovations in the 1966 Republican Gubernatorial Campaign. (1978). Communications Director, 1967-1969.

Nofziger discusses the roles of the early supporters of Ronald Reagan, and of party leaders both inside and outside the Republican State Central Committee. He appraised his own role in terms of his relationship with newspaper reporters, with other members of the gubernatorial campaign staff, and with Reagan himself.

Oakley, James H. (OH W-45)

"Early Life of a Warren Assistant," Perspectives on the Alameda County District Attorney's Office, Vol. III. (1970).

Oakley discusses his childhood, friends, and professors at Berkeley, the District Attorney's office and its political environs.

O'Brien, Charles A. (OH 88-18)

Oral History Interview with Charles A. O'Brien. (1987). Chief Deputy Attorney General, 1962-1971; Executive Secretary to the Governor, 1961-1962; Chief Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Law & Enforcement, 1960-1961.

O'Brien covers the duties and responsibilities of California's deputy and assistant attorneys general, law enforcement, state legislators, major problems of law enforcement in California during the 1960s.

O'Connell, John A. (OH 89-3)

Oral History Interview with John A. O'Connell. (1988). Assembly Member, 1955-1961.

O'Connell discusses Democratic politics in San Francisco City and County. He covers his career in the assembly, where he served on the Finance and Insurance, Judiciary, and Criminal Procedures committees. He offers observations on Philip Burton, Goodwin Knight, and colleagues in the 1955 assembly freshman class. He discusses the demise of the California Democratic Council.

Odeen, Peter (OH W-47)

"Captain of the Point Lobos," The Shipboard Murder Case: Labor, Radicalism, and Earl Warren, 1936-1941. (1972).

Odeen recalls the events of March 22, 1936 and describes his own early adventures at sea, maritime working conditions in the 1930s, and the ultimate fate of the Point Lobos.

O'Gara, Gerald J. (OH 89-7)

Oral History Interview with Gerald J. O'Gara. (1987). Senator, 1947-1954.

O'Gara discusses his election to the state senate in 1946, impressions of the California legislature including housing and highway issues, creation of the Bay Area Rapid Transit District in 1951; as well as a 1962 campaign fraud incident and campaign practices in the 1980s.

Oliver, William W. (OH W-17)

"Working in the Supreme Court: Comments on Court, Brown Decision, Warren and Other Justices," Earl Warren: The Chief Justiceship. (1972).

Oliver was originally Chief Justice Vinson's clerk. Upon Vinson's death he was asked to continue, and so became Earl Warren's first head law clerk in the Supreme Court, 1953-54.

Olney, Warren III (OH W-35)

Law Enforcement and Judicial Administration in the Earl Warren Era. (1978).

Olney discusses his joining the staff of the Alameda County District Attorney's Office, the California Attorney General's Office, the California Crime Study Commission on Organized Crime, the Department of Justice, and the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Ongerth, Henry (OH W-13)

"Recollections of the Bureau of Sanitary Engineering," Earl Warren and the State Department of Public Health. (1970).

Ongerth discusses his observations of sanitary engineering in California, from his studies with pioneer Charles Gilman Hyde in the 1930s, through the expansion of service under the State Dept. of Public Health in the 1940s and into the beginning of concern for environmental factors which became a major political factor in the 1960s and 1970s.

Orr, Verne (OH R-13)

"Business Leadership in the Department of Motor Vehicles and State Finance," Governor Reagan and His Cabinet: An Introduction. (1982, 1983). Director, Dept. of Finance, 1970-1974; Director, Dept. of Motor Vehicles, 1967-1970.

Orr describes the methods he used and some of his successes in these two departments, as well as his observations of Governor Reagan and his cabinet in action. In the Dept. of Motor Vehicles, Orr pursued the recommendations of the governor's task force on economy in government by rotating employees into new jobs and encouraging them to try new ideas. They succeeded in reducing the time taken to renew a driver's license from 60 days to 10. In the Dept. of Finance, Orr was responsible for making the budget cuts the governor decreed. He worked with the departments to make the cuts where they would be least hurtful.

Outland, George (OH W-5)

"James Roosevelt's Primary Campaign, 1950," California Democrats in the Earl Warren Era. (1972).

Outland was the 1950 statewide campaign manager for Democrat James Roosevelt in the gubernatorial primary in which his chief opponent was Earl Warren, a Republican who made a practice of cross-filing.