Robert Garcia (New York politician)

Robert Garcia
Robert Garcia
Born	Template:Birth date; Bronx, New York, U.S.
Died	25 January 2017 (aged 84); San Juan, Puerto Rico
Occupation(s)	Politician, computer engineer
Years active	1965–1990
Known for	U.S. Congressman representing New York's 21st and 18th districts; advocacy for Hispanic political inclusion; involvement in Wedtech scandal

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Robert Garcia (New York politician), available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 9 August 2025

Robert Garcia (January 9, 1933 – January 25, 2017) served as a United States Congressman from 1978 until 1990. His political career began with election to the New York State Assembly in 1965, followed by a seat in the New York State Senate in 1967. In Congress, he represented New York's 21st district, which included Upper Manhattan and the South Bronx, from 1978 to 1982. Subsequently, from 1983 through 1990, he served as the representative for New York's 18th congressional district located in the Bronx.

Early life

Born in the Bronx, New York, Garcia was the son of Puerto Rican immigrants. His father, originally from Spain and later relocating to Puerto Rico, was employed at the Central Aguirre sugar refinery. His mother hailed from Ponce, Puerto Rico. Prior to 1898, they were Spanish nationals living in Puerto Rico; however, following the Treaty of Paris and the Jones Act of 1917, they became U.S. citizens. When moving to New York City during the 1920s, their vessel bypassed Ellis Island and docked directly at Brooklyn.

Education and military service

Garcia completed his studies at Haaren High School in Manhattan in 1950. He served as a radio operator with the Third Infantry Division in the United States Army during the Korean War, earning two Bronze Stars for his service. Between 1953 and 1957, he attended higher education institutions including the City College of New York, Community College of New York, and RCA Institute.

Following his academic pursuits, he worked as a computer engineer for IBM Control Data from 1957 until 1965.

Political career

Garcia’s political journey began with involvement in John F. Kennedy’s 1960 presidential campaign. Progressing rapidly alongside Herman Badillo under Felipe Torres’ mentorship, he secured election as a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly for the years 1966 and 1967.

On March 28, 1967, Garcia was elected to fill a vacancy in the New York State Senate left by Eugene Rodriguez. He remained a senator until 1978 and held the position of Deputy Minority Leader from 1975 to 1978. Additionally, he served as a delegate at the 1976 Democratic National Convention.

His legislative focus included prison reform; notably, he was part of the Mediation Committee during the September 1971 Attica Prison riot, acting at Governor Nelson Rockefeller’s request.

Congressional tenure

Garcia entered Congress on February 14, 1978, winning a Bronx seat on both Republican and Liberal ballots to fill Herman Badillo’s vacancy but aligned himself with the Democratic caucus. He was subsequently re-elected through several terms up to the 101st United States Congress.

Represented the U.S. Congress as an official delegate to NATO, fostering diplomatic ties between Spain, Latin American countries, and administrations under Presidents Carter and Reagan.
Instrumental in negotiating with Fidel Castro to secure freedom for DEA agents detained by Cuba.
Contributed significantly to the establishment of the Martin Luther King National Holiday.
Co-developed the Kemp-Garcia Enterprise Zone legislation with Republican Jack Kemp aimed at promoting employment opportunities within urban communities.
Participated in U.S. diplomatic efforts that led to formal relations with China in 1979 and met with Chairman Deng Xiaoping.
Championed Hispanic political inclusion by convincing President Carter to add "Hispanic" as an identifier on the 1980 U.S. Census.
As the sole voting Representative of Puerto Rican heritage at that time, served as a leading congressional voice advocating for Puerto Rico’s population of approximately 3.6 million U.S. citizens.

Legal inquiry and departure

Garcia served in Congress until January 7, 1990, when he stepped down following allegations brought forth by U.S. Attorney Rudy Giuliani that connected him to the Wedtech scandal.

Wedtech conviction and subsequent acquittal

The Wedtech controversy centered around Wedtech Corporation, a Bronx-based defense contractor that secured loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA) during the 1980s, intended to support minority-owned enterprises. Originally established by Bronx resident John Mariotta, the company's ownership changed hands when Fred Neuberger purchased a majority stake exceeding 50%, which disqualified Wedtech from SBA assistance and government contracts. Despite this, Wedtech continued to assert its minority-owned status.

Federal probes implicated more than twenty individuals across government and corporate sectors. Garcia was found guilty of extortion; however, this verdict was later overturned by the Appellate Court.

Subsequent years and passing

Following the reversal of his conviction, Garcia became involved with Charles Colson's "Prison Fellowship," a ministry dedicated to prison outreach. Drawing on his family's Pentecostal background, he collaborated with Colson and maintained consultancy roles for both public and private sector clients within the United States and Puerto Rico through his firm, Garcia Associates.

Garcia passed away on January 25, 2017, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, due to complications from an infection related to emphysema, shortly after turning 84. He was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.

Distinctions and accolades

In addition to honors received during his tenure in public office, Garcia has gained growing recognition for his trailblazing contributions to black and Hispanic political representation. Groups such as the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, the New York State Assembly and Senate, as well as the National Association of Latino Elected Officials (NALEO), acknowledged him at ceremonies held in 2015 and 2016.

External links

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