Bustamante, Albert Garza, 1935-

Albert Garza Bustamante's public service career culminated in four consecutive terms as a Democratic Congressman representing Texas from 1985-1992. Born April 8, 1935 in Asherton, Texas, Bustamante was the son of migrant farm workers and the oldest of eleven children. After graduating from Asherton High, Bustamante became a paratrooper in the U.S. Army from 1954-1956. Following his discharge, he attended San Antonio College and later Sul Ross State College where he earned his bachelor's degree in secondary education in 1961. Upon graduation, Bustamante was hired as a teacher and a sports coach at Cooper Junior High School in the San Antonio I.S.D.

In 1968, following seven years as a teacher at Cooper, Bustamante became an aide to U.S. Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez. Bustamante won his own elective office in 1972 as County Commissioner of Precinct One in Bexar County, defeating the sixteen-year incumbent Albert Pena, Jr. Bustamante served as a forceful County Commissioner from 1973-1978, however the collection does not contain papers from this time period.

In 1978, Bustamante was elected Bexar County Judge. Bustamante was known for his ability to connect with people and deliver on his promises to help them. While judge, he was appointed by Governor Briscoe to serve on the nine-member Jail Standard Commission of Texas. He was also active in health planning, having served on Camino Real and the State Health Coordinating Committee, where he chaired the sub-committee on the State Health Plan. As County Judge, Bustamante represented over one million people residing in Bexar County. His responsibilities included policy-making and administration of county affairs, approving the county budget and payroll, adopting all orders and resolutions pertaining to county business, supervising county road maintenance and appointing individuals to represent the county on various boards and commissions. He was a member of the Bexar County Mental Health Mental Retardation Board of Directors, the Bexar Metro Transportation Committee and Chair of the Alamo Area Council of Governments.

Bustamante entered the national political scene in 1984 when he won the seat for the 23rd Congressional District of Texas, soundly defeating eighteen-year incumbent Abraham "Chick" Kazen, Jr. in the Democratic primary. In the House, Bustamante won a seat on the Armed Services Committee where he hoped to protect the interests of San Antonio's military bases. In 1989, he was appointed to the House Task Force on Crime and Drugs, where he pushed to increase drug interdiction efforts along the Mexican border. He also served on the Government Operations Committee and on the Select Committee on Hunger. He supported the death penalty and prioritized spending for deficit reduction, education and health care. Bustamante was a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Democratic Leadership Council, Democratic Study Group and legislative caucuses concerned with border and human rights issues.

Despite his dedication to promptly addressing the needs of his constituents and his reputation for prodding bureaucracy when asked, he lost a bid for re-election in 1992 while headlines of criminal investigations loomed. In 1993 Bustamante was convicted of two counts of racketeering and accepting bribes while in Congress and sentenced to forty-two months at the Federal Prison Camp in El Paso. He began serving his sentence in May 1995. Bustamante always adamantly maintained his innocence. The collection does not contain any documentation on the investigation, conviction or appeal, nor does it document his life since the conviction.

Since his release, Bustamante and his wife Rebecca, continue to live in San Antonio where Bustamante manages the Los Indios shopping center on Pleasanton Road. He has reconnected with the people of San Antonio and is still drawn to public service. He has been involved in educational and housing programs and expressed interest in improvements to the South and West sides of San Antonio.

Sources:

San Antonio Express News, June 9, 1998, p. 8B.

San Antonio Express News, July 19, 1998, p. 1H.

San Antonio Light, March 16, 1992, p. A1.

From the guide to the Albert Bustamante Papers MS 91., 1980-1992, (University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections)

Albert Garza Bustamante was born in 1935 in Asherton, Texas. He began his political involvement in 1948 as a junior member of the American G. I. Forum. He graduated Asherton High School in 1954 and served in the U.S. Army from 1954-1956. He attended San Antonio College from 1956-1958 and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Sul Ross State College in 1961. He married his first wife in 1958 and they divorced in 1968; he married Rebecca Pounders in 1971. He taught in the San Antonio Independent School District for 7 years, served as Bexar County Commissioner from 1973-1978, and served as Bexar County Judge from 1979-1984. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986, served until he lost his reelection bid in 1992, and was a member of the U.S. Congressional Hispanic Caucus. He was found guilty on charges of bribery and racketering in 1993 and imprisoned at the Federal Prison Camp at El Paso from 1995-1998.

From the description of Oral history interview with Albert Garza Bustamante, 2004 [videorecording]. (University of Texas at Arlington). WorldCat record id: 434047972

Albert Garza Bustamante's public service career culminated in four consecutive terms as a Democratic Congressman representing Texas from 1985-1992. In 1968, following seven years of teaching, Bustamante became an aide to U.S. Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez. He won his own elective office in 1972 as County Commissioner of Precinct One in Bexar County, defeating the sixteen-year incumbent Albert Pena, Jr. The collection does not contain papers from 1973-1978 while Bustamante served as County Commissioner. In 1978, he was elected Bexar County Judge. He entered the national political scene in 1984, winning the seat for the 23rd Congressional District of Texas and soundly defeating eighteen-year incumbent Abraham "Chick" Kazen, Jr. in the Democratic primary. Bustamante was a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Democratic Study Group and legislative caucuses concerned with border and human rights issues. In 1992, Bustamante lost a bid for re-election, and in 1993 he was convicted of two counts of racketeering and accepting bribes while in Congress. Bustamante always maintained his innocence. The collection does not contain any documentation on the investigation, conviction, or his life following the conviction. Since his release, Bustamante continues to live in San Antonio and is still drawn to public service.

From the description of Albert Bustamante papers, 1980-1992. (University of Texas at San Antonio). WorldCat record id: 46647991