John Burton, architect of California Democratic machine, dies at 92

John Burton, who with his late brother Phillip created the vaunted “Burton machine” that dominated San Francisco and California politics for decades, died Sunday. He was 92 and had been in declining health for years.

During a decades-long career in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., Burton was known for his blunt, plain-spoken style — often laced with trademark obscenities — as he fought for labor unions and the working class.

“That’s what Democrats do,” Burton told members of the California Democratic Party as he stepped down as chair in 2017. “There’s a lot of people out there that if we don’t fight for them, nobody’s going to fight for them because they don’t have any power.”

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, a protegé of Burton, once said of his salty tongue: “His language is authentic, his purpose is sincere and his effectiveness is undeniable.”

“It’s amazing to think about the Bay Area, to think about California politics, to think of aspects of this country that have been profoundly improved because of the Burton family,” then-Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a 2017 video tribute.

“John Burton will go down as the guy who gave life and structure and success to the California Democratic Party,” added then-Gov. Jerry Brown.

When Democrats opened a new Sacramento office in 2014, they named it the John L. Burton Democratic Headquarters in his honor.

Former state Sen. Patrick Johnston, who served with Burton in the Assembly and Senate, said his colleague overcame personal problems — including drug addiction — to focus on helping those who needed it most.

“Forever chased, John kept outrunning his own demons,” Johnston said. “He managed the state Senate like he was a point guard with a 24-second shot clock. He argued, cajoled, yelled, begged, and inspired us to pass bills — all sorts of bills. But for John, the bills that mattered most were the ones to help the poor, the elderly, the foster kids.”

Political consultant Shawnda Westly, who worked with Burton for years, said he was an unapologetic liberal.

“He used to say, ‘Don’t call me a progressive. I’m a liberal. That’s what I am,’” Westly recalled. She added that while Burton was gruff and short-tempered, he had a softer side.

“His bark was worse than his bite,” Westly said.

Though a staunch Democrat, Burton often worked across the aisle with Republican governors and legislators. He counted many Republicans as friends, though it was a different brand of Republicanism then.

In a 2018 oral history with journalist Jerry Roberts, he praised then-Gov. Ronald Reagan for signing a relatively liberal abortion bill and former GOP Gov. Pete Wilson for raising taxes to balance the budget.

“We got the taxes through and then got the state right,” Burton said. “Pete deserves a great amount of credit for that.”

In a statement to KQED, Wilson, who served in the Legislature and as governor while Burton was in Sacramento, expressed admiration for his old political adversary.

“With respect to legislative leaders, as Democrats, I would say that the combination of John Burton and Willie Brown negotiating budget and policy solutions during a time of crisis in the Reagan Cabinet Room was some of the finest policy and political talent California has ever seen,” Wilson said.

He added: “Even though we disagreed on nearly every policy issue, as we engaged in the people’s business over the years, we were able to find accommodation when the state required us to do so.”

Even so, Burton occasionally clashed with Democrats. Less than a year into Gray Davis’ tenure as governor, Davis told an editorial board that the Legislature is “there to implement my vision.” Burton, then Senate president, shot back, “I have an absolutely different view. I believe in checks and balances,” he said.

The rise of the Burton machine

Burton was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, during the Great Depression, but grew up in San Francisco with his brothers Phillip and Bob Burton.

Boosted by his powerful older brother Phil, Burton was elected to the California Assembly in 1964, the same year as Brown, his friend and longtime political ally, headed to the Assembly. His brother Phil also won a seat representing San Francisco in Congress that year.

As John climbed the ladder in California, Phil Burton became a powerhouse in Washington, D.C., mastering the art of reapportionment — using oddly drawn or gerrymandered districts to help elect Democrats.

The “Burton machine” united organized labor, Black churches, Asian Americans and the gay community, cementing decades of political dominance.

In 1974, amid the Watergate scandal, Burton was elected to represent San Francisco and part of Marin County in Congress. He served until 1982, when he stepped down to address his cocaine addiction.

Phil Burton, who fell just short of becoming Democratic majority leader in Congress in 1976, died suddenly of a heart attack in 1983. His widow, Sala Burton, succeeded him and anointed Pelosi as her preferred heir before dying of cancer in 1987.

After overcoming addiction, Burton returned to the Assembly in 1988. In 1996, Burton won a state Senate seat, rising to become president pro tem until term limits forced him out in 2004.

He is survived by his daughter, Kimiko Burton, and her two children, Mikala and Juan. She also pursued a political career, serving as San Francisco’s public defender after her 2001 appointment by Brown, though she later lost an election to keep the post.

Legacy and controversies

Although Burton enlisted in the Army in 1954, he was strongly anti-war throughout his political career. In addition to championing the working class, Burton helped lead opposition to the Vietnam War and later fought apartheid in South Africa. His legacy includes civil rights laws, environmental protection policies and legislation supporting children in the foster care system.

After leaving the Legislature, he chaired the California Democratic Party from 2009 until 2017.

He also founded the John Burton Foundation for Children Without Homes. In 2008, Kathleen Driscoll, the foundation’s executive director, sued him, alleging repeated sexual harassment, including unwanted advances and sexually charged comments. The case was settled under confidential terms.

Westly defended him against the allegations.

“I just don’t think people understood what he did for all of us,” Westly said. “He gave me my spine. When I worked with him, he helped me believe in myself and the values I had and to stick to them. He always used to say, ‘Women are the ones who get shit done.’”

Over the course of his political career, Burton mentored younger staff members, including Barbara Boxer, who worked in the Marin County district office while he was in Congress. When Burton declined to run again in 1982, Boxer won his seat. A decade later, she joined Dianne Feinstein in the U.S. Senate during the so-called “Year of the Woman.”

“John Burton was the most authentic elected official I have ever met in my 40 years in public service,” said Boxer in a statement to KQED. “He taught me to never betray my conscience and to stand up against the most powerful to help those without a voice. He was uncensored and unbending in his advocacy for the powerless.”

Like all politicians, Burton had detractors. Some Democrats winced at his profanity-laced speech or his acceptance of contributions from industries regarded as unfriendly to liberal causes. But as chair, he helped his party build a formidable majority in the Legislature.

His legacy includes the candidates he boosted and his staunch defense of old-fashioned liberal politics — championing women, the working class, farmworkers and other marginalized Californians, while working with Republicans when needed to advance his agenda.