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

[DBoon]

https://laist.com/news/politics/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.”