Representative Richard Thomas Hanna

Richard Thomas Hanna (June 9, 1914 – June 9, 2001) was an American lawyer and Democratic politician who served six terms as a United States Representative from California from 1963 to 1974. Over more than a decade in the House of Representatives, he participated actively in the legislative process during a period of major social and political change in the United States, representing the interests of his California constituents and contributing to national debates on domestic and foreign policy.

Hanna was born on June 9, 1914, and came of age during the interwar period, which shaped the generation of political leaders who would later guide the country through the Cold War and the social transformations of the 1960s and 1970s. Details of his early life and family background are less extensively documented than his public career, but his subsequent professional path reflects a solid grounding in the law and an early commitment to public affairs that would lead him into elective office.

Trained as a lawyer, Hanna entered the legal profession before embarking on his political career. His work as an attorney provided him with experience in statutory interpretation, advocacy, and public policy that would prove valuable in Congress. As an American lawyer in mid‑20th‑century California, he practiced during a time of rapid population growth, economic expansion, and increasing political influence for the state, circumstances that helped shape the issues he would later confront as a legislator.

Hanna was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. House of Representatives from California in the 1962 election and took office with the 88th Congress in January 1963. He was subsequently reelected five times, serving continuously until 1974. His tenure in Congress thus spanned the administrations of Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, and Gerald R. Ford, and coincided with the civil rights movement, the Great Society legislative program, the escalation and controversy of the Vietnam War, and the unfolding of the Watergate era. As a member of the House of Representatives, Richard Thomas Hanna participated in the democratic process, engaged in committee work, and represented the interests of his California district in federal policymaking.

Hanna’s congressional service occurred during a significant period in American history, and he was part of the Democratic majorities that enacted landmark legislation on civil rights, social welfare, and economic policy. Over his six terms in office, he contributed to the legislative process through voting, debate, and constituent representation, aligning with his party on key issues of the time while also responding to the particular needs and priorities of his district. His role placed him at the intersection of national and local concerns during years of intense political and social change.

Late in his congressional career, Hanna became involved in a major political scandal known as Koreagate. The scandal centered on efforts by individuals connected to the South Korean government to influence members of the U.S. Congress. Hanna was found to have accepted bribes from a businessman working on behalf of the South Korean government. As investigations unfolded, his conduct became the subject of legal and ethical scrutiny, ultimately overshadowing his prior years of service and drawing national attention as part of a broader examination of foreign influence in American politics.

As a result of his involvement in Koreagate, Hanna was prosecuted and found guilty on charges related to the bribery scheme. In the wake of his conviction, he resigned his seat in the House of Representatives, bringing his congressional career to an abrupt end after more than a decade in office. He subsequently served one year in prison, marking a dramatic reversal from his earlier standing as an established member of Congress. Richard Thomas Hanna died on June 9, 2001, closing a life that encompassed both significant public service and a notable political scandal in the history of the United States Congress.