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Frank Wheat Papers
Governmental
Non-Environmental: Federal

Manuscripts

Non-Environmental: Federal

Description

This subseries documents issues outside the scope of environmental matters, highlighted by Wheat's tenure as SEC commissioner as well as the struggle for campaign finance reform. The structure echoes the Environmental portion of the series, opening with files about executive departments and agencies (including SEC) followed by a Legislative section. From FW Box 91, Folder 4 through Box 93, for instance, the collection contains numerous speeches and related materials by Wheat which are arranged chronologically (by the date of the speech or event) within each venue, organization or institution. Thereafter, the collection tracks Wheat's forays into international securities during and after his SEC tenure. FW Boxes 94 and 95 (and the first folder in 96) are arranged alphabetically by country: Great Britain (London), Mexico, and South America (Argentina, Brazil) and also contain speeches and related materials.

The remaining folders in FW Box 96 begin the legislative section of this sub-series. The first folder contains miscellaneous materials such as congressional directories, district profiles, followed by correspondence with representatives (arranged alphabetically), an excerpt from the Congressional Index that offers biographies on certain House and Senate members, directory listings for various House committee and sub-committee members, and Wheat's testimony on "Hostile Takeovers and Their Effects" before the Senate Banking Committee. These materials conclude with FW Box 97, folder 7. Various other resolutions and bills follow and then the last four folders discuss Federal campaign finance reform activities.

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Type

Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)

Call number

mssWheat papers

Creator

Wheat, Frank (1921-)(Opens in new tab)

Provenance

Gift of Mrs. Nancy W. Wheat, May 10, 2001.

Find out more

View in the Library catalog(Opens in new tab)

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Environmental: Federal
Manuscripts
The highlight of the Governmental Series is those files related to the activities of the Bureau of Land Management, an arm of the federal government's Department of the Interior (FW Boxes 64-70). They include documents regarding mining regulations (43 CFR 3809) as well as administrative materials, proposed legislation, BLM programs and issues related to the preservation of the California desert such as designated wilderness areas (WSAs), the FLPMA (Federal Land Policy Management Act of 1976) and a California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA).BLM folders are arranged alphabetically by topic and in some areas, chronologically as well. Following the BLM, there are folders featuring the Government Accounting Office (GAO) with a report on hard rock mining damage. The next section of folders, the Legislative branch, contains correspondence with various Federal legislators including Anthony Beilenson, Alan Cranston and Dianne Feinstein to Bruce Vento, Timothy Wirth and Pete Wilson. The highlight of the legislative materials, of course, is the evolution of the California Desert Protection Act (FW Boxes 72-83). This section is divided into Early Efforts, Activism and Chronology of Bills. Early Efforts includes pivotal documents and early legislative efforts to protect the California desert. Activism contains Wheat's categories alphabetized by format or subject: Analysis, Arguments (pro & con), Background – "basic data," Contacts, Congressional districts, Hearings, Interim Management Policy (IMP), Lobbying (trips), Miscellaneous and Polls. The next six boxes (83 to 88) contain files dealing with environmental legislation arranged alphabetically by the following topics: Endangered Species, Forest, Grazing, Mining (for example, SMARA -- the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975), Wilderness Acts and Wilderness Studies Areas (WSAs).
mssWheat papers
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Non-Environmental: Local Government (Los Angeles)
Manuscripts
The first folder contains materials on Proposition H, a Los Angeles effort for local campaign finance reform, followed by six folders dealing with Mayor Richard Riordan's task force on tort reform (1993-1994).
mssWheat papers
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Non-Environmental: State (California)
Manuscripts
This subseries comprises materials from a number of gubernatorial administrations and correspondence with state representatives. The section dealing with legislation focuses on reforms proposed by the California Citizens Budget Commission (CCBC) and California Commission on Campaign Financing (CCCF), both of which counted Wheat as an active member. The materials related to these commissions are arranged alphabetical by subject: Budget (CCBC) Campaign Finance Reform (CCCF) Counties (CCBC) (one folder) Healthcare (CCBC) Initiative Reform (CCCF) Judicial Reform (CCCF) [Downloads of some of the Commission (CCCF and CCBC) reports can be accessed from the Center for Governmental Studies website: http://www.cgs.org/publications/books.html#campaign (a/o August, 2005)] Frank Wheat was a founding member of the California Commission on Campaign Financing (CCCF), a privately funded, bipartisan citizens' panel of leaders that in 1985 released a 353-page study of the influence of money on legislative election campaigns. The arrangement begins with CCCF articles, administrative and meeting materials arranged chronologically, followed by files about Taxpayers to Limit Campaign Spending, an off-shoot of CCCF which sponsored Proposition 68, based on recommendations in the appendices of CCCF's 1985 study. The saga of the Proposition 68 and 73 campaigns, the voters' responses, and the legal actions that followed, are also present, arranged in chronological order. Other documents dealing with campaign finance reform and related materials follow, including CCCF materials connected to their reports on campaign finance reform for judicial and local elections, and on behalf of reforming the initiative process in California.
mssWheat papers
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Political Organizations
Manuscripts
The last four folders of Box 123 and the first folder of 124 contain articles reflecting what Wheat labeled "political philosophy," and correspondence ranging from 1964-2000. These files include letters to candidates whose campaigns were unsuccessful as well as some Wheat letters sharing information or articles with various governmental officials. FW Box 124 folder two starts a section with a wide assortment of political organizations, arranged alphabetically, highlighted by the Democratic Party, which is covered in four folders, 124(11) – 125(3).
mssWheat papers
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Other Organizations
Manuscripts
This subseries contains files on other organizations, arranged alphabetically, that are philanthropic and/or social in nature. Beginning with folder 12 of Box 125, concentrations may be found in E Clampus Vitus, Human Rights Watch and the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation. The sub-series "Other Organizations" ends with the Zamorano Club, Box 137, folder 2. Human Rights Watch materials are organized alphabetically by subject or format: Articles; California Committee; Correspondence; Countries; Events; Grant; Members Meetings; Monitors; Notes; Outreach; and Publications. Files reflecting Wheat's service as a trustee of the Parsons Foundation are arranged alphabetically by subject or format as follows: Articles of incorporation and by-laws; Asset Allocation policy; Audit Reports; Board of Directors; Correspondence; Grants (Applications; Committee, Grants: meetings; Correspondence re: Directors Grants; Higher Education Grants; Outlines/Analysis; Grant Seekers/recipients (alphabetical: Bs, Contemporary Art (Geffen), Cs, CCBC, Claremont Colleges); Staff Grants); Investing, S&P; Committee Memos & notes; Misc Foundation info; Reports; and Staff.
mssWheat papers
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Religions & environmental issues 1992-2000
Manuscripts
Personal and professional papers of Frank Wheat, with particular emphasis on his political activism and philanthropy. The papers cover his effort for the California Desert Protection Act (CDPA); the work on his California Desert Miracle, The Fight for Desert Parks and Wilderness (1999), and other environmental issues, particularly including mining's effect on the environment; the Alliance for Children's Rights, the Center for Law in the Public Interest and Human Rights Watch and his involvement with Ralph M. Parsons Foundation. The collection also contains information on Wheat's legal career, including his presidency of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, his tenure as an SEC Commissioner, his expertise in securities and corporate law, and his involvement with the California Citizens Budget Commission and California Commission on Campaign Financing.
mssWheat papers