Melissa Melendez

Credentials

M.B.A., University of Phoenix¹ ²
B.A. History/Political Studies, Chaminade University of Honolulu³
Attended Defense Language Institute, Monterey, California⁴

Background

Melissa Melendez is an American Republican politician. She was a member of the California State Senate, representing District 28, from May 2020 to December 2022. She was a member of the California State Assembly, representing District 67, from 2013-2020. ⁵

Following a 10-year career in the Navy⁶, conducting intelligence gathering operations overseas, Melendez started a transcription company serving high-level Pentagon officials.⁷ ⁸

As a councilwoman and mayor of Lake Elsinore City in Southern California, Melendez described herself as a “business-friendly” public servant who helped ease “burdensome regulations.”⁹

Melendez has said that the dangers of climate change are not imminent.¹⁰

Stance on Climate Change

September 2017

Speaking about her constituents, Melendez said in regards to cap and trade:¹¹

“While they care about the environment and they want to protect Mother Earth, they do not feel that Southern California will burst into flames if we don’t pass this bill.”

Key Quotes

August 2017

Following her removal as vice-chairwoman from the California Assembly Insurance Committee, Melendez accused GOP leadership of punishing her for speaking out against their support for California’s cap and trade program. Melendez said in a statement:¹²

“Actions have consequences. I made a decision to stand up for Californians against higher fuel and utility costs, a decision I do not regret.”

[…]

“While Assemblyman Mayes may not appreciate my efforts, I know that struggling Californians do. These action(s) have only strengthened my commitment to fight for Republican principles so the American Dream can thrive once again in California.”

January 2017

Melendez publicly accused Democratic leadership in the California State Assembly of trying to punish her by moving her from the Assembly Public Safety Committee to the banking and finance, budget, and insurance committees. In a statement, Melendez said:¹³

“Today, Democrat leadership has taken a page straight out of (Vladimir Putin’s) handbook: fall in line or expect retribution.”

[…]

“I, for one, will never fall victim to intimidation nor be silenced. I do not answer to the Speaker or to the majority party, but rather the people who have bestowed their faith and trust in me to represent them. Though I am no longer Vice Chair of Public Safety and a member of the committee, I will not stop in my efforts to fight for policies that ensure the public’s safety and victims’ rights.”

A spokesperson for State Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon said in response:¹⁴

“Committee changes happen at the start of every session as we look at how to incorporate the abilities and interests of new and returning members. There are 80 Assemblymembers and only 32 standing committees so not everyone’s preferences can be accommodated.”

Key Deeds

August 23, 2018

Commenting on legislation sent to Governor Jerry Brown that would effectively ban single-use plastic straws from California restaurants, Melendez reportedly rejected claims that the action would reduce ocean pollution while suggesting that it would hurt the state’s restaurants, even though the industry did not oppose the measure.¹⁵

August 7, 2018

Melissa Melendez spoke at the Heartland Institute‘s “America First Energy Conference” (AFEC 2018) in New Orleans, Louisiana.¹⁶

Melendez spoke on a panel titled “Carbon Taxes, Cap & Trade, and Other Bad Ideas.”¹⁷

The event’s goal was to “promote and expand energy freedom in the United States, as outlined in President Donald Trump’s bold America First Energy Plan, a proposal first released during the 2016 presidential campaign. The president’s plan marks a decisive change in direction from the Obama administration’s ‘war on fossil fuels’ and focus on the theory of catastrophic man-caused climate change,” according to conference materials.¹⁸

July 20, 2017

Melissa Melendez resigned from her post as assistant GOP Leader in the California State Assembly, following party leader Chad Mayes’s support for an extension to California’s cap and trade program. Accusing Mayes of “dereliction of duty” for voting with Democrats to approve the extension, Melendez said in a press release:¹⁹

“Californians are struggling to make ends meet and unfortunately, what I have witnessed by the Assembly Republican Leader is a dereliction of duty to preserve and promote the American Dream for every single Californian.”²⁰

Affiliations

Ruling Transcription — President/CEO 1999 – present²¹
City of Lake Elsinore — City council member 2008-2012²²
US Navy — Russian translator 1987-1997).²³

@senatormelendez on Twitter.
“@asmMelendez” on Twitter. Note this account is now deleted, however it can be accessed via the Internet Archive.

Publications

Melendez does not appear to have authored any publications.

Other Resources

“Melissa Melendez” on Ballotpedia
“Melissa Melendez on Wikipedia

Resources

1
“melissa melendez,” LinkedIn. Accessed November 13, 2018. Profile no longer available online. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
2
“Melissa Melendez,” Ballotpedia. Last updated March 2021. Archived March 8, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/wip/dUQ3U
3
“melissa melendez,” LinkedIn. Accessed November 13, 2018. Profile no longer available online. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
4
“Melissa Melendez,” Ballotpedia. Last updated March 2021. Archived March 8, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/wip/dUQ3U
5
“Melissa Melendez,” Ballotpedia. Last updated March 2021. Archived March 8, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/wip/dUQ3U
6
“Melissa Melendez,” Ballotpedia. Last updated March 2021. Archived March 8, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/wip/dUQ3U
7
Nicole Hayden. “Elizabeth Romero congratulates Melissa Melendez on state senate victory,” Palm Springs Desert Sun, May 17, 2020. Archived June 5, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/EVLkZ
8
“Meet Melissa,” Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez. Archived November 13, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/O139W
9
“Meet Melissa,” Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez. Archived November 13, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/O139W
10
Nathanael Johnson. “California rewrites the GOP’s climate playbook,” Grist, September 18, 2017. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
11
Nathanael Johnson. “California rewrites the GOP’s climate playbook,” Grist, September 18, 2017. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
12
Jeff Horseman. “Inland Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez accuses GOP leader Chad Mayes of retaliating against her,” The Press-Enterprise, August 9, 2017. Archived April 16, 2019. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/Rw30i
13
Jeff Horseman. “Why Melissa Melendez says Democrats used ‘Putin’s handbook’,” The Press-Enterprise, January 25, 2017. Archived November 13, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/SYVZN
14
Jeff Horseman. “Why Melissa Melendez says Democrats used ‘Putin’s handbook’,” The Press-Enterprise, January 25, 2017. Archived November 13, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/SYVZN
15
Sophia Bollag. “Bill limiting plastic straws sent to Gov. Brown’s office,” KCRA News, August 23, 2018. Archived April 16, 2019. Archive.is URL: http://archive.is/CuZZ6
16
“Speakers,” America First Energy Conference 2018. Archived August 1, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/mwtga
17
“HON. MELISSA MELENDEZ,” America First Energy Conference 2018. Archived August 1, 2018. Archive URL: https://archive.fo/U1CMa
18
“About,” America First Energy Conference 2018. Archived July 23, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.fo/E4Gnt
19
Jeff Horseman. “Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez resigns GOP leadership post, calls out Chad Mayes,” The Press-Enterprise, July 20, 2017. Archived April 16, 2019. Archive.is URL: http://archive.is/6ueCH
20
Jeff Horseman. “Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez resigns GOP leadership post, calls out Chad Mayes,” The Press-Enterprise, July 20, 2017. Archived April 16, 2019. Archive.is URL: http://archive.is/6ueCH
21
“melissa melendez,” LinkedIn. Accessed November 13, 2018. Profile no longer available online. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
22
“melissa melendez,” LinkedIn. Accessed November 13, 2018. Profile no longer available online. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
23
“melissa melendez,” LinkedIn. Accessed November 13, 2018. Profile no longer available online. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

DeSmog

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