Carlitos Pacheco

    

Carlitos Pacheco
Official Portrait, 2015
Governor of the Inland Empire
Incumbent
Assumed office November 6, 2014
Lieutenant	Henry McFarley
Preceded by	George Barton
Attorney General of the Inland Empire
In office December 16, 2006 – November 3, 2014
Governor	George Barton
Preceded by	Karen Hawthorn
Succeeded by	Obadiah Freeman
Member of the Inland Empire Provincial Assembly from the 16th district
In office April 5, 1996 – December 16, 2006
Preceded by	Roberto Franklin
Succeeded by	William Clinton
Personal details
Born	(1958-08-23) August 23, 1958 Porciúncula, Gold Coast, Sierra, KS
Political party	Royalist
Spouse(s)	Maria Pacheco (m. 1986)
Children	4
Alma mater	Sierran National University, San Bernardino (BA) University of Sierra, Berkeley (JD)
Religion	Avigon Catholic

Carlitos José Pacheco (born August 23, 1958) is a Sierran politician and lawyer serving as the incumbent Governor of Inland Empire since 2014. Before becoming governor, Pacheco was the Attorney General of Inland Empire from 2006 to 2014 and was a member of the Inland Empire Provincial Assembly, representing suburban San Bernardino, from 1996 to 2006. Pacheco is a life long member of the Royalist Party.

Pacheco was born in Porciúncula, Gold Coast as the youngest child and son of first generation Sierrans, with his grandparents originating from Mexico. Pacheco would go onto to attend the Sierran National University, San Bernardino from 1977 to 1981 and the University of Sierra, Berkeley from 1982 to 1985, pursuing a degree in law. After graduating from the University of Sierra, Berkeley, Pacheco pursued a legal career, running a firm in San Bernardino. Pacheco would officially enter politics in 1996, running for and securing a seat in the Inland Empire Provincial Assembly as a member of the Royalist Party. As a member of the Inland Empire Provincial Assembly, Pacheco would support socially conservative and economically liberal legislation. Following the resignation of Karen Hawthorn in 2006, Pacheco would be nominated by then Governor George Barton to become Attorney General, being confirmed by the legislature in December.

As Attorney General, Pacheco would become known nationwide for being the chief legal opposition to Prime Minister Steven Hong , presenting legal challenges to many of his executive and legislative actions. Though some of Pacheco's challenges would be successful, most would be either defeated in court or denied a hearing. Despite this, Pacheco would become popular with many conservatives in Sierra, becoming one of the chief symbols of resistance against Hong and the liberal Democratic-Republican government. In the Inland Empire, Pacheco would be known for his strict "law and order" policies. Pacheco would organize efforts to crackdown on illegal drugs and sexual assaults, promoting stricter sentencing and penalties for offenders. In 2014, Pacheco would run for governor, securing the Royalist nomination and eventually winning with 61% of the vote.

As Governor, Pacheco would continue to promote socially conservative policies, becoming one of the most conservative provincial governors early into his first term. In 2015, Pacheco would support legislation restricting abortion and enhancing efforts to combat illegal immigration. He would also continue to support his predecessor's programs against the province's drug epidemic, supporting greater funding for the Anti-Narcotic Provincial Task Force. During his early first term, Pacheco would continue to oppose Prime Minister Hong and later his successor Preston Bolivar. In 2017, Pacheco would be both praised and criticized for his response to the 2017 Pawnee earthquake. Pacheco would be a supporter of Prime Minister Daniel McComb and his successor Nemesis Heartwell, though would be opposed to the growing populist movement the followed them. Pacheco would be re-elected by a slightly wider margin, winning 63% of the vote. In 2018, Pacheco would support legislation regulating social media companies in the Inland Empire, citing their alleged bias against conservative users. Pacheco would also support continue efforts to restrict abortion in the Inland Empire, and hoped that the province would become a nationwide example for federal anti-abortion legislation. Pacheco would be a keynote speaker at the 2020 Royalist National Convention, speaking about Latino participation in the Royalist Party. Since her ascension to the Prime Ministership, Pacheco has been a staunch critic of Social Democrat Susan Kwon and her government.

Politically, Pacheco considers himself a social conservative and a economic liberal. Pacheco is a vocal opponent of abortion, identifying as "staunchly pro-life". He is also personally opposed to gay marriage, though believes the issue is "politically irrelevant". Pacheco supports lowered taxes and eliminating income taxes, and opposes reinstating a gasoline or alcohol tax, calling such proposals "unnecessary bureaucratic trash". Pacheco is supportive of comprehensive educational reform, believing that the current educational system promotes "anti-Sierran sentiments" and "prioritizes useless knowledge over life skills". Pacheco has stated support for a initiative similar to the 1866 Initiative proposal in Superior. Pacheco is a staunch opponent to Socialism and Landonism, referring to the ideologies as "pure evil and oppressive". Pacheco is a supporter of provincial rights, though he has stated support for some actions taken by the federal government imposed on the provinces. As of December 2020, Pacheco holds an approval rating of 55%.

Early life, education, and career

Carlitos José Pacheco was born on August 23, 1958 in Porciúncula, Gold Coast to Hector and Ramona Pacheco. His father, Hector, was a local school teacher working at Montebello Park Elementary School, while his mother, Ramona, was largely a stay-at-home mother, raising the large Pacheco family. Both of Pacheco's parents were first generation Sierrans, with both his paternal and maternal grandparents immigrating from Mexico in the early 1920s. Pacheco was born the youngest child and son of six children, having three older brothers and two older sisters. Pacheco and his family would live in East Porciúncula. Pacheco would grow up in a middle-class household, with his father being the main financial provider of the family. Due to the large age gap between himself and his siblings, with all his siblings being teenagers at his birth, Pacheco would grow up relatively by himself, with no family member being close to his age. Despite this, he has a close relationship with his siblings. Pacheco would grow up in a socially conservative and religious household, with his father being a staunch supporter of the Royalist Party. Though his siblings would develop an indifference to politics due to their father's constant ramblings, Pacheco gain an interest in politics and would eventually adopt his father's political views.

Pacheco would begin his educational career at the age of five, attending Montebello Park Elementary School in 1963, the same school his father taught at. Pacheco would attend Montebello Park up until the fifth grade, were he would promote to middle school, attending Eastern Porciúncula Intermediate School in 1969. While in the seventh grade, Pacheco would meet his future spouse Maria Castillo. After promoting from Eastern Porciúncula in the eighth grade, Pacheco would begin attending Alfred von Schliefen High School in 1972. While at high school, Pacheco would become a member of the school's Royalist Party club and would join the school's mock legal team, which would help peak his interest in law. Pacheco would be elected to his school's student council during his senior year. Pacheco would graduate from Alfred von Schliefen High School in 1976. In 1977, Pacheco would begin attending Sierra National University, San Bernardino in San Bernardino, Inland Empire, working towards earning a bachelor's degree in law. Pacheco would become more politically involved while in university, interning for multiple Royalist politicians in the Inland Empire. In 1981, Pacheco would graduate from SNU, San Bernardino with a bachelor's degree in law. In 1982, Pacheco, with the financial backing of his parents, would begin attending the University of Sierra, Berkeley, hoping to receive a Juris doctor degree. While at US Berkeley, Pacheco would continue to increase his involvement in politics, becoming the school's Royalist Party club chair. During his fourth and final year at the school, Pacheco would attempt to run for student body president, but would be defeated. Pacheco would graduate from US Berkeley with a juris doctor in law in 1985 and would return to San Bernardino.

Legal career

After returning to San Bernardino after graduating from the University of Sierra, Berkeley, Pacheco began a career in law, becoming a defense attorney in 1985. Pacheco worked with United San Bernardino Accident Firm, a law firm that specialized in accident-related cases. After a largely uneventful tenure, Pacheco would leave the United San Bernardino Accident Firm in 1987 to join the Torres Brothers Firm, which was owned and operated by his longtime friend, Alexander Torres. The Torres Brothers Firm primarily represented small and large businesses in the San Bernardino area, and as such Pacheco successfully defended a number of businesses, primarily from lawsuits. In 1990, Pacheco would leave the Torres Brothers Firm, forming his own firm known as Pacheco & Partners.

Political career

Provincial Assemblyman

Elections

In 1996, Pacheco announced his candidacy for the Inland Empire Provincial Assembly, running as a member of the Royalist Party. Pacheco was running to unseat longtime San Bernardino representative Roberto Franklin. After winning the Royalist primary, Pacheco would face a uphill battle against Franklin, as San Bernardino was considered a Democratic-Republican stronghold. Fortunately for Pacheco, Franklin would become embroiled in a very publicized scandal involving an extramarital affair near the end of the campaign. The scandal, coupled with a surge in Royalist support within the province, would see Pacheco defeat Franklin with 54% of the vote.

Pacheco ran for re-election two times, receiving 53% in 2000 and 51% in 2004. As of 2022, Pacheco was the last Royalist to represent downtown San Bernardino.

Tenure

During his tenure as a provincial assemblyman, Pacheco supported socially conservative and economically liberal legislation, becoming a legislative ally of Governor George Barton once he took office in 2002. Pacheco supported Barton in voting to establish a anti-narcotic task force in the Inland Empire in 2003, and in 2004, he voted in favor of establishing the Mohave Solar Farm near the border with Clark. However, Pacheco would vote against Barton in 2005 when the latter proposed budget increase for public school funding, with Pacheco believing that the funds allocated would go to waste. While in the assembly, Pacheco was against cooperation with the opposition, and voted against every measure proposed by the Democratic-Republicans.

Attorney General of the Inland Empire

Selection and appointment

In November of 2006, Attorney General Karen Hawthorn would resign from office following the controversial handling of the McDallas Affair. In early December, Pacheco was nominated by Governor Barton to succeed Hawthorn. As with all provincial cabinet appointments, Pacheco's nomination would be put to a vote in the provincial assembly, with 98 voting in favor and 52 voting against. Pacheco was sworn into office as the TBD Attorney General of the Inland Empire on December 16, 2006.

Tenure

As Attorney General of the Inland Empire, Pacheco would promote a policy of law and order. As Attorney General, Pacheco supported tougher sentencing for violent criminals, and in 2007 supported the Safer Streets Act in the provincial assembly, which provided greater funding for police departments in the Inland Empire and also increase prison time for criminals convicted of violent crimes, such as murder, rape, and armed robbery. Despite being tough on crime, Pacheco support the establishment of high school equivalency programs in prisons, which he believed would help non-violent criminals and repeat offenders be re-integrated into society.

Following the election of Democratic-Republican Steven Hong as Prime Minister, Pacheco gain nationwide attention as he emerged as the chief legal opposition to Hong and his government, in particular he was known for his challenges towards the Hong government's social and domestic policies.