Bill Jones

William Leon Jones (born December 20, 1949) is a U.S. politician who served as the 27th Secretary of State of California, and was the unsuccessful Republican challenger to Democratic U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer in her bid for a third term in 2004.

Related Topics:
December 20 - 1949 - U.S. - Politician - Secretary of State - California - Republican - Democratic - U.S. Senator - Barbara Boxer - Bid for a third term - 2004

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Born in Coalinga, California, Jones earned his bachelor's degree in agribusiness and plant sciences from California State University, Fresno in 1971.

Related Topics:
Coalinga, California - Bachelor's degree - Agribusiness - Plant sciences - California State University, Fresno - 1971

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Jones was a California State Assemblyman from 1983 to 1995 and served as the Republican State Assembly Leader during the 1991-1992 session. During his term in the State Assembly, Jones authored Proposition 184, California's three-strikes law, which passed with the 71.9% of the people voting to support it.

Related Topics:
California State Assemblyman - 1983 - 1995 - 1991 - 1992 - Proposition 184 - Three-strikes law

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Jones left the State Assembly after being elected the Secretary of State, serving in that office from 1995 to 2003. During his tenure, he was the first California Secretary of State to place campaign finance information on the Internet.

Related Topics:
1995 - 2003 - Internet

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In 2002, Jones ran in the Republican Gubernatorial Primary, finishing third, at 16%, behind former Mayor of Los Angeles Richard Riordan and businessman William Simon, Jr., who went on to be defeated by Gray Davis in the General Election.

Related Topics:
2002 - Mayor of Los Angeles - Richard Riordan - William Simon, Jr. - Gray Davis - General Election

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During this unsuccessful primary campaign Bill Jones gained notariety for spamming (sending bulk emails) to people around the world. Jones hired a professional spammer who hacked into South Korean computers used to help teach school children. The spammer used the commandeered Korean school computers to sent out millions of spam emails throughout the world with Bill Jones' spam. After the spamming incidents, Jones spokesman Darrel Ng denied spamming was wrong and strongly defended the use of mass email for campaigns as an "innovative way to use the Internet."

Related Topics:
Spamming (sending bulk emails) - Hacked - South Korean

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Jones won the 2004 Republican primary for the U.S. Senate over former U.S. Treasurer Rosario Marin. Jones went on to lose the General Election to Senator Barbara Boxer, with 38% of the vote.

Related Topics:
Primary - U.S. Senate - U.S. Treasurer - Rosario Marin - Barbara Boxer

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