There were international media reports of this event, including the fact that Cortese was being considered by Perot to be his vice presidential running mate in the 1996 election.

Cortese was born in San Jose, California, one of five children of Rose Carnova, an American of Sicilian descent, and Vincent Cortese, a native of the Sicilian town of Trabia who immigrated to the United States around 1917 and eventually acquired farm land in and near the Santa Clara Valley, growing tomatoes, prunes, cherries, apricots and wheat.

Though Vincent Cortese never held public office, he was involved in civic affairs in the 1950s and 1960s, visiting property owners outside of San Jose to promote the expansion of the city limits to the north, east, and south.

It was his first election attempt during a period of heavy social unrest, and involved an extremely active campaign which led to his defeat of an entrenched sixteen-year incumbent.

When the EOC was under threat of takeover by the Federal government, Cortese along with two other local officials founded the Economic and Social Opportunities Commission (ESO).

Cortese headed a committee to bring to an end the long fought federal court battle over equality hiring in the Sheriff's office.

This effort resulted in a vast recruiting and training program that culminated in the hiring of 60 Chicano deputies, approximately one half the number of vacancies.

He maintained close rapport with the local Opportunities Industrialization Center an affiliate of the national OIC founded by Dr. Leon Sullivan.

It was through his personal negotiations that the OIC was given a contract to train and place 100 new bus drivers for the newly formed Transportation District.

The first question asked by the media at the initial major news conference was "can a black, communist, woman get a fair trial in Santa Clara County?"

Santa Clara County was one of the first major public entities to establish a smoking ban in restaurants along with one of the first comprehensive recycling programs in the country.

Future generations will praise your leadership and foresight in making possible this great public park for the people of the South Bay Area.

(Signed) Sincerely, John B. Dewitt" (Santa Clara County Archives: Grant Ranch).The program is still in existence.

He was asked to chair the Committee on Water Parks and Wildlife by then Speaker Willie Brown, during the period of California's 7-year drought, to act as a facilitator between rural, urban and residential water users including north vs. south, and spent an extensive amount of time to that end visiting those entities throughout the state.

Registration of toxic storage facilities and underground tanks was part of a package that led to a registry called "the Cortese list".

As chair of the Local Government committee, Cortese was asked to intervene in the San Bruno Mountain dispute in Millbrae and was recognized by both sides as an "official" mediator.

In March 1993 the wine industry ask him to represent the United States at the international Vinelink General Assembly in Paris where he and his wife were also guest of Moet Hennessy in Champagne.

For a number of years, a traditional, very popular, bi-partisan, open membership, Italian Caucus was chaired by Cortese and Senate Pro Tem David Roberti.

An additional measure requiring a basic plumber's tape secured around water heaters has prevented what in the past lead to catastrophic earthquake gas and fire damage.

In i988, he received the Coordination Council of North American Affairs Award of Appreciation for Promotion of Sino-American Cultural and Commercial Relations.

Before this Dave served on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, the San Jose City Council, and trustee for the Eastside Union High School District.

The family legacy was recognized when Dominic Cortese was proclaimed an Honorary Citizen during a citywide town hall meeting in his father's hometown of Trabia, Italy.

He was also a member of American Legion Post 250, Benefactor St. Francis Assisi Parish and Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in San Jose, Advisor and Volunteer, Santa Clara County Youth Foundation's Mentor Program and member of the Board of Directors, California Conservation Corp, Pacific Bays District.