Laura Richardson (born April 14, 1962) is an American politician who has served as a member of the California State Senate from the 35th district since 2024.

Richardson established the Sixth District Master Plan, a strategic guideline for development in the area.

Richardson has faced some harsh scrutiny for not co-sponsoring Rep. Henry Waxman's global warming legislation.

Laura Richardson endorsed Hillary Clinton in the 2008 Democratic presidential primaries, although her district voted for 54.2% to 43.5% in favor of Barack Obama.

[6] Richardson voted in favor of a controversial update to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act on June 20, 2008.

As part of the bill, telecommunications companies that have allegedly acted illegally in allowing the Bush Administration to spy on customers will be protected from prosecution.

She easily won a full term in 2008, and was reelected in 2010, in both cases against only nominal Republican opposition Redistricting for the 2012 elections significantly altered California's congressional map.

Fellow Democrat Janice Hahn, who had previously represented the neighboring 36th District, had her home drawn into the 44th as well.

After her election to the California Assembly, Richardson purchased a home in Sacramento with no money down[11] and a subprime mortgage.

James York, owner of Red Rock Mortgage, said he would file a lawsuit against Richardson and her lender, Washington Mutual, but settled out of court with the terms not disclosed.

Richardson had not been making payments on the property for nearly a year, and had also gone into default on her two other houses in Long Beach and San Pedro.

Richardson, D-Long Beach, has said that the auction should never have been held, because she had worked out a loan modification agreement with her lender beforehand and had begun making payments.

[15][16][17] Richardson also initially did not disclose a loan from a strip club owner when on the City Council, public records show.

[19] On November 3, 2011, the Los Angeles Times reported that Richardson would face an ethics inquiry related to possible illegal use of staffers.

It found that Richardson had broken federal law, violated House rules and obstructed the Committee's own investigation.

She was found guilty on seven counts of violating House rules by improperly pressuring her staff to campaign for her, destroying evidence and tampering with witness testimony.

Richardson was ordered to pay a fine of $10,000 within four months and promised to require staffers who work on her campaign to sign a waiver stating that they haven't been pressured to do so.