Ross Johnson "The Reformer" Retires

Kenn Minter

​In November 2008, the Weekly presented "The Reformer: Longtime OC GOP legislator Ross Johnson finds new life as a campaign-finance watchdog in Sacramento."

Well, The Reformer is hanging up his cape.

Johnson, who took over as chairman of the state Fair Political Practices Commission in February 2007, submitted his resignation yesterday to the governor who appointed him, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The 70-year-old cited unspecified medical reasons for stepping down effective the end of this month.

Before joining the agency that enforces California political and elections laws, Johnson had represented Orange County for 26 years in the state Legislature.

He served in the Assembly from 1978-1995. when his district office was in Fullerton. He rose to Assembly leader of the Republicans from '88-'91.

Once termed out of the Assembly, Johnson moved over to state Senate, where he served from '95-'04. With his district office now in Irvine, he was the Senate GOP leader from '98-'00.

He and his family lived in Fullerton when he was first elected, but he confided in our interview that he's pretty much been a full-time Sacramento-area resident since joining the Legislature.