José Blanco López

José Blanco López (born 6 February 1962), also known as Pepe Blanco, is a Spanish socialist politician. He was the deputy general of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) and was the Minister of Public Works and Transport from 2009 to 2011. He began his political career in 1986 when he was elected to the Spanish Senate. In 1996 he was elected to the Spanish Congress as a deputy for Lugo Province and was re-elected in 2000, 2004 and 2008.[1] He is a trustee of the Fundacion IDEAS, Spain's Socialist Party's think tank.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Blanco and the second or maternal family name is López.
José Blanco
Minister of Public Works and Transport
In office
7 April 2009 – 21 December 2011
Prime MinisterJosé Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
Preceded byMagdalena Álvarez
Succeeded byAna Pastor Julián
Member of the Congress of Deputies
In office
4 May 1996 – 1 July 2014
ConstituencyLugo
Personal details
Born (1962-02-06) 6 February 1962
Palas de Rei, Lugo, Spain
NationalitySpanish
Political partySpanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spouse(s)Ana Mourenza (m. 1999)
Childrentwo

He was appointed Minister of Public Works and Transport in a cabinet reshuffle on 7 April 2009, replacing Magdalena Álvarez.[2] On July 11, 2011 he was appointed spokesperson of the government without losing previous duties.

On 28 December 2011 Spain's Supreme Court opened a probe into his conduct on charges of influence peddling and accepting bribes.[3] Just two days later, and in keeping with the controversial tradition for incoming Spanish governments to issue blanket awards to their predecessors regardless of merit, Blanco received the Grand Cross of the Order of Carlos III from the new Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy.[4]

References
  1. Biography at Spanish Congress site
  2. Zapatero cambia el Gobierno un año después de estrenar su segunda legislatura, El Mundo, 7-4-2009.
  3. http://www.ntn24.com/news/news/former-spanish-cabinet-minister-faces-corruption-probe%5B%5D Former Spanish cabinet minister faces corruption probe
  4. http://matthewhovious.blogspot.com/2012/01/merit-honours-and-order-of-groucho-marx.html Merit, Honours and the Order of Groucho Marx
Political offices
Preceded by
Magdalena Álvarez		 Minister of Public Works, Transports and Housing
2009–2011		 Succeeded by
Ana Pastor Julián
Party political offices
Preceded by
Ciprià Císcar		 Secretary of Organization of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
2000–2008		 Succeeded by
Leire Pajín
Preceded by
Alfonso Guerra		 Deputy Secretary-General of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
2008–2012		 Succeeded by
Elena Valenciano
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