Deval Patrick
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| Deval Patrick | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 4, 2007 |
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| Lieutenant(s) | Tim Murray |
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| Preceded by | Mitt Romney |
| Succeeded by | Incumbent (2011) |
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| Born | July 31, 1956 (age 50) Chicago, Illinois |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Diane Patrick |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
Deval Laurdine Patrick (born July 31, 1956) is an American politician and the 71st and current Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. On November 7, 2006, Patrick became the first African American elected governor of Massachusetts, and the second elected in United States history, after Douglas Wilder of Virginia[1] and third to serve after Douglas Wilder and P. B. S. Pinchback the first African American to serve as governor of a U.S. state.
He took office on January 4, 2007. Prior to entering politics, Patrick worked as an attorney and businessman.
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[edit] Early life and education
Patrick was born on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, into an African American family living on welfare and residing in a two-bedroom tenement. In 1959, his father Laurdine "Pat" Patrick, a member of jazz musician Sun Ra's band, left his wife Emily (née Mae Wintersmith),[2] son Deval, and daughter Rhonda (a year Deval's senior) in order to play music in New York City[3] and because he had fathered a daughter by another woman.[4] He had a strained relationship with his father, who opposed his choice of high school, but they eventually found their peace.[5]
While in middle school, one of Deval's teachers referred Deval to A Better Chance, a national non-profit organization for identifying, recruiting and developing leaders among academically gifted students of color, which enabled him to attend Milton Academy in Milton, Massachusetts.[6][7]
Patrick graduated from Milton Academy in 1974 and from Harvard College in 1978. He then spent a year working with the United Nations in Africa. In 1979, Patrick returned to the United States and enrolled at Harvard Law School. While in law school, Patrick was elected president of the Legal Aid Bureau, where he first worked defending poor families in Middlesex County, Massachusetts.
He and his wife, the former Diane Bemus (born 1951), a lawyer specializing in labor and employment law, married in 1984. They have lived in Milton, Massachusetts since 1989 and have two daughters, Sarah and Katherine.
[edit] Career
[edit] Early legal work
After receiving his J.D. from Harvard Law School, Patrick worked as a law clerk for Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, then became an attorney for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF) in New York City. While working with LDF, Patrick met future President Bill Clinton, then serving as governor of Arkansas. Clinton was being sued over a voting rights case, and the two worked out a settlement. Also while working with LDF, Patrick married Diane Bemus, an attorney specializing in labor and employment law. In 1986 Patrick went to work as a private attorney for Hill & Barlow, a now-dissolved Boston law firm, and became a partner in 1990. He also continued doing volunteer work for LDF and for other civil rights causes.
[edit] Clinton Administration
In 1994, Clinton nominated Patrick Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, and he was confirmed by the Senate. As an Assistant Attorney General, Patrick worked on issues including racial profiling, police misconduct, fair lending enforcement, human trafficking, and discrimination based on gender and disability. He led what was (before the September 11, 2001 attacks) the largest federal criminal investigation in history as co-chair of the Task Force appointed to address arsons of Black churches and synagogues in the South. He had a key role as an advisor to post-apartheid South Africa during this time and helped draft that country's civil rights laws[8].
His tenure was not without controversy. During this time, federal affirmative action policy was under judicial and political review, and Patrick was thrust into the President's policy defense. Patrick also enforced federal laws concerning treatment of incarcerated criminals, to the extent that one warden called him a "zealot".[9] He has also been criticized for his role in the 3rd Federal Circuit Court case Piscataway v. Taxman: where due to budget constraints Sharon Taxman, a white woman, was laid off rather than Debra Williams, a black woman with identical seniority and qualifications, because the school committee wanted diversity on its teaching staff. Taxman sued and prevailed in US District Court, but then Patrick encouraged the Justice Department, which had supported Taxman in the Bush administration, to withdraw from the case. Taxman, who was subsequently rehired, eventually settled her suit.
[edit] Business career
In 1997, Patrick returned to Boston to join the firm Day, Berry & Howard, and was appointed by the federal district court to serve as Chairman of the Task Force to oversee implementation of the terms of a race discrimination settlement at Texaco. After serving for nearly two years, he was appointed vice president and general counsel for the company in New York City. From 2000 to 2004, Patrick worked as executive vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary of the Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta. He resigned in 2004, ending nearly 6 years of weekly commuting between Massachusetts and jobs out of state.
Some gay rights activists have criticized him for his tenure on the United Airlines board. During this time, the company fought a San Francisco ordinance requiring companies to offer domestic partners benefits. Patrick contended that for a global company to comply with local employment ordinances in San Francisco would have set an unhelpful precedent. On the other hand, Patrick encouraged UAL to offer domestic partner benefits to all employees, becoming the first airline to do so.[10]
In 2004, he was appointed to the board of directors of the firm that controls Ameriquest, the mortgage company infamous for predatory lending scandals, because of his 20 years of fighting such problems. Ameriquest subsequently agreed to a $325 million dollar settlement regarding their predatory lending practices in 49 states.[11] After this success, Patrick stepped down from the board on July 2, 2006.
[edit] The 2006 campaign for the Massachusetts Governorship
In 2005, Patrick announced his candidacy for Governor of Massachusetts. He was at first seen as a dark horse candidate, facing veteran Massachusetts campaigners Tom Reilly and Chris Gabrielli in the Democratic primary. The Patrick campaign gained momentum at the Democratic State Caucuses, where it organized their supporters, many of whom had never been involved in such party processes before, to win twice as many pledged delegates as the Reilly campaign.
Patrick secured the nomination in the September primary, winning 49 percent of the vote in a three-way race and carrying every county in the state. In the general election, he faced Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey, a Republican, Christy Mihos, running as an Independent, and Grace Ross, of the Green-Rainbow Party.
On November 7, 2006, Patrick became the second elected African American state governor in United States history, the first being Virginia State Governor Douglas Wilder who was elected in 1989, and the third African American to serve as a United States state governor, the first being P. B. S. Pinchback, the Senate president pro tempore of Louisiana who ascended to the governorship of Louisiana after the death of Oscar Dunn in 1872.
[edit] Political views
- Patrick is in favor of preserving same-sex marriage because of the fundamental principle that "citizens come before their government as equals".[12][13] To stem controversy in the socially conservative black religious community, he has emphasized his priorities on finding solution to other issues important in Massachusetts, such as the murder rate, AIDS, and unemployment.[14]
- Patrick opposes the death penalty, saying that "the death penalty does not work. It hasn’t worked in actually deterring crime, and it won’t work for Massachusetts."[15][12] This position had put him at odds with ex-Lt. Governor Kerry Healey who wanted to "reinstate the death penalty for felons convicted of killing a law enforcement officer, judge, prosecutor or corrections officer."[16]
- Patrick was an early supporter of the Cape Wind energy project, at a time when prominent Massachusetts politicians from Mitt Romney to Ted Kennedy were working against it. His leadership on this issue was a key turning point in the early stage of the campaign, and tapped into the then-unknown widespread support held by over 70% of the state (according to recent opinion polls).[17]
- On health care reform, Patrick has called the new health insurance mandate an important first step that needs to be "implemented brilliantly", although far from the last word. He believes that the state needs to have a serious debate about moving towards single-payer health care.[18][19]
- Patrick is a proponent of stem cell research and was critical of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney for vetoing a stem cell bill. He proposes creating a bonding bill similar to California's recent path, and using it to invest in stem cell research at the University of Massachusetts, creating a simultaneous boost to the commonwealth's institutions of public higher education.[20]
- Patrick believes immigration is a federal issue and has supported the McCain-Kennedy plan to both tighten border control and create "pathway[s] to citizenship" for immigrants who have established lives in America.[21] On the state level, he supports increased enforcement of employment laws to crack down on employers taking advantage of illegal immigrants, and opposes discrimination on the basis of immigration status for providing state services, including such things as public housing, in-state tuition for public universities, and driver's licenses.[22] However, he has acknowledged it may be impossible to go forward on driver's licenses due to recent federal legislation.
[edit] A landslide election
Patrick received 56% of the vote in the four-way gubernatorial race. He finished 20 percentage points ahead of the second-place finisher, Kerry Healey. Patrick's margin of victory had long "coat-tails," increasing the Democratic party margin, already a supermajority, in both houses of The Great and General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the state's legislature.
[edit] The Patrick/Murray inauguration
Breaking with the tradition of being inaugurated in the House Chamber of the Massachusetts State House, Deval Patrick and Tim Murray took the oath of office, and Patrick delivered his inaugural address, outdoors on the West Portico of the State House facing Boston Common. This allowed a larger part of the public to witness and take part first hand in the event, and was intended to signal more open, transparent, and accessible government.[23] The governor-elect was facing the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial, just across Beacon Street, a memorial to the first African American regiment in the U.S. Civil War. He took his oath of office on the Mendi Bible, which was given to then-Congressman John Quincy Adams by the freed slaves from the ship La Amistad[24].
A series of regional inaugural balls, seven in all, were held to bring the inauguration to the citizens of the commonwealth. These celebrations took place on Cape Cod, in Worcester, Dartmouth, Pittsfield, and Boston.[25]
[edit] Administration as Governor of Massachusetts
[edit] The Patrick/Murray transition
Deval Patrick became the governor of Massachusetts on January 4, 2007. Before taking office, he named a transition team headed by lawyer Michael Angelini, bank executive Ronald Homer, and Weld administration economic affairs secretary Gloria Larson.[26] In his first meetings with the legislative leadership, he proposed his first action would be to hire 1000 new police officers and to expand full-day kindergarten statewide.[27]He has since scaled back his original proposal and will hire only 250 officers.[28] As part of the transition, Patrick created a series of working groups who held public meetings to advise him on various policy areas.[29] The groups included a few names prominent in the election: Harvard Pilgrim CEO Charles Baker on Budget & Finance, a Weld administration finance advisor who had been considered a potential GOP candidate for governor; Center of Women and Enterprise founder and candidate in the Lieutenant Governor's primary Andrea Silbert on Economic Development; and gubernatorial primary candidate Chris Gabrieli on PreK-12 Education.
[edit] Controversies
In the early months of Patrick's administration a series of decisions the governor later conceded as missteps have brought substantial unfavorable press. These include spending almost $11,000 on drapery for the governor's state house suite, changing the state's customary car lease from a Crown Victoria to a Cadillac, and hiring a staff assistant for the Commonwealth's first lady at an annual salary of almost $75,000. Emerging from a weekend of working on the state's budget and calling for cuts in services to taxpayers, Patrick responded in a February 20, 2007 press conference that "I realize I cannot in good conscience ask the agencies to make those choices without being willing to make them myself,"[30] In concession, Patrick has reimbursed the Commonwealth for the cost of the drapery and furniture purchased for the state house, and the additional monthly difference in his car lease. [31] First Lady Diane Patrick's staff assistant, Amy Gorin, has resigned. [32] Later in the same month Patrick again came under fire, this time for contacting Citigroup Executive Committee chair, and former Clinton Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin on behalf of the financially beleaguered mortgage company Ameriquest, a subsidiary of ACC Capital Holdings of which Patrick is a former board member. Both Citigroup and ACC Capital Holdings have substantial holdings in Massachusetts.[33] Patrick attempted to deflect criticism claiming he was calling not as governor but as a private citizen. Later Patrick backed down, stating "I appreciate that I should not have made the call. I regret the mistake."[34]
[edit] Cabinet
| The Patrick Cabinet | ||
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| OFFICE | NAME | TERM |
| Governor | Deval Patrick | 2007 – |
| Lt. Governor | Tim Murray | 2007 – |
| Secretaries | ||
| Health & Human Services | JudyAnn Bigby | 2007 – |
| Labor & Workforce Development | Suzanne Bump | 2007 – |
| Energy & Environmental Affairs | Ian Bowles | 2007 – |
| Public Safety | Kevin Burke | 2007 – |
| Elder Affairs | Jennifer Davis Carey | 2007 – |
| Transportation & Construction | Bernard Cohen | 2007 – |
| Veterans' Services | Thomas G. Kelley | 2007 – |
| Administration & Finance | Leslie Kirwan | 2007 – |
| Housing & Economic Development | Dan O'Connell | 2007 – |
| Special Advisors | ||
| Education | Dana Mohler-Faria | 2007 – |
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ It's Patrick in a romp The Boston Globe November 8, 2006
- ^ http://www.wargs.com/political/patrick.html
- ^ "Beating odds, a uniter rose from Chicago's tough side", The Boston Globe, May 24, 2006
- ^ "Patrick shaped by father's absence", The Boston Globe, March 25, 2007
- ^ ibid.
- ^ Candidate Profile: Deval Patrick Beating odds, a uniter rose from Chicago's tough side, The Boston Globe, May 24, 2006
- ^ A Better Chance Fall 2005 Newsletter, A Better Chance, October 30, 2006
- ^ Boston University Law School Commencement Address by Deval Patrick, May 22, 2005
Quote: "I even helped to write the anti-discrimination laws for the new government of South Africa." - ^ Prison demands ‘over the top’ - N.Y. jail boss details ‘aggressive’ hounding by gov hopeful Boston Herald October 12, 2006.
- ^ Gay Rights Advocates Question Patrick: Domestic Partnerships at Issue The Boston Globe, August 18, 2006
- ^ Reilly Seizes on Patrick's Tie to Lender The Boston Globe, April 22, 2006
- ^ a b Address to SEIU Local 509 Annual Convention at the Wyndham Hotel, Westborough, Massachusetts on October 29, 2005 DevalPatrick.com
- ^ Healey backs proposed constitutional ban on gay marriage Boston Globe November 19, 2005
- ^ Patrick, at pulpit, lists his priorities
- ^ Deval Patrick Press release on the Death Penalty June 28, 2005
- ^ Tough, Smart Solution to Change Massachusetts Section 23 Kerry Healey campaign website September 20, 2006
- ^ State House News Poll May 22, 2006
- ^ Transcript of the Debate in Springfield The Boston Globe, October 4, 2006
- ^ Live Video of Debate on Healthcare NECN, October 4, 2006
- ^ Gubernatorial debate transcript The Boston Globe, October 4, 2006
- ^ Illegal Immigration Issue Enters Governor's Race Keller@Large Blog, CBS4 Boston, September 24, 2006
- ^ Sharp differences between Healey, Patrick on illegal immigration Boston Globe September 23, 2006
- ^ review cool to inaugural speech plan The Boston Globe, December 14, 2006
- ^ Patrick to take oath on bible The Boston Globe, January 2, 2007
- ^ Gov. Elect Deval Patrick To Hold 7 Inaugural Balls CBS4 Boston, December 6, 2006
- ^ Patrick picks team leaders The Boston Globe, November 11, 2006
- ^ Patrick will seek $120m for changes The Boston Globe, November 12, 2006
- ^ Gov. plans budget cuts instead of new taxes
- ^ DEVAL PATRICK/TIM MURRAY ANNOUNCE TRANSITION WORKING GROUPS AND MEMBERS press release from November 22, 2006
- ^ Frank Phillips and Andrea Estes. [http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/02/21/patrick_to_repay_taxpayers_for_decor/ "Patrick to repay taxpayers for decor $10,000 spent for drapes; governor to offset car costs'"] The Boston Globe, February 21, 2007), retrieved March 17, 2007.
- ^ Frank Phillips and Andrea Estes. [http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/02/21/patrick_to_repay_taxpayers_for_decor/ "Patrick to repay taxpayers for decor $10,000 spent for drapes; governor to offset car costs'"] The Boston Globe, February 21, 2007) retrieved March 17, 2007.
- ^ Frank Phillips. "Patrick moves to shore up his staff" The Boston Globe, March 16, 2007) retrieved March 19, 2007.
- ^ Martha Bebinger. "Patrick's Bad Call'" WBUR, March 7, 2007) retrieved March 17, 2007.
- ^ Martha Bebinger. "Patrick's Bad Call'" WBUR, March 7, 2007) retrieved March 17, 2007.
[edit] External link
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- Governor of Massachusetts Deval Patrick official state site
- Patrick/Murray Transition Team Website
- Follow the Money - Deval L Patrick 2006 campaign contributions
- National Governors Association - Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick biography
- On the Issues - Deval Patrick issue positions and quotes
- Project Vote Smart - Governor Deval L. Patrick (MA) profile
- Deval Patrick for Governor official campaign site
Articles
- Deval Patrick TV internet TV
- Transcript of Deval Patrick's acceptance speech - The Boston Globe
- Patrick's path from courtroom to boardroom - The Boston Globe
- Killer Coke: Deval Patrick Exposed - criticism of Deval Patrick
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Shannon O'Brien |
Massachusetts Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate 2006 (won) |
Succeeded by TBD |
| Preceded by Mitt Romney |
Governor of Massachusetts January 4, 2007 — present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
Categories: Current events | 1956 births | African American Governors | Assistant Attorneys General of the United States | African American lawyers | Governors of Massachusetts | Living people | People from Chicago | American Presbyterians | Presbyterian politicians | Milton Academy alumni | Harvard University alumni | Harvard Law School alumni
