Martha Coakley: Difference between revisions
updated martha coakley and national federation of the blind as well as Mass. vs. EPA and the Big Dig |
Many things are wrong here. Coakley refused the Menino investigation as Attorney General, not as a candidate. The last part is speculation based on one source and does not belong in a biography. |
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== Personal life == |
== Personal life == |
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Coakley was born in [[Pittsfield, Massachusetts]] to Edward J. and Phillys E. Coakley ([[née]] Laffey).<ref name=1979_bar_app/> A year later, she moved, with her parents to [[North Adams, Massachusetts|North Adams]]. There, Coakley attended [[St. Joseph's School |St. Joseph's School]] and [[Drury High School]], graduating from the latter in June, 1971.<ref name=1979_bar_app/> Coakley currently resides in [[Medford, Massachusetts|Medford]]. She is married to Thomas F. O'Connor, Jr. |
Coakley was born in [[Pittsfield, Massachusetts]] to Edward J. and Phillys E. Coakley ([[née]] Laffey).<ref name=1979_bar_app/> A year later, she moved, with her parents to [[North Adams, Massachusetts|North Adams]]. There, Coakley attended [[St. Joseph's School |St. Joseph's School]] and [[Drury High School]], graduating from the latter in June, 1971.<ref name=1979_bar_app/> Coakley currently resides in [[Medford, Massachusetts|Medford]]. She is married to Thomas F. O'Connor, Jr. |
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== Controversy == |
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As a declared candidate to run in a special election to succeed the late [[Ted Kennedy|Edward M. Kennedy]] in the [[United States Senate]] in the [[United States Senate special election in Massachusetts, 2010|special election in 2010]].<ref>{{Cite web | work=[[Huffington Post]] | url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/01/martha-coakley-seeking-ke_n_273858.html | title=Martha Coakley To Seek Kennedy's Senate Seat (AP)}}</ref> Coakley has refused to investigate Thomas M. Menino, Mayor of Boston, and his office for violating laws in regards to destruction of public e-mail records. Many speculate this is in an effort to receive Menino's endorsement for Senator, which could persuade Boston and Massachusetts voters. Coakley denies all accusations of misconduct.<ref>{{Cite web | work=[[Boston Herald]] | url=http://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/20090916martha_coakley_cyber-steps_menino_controversy/srvc=home&position=0 | title=Martha Coakley Cyber-steps Menino Controversy}}</ref> |
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== Early career == |
== Early career == |
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Coakley received a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]], ''cum laude'' from [[Williams College]] in 1975. She received a [[Juris Doctor|J.D.]] from [[Boston University School of Law]] in 1979. |
Coakley received a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]], ''cum laude'' from [[Williams College]] in 1975. She received a [[Juris Doctor|J.D.]] from [[Boston University School of Law]] in 1979. |
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Revision as of 15:48, 28 September 2009
Martha Mary Coakley | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 46th Massachusetts Attorney General | |
| Assumed office January 17, 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas Reilly |
| Personal details | |
| Born | alma-materWilliams College July 14, 1953 Pittsfield, Massachusetts[1] |
| Died | alma-materWilliams College |
| Resting place | alma-materWilliams College |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Thomas F O'Connor Jr. |
| Parent |
|
| Residence(s) | Medford, Massachusetts |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Martha Mary Coakley[1] (born July 14, 1953) is the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and a candidate in the special election to fill the Class 1 seat in the United States Senate made vacant by the death of Senator Ted Kennedy.[2] Prior to serving as Attorney General, she was District Attorney of Middlesex County, Massachusetts from 1999 to 2007.
Personal life
Coakley was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts to Edward J. and Phillys E. Coakley (née Laffey).[1] A year later, she moved, with her parents to North Adams. There, Coakley attended St. Joseph's School and Drury High School, graduating from the latter in June, 1971.[1] Coakley currently resides in Medford. She is married to Thomas F. O'Connor, Jr.
Early career
Coakley received a B.A., cum laude from Williams College in 1975. She received a J.D. from Boston University School of Law in 1979.
In the summer of 1978, while a law student, Coakley clerked for the law firm of Donovan and O'Connor of Adams, Massachusetts.[1] After graduating from law school Coakley began work as an associate at the law firm of Parker, Coulter, Daley & White, and later practiced at Goodwin Procter — both in Boston, Massachusetts.
Assistant District Attorney
She joined the DA's office in 1986 as an Assistant District Attorney in the Lowell, Massachusetts District Court office. A year later, she was invited by the U.S. Justice Department to join its Boston Organized Crime Strike Force as a Special Attorney. Coakley returned to the District Attorney’s Office in 1989 and was appointed the Chief of the Child Abuse Prosecution Unit two years later.
District Attorney
In December 1997, Coakley resigned her position to campaign for District Attorney in the 54 cities and towns of Middlesex County. During her term as District Attorney, Coakley was recognized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the Massachusetts School of Law and the Frank J. Murray Inn of Court. [citation needed]
In November 2000, the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts honored Coakley with its coveted Leila J. Robinson Award for her contributions to the field of law. In June 2002—the year she was President of the Massachusetts District Attorney's Association—the YWCA Boston selected her as a member of its Academy of Women Achievers Class of 2002. [citation needed]
In 2004, she received the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce’s Pinnacle Award for Excellence in Management in Government. She also received the Eleanor Roosevelt Award from the Massachusetts Democratic Party in 2006. A former president of the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts, she has served on the Board of Directors at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc.[citation needed]
Attorney General
Coakley was elected Attorney General in the 2006 general election as a Democrat, defeating Republican Larry Frisoli with 73% of the vote. She was sworn in on January 17, 2007. Coakley is the first woman to serve as Attorney General in Massachusetts.
During the Aqua Teen Hunger Force bomb scare in January 2007, Coakley was widely quoted in the press defending the reaction of Boston's emergency services.[3] Small electronic signs advertising a cartoon had been mistaken for bombs; Massachusetts authorities halted traffic on two bridges and closed the Charles River before realizing the signs were harmless. Coakley defended the precautions because the LED signs had looked suspicious: "It had a very sinister appearance, it had a battery behind it, and wires." [4]
Attempts to prosecute the two men responsible for installing the LED advertisements ultimately failed. Coakley cited the difficulty in proving intent to incite panic on the part of the two men. Both received community service sentencing and apologized publicly.[5]
Coakley successfully defended the Massachusetts' "buffer zone" law before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit on July 8, 2008. The law, signed by Governor Deval Patrick on November 13, 2007, created a 35-foot buffer around entrances and driveways of reproductive health care facilities.[6] In May 2007, Coakley testified before the Massachusetts State Legislature in support of the passage of the legislation.[7]
In September 2008, Coakley worked in conjunction with Apple Inc. and the National Federation of the Blind to redesign the popular iTunes and iTunes U software, making it more accessible for blind people to use.[8]
On February 5, 2009, Coakley led an 18 state coalition, as well as the Corporation Counsel for the City of New York and the City Solicitor of Baltimore, urging the Environmental Protection Agency to take action in response to the 2007 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Massachusetts v. EPA. Though the Supreme Court ruled that the EPA did have the authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, the Agency had yet to make an official decision on whether it believes that greenhouse gas emissions pose dangers to public health or welfare.[9]
Coakley inherited litigation of the fatal 2006 Big Dig ceiling collapse from outgoing Attorney General Tom Reily in 2007. On March 26, 2009 she settled the final lawsuit pertaining to the incident. "Since taking office two years ago, it has been one of my priorities to resolve all matters related to the Big Dig ceiling collapse in a manner that was fair and just for the Commonwealth, and for the loved ones of Milena Del Valle who so tragically lost her life almost three years ago. We believe that we have achieved that goal," Coakley stated in a press release. Through eight lawsuits attached to the incident, Coakley's office recovered $610.625 million on behalf of the State of Massachusetts.[10]
On July 8, 2009, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley filed a suit, Commonwealth v. United States Department of Health and Human Services, challenging the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act. The suit claims that Congress "overstepped its authority, undermined states' efforts to recognize marriages between same-sex couples, and codified an animus towards gay and lesbian people."[11] Massachusetts is the first state to challenge the legislation.
In 2009, Coakley won settlements of $60 million from Goldman Sachs [12] and $10 million from Fremont Investment & Loan [13] for their abuse of subprime loans and lending. In a press conference concerning the settlements Coakley stated, "Our office has sought accountability at all levels of the subprime lending crisis... We will continue to investigate the deceptive marketing of unfair loans and the companies that facilitated the sale of those loans to consumers in the Commonwealth.”
United States Senate campaign
On September 1, 2009, Coakley was the first candidate to take out nomination papers to run in a special election to succeed the late Edward M. Kennedy in the United States Senate in the special election in 2010.[14] Two days later, on September 3, Coakley officially announced her candidacy on her website. [15]
References
- ^ a b c d e Martha Coakley's 1979 bar application
- ^ http://www3.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO123483/
- ^ Andrew Kantor (2007-02-16). "Silly fear of technology must be overcome". USA Today. Retrieved 2009-09-13.
- ^ http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/01/boston.bombscare/
- ^ Associated Press (2007-05-11). "Pair Charged In Marketing Stunt Reach Plea Deal". WBZTV.com. CBS Broadcasting. Retrieved 2007-12-19.
- ^ Wangsness, Lisa. (November 14, 2007). "New law expands abortion buffer zone" The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 23, 2009.
- ^ Estes, Andrea. (May 17, 2007). "A move to expand buffers at clinics" The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 23, 2009.
- ^ Bray, Hiawatha (September 27, 2008). "Coakley, Apple agree on iTunes access for blind" The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
- ^ McConville, Christine (February 5, 2009). "AG urges EPA to regulate greenhouse gases" The Boston Herald. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
- ^ Globe Staff (March 26, 2009). "With two final settlements, Big Dig tunnel litigation ends" The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
- ^ Finucane, Martin (2009-07-08). "Mass. challenges federal Defense of Marriage Act". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2009-07-08.
- ^ McKim, Jenifer B. (May 11, 2009). "State reaches $60m subprime deal with Goldman Sachs" The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 23, 2009.
- ^ Boston Globe Business Team. (June 9, 2009). http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2009/06/coakley_reaches.html/ Coakley reaches settlement in subprime case]" The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 23, 2009.
- ^ "Martha Coakley To Seek Kennedy's Senate Seat (AP)". Huffington Post.
- ^ "Martha Coakley Announces Her Candidacy for US Senate".
External links
Statewide government officials of Massachusetts | ||
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| U.S. senators |  | |
| State government | ||
| State Senate |
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| State House |
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| Supreme Judicial Court |
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