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John F. Tierney

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For other people named John Tierney, see John Tierney (disambiguation).
John F. Tierney
John F. Tierney in 2009.
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Massachusetts's 6th district
Assumed office
January 3, 1997
Preceded byPeter Torkildsen
Personal details
Political partyDemocratic
SpousePatrice Tierney
ResidenceSalem, Massachusetts
Alma materSalem State College, Suffolk University
OccupationAttorney

John F. Tierney (born September 18, 1951) is the United States representative for Massachusetts's 6th congressional district. He is a member of the Democratic Party and an advocate for liberal policies and government oversight. A former attorney, he has served since 1997.

Born and raised in Salem, Massachusetts, Tierney graduated from Salem State College and earned his law degree from Suffolk University Law School. He co-founded the community law firm Tierney, Kalis, & Lucas in 1981 and served on the Salem Chamber of Commerce from 1976 to 1997. Tierney first ran for the House of Representatives in 1994 against Republican incumbent Peter G. Torkildsen, losing by a small margin. He defeated in Torkildsen by a small margin in 1996, and was sworn in as a U.S. representative in 1997. His district, located in northeastern Massachusetts, contains most of Essex County, including the North Shore and Cape Ann.

As a liberal member of Congress, Tierney has voted in line with the other Democratic representatives from Massachusetts. He sits on the House Committee on Education and Labor, where his priorities include green energy and increased college access. He coauthored several pieces of legislation, including the Green Jobs Act of 2007 and College Affordability and Accountability Act of 2008. He sits on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and is the former chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs. On this committee he helped establish the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan and chaired a hearing over scandalous conditions at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Since 1996 Tierney has won re-election in each term by a comfortable margin, although he faced a challenge in 2010 after his wife Patrice was convicted of felony tax fraud.

Early life, education and career

John F. Tierney was born September 18, 1951, in Salem, Massachusetts. His mother, Doris H. (Gelineau) Tierney, was a Salem native who worked a split shift at the New England Telephone Company, where she remained for 42 years. His father, Albert R. Tierney, was a bookkeeper for Nabisco and a local fuel company.[1][2] Tierney was one of three children, along with his brother Michael A. and sister Catherine.[2] He moved with his family to his grandmother's home when he was five years old. He began working at the Kernwood Country Club in Salem as a caddy when he was eight and soon adopted a paper route.[3] He later attended Salem High School. When he was young, Tierney campaigned for his uncle, a Peabody ward councilor, and he ascribes his political interest in part to this experience.[4][5]

Tierney attended Salem State College, majoring in political science. While in college he performed work study, while also stocking shelves at a grocery store, working in sales at a clothing store, and performing deliveries. For three years he was president of his class, and his final year he served as president of the Salem State Student Government Association (SGA). As SGA president he responded to racial incidents on campus by organizing a schoolwide meeting leading to several days of discussion. He graduated in 1973, and returned in 2009 to give a commencement address, receiving an honorary degree.[3]

While working as a law office clerk and a State House janitor, Tierney attended Suffolk University Law School.[3] He graduated with a J.D. in 1976, and was admitted to the Massachusetts bar. He worked as a solo practitioner until 1981, when he became a partner at the North Shore community law firm Tierney, Kalis, & Lucas. He remained at the firm until taking office in 1997. Tierney served on the Salem Chamber of Commerce from 1976 to 1997, becoming the organization's president in 1995.[6]

U.S. House of Representatives

The 6nd congressional district of Massachusetts, which Tierney has represented since 1997.
The 6nd congressional district of Massachusetts, which Tierney has represented since 1997.

The sixth congressional district of Massachusetts in the 109th Congress.

House committee assignments (112th Congress)

Tierney first ran for Congress in 1994 against one-term Republican incumbent Peter G. Torkildsen, having won a competitive Democratic primary with a plurality of 33.8 percent.[9] He ran on a platform promoting a stronger federal focus on drug abuse, federal aid to promote after-school programs, consideration of means testing for Social Security, and single-payer health care.[4][10] A primary issue in the campaign was crime: Tierney criticized Torkildsen for his vote against a 1994 crime bill, and advocated stronger gun control, while Torkildsen criticized Tierney's positions on gun control and drug legalization. Tierney was defeated in the general election by four percentage points.[5][11] Tierney successfully ran for Congress in 1996, defeating Torkildsen by a narrow margin and increasing his margin in a 1998 rematch.[12][13]

Over the next five elections he faced Republican challengers Paul McCarthy, Mark C. Smith, Stephen P. O'Malley, Jr., Richard W. Barton, and Richard A. Baker, respectively, winning 64 to 68 percent of the vote each time.[12][13] In the 2010 congressional election he defeated Republican candidate Bill Hudak with 57 percent of the vote.[14]

Tierney, described as "an unwavering liberal" by CQ's Politics in America, has consistently high approval ratings from Democratic and liberal interest groups such as Americans for Democratic Action and low approval ratings from conservative groups such as the American Conservative Union. His votes have been closely aligned with the other nine Democratic representatives from his state.[15] Described as "a favorite of the House Democratic leadership,"[16] he maintains a close relationship with House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi. Her daughter Christine Pelosi served as his chief of staff from 2001 to 2005.[15] Tierney was speculated as a candidate to succeed United States Senator Ted Kennedy in a special election after Kennedy's death in 2009, but he decided against a run.[16] Washington paper The Hill has published speculation that Tierney, with a $1.3 million war chest, is a likely candidate to run against Kennedy's successor Scott Brown in the 2012 election.[17]

Economy and budget

On the House Committee on Education and Labor, Tierney has been an advocate for green jobs. He and Rep. Hilda Solis coauthored the Green Jobs Act of 2007, which allocated $125 million to green jobs training. The bill was incorporated into the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 and signed into law.[15][18] Tierney was initially opposed to the Troubled Asset Relief Program proposal of 2008. He ultimately voted for the bill, saying, "The state of panic in the markets compels Congress to act."[15]

Domestic policy

Tierney is a supporter of universal health care.[15] In early 2010, Tierney came under fire from some in his district for his support of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.[19] Tierney created the Emergency Retiree Health Benefits Protection Act, which prohibits companies from curtailing promised retirement benefits.

Congressman John Tierney speaks at an Olympic Dream for Darfur torch relay event in Boston, Massachusetts, in October 2007.

On the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness, Tierney has worked to improve higher education accessibility. He recently co-authored the College Affordability and Accountability Act, which attempts to lower college tuition rates. The House included several of his proposals in the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, one which prevented states from cutting education funding as federal aid increased, and one which forgave federal loans for students who went into some public service professions.[15]

Throughout his career, Tierney has repeatedly introduced a bill called "Clean Money, Clean Elections", which would create a national, publicly financed clean elections system. With little support in Congress, the proposal has been unsuccessful.[15]

Foreign policy

Tierney had an active role in congressional oversight of U.S. foreign policy when his party held the majority. He was a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs during the 110th and 111th Congresses. Tierney introduced the 2007 House legislation that created the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan to study government contracting related to the Afghanistan War and the Iraq War.[15][20] The same year Tierney chaired a congressional hearing over conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The center had been criticized in the press for its dilapidated conditions and inadequate care, as well as for prioritizing a "VIP ward" for non-soldiers.[21][22] During House debate on the National Defense Authorization Act of 2009, In the State Department foreign operations appropriations bill of 2008, the House approved Tierney's amendment to direct $75,000,000 to secular school construction in Pakistan to compete against Islamic madrassas.[23][15]

Tierney is a critic of U.S. investment in missile defense, and has called for large budget cuts to the Missile Defense Agency.[24] He introduced an amendment to redirect $966 million in funding from missile defense systems to other initiatives such as nuclear non-proliferation. The proposal, opposed by Armed Services Committee leaders as "going too far", was rejected in a House vote.[25][15]

Personal life

Tierney dated Patrice M. (Eremian) Chew of Marblehead throughout his 1996 campaign.[26] They married in a small ceremony in April 1997,[27] and now live in Salem, where Patrice works as a jewelry designer.[28] Tierney has three stepchildren from his wife's first marriage.[26] In June 2000, Tierney's stepson John Chew was arrested when about 25 grams (0.9 oz) of cocaine and $1,000 in cash were found in his Marblehead apartment.[29][27]

Wife's tax fraud conviction

In August 2010, Patrice Tierney's brothers Robert and Daniel Eremian were federally indicted for operating an illegal internet gambling business.[30][26] Robert had allegedly, with Daniel's help, operated the business out of St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda, and funneled a portion of the profits into a Bank of America account in Massachusetts. In October 2010, Patrice was charged in U.S. District Court to four counts of "four counts of aiding and abetting the filing of false tax returns by her brother, Robert."[26] John F. Tierney, in a statement, announced his wife's intention to plead guilty, stating that Patrice accepted "full responsibility for being 'willfully blind' to what her brother was doing."[26] "While devastated to learn that her brother might have deceived her and so many others, Patrice has acknowledged and agreed that she should have done more to personally investigate the true nature of Mr. Eremian's business activities in the course of carrying out his requests in paying his children's household expenses, family medical bills, and his personal bills and taxes from a checking account in which he deposited funds."[26] Patrice pled guilty on October 6, 2010,[31] and was later sentenced to 30 days in prison followed by five months of house arrest on January 13, 2011.[32] The conviction bolstered the campaign of Bill Hudak, Tierney's Republican opponent in the November 2010 election, but Tierney was still re-elected.[33][34][35]

Electoral history

Massachusetts's 6th congressional district elections, 1994–2010[12][13][14]
Democratic candidate Republican candidate Independent candidate*
colspan="3" style="line-height: 0.1; background-color: Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color" |   colspan="3" style="line-height: 0.1; background-color: Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color" |    
Year Name Votes % Name Votes % Name Party Votes %
1994 John F. Tierney 113,481 47.4% Peter G. Torkildsen 120,952 50.5% Benjamin A. Gatchell Independent 4,960 2.1%
1996 John F. Tierney 133,002 49.3% Peter G. Torkildsen 132,642 49.2% Martin J. McNulty Independent 4,195 1.6%
1998 John F. Tierney 117,132 54.6% Peter G. Torkildsen 90,986 42.4% Randal C. Fritz Independent 6,544 3.0%
2000 John F. Tierney 205,324 71.1% Paul McCarthy 83,501 28.9% None
2002 John F. Tierney 162,900 68.3% Mark C. Smith 75,462 31.7% None
2004 John F. Tierney 213,458 70.0% Stephen P. O'Malley, Jr. 91,597 30.0% None
2006 John F. Tierney 168,056 69.7% Richard W. Barton 72,997 30.3% None
2008 John F. Tierney 226,216 70.5% Richard A. Baker 94,845 29.5% None
2010 John F. Tierney 142,456 56.9% Bill Hudak 107,739 43.1% None

* Independent candidates that ranked fourth or lower are not listed.

References

General biographies

Footnotes

  1. ^ Tierney 2010.
  2. ^ a b "Doris H. Tierney." Obituary. The Salem News. September 26, 2008. Retrieved September 11, 2010.
  3. ^ a b c Liscio, David; Edwards, Susan (Fall 2009). "Educated locally; leading nationally". Salem Statement (Salem State College): pp. 24–25. Retrieved July 3, 2010.
  4. ^ a b "House of Representatives." The Boston Globe: p. S4. October 31, 1994.
  5. ^ a b CQ Staff (January 4, 1997). "John F. Tierney, D-Mass (6)." CQ Weekly: p. 66.
  6. ^ Alston, Carter & Randolph 2009.
  7. ^ "Members, Subcommittees and Jurisdictions." United States House Committee on Education and the Workforce. Retrieved January 26, 2011.
  8. ^ "About the Oversight Committee." United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Retrieved January 26, 2011.
  9. ^ CQ Staff (September 24, 1997). "Sept. 20 Massachusetts Primary." CQ Weekly: p. 2727.
  10. ^ "Primary choices for Congress." The Boston Globe: p. A18. September 12, 1994.
  11. ^ Gruenwald, Juliana (October 22, 1994). "Special Elections Report: Massachusetts." CQ Weekly: p. 3027.
  12. ^ a b c "Office of the House Clerk – Electoral Statistics". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. pp. 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
  13. ^ a b c "Election Results". Federal Election Commission. pp. 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
  14. ^ a b "US House - 6th Massachusetts - Campaign 2010". Boston.com. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j McCutcheon & Lyons 2009.
  16. ^ a b Allen, Jonathan (September 14, 2009). "Tierney a no-go for Kennedy's Massachusetts seat." The Eye. CQ Politics. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
  17. ^ Rushin, J. Taylor (August 19, 2010). "Eyeing Sen. Scott Brown in 2012, Mass. Democrats building up war chests." The Hill. Washington, D.C.. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
  18. ^ "Good, Green Jobs (Green Jobs Act)." Green Jobs. Sierra Club. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
  19. ^ http://www.eagletribune.com/archivesearch/local_story_085214717.html
  20. ^ "Background." Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Retrieved September 5, 2010.
  21. ^ Abramowitz, Michael; Vogel, Steve (March 6, 2007). "Apologies, anger at Walter Reed hearing." The Washington Post. Retrieved September 8, 2010.
  22. ^ Hendren, John (March 16, 2007). "Congress investigates Walter Reed's 'VIP' ward." ABC News. Retrieved September 8, 2010.
  23. ^ Liscio, David (June 22, 2007). "House OKs Tierney Pakistan school funds." The Daily Item. Retrieved September 11, 2010.
  24. ^ DiMascio, Jen (May 5, 2008). "Missile accomplished." Politico. Retrieved September 14, 2010.
  25. ^ Donnelly, John M. (May 22, 2008). "House defies White House veto threat, passes defense authorization bill." CQ Today. CQ Politics. Archived from the original on May 26, 2008. Retrieved January 26, 2011.
  26. ^ a b c d e f Murphy, Shelley; Viser, Matt (October 5, 2010). "Congressman Tierney's wife to plead guilty to tax charges." The Boston Globe. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
  27. ^ a b Richardson, Franci (June 6, 2000). "Tierney's stepson nabbed on drug charge." The Boston Herald.
  28. ^ Sweet, Laurel J. (October 6, 2010). "Tierney's wife pleads guilty to tax charges in gambling racket." The Boston Herald. Retrieved October 8, 2010.
  29. ^ "Rep. Tierney's stepson arrested." The Boston Globe: p. B5. June 6, 2000.
  30. ^ Andersen, Travis (August 6, 2010). "3 more men indicted in gambling business." The Boston Globe: p. B4.
  31. ^ Ebbert, Stephanie (October 6, 2010). "Congressman Tierney's wife convicted in federal tax fraud case." The Boston Globe. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
  32. ^ Ebbert, Stephanie (January 13, 2011). "Congressman Tierney's wife gets 30 days in jail for tax fraud." The Boston Globe. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  33. ^ Sweet, Laurel J. (October 7, 2010). "Tierney tax flap 'shakes up' race." The Boston Herald: p. 6. Retrieved December 5, 2010.
  34. ^ Laidler, John (October 31, 2010). "Hopefuls racing to finish line." The Boston Globe. Retrieved December 5, 2010.
  35. ^ Bierman, Noah (November 3, 2010). "Republicans’ revolution fades in Massachusetts." The Boston Globe. Retrieved December 5, 2010.

External links

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Massachusetts's 6th congressional district
January 3, 1997 – present 		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States Representatives by seniority
139th 		Succeeded by

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