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| ] since ], | ] since ], | ||
| representing the 5th District of ] (). He was born in | representing the 5th District of ] (). He was born in | ||
| ], the oldest son in a family of seven children. He grew up in a working class neighborhood and attended Lowell public schools. He attended college at the ] and earned J.D. and M.P.A. degrees from ]. | |||
| ], | |||
| was educated at the ] and ] and was a lawyer, a staff member for Representative ], head research analyst, joint committee on election laws, ], director, public affairs for the Massachusetts Secretary of State, and Massachusetts Deputy Secretary of State before entering the House. | |||
| Meehan first ran for Congress in 1992 on a platform of reform. As part of that platform Meehan made a pledge to not serve more than four terms a central part of his campaign. He won the 1992 election and was re-elected to Congress every two years since, including the latest election (2004). In the year 2000 when the Congressman ran for Congress, breaking his 1992 pledge, he called it a disservice to his constituents who continued to want him to be their Congressman. This breaking of the pledge has been a controversial issue in the 5th Congressional district of Massachusetts. | |||
| Meehan developed a reputation as a tough law enforcer as the Massachusetts Deputy Secretary of State for Securities and Corporations from 1986 to 1990. The Boston Globe reported, "During Meehan's four years as Deputy Secretary, the Securities Division went from being a frequent embarrassment to gaining a national reputation as hard-hitting and activist." The Boston Herald credited him with "changing the state securities and corporations division from what some called a nest of political influence into one of the nation's leading state securities investigators." | |||
| Congressman Meehan is a champion of campaign finance reform, in fact being one of the lead sponsors of the Shays-Meehan-McCain-Feingold ]. Interestingly Congressman Meehan has one of the largest war-chests of all sitting Congressman. Some believe that this war-chest has become an obstacle to those wishing to challenge the sitting Congressman. | |||
| Subsequently, Meehan was the First Assistant District Attorney of Middlesex County, supervising an office widely respected for aggressive prosecution of child abuse, domestic violence and other violent crimes. Meehan supervised more than 150 people, including 80 prosecutors, and he established an innovative "priority prosecution" policy targeting hardened criminals. | |||
| Meehan was elected to Congress in 1992 on a plan to eliminate the deficit. His fiscally responsible voting record since then has earned him praise from citizen watchdog groups. He was re-elected by a large margin in 2004. | |||
| Meehan earned a national attention as a champion of campaign finance reform and one of the principal authors of the Shays-Meehan-McCain-Feingold ]. With Senators John McCain and Russ Feingold and Congressman Christopher Shays, Meehan led a seven year fight to ban unlimited donations, commonly known as soft money. The legislation, called the “Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act,” has been endorsed by Common Cause, the League of Women Voters, the American Association of Retired Persons, and other public interest organizations, as well as newspaper editorial boards across the country. | |||
| Meehan is also known nationally as one of the tobacco industry’s toughest critics. In December of 1994, he authored a 111-page prosecution memorandum outlining, for the first time, criminal violations by tobacco companies and their executives. His memo served as the foundation for many of the U.S. Justice Department’s investigations into and litigation against Big Tobacco. | |||
| Meehan has been a vocal critic of the Bush Administration's handling of the war in Iraq. After traveling to Iraq in January of 2005, Meehan published a 20-page white paper proposing a responsible exit strategy for U.S. forces, a position he continues to advocate. | |||
| In Congress, Meehan has been a tireless advocate for economic development in Massachusetts. Using public money to leverage private investment for smart, sustainable growth has been a winning formula through Meehan's district from Lowell to Lawrence to Haverhill. Meehan spearheaded the redevelopment of the closed Fort Devens Army Base, obtained resources needed to help workers displaced by the Malden Mills fire in Lawrence, and helped obtain millions in federal grants for the redevelopment efforts in Lowell. | |||
| Meehan and his wife, Ellen, a Vice President at Lawrence General Hospital, are the parents of two young sons, Robert Francis and Daniel Martin. | |||
| Commentators have speculated that Meehan may use his warchest in a future bid to run for the ] seat likely to be vacated by a retiring ]. Meehan has neither confirmed nor denied such assertions. | |||
| ==External link== | ==External link== | ||
Revision as of 19:54, 18 July 2005
Martin Thomas Meehan (born December 30 1956), American politician, has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing the 5th District of Massachusetts (map). He was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, the oldest son in a family of seven children. He grew up in a working class neighborhood and attended Lowell public schools. He attended college at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and earned J.D. and M.P.A. degrees from Suffolk University.
Meehan developed a reputation as a tough law enforcer as the Massachusetts Deputy Secretary of State for Securities and Corporations from 1986 to 1990. The Boston Globe reported, "During Meehan's four years as Deputy Secretary, the Securities Division went from being a frequent embarrassment to gaining a national reputation as hard-hitting and activist." The Boston Herald credited him with "changing the state securities and corporations division from what some called a nest of political influence into one of the nation's leading state securities investigators."
Subsequently, Meehan was the First Assistant District Attorney of Middlesex County, supervising an office widely respected for aggressive prosecution of child abuse, domestic violence and other violent crimes. Meehan supervised more than 150 people, including 80 prosecutors, and he established an innovative "priority prosecution" policy targeting hardened criminals.
Meehan was elected to Congress in 1992 on a plan to eliminate the deficit. His fiscally responsible voting record since then has earned him praise from citizen watchdog groups. He was re-elected by a large margin in 2004.
Meehan earned a national attention as a champion of campaign finance reform and one of the principal authors of the Shays-Meehan-McCain-Feingold Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act. With Senators John McCain and Russ Feingold and Congressman Christopher Shays, Meehan led a seven year fight to ban unlimited donations, commonly known as soft money. The legislation, called the “Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act,” has been endorsed by Common Cause, the League of Women Voters, the American Association of Retired Persons, and other public interest organizations, as well as newspaper editorial boards across the country.
Meehan is also known nationally as one of the tobacco industry’s toughest critics. In December of 1994, he authored a 111-page prosecution memorandum outlining, for the first time, criminal violations by tobacco companies and their executives. His memo served as the foundation for many of the U.S. Justice Department’s investigations into and litigation against Big Tobacco.
Meehan has been a vocal critic of the Bush Administration's handling of the war in Iraq. After traveling to Iraq in January of 2005, Meehan published a 20-page white paper proposing a responsible exit strategy for U.S. forces, a position he continues to advocate.
In Congress, Meehan has been a tireless advocate for economic development in Massachusetts. Using public money to leverage private investment for smart, sustainable growth has been a winning formula through Meehan's district from Lowell to Lawrence to Haverhill. Meehan spearheaded the redevelopment of the closed Fort Devens Army Base, obtained resources needed to help workers displaced by the Malden Mills fire in Lawrence, and helped obtain millions in federal grants for the redevelopment efforts in Lowell.
Meehan and his wife, Ellen, a Vice President at Lawrence General Hospital, are the parents of two young sons, Robert Francis and Daniel Martin.
External link
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| Massachusetts's current delegation to the United States Congress | |
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| Senators |
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| Representatives (ordered by district) |
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