- David E. Harrison
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David Eldridge Harrison (born June 19, 1933 in Boston, Massachusetts) is a former American politician, lobbyist, and judge who served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and as Chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party.
Contents
Political career
Harrison was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1963 to 1971, representing the 16th Essex District from 1963 to 1965[1] and the 1st Essex District from 1965 to 1971.[2]
On December 7, 1968, Harrison was unanimously elected Chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party.[3] He stepped down as Chairman in May 1971 after an attempt to solve the committee's heavy debt.[4]
Following his departure from the House, Harrison worked as a lobbyist on Beacon Hill. In 1972 he was the highest paid lobbyist at the Massachusetts State House.[5]
During the 1972 United States Presidential Election, Harrison served as George McGovern's New England Campaign Coordinator.[5]
Judicial career
Harrison was sworn in as a district court judge on July 27, 1988.[6] He served in the Lowell District Court[7] and later was the First Justice of the Gloucester District Court.[8]
Resignation
Harrison resigned from the bench in 2006 after the Office of Bar Counsel filed a petition for discipline against him. The petition alleged that Harrison had interfered with the Commission on Judicial Conduct's inquiry of him and that he had assisted a Commission member and another judge in violating the laws protecting the confidentiality of the Commission’s proceedings.[9]
In 1999, the Commission on Judicial Conduct investigated Harrison's conduct during a zoning board hearing in Gloucester, Massachusetts. During the investigation, Harrison discussed the Commission’s investigation of him with Commission member Gerald Cook and he received and read a copy of the Commission’s confidential memorandum.[9]
On February 13, 2006, the Board of Bar Overseers voted to recommend that Harrison's resignation be accepted as a disciplinary sanction. On March 1, 2006, the Supreme Judicial Court for Suffolk County entered judgment accepting the respondent’s affidavit of resignation as a disciplinary sanction.[9] A month later, the Supreme Judicial Court ordered that Harrison's name be "stricken from the Roll of Attorneys".[8]
Personal life
Harrison is a graduate of Gloucester High School, Tufts College,[2] and Portia Law School.[10]
In 1970 he married Michelle Holovak, the daughter of former Boston College and Boston Patriots head coach Mike Holovak.[11]
Outside of politics, Harrison worked in insurance and real estate sales and also as a high school football and lacrosse referee.[2]
References
- ^ 1963-1964 Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. http://www.archive.org/stream/publicofficersof19631964bost#page/190/mode/2up.
- ^ a b c 1969-1970 Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. http://www.archive.org/stream/publicofficersof19691970bost#page/182/mode/2up.
- ^ Lydon, Christopher (December 8, 1968). "Democrats Swiftly Elect Harrison as Chairman". The Boston Globe. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/1931558732.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
- ^ Ellis, David (February 26, 1971). "Harrison to step down as state Democratic chairman". The Boston Globe. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/1933060862.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
- ^ a b Cohen, Steven A. (August 16, 1972). "Highest-Paide Mass. Lobbyist to Head McGovern NE Drice". Associated Press. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CkcpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AGgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5633,1913903&dq. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
- ^ "David Harrison, 54, Sworn in as Judge". The Boston Globe. July 27, 1988. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8072419.html. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
- ^ "Judge denies bail for Lowell couple". Boston Herald. January 25, 1996. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/bostonherald/access/17251089.html?dids=17251089:17251089&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
- ^ a b Rabinovitz, Barbara (May 29, 2006). "The trials and tribulations of David Harrison, former Gloucester District Court First Justice". Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-146362580/trials-and-tribulations-david.html. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
- ^ a b c "In Re: David E. Harrison". Mass.gov. Board of Bar Overseers. Office of Bar Counsel. http://www.mass.gov/obcbbo/bd06-016.htm. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
- ^ "Profiles of 10 Award Winners". The Boston Globe. March 12, 1967.
- ^ "Miss Michelle Holovak Betrothed". The New York Times. January 21, 1970. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50F13F93C5D137B93C0AB178AD85F448785F9. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
Party political offices Preceded by
Gerard F. DohertyChairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party
1968-1971Succeeded by
Robert Q. CraneCategories:- 1933 births
- American lawyers
- American lobbyists
- Disbarred lawyers
- Massachusetts Democratic Party chairs
- Massachusetts Democrats
- Massachusetts state court judges
- Members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
- New England School of Law alumni
- People from Gloucester, Massachusetts
- Tufts University alumni
- Living people
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