biography
| name: |
Curley, James Michael
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| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1874–1958)
|
| biography:
| US representative and mayor, born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He left high school, continuing his education in the public library, and became a powerful orator, campaigning against Democratic political bosses. He served in the US House of Representatives as a Democrat (1911–14), then left to run for Mayor of Boston, defeating ‘Honey Fitz’ Fitzgerald. As mayor (1914–18, 1922–6, 1930–4), he funded massive public works projects, and as Governor of Massachusetts championed social welfare legislation while bribery charges against him were investigated. Convicted in 1937, he received contributions from Bostonians to pay his fine. Indicted for influence peddling while back in the US House of Representatives (1943–5), he left to become Mayor of Boston again (1945–9), serving five months in jail midterm, until pardoned by President Truman. His political career finished, he wrote I'd Do It Again (1957), and inspired Edwin O'Connor's novel, The Last Hurrah (1956). |
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