George Dunne
Encyclopedia
George W. Dunne was an American
Democratic Party politician from Chicago
, Illinois
. He was President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners
from 1969 to 1991; the longest service of anyone holding that office.
He was born in the Near North Side of Chicago, one of eight children of John and Ellen Dunne. His father died when he was twelve years old. He graduated from De La Salle Institute
and attended Northwestern University
for a year but dropped out. He became active in Democratic politics and was employed by the Park District, an agency in which many Democratic precinct captains were given patronage
jobs.
He was appointed to a vacant seat in the Illinois House of Representatives
in 1955, and was re-elected in 1956, 1958, 1960, and 1962. After eight years he became floor leader for the House Democrats.
In 1963 Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley
appointed him to a seat on the Cook County Board.
In 1969, he became President of the County Board, succeeding Richard B. Ogilvie
, who had been elected Governor
. Despite periodic revelations of questionable financial dealings, (Dunne owned and operated an insurance agency throughout his career in elected office), Dunne was re-elected in 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, and 1986. He was seen as a potential successor to Mayor Daley. In 1976, after Daley's death, Dunne did replace the late mayor as Chairman of the Cook County Democratic Committee. However, he did not become the party's choice for Mayor and never exercised the despotic power Daley had enjoyed as party chairman. In 1982, Dunne lost the party chairmanship to Alderman Edward Vrdolyak
, an ally of Mayor Jane Byrne
. Dunne was aligned with Mayor Harold Washington
during the Council Wars
period and was re-elected to the party chairmanship after Vrydolyak resigned following his defeat by Washington in the 1987 Mayoral election.
Pushing 80 and yet enmeshed in a scandal in which he admitted having sex with female county employees who alleged they were pressured into providing sexual favors to him, Dunne did not seek re-election to the County Board Presidency or party chairmansip in 1990. However, he stayed on as Democratic Ward Committeeman of Chicago's 42nd Ward, a post he had held since 1961. Dunne was repeatedly re-elected to this position, which with the decline of patronage
had declined in importance, until he resigned in 2003. He died in his farm in Hebron, Illinois
on May 29, 2006.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Democratic Party politician from Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. He was President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners
Cook County Board of Commissioners
The Cook County Board of Commissioners is a legislative body made up of 17 commissioners who are elected by district for four year terms. Cook County, which includes the City of Chicago, is the nation's second largest county with a population of 5.2 million residents...
from 1969 to 1991; the longest service of anyone holding that office.
He was born in the Near North Side of Chicago, one of eight children of John and Ellen Dunne. His father died when he was twelve years old. He graduated from De La Salle Institute
De La Salle Institute
De La Salle Institute is a Catholic, Lasallian, secondary school located in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois. The school is currently housed on two separate campuses. The original school, now called the Institute Campus is for men...
and attended Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
for a year but dropped out. He became active in Democratic politics and was employed by the Park District, an agency in which many Democratic precinct captains were given patronage
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
jobs.
He was appointed to a vacant seat in the Illinois House of Representatives
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
in 1955, and was re-elected in 1956, 1958, 1960, and 1962. After eight years he became floor leader for the House Democrats.
In 1963 Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley
Richard J. Daley
Richard Joseph Daley served for 21 years as the mayor and undisputed Democratic boss of Chicago and is considered by historians to be the "last of the big city bosses." He played a major role in the history of the Democratic Party, especially with his support of John F...
appointed him to a seat on the Cook County Board.
In 1969, he became President of the County Board, succeeding Richard B. Ogilvie
Richard B. Ogilvie
Richard Buell Ogilvie was the 35th Governor of Illinois from 1969 to 1973. A wounded combat veteran of World War II, he achieved fame as the mafia-fighting Sheriff of Cook County, Illinois in the 1960s....
, who had been elected Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
. Despite periodic revelations of questionable financial dealings, (Dunne owned and operated an insurance agency throughout his career in elected office), Dunne was re-elected in 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, and 1986. He was seen as a potential successor to Mayor Daley. In 1976, after Daley's death, Dunne did replace the late mayor as Chairman of the Cook County Democratic Committee. However, he did not become the party's choice for Mayor and never exercised the despotic power Daley had enjoyed as party chairman. In 1982, Dunne lost the party chairmanship to Alderman Edward Vrdolyak
Edward Vrdolyak
Edward Robert Vrdolyak is a noted Chicago lawyer and politician and a convicted felon. He was a powerful longtime Chicago Alderman and also head of the Cook County Democratic Party before running unsuccessfully for Mayor of Chicago as a Republican...
, an ally of Mayor Jane Byrne
Jane Byrne
Jane Margaret Byrne was the first and to date only female Mayor of Chicago. She served from April 16, 1979 to April 29, 1983. Chicago is the largest city in the United States to have had a female mayor as of 2011.-Early political career:...
. Dunne was aligned with Mayor Harold Washington
Harold Washington
Harold Lee Washington was an American lawyer and politician who became the first African-American Mayor of Chicago, serving from 1983 until his death in 1987.- Early years and military service :...
during the Council Wars
Council Wars
The Council Wars were a racially polarized political conflict in the city of Chicago from 1983-1986, centered on the Chicago City Council.The term came from a satirical comedy sketch of the same name written and performed by comedian and journalist Aaron Freeman in 1983, using the good-v.-evil plot...
period and was re-elected to the party chairmanship after Vrydolyak resigned following his defeat by Washington in the 1987 Mayoral election.
Pushing 80 and yet enmeshed in a scandal in which he admitted having sex with female county employees who alleged they were pressured into providing sexual favors to him, Dunne did not seek re-election to the County Board Presidency or party chairmansip in 1990. However, he stayed on as Democratic Ward Committeeman of Chicago's 42nd Ward, a post he had held since 1961. Dunne was repeatedly re-elected to this position, which with the decline of patronage
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
had declined in importance, until he resigned in 2003. He died in his farm in Hebron, Illinois
Hebron, Illinois
Hebron is a village in McHenry County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census the village population was 1,216, up from 1,038 at the 2000 census....
on May 29, 2006.