Jim McGreevey
Encyclopedia
James Edward "Jim" McGreevey (born August 6, 1957) is an American Democratic
politician. He served as the 52nd Governor
of New Jersey
from January 15, 2002, until he resigned from office at 11:59 pm on November 15, 2004. His term was set to expire on January 17, 2006. On the afternoon of August 12, 2004, McGreevey coupled the announcement of his decision to resign with a public declaration of his homosexuality and an admission to having had an extramarital affair with a man, Golan Cipel
, an Israeli citizen and veteran of the Israeli Defense Forces, whom McGreevey appointed New Jersey homeland security
adviser. Cipel, who had joined the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1994 as Chief Information Officer at the Consulate General of Israel in New York, subsequently left the United States and returned to Israel after their affair was revealed. McGreevey was the first and, to date, the only openly gay state governor in United States history.
Since leaving the governorship, McGreevey has attended the General Theological Seminary
in New York City to obtain his Master of Divinity
degree, a requirement to becoming an Episcopal priest. He volunteers service through Exodus Transitional Community
to former prisoners seeking rehabilitation
at the Church of Living Hope in Harlem, New York.
, to Irish Catholic parents and grew up in nearby Carteret
. There he attended St. Joseph Elementary School, and St. Joseph High School in Metuchen
. He attended The Catholic University of America
before graduating from Columbia University
in 1978. He earned a law degree
from the Georgetown University Law Center
in 1981 and a master's degree in education from Harvard University
in 1982. He also attended a diploma program in law at the London School of Economics
.
-born Dina Matos McGreevey
.
Dina Matos and McGreevey separated after he came out, and in late 2005 McGreevey and Australian-American executive Mark O'Donnell began a relationship. The two live in Plainfield, New Jersey
. McGreevey has taught ethics, law and leadership at Kean University
in Union
, New Jersey.
In her memoirs, Matos wrote that she would never have married McGreevey if she had known he was gay, nor would she have chosen to have a gay man to father her child. On March 17, 2008, Theodore Pedersen, a former aide to McGreevey, claimed that from 1999 to 2001 he participated in numerous threesome
s with McGreevey and Matos, a statement later affirmed by McGreevey. In a statement to ABC News
, Matos denied that a threesome ever took place.
reported that McGreevey was seeking custody of Jacqueline and filing for child support
. Matos demanded $600,000 plus alimony
. The divorce trial started on May 6, 2008. On August 8, the divorce was granted. McGreevey received joint custody and pays child support. They will also be using a parenting coordinator
. Matos was denied alimony.
, representing the 19th Legislative District
from 1990 to 1992, when he became Mayor of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
. He was re-elected mayor in 1995 and 1999. He was elected to the New Jersey Senate
in 1993, simultaneously serving as mayor during the four-year Senate term. He first ran for governor in 1997, but was defeated in a close race (47% to 46%) by the incumbent Republican
Christine Todd Whitman
. Libertarian
candidate Murray Sabrin
received slightly over 5% of the vote. McGreevey ran for the governorship again in 2001 and won with 56% of the vote, making him the first majority-elected governor since James Florio
. His Republican opponent in that race was Bret Schundler
. Other candidates in the race included William E. Schluter
(Independent), Jerry Coleman (Green), Mark Edgerton (Libertarian), Michael Koontz (Conservative), Costantino Rozzo (Socialist) and Kari Sachs (Socialist Workers).
stance on abortion
, he stated as governor that he would not receive Communion
at public church services.
Among McGreevey's accomplishments were implementing a stem cell research plan for New Jersey, heavily lobbying
for the state's first domestic partnership
law for same-sex couples and signing such a law in early 2004.
McGreevey's term was controversial, with questions about the credentials of several of his appointees to pay to play
and extortion scandals
involving backers and key New Jersey Democratic fundraisers.
, because he lacked experience or other qualifications for the position. In addition, Cipel could not gain a security approval from the Federal government, as he was Israeli and not a U.S
. citizen. McGreevey had met him in Israel during a trip there in 2000.
According to McGreevey in The Confession, The Record
was the first newspaper to break the news of a relationship between McGreevey and Cipel. McGreevey brought up Cipel's name six weeks into his administration in a February 14, 2002, interview with The Records editorial board at its offices saying:
The interview prompted news investigation into Cipel's background. On February 21, The Record published a profile of Cipel, calling him a "sailor" and a "poet." The article stated,“Democrats close to the administration say McGreevey and Cipel have struck up a close friendship and frequently travel together”, prompting McGreevey's own mother to confront him about his sexual orientation
. Various media organizations sent reporters to Israel to ask questions about Cipel and his background.
In August 2002 at McGreevey's request, Cipel stepped down from his position as homeland security adviser.
lawsuit
against him in Mercer County
Court, McGreevey announced at a press conference, "My truth is that I am a gay American." He also said that he had "engaged in an adult consensual affair with another man" (whom his aides immediately named as Cipel), and that he would resign effective November 15, 2004. New Jersey political circles had speculated about McGreevey's sexual orientation
and questions about his relationship with Cipel had been alluded to in the media. McGreevey's announcement made him the first openly gay state governor in United States history. The Star-Ledger
won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize
for Breaking News Reporting
for its "coverage of the resignation of New Jersey’s governor after he announced he was gay and confessed to adultery with a male lover."
McGreevey's decision to delay the effective date of his resignation until after September 3, 2004, avoided a special election in November to replace the governor. Doing so allowed the Democratic Party to retain control of the governor's office for at least another year. It avoided the prospect of a Republican incumbent governor's running in tandem with George W. Bush
, which could have helped Bush capture New Jersey's electoral votes. (Bush did not win New Jersey's electoral votes in the 2004 presidential election
, but captured 46% of the statewide vote, compared to 40% in the 2000 race
, and did win re-election.)
Almost immediately after McGreevey's announcement, New Jersey Republicans
and Democrats
alike called upon the governor not to wait until November to resign and instead to do so immediately. An editorial in the New York Times read, "Mr. McGreevey's strategy to delay resignation does not serve New Jersey residents well. The state will be led by an embattled governor mired in personal and legal problems for three months."
On September 15, U.S. District Judge Garrett E. Brown, Jr. dismissed Afran v. McGreevey, filed by Green Party lawyers Bruce Afran and Carl Mayers, dismissing their claim that the postponement of McGreevey's resignation had left a vacancy, thereby violating New Jersey residents' voting rights. Brown stated that McGreevey "clearly intends to hold office until November 15, 2004. The requirement of holding a special election does not arise. The rights of registered voters are not being violated." Afran re-filed the same suit in Mercer County Superior Court
and Judge Linda R. Feinberg heard arguments on October 4, 2004.
Fellow Democrat and New Jersey Senate
President Richard Codey
took office upon McGreevey's resignation and served the remainder of the term until January 17, 2006. At the time of McGreevey's resignation, the New Jersey State Constitution
stipulated that the Senate president retains that position while serving as acting governor.
, written with assistance from ghostwriter
David France
. The memoir was entitled The Confession. McGreevey appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show
on September 19 to discuss and promote the book. It was the start of a two-month promotion of his memoir.
In The Confession, McGreevey described the duality of his life before he came out as gay: "As glorious and meaningful as it would have been to have a loving and sound sexual experience with another man, I knew I'd have to undo my happiness step by step as I began chasing my dream of a public career and the kind of 'acceptable' life that went with it. So, instead, I settled for the detached anonymity of bookstores and rest stops a compromise, but one that was wholly unfulfilling and morally unsatisfactory."
in New York, in addition to a local parish in New Jersey. At St. Bartholomew's, McGreevey was received into the Episcopal Church
on Sunday, April 29, 2007. He was accepted to General Theological Seminary
, where he is pursuing a Master of Divinity
degree, a requirement to becoming an Episcopal priest.
In 2009, McGreevey told the New York Times that he is a volunteer for Exodus Ministries
, where he performs service to former prisoners seeking rehabilitation
at the Church of Living Hope in Harlem, New York. On November 16, 2009 WCBS-TV reported McGreevey is continuing his training at All Saints Episcopal Church in Hoboken where Reverend Geoffrey Curtiss is the Pastor. Reports in April 2011 indicate that McGreevey's bid to be ordained was rejected.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician. He served as the 52nd Governor
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
from January 15, 2002, until he resigned from office at 11:59 pm on November 15, 2004. His term was set to expire on January 17, 2006. On the afternoon of August 12, 2004, McGreevey coupled the announcement of his decision to resign with a public declaration of his homosexuality and an admission to having had an extramarital affair with a man, Golan Cipel
Golan Cipel
Golan Cipel was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, in 1968, and grew up in the city of Rishon LeZion.Cipel served in the Israel Defense Forces for five years as a naval officer, eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant. Following his service in the Israeli Navy, Cipel held several positions in government...
, an Israeli citizen and veteran of the Israeli Defense Forces, whom McGreevey appointed New Jersey homeland security
Homeland security
Homeland security is an umbrella term for security efforts to protect states against terrorist activity. Specifically, is a concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the U.S., reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do...
adviser. Cipel, who had joined the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1994 as Chief Information Officer at the Consulate General of Israel in New York, subsequently left the United States and returned to Israel after their affair was revealed. McGreevey was the first and, to date, the only openly gay state governor in United States history.
Since leaving the governorship, McGreevey has attended the General Theological Seminary
General Theological Seminary
The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church is a seminary of the Episcopal Church in the United States and is located in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York....
in New York City to obtain his Master of Divinity
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
degree, a requirement to becoming an Episcopal priest. He volunteers service through Exodus Transitional Community
Exodus Transitional Community
The Exodus Transitional Community is a non-profit organization that provides support services to men and women who are in transition from incarceration to full-integration into their communities...
to former prisoners seeking rehabilitation
Rehabilitation (penology)
Rehabilitation means; To restore to useful life, as through therapy and education or To restore to good condition, operation, or capacity....
at the Church of Living Hope in Harlem, New York.
Early life and education
James McGreevey was born in Jersey City, New JerseyJersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
, to Irish Catholic parents and grew up in nearby Carteret
Carteret, New Jersey
Carteret is a borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 22,844.Carteret was created as the borough of Roosevelt on 11 April 1906, incorporating Woodbridge Township, and was a result of a referendum on 22 May 1906...
. There he attended St. Joseph Elementary School, and St. Joseph High School in Metuchen
Metuchen, New Jersey
Metuchen is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, which is 8 miles northeast of New Brunswick, 18 miles southwest of Newark, 24 miles southwest of Jersey City, and 29 miles southwest of Manhattan, all part of the New York metropolitan area...
. He attended The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
before graduating from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1978. He earned a law degree
Law degree
A Law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers; but while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not themselves confer a license...
from the Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center is the law school of Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C.. Established in 1870, the Law Center offers J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D. degrees in law...
in 1981 and a master's degree in education from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1982. He also attended a diploma program in law at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
Personal life
McGreevey has a daughter, Morag, from his first marriage (1991–1997) to Canadian Karen Joan Schutz. He has another daughter, Jacqueline, from his second marriage to PortuguesePortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
-born Dina Matos McGreevey
Dina Matos McGreevey
Dina Matos is the former First Lady of New Jersey. She served as first lady during the administration of her then-husband, Gov. James McGreevey. In advance of an expected lawsuit, Gov. McGreevey, with Matos at his side, revealed at an August 2004 press conference that he had had an affair with a...
.
Dina Matos and McGreevey separated after he came out, and in late 2005 McGreevey and Australian-American executive Mark O'Donnell began a relationship. The two live in Plainfield, New Jersey
Plainfield, New Jersey
Plainfield is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population increased to a record high of 49,808....
. McGreevey has taught ethics, law and leadership at Kean University
Kean University
Kean University is a coeducational, public research university located in Union and Hillside, New Jersey, United States. Kean University serves its students in the liberal arts, the sciences, and the professions with a dedication to intellectual and cultural growth and is best known for its...
in Union
Union Township, Union County, New Jersey
Union is a Township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. In the 18th century, the area that is now Union was then called Connecticut Farms...
, New Jersey.
In her memoirs, Matos wrote that she would never have married McGreevey if she had known he was gay, nor would she have chosen to have a gay man to father her child. On March 17, 2008, Theodore Pedersen, a former aide to McGreevey, claimed that from 1999 to 2001 he participated in numerous threesome
Threesome
A threesome is a group of three engaged in the same activity. In relation to a sexual activity a threesome refer to the activity involving three people of any gender or sexual orientation...
s with McGreevey and Matos, a statement later affirmed by McGreevey. In a statement to ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
, Matos denied that a threesome ever took place.
Divorce from Dina Matos
On March 14, 2007, the Associated PressAssociated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
reported that McGreevey was seeking custody of Jacqueline and filing for child support
Child support
In family law and public policy, child support is an ongoing, periodic payment made by a parent for the financial benefit of a child following the end of a marriage or other relationship...
. Matos demanded $600,000 plus alimony
Alimony
Alimony is a U.S. term denoting a legal obligation to provide financial support to one's spouse from the other spouse after marital separation or from the ex-spouse upon divorce...
. The divorce trial started on May 6, 2008. On August 8, the divorce was granted. McGreevey received joint custody and pays child support. They will also be using a parenting coordinator
Parenting coordinator
Parenting coordinator is a relatively new practice that is used, in some US states, to manage on-going issues in child custody and visitation cases by professional psychologist or a lawyer assigned by the Court...
. Matos was denied alimony.
Political career
McGreevey was a member of the New Jersey General AssemblyNew Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
, representing the 19th Legislative District
19th Legislative District (New Jersey)
New Jersey's 19th Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Middlesex County municipalities of Carteret Borough, Perth Amboy City, Sayreville Borough, South Amboy City and Woodbridge Township...
from 1990 to 1992, when he became Mayor of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
Mayor of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
Mayors of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey*John E. McCormac 2011*Joseph F. Vitale July 2006 to ?*Frank Pelzman 2002 to July 2006*James Edward McGreevey 1991 to 2002...
. He was re-elected mayor in 1995 and 1999. He was elected to the New Jersey Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
in 1993, simultaneously serving as mayor during the four-year Senate term. He first ran for governor in 1997, but was defeated in a close race (47% to 46%) by the incumbent Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Christine Todd Whitman
Christine Todd Whitman
Christine Todd "Christie" Whitman is an American Republican politician and author who served as the 50th Governor of New Jersey from 1994 to 2001, and was the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in the administration of President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2003. She was New...
. Libertarian
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
candidate Murray Sabrin
Murray Sabrin
Murray Sabrin is a professor of finance in the Anisfield School of Business, Ramapo College of New Jersey,. In 2008 he was a candidate for the Republican nomination for the United States Senate in New Jersey, the seat currently held by Democrat Frank Lautenberg...
received slightly over 5% of the vote. McGreevey ran for the governorship again in 2001 and won with 56% of the vote, making him the first majority-elected governor since James Florio
James Florio
James Joseph "Jim" Florio is a Democratic politician who served as the 49th Governor of New Jersey from 1990 to 1994, the first Italian American to hold the position...
. His Republican opponent in that race was Bret Schundler
Bret Schundler
Bret D. Schundler is an American politician from New Jersey. He served in the Cabinet of Governor Chris Christie as New Jersey Commissioner of Education until he was dismissed on August 27, 2010....
. Other candidates in the race included William E. Schluter
William E. Schluter
William Everett "Bill" Schluter is an American Republican Party politician from New Jersey, who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature....
(Independent), Jerry Coleman (Green), Mark Edgerton (Libertarian), Michael Koontz (Conservative), Costantino Rozzo (Socialist) and Kari Sachs (Socialist Workers).
Governorship of New Jersey
After being elected to the governorship on his second try (on November 6, 2001), McGreevey inherited a US$5 billion budget deficit. During his term, McGreevey raised the tax on cigarettes and increased the state income tax for the wealthy. Raised as a Roman Catholic but maintaining a pro-choicePro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
stance on abortion
Abortion debate
The abortion debate refers to discussion and controversy surrounding the moral and legal status of abortion. The two main groups involved in the abortion debate are the self-described "pro-choice" movement and the "pro-life" movement...
, he stated as governor that he would not receive Communion
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
at public church services.
Among McGreevey's accomplishments were implementing a stem cell research plan for New Jersey, heavily lobbying
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
for the state's first domestic partnership
Domestic partnership
A domestic partnership is a legal or personal relationship between two individuals who live together and share a common domestic life but are neither joined by marriage nor a civil union...
law for same-sex couples and signing such a law in early 2004.
McGreevey's term was controversial, with questions about the credentials of several of his appointees to pay to play
Pay to Play
Pay to play, sometimes pay for play, is a phrase used for a variety of situations in which money is exchanged for services or the privilege to engage in certain activities...
and extortion scandals
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
involving backers and key New Jersey Democratic fundraisers.
Machiavelli controversy
David D'Amiano refused to implicate McGreevey when he admitted in federal court to extorting $40,000 in cash and political donations from Mark Halper, a Middlesex County farmer who was fighting a government plan to condemn his land. D'Amiano encouraged McGreevey to say 'Machiavelli' during a February 2003 conversation with Halper, who recorded conversations in cooperation with the FBI. D'Amiano and Halper previously agreed that McGreevey and Middlesex County officials involved in the scheme should use a word during their meetings to indicate that "they knew a deal was in place" for them to act in his favor. U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie [now Governor] said that D'Amiano's statement in court contradicted McGreevey's public account that it was a coincidental literary allusion as he uses many times.Golan Cipel controversy
McGreevey was criticized for appointing as homeland security adviser Golan CipelGolan Cipel
Golan Cipel was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, in 1968, and grew up in the city of Rishon LeZion.Cipel served in the Israel Defense Forces for five years as a naval officer, eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant. Following his service in the Israeli Navy, Cipel held several positions in government...
, because he lacked experience or other qualifications for the position. In addition, Cipel could not gain a security approval from the Federal government, as he was Israeli and not a U.S
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. citizen. McGreevey had met him in Israel during a trip there in 2000.
The Record (Bergen County)
The Record is a newspaper in northern New Jersey. It has the second largest circulation of New Jersey's daily newspapers, behind The Star-Ledger. Owned by the Borg family since 1930, it is the flagship publication of the North Jersey Media Group. Stephen Borg is the publisher of The Record...
was the first newspaper to break the news of a relationship between McGreevey and Cipel. McGreevey brought up Cipel's name six weeks into his administration in a February 14, 2002, interview with The Records editorial board at its offices saying:
The interview prompted news investigation into Cipel's background. On February 21, The Record published a profile of Cipel, calling him a "sailor" and a "poet." The article stated,“Democrats close to the administration say McGreevey and Cipel have struck up a close friendship and frequently travel together”, prompting McGreevey's own mother to confront him about his sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
. Various media organizations sent reporters to Israel to ask questions about Cipel and his background.
In August 2002 at McGreevey's request, Cipel stepped down from his position as homeland security adviser.
Resignation
On the afternoon of August 12, 2004, faced with threats from Cipel's lawyer Allen Lowy that Cipel would file a sexual harassmentSexual harassment
Sexual harassment, is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In some contexts or circumstances, sexual harassment is illegal. It includes a range of behavior from seemingly mild transgressions and...
lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
against him in Mercer County
Mercer County, New Jersey
As of the census of 2000, there were 350,761 people, 125,807 households, and 86,303 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,552 people per square mile . There were 133,280 housing units at an average density of 590 per square mile...
Court, McGreevey announced at a press conference, "My truth is that I am a gay American." He also said that he had "engaged in an adult consensual affair with another man" (whom his aides immediately named as Cipel), and that he would resign effective November 15, 2004. New Jersey political circles had speculated about McGreevey's sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
and questions about his relationship with Cipel had been alluded to in the media. McGreevey's announcement made him the first openly gay state governor in United States history. The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize
2005 Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prizes for 2005 were announced on 2005-04-04.-Journalism:*Beat reporting: Amy Dockser Marcus of The Wall Street Journal for her "stories about patients, families and physicians [of the] world of cancer survivors"....
for Breaking News Reporting
Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting
The Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting is a Pulitzer Prize awarded for a distinguished example of breaking news, local reporting on news of the moment...
for its "coverage of the resignation of New Jersey’s governor after he announced he was gay and confessed to adultery with a male lover."
McGreevey's decision to delay the effective date of his resignation until after September 3, 2004, avoided a special election in November to replace the governor. Doing so allowed the Democratic Party to retain control of the governor's office for at least another year. It avoided the prospect of a Republican incumbent governor's running in tandem with George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, which could have helped Bush capture New Jersey's electoral votes. (Bush did not win New Jersey's electoral votes in the 2004 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
, but captured 46% of the statewide vote, compared to 40% in the 2000 race
United States presidential election, 2000
The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Republican candidate George W. Bush, then-governor of Texas and son of former president George H. W. Bush , and Democratic candidate Al Gore, then-Vice President....
, and did win re-election.)
Almost immediately after McGreevey's announcement, New Jersey Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
and Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
alike called upon the governor not to wait until November to resign and instead to do so immediately. An editorial in the New York Times read, "Mr. McGreevey's strategy to delay resignation does not serve New Jersey residents well. The state will be led by an embattled governor mired in personal and legal problems for three months."
On September 15, U.S. District Judge Garrett E. Brown, Jr. dismissed Afran v. McGreevey, filed by Green Party lawyers Bruce Afran and Carl Mayers, dismissing their claim that the postponement of McGreevey's resignation had left a vacancy, thereby violating New Jersey residents' voting rights. Brown stated that McGreevey "clearly intends to hold office until November 15, 2004. The requirement of holding a special election does not arise. The rights of registered voters are not being violated." Afran re-filed the same suit in Mercer County Superior Court
Superior court
In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general competence which typically has unlimited jurisdiction with regard to civil and criminal legal cases...
and Judge Linda R. Feinberg heard arguments on October 4, 2004.
Fellow Democrat and New Jersey Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
President Richard Codey
Richard Codey
Richard James Codey is an American Democratic Party politician who served as the 53rd Governor of New Jersey from November 2004 to January 2006. He has served in the New Jersey Senate since 1981 and served as the President of the Senate from 2002 to January 2010. He represents the 27th Legislative...
took office upon McGreevey's resignation and served the remainder of the term until January 17, 2006. At the time of McGreevey's resignation, the New Jersey State Constitution
New Jersey State Constitution
The Constitution of the State of New Jersey is the basic governing document of the State of New Jersey. In addition to three British Royal Charters issued for East Jersey, West Jersey and united New Jersey while they were still colonies, the state has been governed by three constitutions...
stipulated that the Senate president retains that position while serving as acting governor.
The Confession
In September 2006, McGreevey published a memoirMemoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
, written with assistance from ghostwriter
Ghostwriter
A ghostwriter is a professional writer who is paid to write books, articles, stories, reports, or other texts that are officially credited to another person. Celebrities, executives, and political leaders often hire ghostwriters to draft or edit autobiographies, magazine articles, or other written...
David France
David France (writer)
David France is an American investigative reporter and non-fiction author. He is a a contributing editor for New York magazine, former Newsweek senior editor and published in magazines such as The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine and GQ.France is the author of three books, including Our...
. The memoir was entitled The Confession. McGreevey appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
on September 19 to discuss and promote the book. It was the start of a two-month promotion of his memoir.
In The Confession, McGreevey described the duality of his life before he came out as gay: "As glorious and meaningful as it would have been to have a loving and sound sexual experience with another man, I knew I'd have to undo my happiness step by step as I began chasing my dream of a public career and the kind of 'acceptable' life that went with it. So, instead, I settled for the detached anonymity of bookstores and rest stops a compromise, but one that was wholly unfulfilling and morally unsatisfactory."
Post-gubernatorial life
McGreevey and his partner Mark O'Donnell regularly attended Saint Bartholomew's Episcopal ChurchSaint Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, New York
St. Bartholomew's Church, commonly called St. Bart's, is a historic Episcopal parish founded in January 1835, and located on the east side of Park Avenue between 50th and 51st Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.-Former structures:...
in New York, in addition to a local parish in New Jersey. At St. Bartholomew's, McGreevey was received into the Episcopal Church
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
on Sunday, April 29, 2007. He was accepted to General Theological Seminary
General Theological Seminary
The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church is a seminary of the Episcopal Church in the United States and is located in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York....
, where he is pursuing a Master of Divinity
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
degree, a requirement to becoming an Episcopal priest.
In 2009, McGreevey told the New York Times that he is a volunteer for Exodus Ministries
Exodus Ministries
Exodus Ministries is a Dallas, Texas-based non-denominational Christian former prisoner rehabilitation organization, which attempts to help those who are released from prison back into society at large...
, where he performs service to former prisoners seeking rehabilitation
Rehabilitation (penology)
Rehabilitation means; To restore to useful life, as through therapy and education or To restore to good condition, operation, or capacity....
at the Church of Living Hope in Harlem, New York. On November 16, 2009 WCBS-TV reported McGreevey is continuing his training at All Saints Episcopal Church in Hoboken where Reverend Geoffrey Curtiss is the Pastor. Reports in April 2011 indicate that McGreevey's bid to be ordained was rejected.
External links
- Text and audio of McGreevey's resignation address
- New Jersey Governor James E. McGreevey, National Governors AssociationNational Governors AssociationThe National Governors Association , founded in 1908 as the National Governors' Conference, is funded primarily by state dues, federal grants and contracts and private contributions. NGA represents the governors of the fifty U.S. states and five U.S. territories The National Governors Association...
. - A year after coming out, McGreevey still trying to find his niche, August 2005 article.
- Two years after declaration, McGreevey finds stride as "gay American", Associated Press article from August 2006.
- McGreevey discusses his book, The Confession at the San Francisco Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center, New York Times' Times Talks Series, ForaTV, October 14, 2006 (video).
- Video of speech at cornerstone laying ceremony for the Freedom Tower on July 4, 2004