Marvin Mandel
Encyclopedia
Marvin Mandel a member of the United States Democratic Party, was the 56th Governor of Maryland in the United States from January 7, 1969, to January 17, 1979. He was Maryland's first, and, to date, only Jewish governor.
, Maryland, and attended the Baltimore City Public Schools, including Baltimore City College
. Mandel received a bachelors degree from the University of Maryland, College Park
in 1939 before receiving his law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law
.
in 1952, representing Baltimore City (District 5). Mandel was chosen as speaker of the house
in 1963 and served in that position until 1969, at which point he was elected Governor by the Maryland General Assembly
following the resignation of Spiro Agnew
. (Agnew had resigned as governor to serve as Vice President of the United States under then-President
Richard Nixon
.) Mandel was elected in 1970
and again in 1974.
During the Mandel Administration he raised taxes several times and instituted a piggyback tax that his tax policies have led to bad results to this day and including a mass decrease in population of Baltimore, Maryland and Cumberland, Maryland
later on with jobs being shut down. Critics of Mandel have even suggested all those tax hikes have led to making Maryland a low wage job economy by taxing manufacturing just about out of existence and also led Allegany County, Maryland
, Garrett County, Maryland
and Baltimore, Maryland to shut down schools and merge them by allowing towns to lose population in the rural areas and increasing population in either other parts of the state or leaving the state altogether. One of his tax increases involved the gas tax that led Maryland to be one of the highest priced for gasoline south of the Mason-Dixon line
.
The negative highlight of Mandel's governorship was his conviction for mail fraud and racketeering. As a result, on June 4, 1977, Governor Mandel notified Lieutenant Governor Blair Lee III
that Lee would serve as acting governor until further notice. (Lee continued to serve as acting governor until January 15, 1979, when Mandel rescinded his letter appointing Lee as Acting Governor two days before the expiration of his second full elective term.) Mandel served nineteen months in the low-security federal prison camp at Eglin Air Force Base
, Florida, before having his sentence commuted by President Ronald Reagan
. Based on the reasoning of an opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court, a U.S. District Judge, with the persistent advocacy of his trial counsel, Arnold M. Weiner
, overturned Mandel's conviction in 1987. A year later, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed.
In a modern version of damnatio memoriae
, Mandel’s official portrait was not hung in the Maryland State House
Governor’s Reception Room until 1993.
Mandel lived briefly in Arnold, Maryland
, and currently lives and practices law in Annapolis
.
Early life
Mandel was born in BaltimoreBaltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Maryland, and attended the Baltimore City Public Schools, including Baltimore City College
Baltimore City College
The Baltimore City College , also referred to as The Castle on the Hill, historically as The College, and most commonly City, is a public high school in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A. The City College curriculum includes the International Baccalaureate Programme and emphasizes study in the classics...
. Mandel received a bachelors degree from the University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
in 1939 before receiving his law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law
University of Maryland, Baltimore
University of Maryland, Baltimore, was founded in 1807. It comprises some of the oldest professional schools in the nation and world. It is the original campus of the University System of Maryland. Located on 60 acres in downtown Baltimore, Maryland, it is part of the University System of Maryland...
.
Political career
Mandel was elected to the Maryland House of DelegatesMaryland House of Delegates
The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...
in 1952, representing Baltimore City (District 5). Mandel was chosen as speaker of the house
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
in 1963 and served in that position until 1969, at which point he was elected Governor by the Maryland General Assembly
Maryland General Assembly
The Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is a bicameral body. The upper chamber, the Maryland State Senate, has 47 representatives and the lower chamber, the Maryland House of Delegates, has 141 representatives...
following the resignation of Spiro Agnew
Spiro Agnew
Spiro Theodore Agnew was the 39th Vice President of the United States , serving under President Richard Nixon, and the 55th Governor of Maryland...
. (Agnew had resigned as governor to serve as Vice President of the United States under then-President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
.) Mandel was elected in 1970
Maryland special gubernatorial election, 1970
The Maryland special gubernatorial election, 1969 was not a direct election, but a vote in the Maryland General Assembly to determine who would assume the governorship of Maryland after Spiro Agnew's resignation to became 39th Vice President of the United States.At this time Maryland didn't have a...
and again in 1974.
Governor
Mandel's administration was notable for many reasons. While governor, the executive branch of the Maryland government was reorganized into twelve departments. The mass-transit system of Maryland fostered under him, enacting plans for the establishment of subways for Baltimore City and the Washington, DC suburbs. Additionally, a large public school construction initiative was undertaken while he was governor.During the Mandel Administration he raised taxes several times and instituted a piggyback tax that his tax policies have led to bad results to this day and including a mass decrease in population of Baltimore, Maryland and Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland is a city in the far western, Appalachian portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,859, and the metropolitan area had a...
later on with jobs being shut down. Critics of Mandel have even suggested all those tax hikes have led to making Maryland a low wage job economy by taxing manufacturing just about out of existence and also led Allegany County, Maryland
Allegany County, Maryland
Allegany County is a county located in the northwestern part of the US state of Maryland. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 75,087. Its county seat is Cumberland...
, Garrett County, Maryland
Garrett County, Maryland
Garrett County is the westernmost county of the U.S. state of Maryland. Created from Allegany County, Maryland in 1872 it was the last Maryland county to be formed. It was named for John Work Garrett , railroad executive, industrialist, and financier. Garrett served as president of the Baltimore...
and Baltimore, Maryland to shut down schools and merge them by allowing towns to lose population in the rural areas and increasing population in either other parts of the state or leaving the state altogether. One of his tax increases involved the gas tax that led Maryland to be one of the highest priced for gasoline south of the Mason-Dixon line
Mason-Dixon line
The Mason–Dixon Line was surveyed between 1763 and 1767 by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon in the resolution of a border dispute between British colonies in Colonial America. It forms a demarcation line among four U.S. states, forming part of the borders of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and...
.
The negative highlight of Mandel's governorship was his conviction for mail fraud and racketeering. As a result, on June 4, 1977, Governor Mandel notified Lieutenant Governor Blair Lee III
Blair Lee III
Blair Lee III was an American Democratic politician. He served as the Secretary of State of Maryland from 1969 to 1971...
that Lee would serve as acting governor until further notice. (Lee continued to serve as acting governor until January 15, 1979, when Mandel rescinded his letter appointing Lee as Acting Governor two days before the expiration of his second full elective term.) Mandel served nineteen months in the low-security federal prison camp at Eglin Air Force Base
Eglin Air Force Base
Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately 3 miles southwest of Valparaiso, Florida in Okaloosa County....
, Florida, before having his sentence commuted by President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
. Based on the reasoning of an opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court, a U.S. District Judge, with the persistent advocacy of his trial counsel, Arnold M. Weiner
Arnold M. Weiner
Arnold M. Weiner is an American lawyer in Maryland who represented former Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon, former Maryland Governor Marvin Mandel and former United States Representative Edward Garmatz...
, overturned Mandel's conviction in 1987. A year later, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed.
In a modern version of damnatio memoriae
Damnatio memoriae
Damnatio memoriae is the Latin phrase literally meaning "condemnation of memory" in the sense of a judgment that a person must not be remembered. It was a form of dishonor that could be passed by the Roman Senate upon traitors or others who brought discredit to the Roman State...
, Mandel’s official portrait was not hung in the Maryland State House
Maryland State House
The Maryland State House is located in Annapolis and is the oldest state capitol in continuous legislative use, dating to 1772. It houses the Maryland General Assembly and offices of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor. The capitol has the distinction of being topped by the largest wooden dome in...
Governor’s Reception Room until 1993.
Personal life
Mandel married the former Barbara Oberfeld on June 8, 1941, and had two children, Gary and Ellen. In 1974, while governor, Mandel divorced Barbara and married the former Jeanne Blackistone Dorsey, who later died October 6, 2001.Mandel lived briefly in Arnold, Maryland
Arnold, Maryland
Arnold is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 23,422 at the 2000 census. Neighborhoods straddle College Parkway and Ritchie Highway. Arnold is located on the scenic Broadneck peninsula...
, and currently lives and practices law in Annapolis
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
.