Richard Mell
Encyclopedia
Richard F. "Dick" Mell is an American politician
and long-time member of the Chicago City Council
. He is a Democrat
. Mell is the chairman of the Rules Committee and has a history of feuding with former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley
.
, Michigan
. After college, he settled in Chicago with his wife Marge and opened a spring manufacturing business. He also became active in local politics. In 1972, Mell was an unsuccessful candidate for 33rd Ward Democratic Committeeman, losing by about 500 votes. In 1975, he was elected Alderman
of the 33rd Ward of the City of Chicago
(map); in 1976 he was also elected ward committeeman. His ward comprises part of Chicago's Northwest Side.
During the Council Wars
of the mid-1980s, Mell was allied with the Vrdolyak 29 who opposed then-Mayor Harold Washington
. However, after the 1986 court-ordered aldermanic elections, he offered to cooperate with Washington. Upon Washington's death in 1987, Mell famously stood on his desk in the City Council chambers, demanding to be recognized as the divided Council wrestled with the question of who would succeed Washington.
Dick and Marge Mell have three children: Patricia
, Deborah
, and Richard. His daughter Patricia is married to former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich
. Marge Mell died December 3, 2006, of Progressive supranuclear palsy
, a rare and fatal disease.
Mell was a driving force behind Blagojevich's successful gubernatorial campaign in 2002. However, in 2005, Blagojevich and Mell had a public feud when Blagojevich shut down a landfill
owned by a distant cousin of Patricia Blagojevich for environmental problems. It was later revealed that Mell had served as an advisor to the cousin. Legislation was eventually passed giving the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
more authority over landfills and preventing relatives of top Illinois officials from owning landfills.
In June 2005, Mell served as honorary co-chairman of an event for State Representative Jack Franks
, a longtime Blagojevich critic who had been rumored as a possible primary challenger to the Governor. Mell's other daughter, Deb Mell
, is a lesbian
who has encouraged Blagojevich to support same-sex marriage
and who was elected to the state house of representatives
in 2008.
In 2007 Mell failed to re-register his extensive firearms collection, as required by Chicago's gun control law, a law which he helped to write. Mell, along with Chicago
Mayor Richard M. Daley
, proposed a one-month amnesty, where the gun registry would be re-opened. Pistol registration was closed in 1982 and the window only allowed guns registered before then, so all new registration attempts were rejected. Mell had claimed that thousands of Chicagoans were in his situation and would benefit, but just 25 people successfully registered guns during the "amnesty
."
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and long-time member of the Chicago City Council
Chicago City Council
The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 aldermen elected from 50 wards to serve four-year terms...
. He is a Democrat
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...
. Mell is the chairman of the Rules Committee and has a history of feuding with former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley
Richard M. Daley
Richard Michael Daley is a United States politician, member of the national and local Democratic Party, and former Mayor of Chicago, Illinois. He was elected mayor in 1989 and reelected in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007. He was the longest serving Chicago mayor, surpassing the tenure of his...
.
Biography
Mell was born and raised in MuskegonMuskegon, Michigan
Muskegon is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,401. The city is the county seat of Muskegon County...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. After college, he settled in Chicago with his wife Marge and opened a spring manufacturing business. He also became active in local politics. In 1972, Mell was an unsuccessful candidate for 33rd Ward Democratic Committeeman, losing by about 500 votes. In 1975, he was elected Alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
of the 33rd Ward of the City of 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...
(map); in 1976 he was also elected ward committeeman. His ward comprises part of Chicago's Northwest Side.
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...
of the mid-1980s, Mell was allied with the Vrdolyak 29 who opposed then-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 :...
. However, after the 1986 court-ordered aldermanic elections, he offered to cooperate with Washington. Upon Washington's death in 1987, Mell famously stood on his desk in the City Council chambers, demanding to be recognized as the divided Council wrestled with the question of who would succeed Washington.
Dick and Marge Mell have three children: Patricia
Patricia Blagojevich
Patricia Mell "Patti" Blagojevich , née Mell, was the First Lady of Illinois from January 2003 to January 2009. Her husband is former Governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, who was impeached and removed from office. She was a contestant on the NBC reality show I'm a Celebrity…Get Me out of Here in...
, Deborah
Deb Mell
Deborah L. "Deb" Mell is an American politician from Chicago. She is a Democrat and a member of the Illinois House of Representatives representing the 40th district, elected in 2008 and taking office on January 14, 2009.-Early life, education and career:...
, and Richard. His daughter Patricia is married to former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich
Rod Blagojevich
Rod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...
. Marge Mell died December 3, 2006, of Progressive supranuclear palsy
Progressive supranuclear palsy
Progressive supranuclear palsy is a degenerative disease involving the gradual deterioration and death of specific areas of the brain....
, a rare and fatal disease.
Mell was a driving force behind Blagojevich's successful gubernatorial campaign in 2002. However, in 2005, Blagojevich and Mell had a public feud when Blagojevich shut down a landfill
Landfill
A landfill site , is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment...
owned by a distant cousin of Patricia Blagojevich for environmental problems. It was later revealed that Mell had served as an advisor to the cousin. Legislation was eventually passed giving the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency of the state of Illinois is the primary body concerned with the protection of the environment for the state...
more authority over landfills and preventing relatives of top Illinois officials from owning landfills.
In June 2005, Mell served as honorary co-chairman of an event for State Representative Jack Franks
Jack D. Franks
Jack Franks is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 63rd district since 1999.-Career:In 2008, Franks was a member of Hillary Clinton's Illinois Steering Committee and February 5 Rapid Responders....
, a longtime Blagojevich critic who had been rumored as a possible primary challenger to the Governor. Mell's other daughter, Deb Mell
Deb Mell
Deborah L. "Deb" Mell is an American politician from Chicago. She is a Democrat and a member of the Illinois House of Representatives representing the 40th district, elected in 2008 and taking office on January 14, 2009.-Early life, education and career:...
, is a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
who has encouraged Blagojevich to support same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
and who was elected to the state 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 2008.
In 2007 Mell failed to re-register his extensive firearms collection, as required by Chicago's gun control law, a law which he helped to write. Mell, along with 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...
Mayor Richard M. Daley
Richard M. Daley
Richard Michael Daley is a United States politician, member of the national and local Democratic Party, and former Mayor of Chicago, Illinois. He was elected mayor in 1989 and reelected in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007. He was the longest serving Chicago mayor, surpassing the tenure of his...
, proposed a one-month amnesty, where the gun registry would be re-opened. Pistol registration was closed in 1982 and the window only allowed guns registered before then, so all new registration attempts were rejected. Mell had claimed that thousands of Chicagoans were in his situation and would benefit, but just 25 people successfully registered guns during the "amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
."