Robert P. Griffin
Encyclopedia
Robert Paul Griffin was a U.S. Representative
, U.S. Senator
from the state of Michigan
and Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
.
Griffin was born in Detroit, Michigan and attended public schools in Garden City
and Dearborn
. During the Second World War, he enlisted in the 71st Infantry Division in 1943 and spent fourteen months in Europe. After the war, he graduated from Central Michigan College
(now Central Michigan University) at Mount Pleasant
in 1947. He received a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School
and was admitted to the bar
in 1950. He commenced the practice of law in Traverse City
.
Griffin was elected as a Republican
to U.S. House of Representatives from the Michigan's 9th congressional district
in 1956, unseating incumbent Ruth Thompson
in the Republican primary. He served in the Eighty-fifth United States Congress and to the four succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1957, until his resignation May 10, 1966. He was appointed by Governor George Romney
on May 11, 1966, to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Patrick V. McNamara
. He was elected November 8, 1966, to a full six-year term, defeating former Governor Soapy Williams by a 56% to 44% margin, commencing January 3, 1967 and was reelected in 1972, winning a tough race against state Attorney General Frank J. Kelley
, and served from May 11, 1966, to January 2, 1979. He was Republican Whip 1969–1977. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1978, narrowly defeated by Democrat Carl Levin
. He was a justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
1987–1994. His son, Richard Allen Griffin
, was a judge on the Michigan Court of Appeals from 1989 to 2005, until he was appointed by President George W. Bush to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
in 2005.
During Griffin's first Senate campaign in 1966, a suburban Detroit rock band, Doug Brown and the Omens, released a promotional flexidisc in support of his candidacy. The song, "Give Bob The Ball" (which extolled Griffin's "youth and experience") has been included on the garage rock
compilation album
Friday At The Hideout.
Robert Griffin is currently a resident of Traverse City
.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from the state of 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"....
and Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
Michigan Supreme Court
The Michigan Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is known as Michigan's "court of last resort" and consists of seven justices who are elected to eight-year terms. Candidates are nominated by political parties and are elected on a nonpartisan ballot...
.
Griffin was born in Detroit, Michigan and attended public schools in Garden City
Garden City, Michigan
Garden City is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,692. The city is part of the Metro Detroit region.- History :...
and Dearborn
Dearborn, Michigan
-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...
. During the Second World War, he enlisted in the 71st Infantry Division in 1943 and spent fourteen months in Europe. After the war, he graduated from Central Michigan College
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...
(now Central Michigan University) at Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant, Michigan
Mount Pleasant is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Isabella County. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 25,946. The 2008 census estimate places the population at 26,675....
in 1947. He received a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School
University of Michigan Law School
The University of Michigan Law School is the law school of the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. Founded in 1859, the school has an enrollment of about 1,200 students, most of whom are seeking Juris Doctor or Master of Laws degrees, although the school also offers a Doctor of Juridical...
and was admitted to the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in 1950. He commenced the practice of law in Traverse City
Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was 14,674 at the 2010 census, with 143,372 in the Traverse...
.
Griffin was elected as a 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...
to U.S. House of Representatives from the Michigan's 9th congressional district
Michigan's 9th Congressional District
Michigan's 9th congressional district is contained within Oakland County in the southeast areas of the state of Michigan and encompasses most of the county. It is the only congressional district to lie entirely within Oakland County....
in 1956, unseating incumbent Ruth Thompson
Ruth Thompson
Ruth Thompson was a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.-Biography:Thompson was born in Whitehall, Michigan and attended the public schools. She graduated from Muskegon Business College of nearby Muskegon in 1905, and became a lawyer with a private practice...
in the Republican primary. He served in the Eighty-fifth United States Congress and to the four succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1957, until his resignation May 10, 1966. He was appointed by Governor George Romney
George W. Romney
George Wilcken Romney was an American businessman and Republican Party politician. He was chairman and CEO of American Motors Corporation from 1954 to 1962, the 43rd Governor of Michigan from 1963 to 1969, and the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 1969 to 1973...
on May 11, 1966, to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Patrick V. McNamara
Patrick V. McNamara
Patrick Vincent McNamara was a Democratic United States Senator from the state of Michigan.McNamara was born in North Weymouth, Massachusetts and attended the public schools in nearby Weymouth and the Fore River Apprentice School in Quincy. He moved to Detroit, Michigan in 1921, and became active...
. He was elected November 8, 1966, to a full six-year term, defeating former Governor Soapy Williams by a 56% to 44% margin, commencing January 3, 1967 and was reelected in 1972, winning a tough race against state Attorney General Frank J. Kelley
Frank J. Kelley
Frank J. Kelley , was the 50th Attorney General of the U.S. state of Michigan. His 37-year term of office, from 1961 to 1998, made him both the youngest and oldest Attorney General in the state's history, and led to his nickname as the "Eternal General". He is the longest serving state attorney...
, and served from May 11, 1966, to January 2, 1979. He was Republican Whip 1969–1977. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1978, narrowly defeated by Democrat Carl Levin
Carl Levin
Carl Milton Levin is a Jewish-American United States Senator from Michigan, serving since 1979. He is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
. He was a justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
Michigan Supreme Court
The Michigan Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is known as Michigan's "court of last resort" and consists of seven justices who are elected to eight-year terms. Candidates are nominated by political parties and are elected on a nonpartisan ballot...
1987–1994. His son, Richard Allen Griffin
Richard Allen Griffin
Richard Allen Griffin is a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Previously, he was a judge on the Michigan Court of Appeals.- Background :...
, was a judge on the Michigan Court of Appeals from 1989 to 2005, until he was appointed by President George W. Bush to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Kentucky* Western District of Kentucky...
in 2005.
During Griffin's first Senate campaign in 1966, a suburban Detroit rock band, Doug Brown and the Omens, released a promotional flexidisc in support of his candidacy. The song, "Give Bob The Ball" (which extolled Griffin's "youth and experience") has been included on the garage rock
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
Friday At The Hideout.
Robert Griffin is currently a resident of Traverse City
Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was 14,674 at the 2010 census, with 143,372 in the Traverse...
.