Thomas J. Whelan
Encyclopedia
Thomas J. Whelan was an Irish-American mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey
. He served as the Mayor of Jersey City from 1963 to 1971.
Whelan was born in Jersey City on January 28, 1922 as one of thirteen children to Joseph J. and Charlotte Vogel Whelan.
Whelan flew 63 missions in World War II as a pilot in the Army Air Force. He later became the chief security officer of New Jersey Bell Telephone Co.
A Democrat, Whelan was appointed mayor in 1963 when his predecessor, Thomas Gangemi
, was forced to resign over a question about his citizenship. Whelan ran for mayor in 1965 and again in 1969, winning both times.
In 1971, during his second term as mayor, Whelan, as indicted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey
as a member of the "Hudson County Eight," and was convicted in federal court of conspiracy and extortion in a multi-million dollar political kickback scheme on city and county contracts.
Convicted along with him was former mayor and political boss, John V. Kenny
and former City Council president Thomas Flaherty. Whelan served seven years of a 15-year sentence in the United States penitentiary in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
.
Whelan died on July 31, 2002, in a nursing home in Naples, Florida
, aged 80.
Jersey 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...
. He served as the Mayor of Jersey City from 1963 to 1971.
Whelan was born in Jersey City on January 28, 1922 as one of thirteen children to Joseph J. and Charlotte Vogel Whelan.
Whelan flew 63 missions in World War II as a pilot in the Army Air Force. He later became the chief security officer of New Jersey Bell Telephone Co.
A Democrat, Whelan was appointed mayor in 1963 when his predecessor, Thomas Gangemi
Thomas Gangemi
Thomas Gangemi was the 35th Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey. Elected in 1961, the Italian-born Gangemi was forced to resign from office less than two years later when it was discovered that he had never become a United States citizen...
, was forced to resign over a question about his citizenship. Whelan ran for mayor in 1965 and again in 1969, winning both times.
In 1971, during his second term as mayor, Whelan, as indicted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey
United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey
The U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey is the chief federal law enforcement officer in New Jersey. Paul J. Fishman was sworn into office as U.S. Attorney on October 14, 2009 after having been nominated by President Barack Obama. He succeeded Ralph J. Marra, who served as Acting U.S....
as a member of the "Hudson County Eight," and was convicted in federal court of conspiracy and extortion in a multi-million dollar political kickback scheme on city and county contracts.
Convicted along with him was former mayor and political boss, John V. Kenny
John V. Kenny
John Vincent Kenny was mayor of Jersey City from 1949 to 1953.-Biography:He was born on April 6, 1893. In 1971, he was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey and convicted, along with the then-mayor Thomas J...
and former City Council president Thomas Flaherty. Whelan served seven years of a 15-year sentence in the United States penitentiary in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
Lewisburg is a borough in Union County, Pennsylvania, United States, south by southeast of Williamsport and north of Harrisburg. In the past, it was the commercial center for a fertile grain and general farming region. The population was 5,620 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Union...
.
Whelan died on July 31, 2002, in a nursing home in Naples, Florida
Naples, Florida
Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of July 1, 2007, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 21,653. Naples is a principal city of the Naples–Marco Island Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated total population of 315,839 on July 1, 2007...
, aged 80.