Tony Earl
Encyclopedia
Anthony Scully Earl (born April 12, 1936) is a United States
politician
and a member of the Democratic party
and served as the 41st Governor of Wisconsin
from 1983 until 1987. He graduated from Michigan State University
and earned a J.D. from the University of Chicago
. After four years in the Navy, including two years as a legal officer, Earl made his way to Wisconsin in 1965.
Earl was first elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly
in 1969, filling the seat vacated by David Obey, who was elected a member of the United States House of Representatives
. In 1974, Earl left the Assembly to run for Wisconsin Attorney General, but was defeated in the primary by Bronson La Follette
. Upon his defeat, then-Gov. Patrick Lucey named Earl secretary of the Department of Administration. Later, Earl became Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
(DNR) where his list of accomplishments include addressing the State's surface water pollution.
In 1982, Earl ran for Governor when Lee S. Dreyfus
unexpectedly declined to run for re-election, and soon the Wisconsin Democratic Party's hopes of reclaiming the Governor's mansion became very real. As head of the state DNR, Earl was well-received as a staunch defender of the environment and a problem-solver. Earl used that reputation to defeat former Acting Governor Martin J. Schreiber
(1977–79) in the Democratic primary for Governor. Earl went on to defeat the Republican
candidate, Terry Jodok Kohler
, in a landslide victory.
However, Earl's tenure as governor was a challenge from the start. By the time he took office, Wisconsin
was marred by a budget deficit of nearly $1 billion and a 12% unemployment rate. Earl signed legislation making the 5% sales tax permanent and also added a 10% surtax on state income tax which was later reduced. Once the state was fiscally sound, Earl passed initiatives improving the environment, education, and equal opportunity. Earl appointed Doris Hanson, the State's first and only female to hold the office of secretary of the Department of Administration and Howard Fuller, the first African-American appointed to a cabinet position heading the Department of Employee Relations. Due to disagreements over healthcare reform, prison staffing, wage freezes and other matters, Earl's relations with state labor soured and made his tenure as governor all the more complicated.
After restoring the state following one of the worst economic predicaments in state history, Governor Earl was ousted after one term. State Assembly Minority Leader Tommy Thompson
, a Republican
, staunchly opposed Earl's policies and was elected in 1986 to the first of four consecutive terms.
Earl currently serves on the governing board of Common Cause in Wisconsin, a non-partisan, non-profit citizen's lobby affiliated with national Common Cause
. CC/WI promotes campaign finance reform
, ethics and lobby reform, open meetings laws and other issues concerning the promotion and maintenance accountable government. Earl is also on the board of the Joyce Foundation
, a non-profit based in Chicago that supports efforts to protect the natural environment of the Great Lakes, to reduce poverty and violence in the region, and to ensure that its people have access to good schools, decent jobs, and a diverse and thriving culture. In July 2004, Earl was recognized at the 12th Annual Outreach Awards for his acknowledgment of the needs of the gay and lesbian community during his term in office; he received the organization's Political Courage Award. Earl also served on the Board of Directors of the American Transmission Company which assumed ownership, operation, planning, maintenance and monitoring of all the elecrical transmission assets formerly owned by a number of Wisconsin utility companies, cooperatives and municipal utilities. Earl was formerly a partner
in one of the largest law firms (more than 400 lawyers) in the state of Wisconsin, Quarles and Brady.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and a member of the Democratic party
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...
and served as the 41st Governor of Wisconsin
Governor of Wisconsin
The Governor of Wisconsin is the highest executive authority in the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The position was first filled by Nelson Dewey on June 7, 1848, the year Wisconsin became a state...
from 1983 until 1987. He graduated from Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
and earned a J.D. from the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. After four years in the Navy, including two years as a legal officer, Earl made his way to Wisconsin in 1965.
Earl was first elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly
Wisconsin State Assembly
The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin....
in 1969, filling the seat vacated by David Obey, who was elected a member of the United States House of Representatives
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...
. In 1974, Earl left the Assembly to run for Wisconsin Attorney General, but was defeated in the primary by Bronson La Follette
Bronson La Follette
Bronson Cutting La Follette was Attorney General of the state of Wisconsin. La Follette was a candidate for governor of Wisconsin in 1968 as a Democrat....
. Upon his defeat, then-Gov. Patrick Lucey named Earl secretary of the Department of Administration. Later, Earl became Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is an agency of the state of Wisconsin. Its purpose is to preserve, protect, manage and maintain the natural resources of the state. The WDNR has the authority to set policy for itself and to recommend regulations for approval by the State Legislature...
(DNR) where his list of accomplishments include addressing the State's surface water pollution.
In 1982, Earl ran for Governor when Lee S. Dreyfus
Lee S. Dreyfus
Lee Sherman Dreyfus was an American politician and member of the Republican Party who served as the 40th Governor of Wisconsin from January 4, 1979 to January 3, 1983....
unexpectedly declined to run for re-election, and soon the Wisconsin Democratic Party's hopes of reclaiming the Governor's mansion became very real. As head of the state DNR, Earl was well-received as a staunch defender of the environment and a problem-solver. Earl used that reputation to defeat former Acting Governor Martin J. Schreiber
Martin J. Schreiber
Martin James "Marty" Schreiber is an American politician, publisher, and lobbyist. A Democrat, Schreiber served in the Wisconsin State Senate from 1963 to 1971 before becoming lieutenant governor of Wisconsin and Governor of Wisconsin...
(1977–79) in the Democratic primary for Governor. Earl went on to defeat the 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...
candidate, Terry Jodok Kohler
Terry Jodok Kohler
Terry Jodok Kohler is a prominent American businessman, Wisconsin Republican Party leader, sportsman, philanthropist, and conservationist. He is known internationally in part because of his lifetime dedication to the sport of sailing....
, in a landslide victory.
However, Earl's tenure as governor was a challenge from the start. By the time he took office, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
was marred by a budget deficit of nearly $1 billion and a 12% unemployment rate. Earl signed legislation making the 5% sales tax permanent and also added a 10% surtax on state income tax which was later reduced. Once the state was fiscally sound, Earl passed initiatives improving the environment, education, and equal opportunity. Earl appointed Doris Hanson, the State's first and only female to hold the office of secretary of the Department of Administration and Howard Fuller, the first African-American appointed to a cabinet position heading the Department of Employee Relations. Due to disagreements over healthcare reform, prison staffing, wage freezes and other matters, Earl's relations with state labor soured and made his tenure as governor all the more complicated.
After restoring the state following one of the worst economic predicaments in state history, Governor Earl was ousted after one term. State Assembly Minority Leader Tommy Thompson
Tommy Thompson
Thomas George "Tommy" Thompson , a United States Republican politician, was the 42nd Governor of Wisconsin, after which he served as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Thompson was a candidate for the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, but dropped out early after a poor performance in polls...
, 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...
, staunchly opposed Earl's policies and was elected in 1986 to the first of four consecutive terms.
Earl currently serves on the governing board of Common Cause in Wisconsin, a non-partisan, non-profit citizen's lobby affiliated with national Common Cause
Common Cause
Common Cause is a self-described nonpartisan, nonprofit lobby and advocacy organization. It was founded in 1970 by John W. Gardner, a Republican former cabinet secretary under Lyndon Johnson, as a "citizens' lobby" with a mission focused on making U.S. political institutions more open and...
. CC/WI promotes campaign finance reform
Campaign finance reform
Campaign finance reform is the common term for the political effort in the United States to change the involvement of money in politics, primarily in political campaigns....
, ethics and lobby reform, open meetings laws and other issues concerning the promotion and maintenance accountable government. Earl is also on the board of the Joyce Foundation
Joyce Foundation
The Joyce Foundation is a charitable foundation based in Chicago in the United States and operating principally in the Great Lakes region.The Foundation primarily funds organizations in the Great Lakes region .-Programs:* Education: Focuses on public schools in Chicago, Cleveland, and Milwaukee;...
, a non-profit based in Chicago that supports efforts to protect the natural environment of the Great Lakes, to reduce poverty and violence in the region, and to ensure that its people have access to good schools, decent jobs, and a diverse and thriving culture. In July 2004, Earl was recognized at the 12th Annual Outreach Awards for his acknowledgment of the needs of the gay and lesbian community during his term in office; he received the organization's Political Courage Award. Earl also served on the Board of Directors of the American Transmission Company which assumed ownership, operation, planning, maintenance and monitoring of all the elecrical transmission assets formerly owned by a number of Wisconsin utility companies, cooperatives and municipal utilities. Earl was formerly a partner
Partner (business rank)
A partner in a law firm, accounting firm, consulting firm, or financial firm is a highly ranked position. Originally, these businesses were set up as legal partnerships in which the partners were entitled to a share of the profits of the enterprise. The name has remained even though many of these...
in one of the largest law firms (more than 400 lawyers) in the state of Wisconsin, Quarles and Brady.
Electoral history
- 1988 election for U.S. Senate (Democratic Primary)
- Herb KohlHerb KohlHerbert H. "Herb" Kohl is the senior U.S. Senator from Wisconsin and a member of the Democratic Party. He is also a philanthropist and the owner of the Milwaukee Bucks National Basketball Association team...
(D), 47% - Tony Earl (D), 38%
- Herb Kohl
- 1986 election for Governor
- Tommy ThompsonTommy ThompsonThomas George "Tommy" Thompson , a United States Republican politician, was the 42nd Governor of Wisconsin, after which he served as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Thompson was a candidate for the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, but dropped out early after a poor performance in polls...
(R), 53% - Tony Earl (D) (inc.), 46%
- Tommy Thompson
- 1982 election for Governor
- Tony Earl (D), 57%
- Terry Jodok KohlerTerry Jodok KohlerTerry Jodok Kohler is a prominent American businessman, Wisconsin Republican Party leader, sportsman, philanthropist, and conservationist. He is known internationally in part because of his lifetime dedication to the sport of sailing....
(R), 42%
External links
- Biography from the 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...