James A. Finnegan was a Democratic

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...

 politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was graduated from the University of Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...

 in 1931, and then served the United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 as Lieutenant Colonel in the Troop Carrier Command in the United States, England, and France from 1942–46.

Finnegan served in succession as Secretary of the Delaware River

Delaware River

The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...

 Navigation Commission under then Governor George H. Earle III, administrative assistant to then Senator Francis J. Myers

Francis J. Myers

Francis John Myers was an American teacher, lawyer, and Democratic Party politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A graduate of the St. Joseph's University and Temple University School of Law, He represented Pennsylvania in the U.S. House of Representatives, and then in the United States Senate...

, administrative assistant to former Congressman Michael J. Bradley

Michael J. Bradley

Michael Joseph Bradley was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives for Pennsylvania....

, and chair of the Philadelphia County Democratic Executive Committee. A member of Philadelphia City Council

Philadelphia City Council

The Philadelphia City Council, the legislative body of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, consists of ten members elected by district and seven members elected at-large. The council president is elected by the members from among their number...

, he was elected its president in 1951, serving until January 1955.

Taking the oath of office on January 18, 1955, Council President Finnegan became Secretary of the Commonwealth under Governor George M. Leader

George M. Leader

George Michael Leader served as the 36th Governor of Pennsylvania from January 18, 1955 until January 20, 1959. He is a member of the Democratic Party, and a native of York County, Pennsylvania. Currently he is the only person from that county ever to be elected governor of the state.-Early...

. He resigned this position that same December to assume the duties of campaign manager for Illinois Governor Adlai E. Stevenson’s pre-convention and later presidential campaign in 1956. Leader reappointed Finnegan Secretary of the Commonwealth on December 28, 1956. He served in this capacity until his death, at age 52, on March 26, 1958.

He is credited with the phrase "Good Government is Good Politics."

Pennsylvania political leaders at the time of Finnegan's demise created the Finnegan Foundation

Finnegan Foundation

The James A. Finnegan Foundation was founded in 1960 and incorporated under Pennsylvania law as a 501 non-profit educational organization. It is governed by an independent Board of Directors, many of whom are Finnegan Alumni.-Founding:...

. The foundation's purpose is to provide educational fellowships to undergraduates.