Jane M. Swift
Encyclopedia
Jane Maria Swift is an American
politician, who served as the 69th lieutenant governor
from 1999 to 2003 and acting governor
of Massachusetts
from 2001 to 2003. She is the only woman to perform the duties of governor of Massachusetts, doing so from April 2001 to January 2003. At the time she became acting governor, Swift was the youngest person in the country to hold the position of governor or acting governor. In 1990, at the age of 25, she was the youngest woman ever elected to the Massachusetts Senate
. She was elected lieutenant governor in 1998. She currently resides in Williamstown
, Massachusetts.
-Italian
family in North Adams, Massachusetts
, Swift learned politics from her father who was active in the Berkshire County Republican Party. In 1987, she graduated from Trinity College
in Hartford
, Connecticut
, with a degree in American studies
. During her college years, Swift was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma
fraternity for women.
from 1990 to 1996. As a member of the Massachusetts State Senate, Swift was active in education reform
issues and was instrumental in the passage of the Education Reform Act
of 1993. This legislation created the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System
which has been instrumental in quantifying academic performance statewide.
As a Senator, Swift was considered to be a “policy wonk.” According to Governor William Weld
’s chief of staff, “She was among the best, if not the best of senators.” It was in this capacity that she developed her political themes of increased accountability, down-sizing government, reducing taxes, and reforming education and social services.
In 1996, rather than seek re-election to the State Senate, Swift was a Republican
candidate for United States Congress
in Massachusetts's 1st congressional district
. She was defeated by incumbent Democratic
Congressman John Olver
.
After leaving the Massachusetts State Senate, Swift served as an executive with the Massachusetts Port Authority
. She was appointed by Governor William Weld
as Massachusetts' consumer affairs secretary in 1997, serving until her swearing-in as Lieutenant Governor in 1999.
in 1998
. She became acting governor in 2001, when incumbent Governor Paul Cellucci
resigned to become the United States Ambassador to Canada.
Swift was the first sitting governor in United States history to give birth when her twin daughters were born one month into her term of office. She continued to exercise executive authority during her maternity leave, including chairing a meeting of the Massachusetts Governor's Council
by teleconference from her hospital bed.
Swift's tenure as acting governor was largely dominated by responding to the attacks of September 11, 2001, and managing the fiscal crisis that followed in Massachusetts. Swift insisted that polls remain open for a special congressional election scheduled for that day, and led a comprehensive, statewide response to prevent terrorism. In addition, Swift led 45 governors in urging Congress to create the Department of Homeland Security. The Boston Herald
summarized her response to the crisis as, “Acting Gov. Jane Swift has had her finest hour during this crisis…she has been steady, stable, calming, decisive.”
Faced with a widening budget deficit as a result of the terrorist attacks, Swift cut nearly $300 million in programs and vetoed nearly $600 million in proposed spending. She received high praise for her response to the budget crisis without resorting to massive tax increases.
She declined to run for election to the next term.
stated that Hunt had been married only once before. In fact, it was Hunt's fourth marriage. The marriage license had been signed, under penalty of perjury
, by both Swift and Hunt. When the controversy emerged in 2001, Swift responded by saying that "Chuck had a desire to keep his private life private", while admitting that the decision to put false information on the license had been "misguided". Although the misdemeanor
perjury offense was by that time no longer prosecutable under its statute of limitations
, Swift and Hunt both agreed to pay the $100 maximum fine for the offense and to amend the marriage license retroactively. It also emerged that Hunt had married his second wife before the divorce
from his first wife had become final. This information came to light after Swift's stepson Brian Hunt contacted the Boston Globe to complain about her record on gay and lesbian issues. Swift subsequently announced that she would extend some benefits to same-sex partners of state employees.
, who was convicted in the notorious 1986 Fells Acre Day School child sex abuse case and who had already served sixteen years in prison. Her decision, which went against the unanimous recommendation of the state parole board, came at the urging of Martha Coakley, then Middlesex district attorney and subsequently State Attorney General. Both Coakley's and Swift's motives in denying Amirault clemency have been impugned as politically inspired.
. She and her husband own and operate Cobble Hill Farm http://www.cobblehillfarm.com/ and riding school in Williamstown, Massachusetts where they live with their three daughters. She is active in charity fundraising,http://multimedia.boston.com/pub/m/19620876/back_in_the_running_jane_swift_marathon_profile.htm?pageid=99 and she continues to be considered a “power player” within the Republican Party
. Her official portrait was unveiled in the Massachusetts State House
in 2005.
Governor Swift is a principal with the consulting firm of WNP Consulting, LLC http://www.wnpconsulting.com, providing expertise in education services, equity and investments, strategic consultation, and professional presentations. She often speaks on the role of women in public service and is a lecturer in Leadership Studies at Williams College. Additionally she is a contributor to Working Mother Magazine, and active on numerous boards.
for president in February 2007, and campaigned on behalf of McCain in numerous states throughout 2008. Swift appeared on numerous news and political commentary shows, providing point/counter-point discussion on the campaign.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician, who served as the 69th lieutenant governor
Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
The Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts is the first in the line to discharge the powers and duties of the office of governor following the incapacitation of the Governor of Massachusetts...
from 1999 to 2003 and acting governor
Governor of Massachusetts
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
from 2001 to 2003. She is the only woman to perform the duties of governor of Massachusetts, doing so from April 2001 to January 2003. At the time she became acting governor, Swift was the youngest person in the country to hold the position of governor or acting governor. In 1990, at the age of 25, she was the youngest woman ever elected to the Massachusetts Senate
Massachusetts Senate
The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state...
. She was elected lieutenant governor in 1998. She currently resides in Williamstown
Williamstown, Massachusetts
Williamstown is a town in Berkshire County, in the northwest corner of Massachusetts. It shares a border with Vermont to the north and New York to the west. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,754 at the 2010 census...
, Massachusetts.
Early life
Descended from an IrishIrish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
-Italian
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
family in North Adams, Massachusetts
North Adams, Massachusetts
North Adams is a city in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,708 as of the 2010 census, making it the least populous city in the state...
, Swift learned politics from her father who was active in the Berkshire County Republican Party. In 1987, she graduated from Trinity College
Trinity College (Connecticut)
Trinity College is a private, liberal arts college in Hartford, Connecticut. Founded in 1823, it is the second-oldest college in the state of Connecticut after Yale University. The college enrolls 2,300 students and has been coeducational since 1969. Trinity offers 38 majors and 26 minors, and has...
in Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, with a degree in American studies
American studies
American studies or American civilization is an interdisciplinary field dealing with the study of the United States. It traditionally incorporates the study of history, literature, and critical theory, but also includes fields as diverse as law, art, the media, film, religious studies, urban...
. During her college years, Swift was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma
Kappa Kappa Gamma
Kappa Kappa Gamma is a collegiate women's fraternity, founded at Monmouth College, in Monmouth, Illinois, USA. Although the groundwork of the organization was developed as early as 1869, the 1876 Convention voted that October 13, 1870 should be recognized at the official Founders Day, because no...
fraternity for women.
Massachusetts politics
Swift served in the Massachusetts SenateMassachusetts Senate
The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state...
from 1990 to 1996. As a member of the Massachusetts State Senate, Swift was active in education reform
Education reform
Education reform is the process of improving public education. Small improvements in education theoretically have large social returns, in health, wealth and well-being. Historically, reforms have taken different forms because the motivations of reformers have differed.A continuing motivation has...
issues and was instrumental in the passage of the Education Reform Act
Education Reform Act
Education Reform Act may refer to:* Education Reform Act 1988 in the UK* Kentucky Education Reform Act, 1990* Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993...
of 1993. This legislation created the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System
Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, commonly shortened to MCAS , is the Commonwealth's statewide standards-based assessment program developed in 1993, in response to the Massachusetts Education Reform Act of the same year...
which has been instrumental in quantifying academic performance statewide.
As a Senator, Swift was considered to be a “policy wonk.” According to Governor William Weld
William Weld
William Floyd Weld is a former governor of the US state of Massachusetts. He served as that state's 68th governor from 1991 to 1997. From 1981 to 1988, he was a federal prosecutor in the United States Justice Department...
’s chief of staff, “She was among the best, if not the best of senators.” It was in this capacity that she developed her political themes of increased accountability, down-sizing government, reducing taxes, and reforming education and social services.
In 1996, rather than seek re-election to the State Senate, Swift was 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...
candidate for United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
in Massachusetts's 1st congressional district
Massachusetts's 1st congressional district
Massachusetts's 1st congressional district is in western and central Massachusetts. The largest Massachusetts district in area, it covers about one-third of the state and is more rural than the rest. It has the state's highest point, Mount Greylock...
. She was defeated by incumbent 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...
Congressman John Olver
John Olver
John Walter Olver is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1991. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Early in his career, he was a chemistry professor and served in both chambers of the Massachusetts General Court....
.
After leaving the Massachusetts State Senate, Swift served as an executive with the Massachusetts Port Authority
Massachusetts Port Authority
Massachusetts Port Authority, or Massport, is a port district in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It operates seaports and airports in eastern and central Massachusetts, mainly the Port of Boston. Its headquarters is located in the Logan Office Center, adjacent to Logan Airport in East Boston,...
. She was appointed by Governor William Weld
William Weld
William Floyd Weld is a former governor of the US state of Massachusetts. He served as that state's 68th governor from 1991 to 1997. From 1981 to 1988, he was a federal prosecutor in the United States Justice Department...
as Massachusetts' consumer affairs secretary in 1997, serving until her swearing-in as Lieutenant Governor in 1999.
Massachusetts Governor
Swift was elected lieutenant governor of MassachusettsLieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
The Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts is the first in the line to discharge the powers and duties of the office of governor following the incapacitation of the Governor of Massachusetts...
in 1998
Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 1998
The 1998 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1998. Acting Governor Paul Cellucci was elected to his first term as Governor of Massachusetts.-Governor:...
. She became acting governor in 2001, when incumbent Governor Paul Cellucci
Paul Cellucci
Argeo Paul Cellucci is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 69th Governor of Massachusetts and US Ambassador to Canada.-Early life and career:...
resigned to become the United States Ambassador to Canada.
Swift was the first sitting governor in United States history to give birth when her twin daughters were born one month into her term of office. She continued to exercise executive authority during her maternity leave, including chairing a meeting of the Massachusetts Governor's Council
Massachusetts Governor's Council
The Massachusetts Governor's Council is a governmental body that provides advice and consent in certain matters such as judicial nominations, pardons, and commutations to the Governor of Massachusetts...
by teleconference from her hospital bed.
Swift's tenure as acting governor was largely dominated by responding to the attacks of September 11, 2001, and managing the fiscal crisis that followed in Massachusetts. Swift insisted that polls remain open for a special congressional election scheduled for that day, and led a comprehensive, statewide response to prevent terrorism. In addition, Swift led 45 governors in urging Congress to create the Department of Homeland Security. The Boston Herald
Boston Herald
The Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...
summarized her response to the crisis as, “Acting Gov. Jane Swift has had her finest hour during this crisis…she has been steady, stable, calming, decisive.”
Faced with a widening budget deficit as a result of the terrorist attacks, Swift cut nearly $300 million in programs and vetoed nearly $600 million in proposed spending. She received high praise for her response to the budget crisis without resorting to massive tax increases.
She declined to run for election to the next term.
Cabinet and administration
| The Swift Cabinet | ||
|---|---|---|
| OFFICE | NAME | TERM |
| Acting Governor Governor of Massachusetts The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:... |
Jane M. Swift | 2001 2003 |
| Lieutenant Governor Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts The Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts is the first in the line to discharge the powers and duties of the office of governor following the incapacitation of the Governor of Massachusetts... |
Jane M. Swift | 2001 2003 |
| Secretary of Transportation | James Scanlan | 2001 2003 |
| Director of Housing & Community Development | Jane Wallis Gumble | 2001 2003 |
| Secretary of Environmental Affairs | Robert Durand Robert Durand Robert A. Durand is an American politician who served as the Secretary of Environmental Affairs in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1999 to 2003... |
2001 2003 |
| Director of Consumer Affairs | Jennifer Davis Carey | 2001 2003 |
| Secretary of Health and Human Services | Robert Gittens Ronald Preston |
2001 2002 2002 2003 |
| Secretary of Elder Affairs | Lillian Glickman | 2001 2003 |
| Director of Labor & Workforce Development | Angelo R. Buonopane | 2001 2003 |
| Secretary of Administration & Finance | Stephen Crosby Kevin J. Sullivan |
2001 2002 2002 2003 |
| Secretary of Public Safety | Jane Perlov Jane Perlov Jane Perlov is an American law enforcement official who served as Chief of the Raleigh, North Carolina Police Department from 2001 to 2007 and Massachusetts Secretary of Public Safety from 1998 to 2001.... James P. Jajuga |
2001 2001 2001 2003 |
Marriage license
When Swift and husband Chuck Hunt married in 1994, their marriage licenseMarriage license
A marriage license is a document issued, either by a church or state authority, authorizing a couple to marry. The procedure for obtaining a license varies between countries and has changed over time...
stated that Hunt had been married only once before. In fact, it was Hunt's fourth marriage. The marriage license had been signed, under penalty of perjury
Perjury
Perjury, also known as forswearing, is the willful act of swearing a false oath or affirmation to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to a judicial proceeding. That is, the witness falsely promises to tell the truth about matters which affect the outcome of the...
, by both Swift and Hunt. When the controversy emerged in 2001, Swift responded by saying that "Chuck had a desire to keep his private life private", while admitting that the decision to put false information on the license had been "misguided". Although the misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
A misdemeanor is a "lesser" criminal act in many common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished much less severely than felonies, but theoretically more so than administrative infractions and regulatory offences...
perjury offense was by that time no longer prosecutable under its statute of limitations
Statute of limitations
A statute of limitations is an enactment in a common law legal system that sets the maximum time after an event that legal proceedings based on that event may be initiated...
, Swift and Hunt both agreed to pay the $100 maximum fine for the offense and to amend the marriage license retroactively. It also emerged that Hunt had married his second wife before the divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
from his first wife had become final. This information came to light after Swift's stepson Brian Hunt contacted the Boston Globe to complain about her record on gay and lesbian issues. Swift subsequently announced that she would extend some benefits to same-sex partners of state employees.
Use of state employees for personal purposes
While serving as Lieutenant Governor, Swift used her staffers to serve as unpaid childcare for her infant daughter Elizabeth, and also to help her family move house.Use of state helicopter
In 2000, Swift paid a $1250 fine after admitting using a state helicopter as personal transport to her home in the western part of Massachusetts.The Gerald Amirault Case
Governor Swift drew widespread criticism in February 2002 for her refusal to commute the thirty-to-forty-year sentence of Gerald AmiraultGerald Amirault
Gerald A. "Tooky" Amirault is an American convicted in 1986 of child sexual abuse of eight children at the Fells Acres Day Care Center in Malden, Massachusetts, run by his family. He and his family deny the charges, which supporters regard as a conspicuous example of day care sex abuse hysteria...
, who was convicted in the notorious 1986 Fells Acre Day School child sex abuse case and who had already served sixteen years in prison. Her decision, which went against the unanimous recommendation of the state parole board, came at the urging of Martha Coakley, then Middlesex district attorney and subsequently State Attorney General. Both Coakley's and Swift's motives in denying Amirault clemency have been impugned as politically inspired.
Post-acting gubernatorial career
After leaving office, Swift returned to Western MassachusettsWestern Massachusetts
Western Massachusetts is a loosely defined geographical region of the U.S. state of Massachusetts which contains the Berkshires, the Pioneer Valley, and some or all of the Swift River Valley. The region is always considered to include Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties, and the...
. She and her husband own and operate Cobble Hill Farm http://www.cobblehillfarm.com/ and riding school in Williamstown, Massachusetts where they live with their three daughters. She is active in charity fundraising,http://multimedia.boston.com/pub/m/19620876/back_in_the_running_jane_swift_marathon_profile.htm?pageid=99 and she continues to be considered a “power player” within the Republican Party
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...
. Her official portrait was unveiled in the Massachusetts State House
Massachusetts State House
The Massachusetts State House, also known as the Massachusetts Statehouse or the "New" State House, is the state capitol and house of government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is located in Boston in the neighborhood Beacon Hill...
in 2005.
Governor Swift is a principal with the consulting firm of WNP Consulting, LLC http://www.wnpconsulting.com, providing expertise in education services, equity and investments, strategic consultation, and professional presentations. She often speaks on the role of women in public service and is a lecturer in Leadership Studies at Williams College. Additionally she is a contributor to Working Mother Magazine, and active on numerous boards.
2008 presidential election
Swift endorsed Senator John McCainJohn McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
for president in February 2007, and campaigned on behalf of McCain in numerous states throughout 2008. Swift appeared on numerous news and political commentary shows, providing point/counter-point discussion on the campaign.
Electoral history
- 1996 Race for United States House of Representatives, Massachusetts District 1
- John OlverJohn OlverJohn Walter Olver is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1991. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Early in his career, he was a chemistry professor and served in both chambers of the Massachusetts General Court....
(D, incumbent), 53% - Jane Swift (R), 47%
- John Olver
- 1998 Race for Lieutenant Governor of MassachusettsMassachusetts gubernatorial election, 1998The 1998 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1998. Acting Governor Paul Cellucci was elected to his first term as Governor of Massachusetts.-Governor:...
- Paul CellucciPaul CellucciArgeo Paul Cellucci is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 69th Governor of Massachusetts and US Ambassador to Canada.-Early life and career:...
(incumbent)/Jane Swift (R), 51% - Scott HarshbargerScott HarshbargerLuther Scott Harshbarger is a lawyer and a Democratic politician from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.-Education and early career:...
/Warren Tolman (D), 47%
- Paul Cellucci