John S. Treen
Encyclopedia
John Speir Treen is a retired homebuilder from Metairie
in Jefferson Parish
, Louisiana
, who lost a 1989 special election
for the Louisiana House of Representatives
to the former Ku Klux Klan
sman David Duke
. Treen is the older brother of the late David C. Treen
, the first Republican
governor of Louisiana since Reconstruction, whose last residence was in Mandeville
in St. Tammany Parish
.
John Treen was born in Baton Rouge
to Joseph Paul Treen, Sr. (1900–1986) and the former Elizabeth Speir (1899–1990). He had a second brother, the late Paul Treen, Jr. He is married to the former Martha Ann Swayze (born 1928). Treen has two sons, John S. Treen, Jr., (born 1954) of Metairie
, and Ben Marcus Treen (born 1956) of Greenville
, South Carolina
. and two daughters, Betsy T. Anderson of Cypress, Texas}Cypress, Texas
, and Georgia T. Cole of Spartambirg
, South Carolina.
Like his brother Dave Treen, John Treen has long been active in the Louisiana Republican Party. Considered a particularly observant political commentator, Treen coined the expression: "All things being equal, Cajuns vote for Cajuns." In most statewide and congressional races since 1972 in Louisiana, the candidate from Acadiana
, regardless of party, has won statewide and district elections. An exception to that rule came in 1987 when the Democrat
Buddy Roemer
, who defected to Republican in 1991, won without a general election
when his Cajun intraparty rival, Governor Edwin Washington Edwards, withdrew. Another exception occurred in 2004, when Republican David Vitter
defeated Democrat Chris John
. Both were then U.S. representatives.
resigned from the Louisiana House (District 81) after eight years to accept a position as a 24th Judicial District Court judge
. In the special election, the candidates included Treen, Duke, Republican school board member Delton Charles, Democratic real estate agent D.J. "Bud" Olister (backed by Jefferson Parish Sheriff
Harry Lee), and Roger F. Villere, Jr.
, a young businessman from Metairie who was named the Republican state chairman in 2004. Duke finished first in the primary with 3,995 votes (33.1 percent). Because no candidate received a majority in the first round, a runoff was required between Duke and Treen, who polled 2,277 votes (18.9 percent) in the first round of balloting.
David Vitter
, then a young Republican attorney, would have entered the special election had he met the residency requirement. Ironically, Vitter would become the representative for District 81 in 1992 and then win election to the United States House of Representatives
.."
Ron Gomez
, then a member of the Louisiana House from Lafayette
, observed the District 81 special election:
"John Treen was not a very dynamic campaigner, and he was not very well liked by the political insiders in Jefferson Parish. . . . Harry Lee was quoted as saying the runoff election was 'a choice between a bigot and an asshole.' During the few head-to-head public forums Treen's advisors allowed, John wilted under the relative eloquence of Duke.
John Treen's candidacy was endorsed by U.S. President George H. W. Bush
, former President Ronald W. Reagan, and other notable Republicans such as the political activist Beth Rickey
. Treen also drew the backing of the Chamber of Commerce
, the New Orleans Times-Picayune
, the Democrat Victor Bussie
(president of the Louisiana AFL-CIO
), and Ed Steimel (president of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
). Duke, however, hammered Treen on a statement that Treen had made indicating a willingness to entertain higher property tax
es if so determined by the voters, an unpopular stance in the suburban district. Moreover, the third-place candidate, Delton Charles, did little to help Treen in the contest with Duke.
With 8,459 votes (50.7 percent), Duke narrowly defeated Treen, who polled 8,232 votes (49.3 percent). Duke served in the House from 1990 until 1992, his only public office.The turnout was a relatively high 54 percent for a showdown election. Though Duke had left the Klan in 1979, his presence in Louisiana Republican circles in the 1990s created much havoc for the party and may have delayed its advancement to near parity with the Democrats, which developed by the early years of the 21st century.
John Treen, meanwhile, decided to challenge the election on grounds that Duke had lived two blocks outside district lines prior to filing his candidacy papers. Because Treen did not file his challenge within ten days of qualifying, Duke was considered a bona fide resident of District 81. Treen's suit was tossed out of court by Judge Clarence McManus.
David Treen also faced Duke, who became a perennial candidate
over the years, in a special election for the United States House in 1999, triggered by the resignation of Republican Representative Bob Livingston
. Neither Treen nor Duke emerged victorious. The election went to then state Representative David Vitter. Ironically, Duke endorsed David Treen in Treen’s close runoff election with Vitter. The 1999 contest was the last time either David Treen or David Duke appeared on a Louisiana ballot. In that election, John Treen said of his brother: "Dave has a reputation for absolute honesty and integrity. That was one of his trademarks."
in Miami Beach
, Florida
, which renominated the Nixon
Agnew ticket. He was a delegate to the 1988 Republican National Convention
held in New Orleans
, which nominated the Bush-Quayle ticket.
In 2004, John Treen refused to endorse David Vitter in the U.S. Senate election. Treen said that he "doesn't give a damn" what Vitter thinks of him. He said that his opposition to Vitter is that "I don't like liars." John Treen, however, did not specifically endorse Vitter's opponent, Chris John. On Dave Treen's death in 2009, however, Vitter delivered a moving eulogy
to the former governor.
Metairie, Louisiana
Metairie is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States and is a major part of the New Orleans Metropolitan Area. Metairie is the largest community in Jefferson Parish. It is an unincorporated area that would be larger than most of the state's cities if it were...
in Jefferson Parish
Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
Jefferson Parish is a parish in Louisiana, United States that includes most of the suburbs of New Orleans. The seat of parish government is Gretna....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, who lost a 1989 special election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
for the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
to the former Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
sman David Duke
David Duke
David Ernest Duke is a former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan an American activist and writer, and former Republican Louisiana State Representative. He was also a former candidate in the Republican presidential primaries in 1992, and in the Democratic presidential primaries in...
. Treen is the older brother of the late David C. Treen
David C. Treen
David Conner "Dave" Treen, Sr. , was an American attorney and politician from Mandeville, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana – the first Republican Governor of the U.S. state of Louisiana since Reconstruction. He was the first Republican in modern times to have served in the U.S...
, the first 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...
governor of Louisiana since Reconstruction, whose last residence was in Mandeville
Mandeville, Louisiana
Mandeville is a city in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 12,421 in 2008. Mandeville is located on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain, south of Interstate 12. It is across the lake from the city of New Orleans and its southshore suburbs...
in St. Tammany Parish
St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana
St. Tammany Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana, in the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area. The parish seat is Covington....
.
John Treen was born in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
to Joseph Paul Treen, Sr. (1900–1986) and the former Elizabeth Speir (1899–1990). He had a second brother, the late Paul Treen, Jr. He is married to the former Martha Ann Swayze (born 1928). Treen has two sons, John S. Treen, Jr., (born 1954) of Metairie
Metairie, Louisiana
Metairie is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States and is a major part of the New Orleans Metropolitan Area. Metairie is the largest community in Jefferson Parish. It is an unincorporated area that would be larger than most of the state's cities if it were...
, and Ben Marcus Treen (born 1956) of Greenville
Greenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. and two daughters, Betsy T. Anderson of Cypress, Texas}Cypress, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, and Georgia T. Cole of Spartambirg
Spartanburg, South Carolina
thgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of...
, South Carolina.
Like his brother Dave Treen, John Treen has long been active in the Louisiana Republican Party. Considered a particularly observant political commentator, Treen coined the expression: "All things being equal, Cajuns vote for Cajuns." In most statewide and congressional races since 1972 in Louisiana, the candidate from Acadiana
Acadiana
Acadiana, or The Heart of Acadiana, is the official name given to the French Louisiana region that is home to a large Francophone population. Of the 64 parishes that make up Louisiana, 22 named parishes and other parishes of similar cultural environment, make up the intrastate...
, regardless of party, has won statewide and district elections. An exception to that rule came in 1987 when the Democrat
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...
Buddy Roemer
Buddy Roemer
Charles Elson "Buddy" Roemer III is an American politician who served as the 52nd Governor of Louisiana, from 1988 to 1992. He was elected as a Democrat but switched to the Republican Party on March 11, 1991...
, who defected to Republican in 1991, won without a general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
when his Cajun intraparty rival, Governor Edwin Washington Edwards, withdrew. Another exception occurred in 2004, when Republican David Vitter
David Vitter
David Vitter is the junior United States Senator from Louisiana and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served in the United States House of Representatives, representing the suburban Louisiana's 1st congressional district. He served as a member of the Louisiana House of...
defeated Democrat Chris John
Chris John
Christopher Charles "Chris" John is American politician who was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1997 to 2005, representing Louisiana's 7th congressional district.-Early life:...
. Both were then U.S. representatives.
Treen v. Duke
In late 1988, Republican State Representative Charles CusimanoCharles Cusimano
Charles Vincent Cusimano, II, known as Chuck Cusimano is a Republican politician from Metairie in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana....
resigned from the Louisiana House (District 81) after eight years to accept a position as a 24th Judicial District Court judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
. In the special election, the candidates included Treen, Duke, Republican school board member Delton Charles, Democratic real estate agent D.J. "Bud" Olister (backed by Jefferson Parish Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
Harry Lee), and Roger F. Villere, Jr.
Roger F. Villere, Jr.
Roger Francis Villere, Jr. is a businessman from Metairie in Jefferson Parish in suburban New Orleans who on March 26, 2004, was elected state chairman of the Louisiana Republican Party by the 144-member GOP State Central Committee. He succeeded Pat Brister of St...
, a young businessman from Metairie who was named the Republican state chairman in 2004. Duke finished first in the primary with 3,995 votes (33.1 percent). Because no candidate received a majority in the first round, a runoff was required between Duke and Treen, who polled 2,277 votes (18.9 percent) in the first round of balloting.
David Vitter
David Vitter
David Vitter is the junior United States Senator from Louisiana and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served in the United States House of Representatives, representing the suburban Louisiana's 1st congressional district. He served as a member of the Louisiana House of...
, then a young Republican attorney, would have entered the special election had he met the residency requirement. Ironically, Vitter would become the representative for District 81 in 1992 and then win election to 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...
.."
Ron Gomez
Ron Gomez
Ronald James Gomez, Sr., known as Ron Gomez , is a veteran print and broadcast journalist, author , and businessman from Lafayette, Louisiana, who served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from Lafayette Parish, from 1980-1989. From 1990-1992, he was the secretary of natural resources in...
, then a member of the Louisiana House from Lafayette
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
, observed the District 81 special election:
"John Treen was not a very dynamic campaigner, and he was not very well liked by the political insiders in Jefferson Parish. . . . Harry Lee was quoted as saying the runoff election was 'a choice between a bigot and an asshole.' During the few head-to-head public forums Treen's advisors allowed, John wilted under the relative eloquence of Duke.
John Treen's candidacy was endorsed by U.S. President George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
, former President Ronald W. Reagan, and other notable Republicans such as the political activist Beth Rickey
Beth Rickey
Elizabeth Ann "Beth" Rickey was a Republican political activist from Louisiana who exposed the neo-Nazi connections of former State Representative David Duke, who ran for the U.S...
. Treen also drew the backing of the Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
, the New Orleans Times-Picayune
New Orleans Times-Picayune
The Times-Picayune is a daily newspaper published in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.-History:Established as The Picayune in 1837 by Francis Lumsden and George Wilkins Kendall, the paper's initial price was one picayune—a Spanish coin equivalent to 6¼¢ .Under Eliza Jane Nicholson, who inherited the...
, the Democrat Victor Bussie
Victor Bussie
Victor V. Bussie was until his retirement in 1997 the 41-year unopposed president of the Louisiana AFL-CIO, having first assumed the mantle of union leadership in 1956. Journalists often described him as the most significant non-elected "official" in his state's politics...
(president of the Louisiana AFL-CIO
AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
), and Ed Steimel (president of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, known by the acronym LABI, is the largest and most successful business lobbying group in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It was founded in Baton Rouge in 1976, when Louisiana adopted a new right-to-work law during the administration of Democratic...
). Duke, however, hammered Treen on a statement that Treen had made indicating a willingness to entertain higher property tax
Property tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
es if so determined by the voters, an unpopular stance in the suburban district. Moreover, the third-place candidate, Delton Charles, did little to help Treen in the contest with Duke.
With 8,459 votes (50.7 percent), Duke narrowly defeated Treen, who polled 8,232 votes (49.3 percent). Duke served in the House from 1990 until 1992, his only public office.The turnout was a relatively high 54 percent for a showdown election. Though Duke had left the Klan in 1979, his presence in Louisiana Republican circles in the 1990s created much havoc for the party and may have delayed its advancement to near parity with the Democrats, which developed by the early years of the 21st century.
John Treen, meanwhile, decided to challenge the election on grounds that Duke had lived two blocks outside district lines prior to filing his candidacy papers. Because Treen did not file his challenge within ten days of qualifying, Duke was considered a bona fide resident of District 81. Treen's suit was tossed out of court by Judge Clarence McManus.
David Treen also faced Duke, who became a perennial candidate
Perennial candidate
A perennial candidate is one who frequently runs for public office with a record of success that is infrequent, if existent at all. Perennial candidates are often either members of minority political parties or have political opinions that are not mainstream. They may run without any serious hope...
over the years, in a special election for the United States House in 1999, triggered by the resignation of Republican Representative Bob Livingston
Bob Livingston
Robert Linlithgow "Bob" Livingston Jr. is a Washington, D.C.-based lobbyist and a former Republican U.S. Representative from Louisiana...
. Neither Treen nor Duke emerged victorious. The election went to then state Representative David Vitter. Ironically, Duke endorsed David Treen in Treen’s close runoff election with Vitter. The 1999 contest was the last time either David Treen or David Duke appeared on a Louisiana ballot. In that election, John Treen said of his brother: "Dave has a reputation for absolute honesty and integrity. That was one of his trademarks."
Other political notes
John Treen was an alternate delegate to the 1972 Republican National Convention1972 Republican National Convention
The 1972 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States was held from August 21 to August 23, 1972 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida. It nominated the incumbents Richard M. Nixon of California for President and Spiro T. Agnew of Maryland for Vice...
in Miami Beach
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, which renominated the Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
Agnew ticket. He was a delegate to the 1988 Republican National Convention
1988 Republican National Convention
The 1988 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States was held in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana from August 15 to August 18, 1988. It was the second time that a major party held its conclave in one of the five states known as the Deep South, coming on the...
held in New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, which nominated the Bush-Quayle ticket.
In 2004, John Treen refused to endorse David Vitter in the U.S. Senate election. Treen said that he "doesn't give a damn" what Vitter thinks of him. He said that his opposition to Vitter is that "I don't like liars." John Treen, however, did not specifically endorse Vitter's opponent, Chris John. On Dave Treen's death in 2009, however, Vitter delivered a moving eulogy
Eulogy
A eulogy is a speech or writing in praise of a person or thing, especially one recently deceased or retired. Eulogies may be given as part of funeral services. However, some denominations either discourage or do not permit eulogies at services to maintain respect for traditions...
to the former governor.