Larry Lawrence
Encyclopedia
Maurice Larry Lawrence (August 16, 1926 – January 10, 1996) was a United States
Ambassador
to Switzerland
. He was born in Chicago
, Cook County
, Illinois
. In 1991, Forbes magazine named Lawrence among the 400 richest Americans and estimated his fortune at $315 million. Lawrence purchased luxury resort Hotel Del Coronado
in 1963. The family sold the hotel shortly after his death in 1996 http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1996_Sept_12/ai_18674220.
He married Geraldine Polland in 1949. He was a delegate to Democratic National Convention from California in 1964, 1968 and 1972. He claimed to have served and been injured in the Merchant Marine
on the S.S. Horace Bushnell during World War II, when his ship was torpedoed in the Arctic Ocean as it was going to the Russian port of Murmansk. This false claim was discovered a year after his death, in fact Lawrence had dodged the draft. It is now known that he made up the story in hopes of getting into San Diego's military society. When he claimed he was torpedoed he was in fact at Wilbur Wright College
in Chicago during March 1945. In Lawrence's falsified biography in Who's Who he substituted the University of Arizona for Wilbur Wright College, claimed membership in a veteran's association, and claimed to be on the Nobel Peace Prize Nominating Commission. He gave a total of about $10 million to the Democratic Party over his life. He gave $200,000 to help Bill Clinton get elected in 1992. He and Bill Clinton became good friends and Bill took his first vacation as President at Lawrences's mansion in California http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/abuse12.htm.
In 1994, U.S. President Bill Clinton
appointed Lawrence as U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/archives/whitehouse-papers/1993/Oct/Lawrence-Release-1993-10-25. His opponents had raised the issue of excessive contributions to Democratic Party
campaigns. In 1994, the Federal Election Commission
ruled that Lawrence exceeded a $25,000 limit on the amount an individual can give to help finance an election campaign in one year. As a result, he was fined $7,179, the amount of his excess contributions.
Lawrence was a licensed general contractor, real estate broker, insurance broker and agent. He also held the position of Chairman of the Board, and Chief Executive Officer for numerous companies, including China Basin Properties, Ltd., Del Coronado Travel & Properties, and the Lawrence Investment Group. http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/archives/whitehouse-papers/1993/Oct/Lawrence-Release-1993-10-25
Lawrence was a long time resident of Coronado, California
, living at Crown Manor. He has been credited by former Democratic Congressman
, Lionel Van Deerlin
, as one of the key business leaders who became major advocates for building the San Diego-Coronado Bridge
.
Lawrence died at age 69 in Switzerland on January 10, 1996. He had suffered from leukemia
and dyscrasia
, a blood disorder that may have suppressed his immune system and made him susceptible to infections.http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:SYRtM8LYHzoJ:vikingphoenix.com/news/archives/1997/milus00001.htm+%22larry+lawrence%22+coronado
After his death, his fourth wife Sheila asked the White House
and US State Department to bury him in Arlington National Cemetery
. The Army checked World War II
service records but found no mention of him. Nor did he appear in the Coast Guard's records of merchant seamen and did not appear on any documents of the 1945 voyage of the Horace Bushnell
, including the ship's list of passengers. The State Department told the Army to check again. The second check came back the same. Richard Holbrooke
, an assistant secretary of state, wrote a letter to the White House praising Lawrence, arguing that a burial for him at Arlington National Cemetery would be appropriate. This position was political not military, but was approved.
Lawrence was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Bill Clinton
presided over the burial at Arlington and delivered the eulogy. In 1997, Lawrence's body was
disinterred and brought to California
after congressional investigators searched military records and found no evidence that he was ever in the Merchant Marines.
On September 15, 1998 Richard Holbrooke disclosed that he failed to report on his financial disclosure statement a gift worth more than $12,000 in lodgings from Larry Lawrence.
into Crown Manor, the lavish eight-bedroom mansion with 17 bathrooms on the Coronado beachfront that Lawrence had built for her. In April 1999, the couple had a son. A nasty custody battle over the fate of the child took place http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2001/feb/08/she-said-he-said/.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. He was born in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Cook County
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. In 1991, Forbes magazine named Lawrence among the 400 richest Americans and estimated his fortune at $315 million. Lawrence purchased luxury resort Hotel Del Coronado
Hotel del Coronado
Hotel del Coronado is a beachfront luxury hotel in the city of Coronado, just across the San Diego Bay from San Diego, California. It is one of the few surviving examples of an American architectural genre: the wooden Victorian beach resort...
in 1963. The family sold the hotel shortly after his death in 1996 http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1996_Sept_12/ai_18674220.
He married Geraldine Polland in 1949. He was a delegate to Democratic National Convention from California in 1964, 1968 and 1972. He claimed to have served and been injured in the Merchant Marine
United States Merchant Marine
The United States Merchant Marine refers to the fleet of U.S. civilian-owned merchant vessels, operated by either the government or the private sector, that engage in commerce or transportation of goods and services in and out of the navigable waters of the United States. The Merchant Marine is...
on the S.S. Horace Bushnell during World War II, when his ship was torpedoed in the Arctic Ocean as it was going to the Russian port of Murmansk. This false claim was discovered a year after his death, in fact Lawrence had dodged the draft. It is now known that he made up the story in hopes of getting into San Diego's military society. When he claimed he was torpedoed he was in fact at Wilbur Wright College
Wilbur Wright College
Wilbur Wright College, formerly known as Wright Junior College, is a public community college which offers multiple 2-year associate's degrees, as well as occupational training in manufacturing, medical, and business fields.-History:...
in Chicago during March 1945. In Lawrence's falsified biography in Who's Who he substituted the University of Arizona for Wilbur Wright College, claimed membership in a veteran's association, and claimed to be on the Nobel Peace Prize Nominating Commission. He gave a total of about $10 million to the Democratic Party over his life. He gave $200,000 to help Bill Clinton get elected in 1992. He and Bill Clinton became good friends and Bill took his first vacation as President at Lawrences's mansion in California http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/abuse12.htm.
In 1994, U.S. President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
appointed Lawrence as U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/archives/whitehouse-papers/1993/Oct/Lawrence-Release-1993-10-25. His opponents had raised the issue of excessive contributions to 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...
campaigns. In 1994, the Federal Election Commission
Federal Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act...
ruled that Lawrence exceeded a $25,000 limit on the amount an individual can give to help finance an election campaign in one year. As a result, he was fined $7,179, the amount of his excess contributions.
Lawrence was a licensed general contractor, real estate broker, insurance broker and agent. He also held the position of Chairman of the Board, and Chief Executive Officer for numerous companies, including China Basin Properties, Ltd., Del Coronado Travel & Properties, and the Lawrence Investment Group. http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/archives/whitehouse-papers/1993/Oct/Lawrence-Release-1993-10-25
Lawrence was a long time resident of Coronado, California
Coronado, California
Coronado, also known as Coronado Island, is an affluent resort city located in San Diego County, California, 5.2 miles from downtown San Diego. Its population was 24,697 at the 2010 census, up from 24,100 at the 2000 census. U.S. News and World Report lists Coronado as one of the most expensive...
, living at Crown Manor. He has been credited by former Democratic Congressman
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....
, Lionel Van Deerlin
Lionel Van Deerlin
Lionel Van Deerlin was an American politician who served as a Democratic United States Representative from California from 1963 to 1981, representing a San Diego area district.-Biography:...
, as one of the key business leaders who became major advocates for building the San Diego-Coronado Bridge
San Diego-Coronado Bridge
The San Diego-Coronado Bridge, locally referred to as the Coronado Bridge, is a "prestressed concrete/steel" girder bridge, crossing over San Diego Bay in the United States, linking San Diego with Coronado, California...
.
Lawrence died at age 69 in Switzerland on January 10, 1996. He had suffered from leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
and dyscrasia
Dyscrasia
Dyscrasia is a concept from ancient Greek medicine with the word "dyskrasia", meaning bad mixture.The concept of dyscrasia was developed by the ancient Greek physician Galen , who elaborated a model of health and disease as a structure of elements, qualities, humors, organs, and temperaments...
, a blood disorder that may have suppressed his immune system and made him susceptible to infections.http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:SYRtM8LYHzoJ:vikingphoenix.com/news/archives/1997/milus00001.htm+%22larry+lawrence%22+coronado
After his death, his fourth wife Sheila asked the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
and US State Department to bury him in Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
. The Army checked World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
service records but found no mention of him. Nor did he appear in the Coast Guard's records of merchant seamen and did not appear on any documents of the 1945 voyage of the Horace Bushnell
Horace Bushnell
Horace Bushnell was an American Congregational clergyman and theologian.-Life:Bushnell was a Yankee born in the village of Bantam, township of Litchfield, Connecticut. He attended Yale College where he roomed with future magazinist Nathaniel Parker Willis. Willis credited Bushnell with teaching...
, including the ship's list of passengers. The State Department told the Army to check again. The second check came back the same. Richard Holbrooke
Richard Holbrooke
Richard Charles Albert Holbrooke was an American diplomat, magazine editor, author, professor, Peace Corps official, and investment banker....
, an assistant secretary of state, wrote a letter to the White House praising Lawrence, arguing that a burial for him at Arlington National Cemetery would be appropriate. This position was political not military, but was approved.
Lawrence was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
presided over the burial at Arlington and delivered the eulogy. In 1997, Lawrence's body was
disinterred and brought to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
after congressional investigators searched military records and found no evidence that he was ever in the Merchant Marines.
On September 15, 1998 Richard Holbrooke disclosed that he failed to report on his financial disclosure statement a gift worth more than $12,000 in lodgings from Larry Lawrence.
Family
At his death, Lawrence was married to the former Sheila Davis, who was originally from Brushfork, West Virginia http://members.aol.com/jeff560/famousl.html. Not long after her husband's death, Davis moved political cartoonist Steve KelleySteve Kelley
Steve Kelley is a former Minnesota state Senator. In 2006, he received the Democratic-Farmer-Labor endorsement for Attorney General. Kelley served in the Minnesota Senate from 1997 to 2007; he previously served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1993 to 1997...
into Crown Manor, the lavish eight-bedroom mansion with 17 bathrooms on the Coronado beachfront that Lawrence had built for her. In April 1999, the couple had a son. A nasty custody battle over the fate of the child took place http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2001/feb/08/she-said-he-said/.