born september american politician served representative massachusetts january january democrat represented state 6th district includes state born raised salem massachusetts graduated worked private law served salem ran house_of_representatives republican incumbent losing small margin defeated subsequent election sworn representative liberal member congress voted massachusetts sat labor priorities included green energy increased college access authored pieces legislation including green jobs act chairman helped establish commission wartime contracting iraq afghanistan won election election cycle faced tougher challenge wife convicted tax fraud lost democratic nomination went win seat general election early life education career born september salem massachusetts mother née salem native worked split shift remained years father local fuel company children brother sister catherine father irish descent mother half french canadian half irish ancestry moved family grandmother home years old began working salem soon adopted paper route later attended young campaigned uncle ward political interest experience attended political science college performed work study shelves grocery store working sales clothing store performing deliveries years president class final year served president president responded racial incidents campus organizing school wide meeting leading days discussion graduated returned commencement address receiving honorary degree working law office clerk attended graduated doctor admitted massachusetts bar worked solo partner community law firm remained firm taking office served salem organization president elections ran congress term republican incumbent having won competitive democratic primary percent ran platform promoting stronger federal focus drug abuse federal aid promote school programs consideration means testing single health care primary issue campaign crime criticized vote crime bill advocated stronger gun control criticized positions gun control drug defeated general election successfully ran congress defeating narrow margin increasing margin rematch elections won vote faced challenge republican candidate wife convicted tax fraud won vote race election faced state senator nominee lieutenant governor openly gay endorsed log cabin republicans endorsed endorsed boston based lgbt newspaper won reelection november vote tenure described liberal politics america consistently high approval ratings democratic liberal interest groups americans low approval ratings conservative groups votes closely aligned democratic representatives state described favorite house democratic leadership maintains close relationship house speaker daughter served chief staff speculated candidate succeed united_states senator special election kennedy death decided run washington paper hill published speculation million war chest likely candidate run kennedy successor election later stated contest senate seat instead seek ninth term congressman domestic policy green jobs act allocated million green jobs training bill incorporated signed law initially opposed proposal ultimately voted bill saying state panic markets congress act house included proposals opportunity act prevented states cutting education funding federal aid increased federal loans students went public service career repeatedly introduced bill called clean money clean elections create national publicly financed clean elections system little support congress proposal unsuccessful supporter universal health care early came fire district support affordable care act march house democrats walked workforce vote accusing republican counterparts committee negotiating manner introduced version house reduce federally education loans rate paid banks february washington_post report revealed members congress helped direct million public projects close proximity commercial residential real estate owned family members according investigation helped direct million space parking garage commuter rail station salem mass facility located roughly mile commercial building owns foreign policy member chairman introduced house legislation created commission wartime contracting iraq afghanistan study government contracting related afghanistan war iraq war year chaired congressional hearing conditions center criticized press dilapidated conditions inadequate care ward non soldiers house approved amendment direct secular school construction pakistan compete islamic critic investment missile defense called large budget cuts introduced amendment million funding missile defense systems military initiatives proposal opposed leaders going far rejected house vote election campaign ran election democratic nomination percent reporting trailed percent percent conceded personal life dated campaign married small ceremony april live salem works jewelry designer wife marriage june arrested grams cocaine cash found apartment wife tax fraud conviction august wife brothers robert indicted federal court operating illegal internet gambling business robert allegedly daniel help operated business antigua portion profits account massachusetts october charged counts aiding filing false tax returns robert issued statement announcing wife intention guilty stating accepted responsibility blind brother pleaded guilty october january sentenced days prison followed months house arrest conviction bolstered campaign republican opponent november election elected june federal judge ordered million assets role illegal offshore sports betting scheme following sentencing told reporters congressman knew going charge electoral history
John F. Tierney