Charles Hanlon

Last updated
Oregon state senator Charles Hanlon.png

Charles J. Hanlon (September 15, 1918 – September 9, 1990) was the first independent member of the U.S. state of Oregon's legislature elected in 50 years, [1] and the fifth in Oregon history. [2] He served three terms in the Oregon Senate, from 1976 to 1986.

Oregon Legislative Assembly legislative body of Oregon, USA

The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to two-year terms. There are no term limits for either house in the Legislative Assembly.

He became a Democrat after his first election, in which he defeated the then-Senate Majority Leader, Democrat William Holmstrom. [1] The Oregonian's obituary stated that he was known for his independence throughout his career, noting his opposition to the timber industry's influence on forest management and, specifically, the Oregon Board of Forestry, [3] and his efforts to legalize self-service gasoline in the state. [4] [5] In 1977, he proposed an amendment to the state constitution that would have added two years to House and Senate terms, and imposed a term limit of 12 years. [6] Hanlon was also noted for his constituent services, including a successful effort to force a state barber's licensing board to administer an oral exam to an illiterate barber. [4]

Democratic Party of Oregon

The Democratic Party of Oregon, based in Portland, is the official Oregon affiliate of the United States Democratic Party. It is recognized by the state of Oregon as a major political party, along with the Oregon Republican Party. The State Central Committee, made up of two delegates elected from each of Oregon's 36 counties and one additional delegate for every 15,000 registered Democrats, is the main authoritative body of the party. After Oregon was admitted into the Union in 1859, the Democratic party controlled the state. Oregon elected twice as many Democrats as Republicans between 1859 and 1879 in statewide elections for governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, and congressmen. The party holds 38 members in the State House that has 60 representatives total, and 18 members in the State Senate, out of 30 delegates total. The party also holds the Governor's office, Attorney General, Labor Commissioner, and State Treasurer. The Democrats also have both U.S senate positions in their state and send four of the five U.S House representatives from Oregon to D.C.

<i>The Oregonian</i> Largest newspaper in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, published in Portland, Oregon since 1850.

The Oregonian is a daily newspaper based in Portland, Oregon, United States, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 1850, and published daily since 1861. It is the largest newspaper in Oregon and the second largest in the Pacific Northwest by circulation. It is one of the few newspapers with a statewide focus in the United States. The Sunday edition is published under the title The Sunday Oregonian. The regular edition was published under the title The Morning Oregonian from 1861 until 1937.

Oregon Board of Forestry

The Oregon Board of Forestry is responsible for forest policy and oversight of forest management practices within the state of Oregon. The board appoints the state forester and oversees the Oregon Department of Forestry. The board also works with private land owners and the Federal Government to promote consistent forest management policies throughout the state.

Life

Hanlon was born in Pennsylvania the son of Charles E. Hanlon and Anna Lauri Darby Hanlon, one of five children. His coal miner father volunteered to join a rescue mission at the Kinloch Mine (Parnassus, PA) <U.S. Bureau of Mines></ref>disaster on March 21, 1929 but perished in the attempt. Of the nearly 300 miners trapped in the explosion ultimately 46 died. Because of this and the start of the Depression he was sent to be raised by an aunt. He served in the United States Army in World War II, and subsequently moved to Ventura, California, where he was an executive for a sand and gravel company. He moved to Oregon in 1958, where he raised cattle and hay on Buck Mountain near Cornelius. He ran for office as an independent, but at the urging of the Republican party, after Holmstrom, who had already secured both the Democratic and Republican nominations for reelection, was accused of ethical misconduct. He chaired committees including revenue, rules, transportation, and agriculture, [4] and served a term as president pro tempore in 1985. [1]

Pennsylvania State of the United States of America

Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state located in the northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The Appalachian Mountains run through its middle. The Commonwealth is bordered by Delaware to the southeast, Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, Lake Erie and the Canadian province of Ontario to the northwest, New York to the north, and New Jersey to the east.

United States Army Land warfare branch of the United States Armed Forces

The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution. As the oldest and most senior branch of the U.S. military in order of precedence, the modern U.S. Army has its roots in the Continental Army, which was formed to fight the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783)—before the United States of America was established as a country. After the Revolutionary War, the Congress of the Confederation created the United States Army on 3 June 1784 to replace the disbanded Continental Army. The United States Army considers itself descended from the Continental Army, and dates its institutional inception from the origin of that armed force in 1775.

World War II 1939–1945 global war

World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. The vast majority of the world's countries—including all the great powers—eventually formed two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. A state of total war emerged, directly involving more than 100 million people from over 30 countries. The major participants threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources. World War II was the deadliest conflict in human history, marked by 50 to 85 million fatalities, most of whom were civilians in the Soviet Union and China. It included massacres, the genocide of the Holocaust, strategic bombing, premeditated death from starvation and disease, and the only use of nuclear weapons in war.

Hanlon represented a district including the city of Gearhart. [1] He launched a petition drive to pass an open primary amendment to the Oregon Constitution in 1975. [7] He first announced he would join the Democratic party in June 1976, bolstering Jason Boe's effort to overcome fellow Democrat Betty Roberts's challenge to his position as Senate president. Hanlon, who had been a registered Democrat two decades prior, said the Senate presidency issue prompted his decision to rejoin the party, though he had been considering it for some time. At the time, The Bend Bulletin stated that he was considered one of the most knowledgeable legislators on the subject of natural resources. He denied that his move was motivated by political gamesmanship, stating that his desire to be appointed chair of a committee was unrelated to joining the party; and he asserted his intention to remain independent, and critical of the two-party system. [2]

Gearhart, Oregon City in Oregon, United States

Gearhart is a city in Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,462 at the 2010 census.

Jason Douglas Boe was an American optometrist from Oregon. A native of California, he served as the 47th president of the Oregon State Senate. Prior to serving in the Senate he was a member of the Oregon House of Representatives.

Betty Roberts American judge

Betty Cantrell Roberts was an American politician and judge from the U.S. state of Oregon. She was the 83rd Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, the highest state court in Oregon. She was the first woman on the Oregon Supreme Court, and had also been the first woman on the Oregon Court of Appeals. Roberts served from 1982 to 1986 on the high court and from 1977 to 1982 on the Court of Appeals.

Hanlon defeated Holmstrom a second time in 1978, and Representative Ted Bugas in 1982. [4] He was succeeded in his district by Joan Dukes, who said that Hanlon was always more interested in doing what was right, than in doing what was politically expedient. [4] In 1983, he was known for supporting a state sales tax proposal opposed by Senate President Edward Fadeley. According to the Oregonian's obituary, his frustrations over that issue led him to announce his retirement following the session; [4] his comments at the time, however, indicated frustration with the time demands of a job that is intended to be part-time. [8] [9] He reversed the decision to resign and served out the remainder of his term.

A sales tax is a tax paid to a governing body for the sales of certain goods and services. Usually laws allow the seller to collect funds for the tax from the consumer at the point of purchase. When a tax on goods or services is paid to a governing body directly by a consumer, it is usually called a use tax. Often laws provide for the exemption of certain goods or services from sales and use tax.

Edward Fadeley American judge

Edward Norman Fadeley was an American attorney and politician in the state of Oregon, United States. He was the 88th Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. Previously he served in both the Oregon House of Representatives and the Oregon State Senate, serving one session as President of the Oregon Senate. In later years he faced allegations of sexual harassment and was reprimanded for legal ethics violations.

Hanlon died of cancer in Salem, Oregon on September 9, 1990; he was survived by his wife Neila and two children. [1]

Related Research Articles

Wayne Morse American politician

Wayne Lyman Morse was an American attorney and United States Senator from Oregon, known for his proclivity for opposing his party's leadership, and specifically for his opposition to the Vietnam War on constitutional grounds.

1990 United States Senate elections United States Senate elections in 1990

The 1990 United States Senate elections were held on Tuesday, November 6, 1990. The Democratic Party increased its majority with a net gain of one seat from the Republican Party. The election took place in the middle of President George H. W. Bush's term, and, as with most other midterm elections, the party not holding the presidency gained seats in Congress.

1974 United States Senate elections

The 1974 United States Senate elections were held in the wake of the Watergate scandal, Richard M. Nixon's resignation from the presidency, and Gerald Ford's subsequent pardon of Nixon. Economic issues, specifically inflation and stagnation, were also a factor that contributed to Republican losses. Democrats made a net gain of three seats from the Republicans. Following the 1974 elections, the Democratic caucus controlled 60 seats and the Republican caucus controlled 39 seats.

<i>The Register-Guard</i> newspaper in Eugene, Oregon

The Register-Guard is a daily newspaper in the western United States, published in Eugene, Oregon. It was formed in a 1930 merger of two Eugene papers, the Eugene Daily Guard and the Morning Register. The paper serves the Eugene-Springfield area, as well as the Oregon Coast, Umpqua River valley, and surrounding areas. As of 2016, it has a circulation of around 43,000 Monday through Friday, around 47,000 on Saturday, and a little under 50,000 on Sunday.

Les AuCoin American politician

Walter Leslie "Les" AuCoin, is an American politician and the first from the Democratic Party to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Oregon's 1st congressional district, since it was formed in 1882. The seat has been held by Democrats ever since.

Jim Torrey is a politician in the U.S. state of Oregon. He served as mayor of Eugene from 1997 to 2004. Torrey was nominated in 2006 for an Oregon State Senate seat, but was defeated by incumbent Vicki Walker. Torrey was first elected to public office at the age of 21, when he won a seat on the Waldport city council.

Grattan Kerans American politician

Grattan Kerans is an American politician from Oregon. He was a member of the Oregon Legislative Assembly in the House of Representatives from 1974 through 1984, and in the Oregon State Senate from 1986 to 1993. He held the position of Speaker of the House during the 1983 legislative session.

74th Oregon Legislative Assembly

The Seventy-fourth Oregon Legislative Assembly was the Oregon Legislative Assembly (OLA)'s period from 2007 to 2008. There was a regular session in 2007, and a shorter special session in 2008.

Chris Telfer is a former Republican and current Independent Party of Oregon politician and Certified Public Accountant in Bend, Oregon, United States.

2010 Oregon gubernatorial election

The Oregon gubernatorial election of 2010 was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010 to elect the Governor of Oregon, who will serve a four-year term to begin on January 10, 2011. The incumbent governor, Democrat Ted Kulongoski, was ineligible to run due to term limits barring him from being elected to more than two consecutive terms.

<i>The Bulletin</i> (Bend) newspaper published in Bend

The Bulletin is the daily newspaper of Bend, Oregon, United States. The Bulletin is owned by Western Communications, a family-owned corporation founded by publisher Robert W. Chandler. Over the years, a number of well-known journalists have been associated with the newspaper.

1974 United States Senate election in Oregon

The 1974 United States Senate election in Oregon was held on November 5, 1974. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Bob Packwood won re-election to a second term. Betty Roberts was chosen to replace former U.S. Senator Wayne Morse, who won the Democratic primary but died before the general election.

1980 United States Senate election in Oregon

The 1980 Oregon United States Senate election was held on November 4, 1980 to select the U.S. Senator from the state of Oregon. Republican candidate Bob Packwood was re-elected to a third term, defeating Democratic state senator Ted Kulongoski and Libertarian Tonie Nathan.

Harry Lonsdale Businessman, scientist, politician

Harold K. Lonsdale was an American scientist, businessman, and former politician. A Democrat, he ran for United States Senate in the U.S. state of Oregon three times, losing twice in the primaries and once as the Democratic candidate, losing in the 1990 general election to incumbent Mark Hatfield. In 2011 Lonsdale sponsored a research challenge to determine the origin of life on Earth.

1990 United States Senate election in Oregon

The 1990 Oregon United States Senate election was held on November 6, 1990, to select the U.S. Senator from the state of Oregon. Republican candidate Mark Hatfield was re-elected to a fifth term, defeating Democratic businessman Harry Lonsdale.

Ben Musa American politician

Benjamin M. Musa, known as Ben Musa, was an American politician and Certified Public Accountant from Oregon. He served four terms in the Oregon State Senate between 1949 and 1968. Musa was a conservative Democrat from a rural district, known for his ability to work with Republicans as well as fellow Democrats in the state senate. He held the position of President of the Oregon Senate during the 1963–1964 legislative term. Musa ran for governor in 1966, but lost the Democratic primary to Robert W. Straub.

Boyd R. Overhulse American politician

Boyd Richey Overhulse was an American politician and attorney from Oregon. He served three terms in the Oregon House of Representatives followed by two terms in the Oregon State Senate. A conservative Democrat from a rural district, Overhulse was known for his ability to work with Republicans as well as fellow Democrats in the state legislature. He was elected President of the Oregon Senate eleven days after taking his seat in the state senate, the first Democrat elected to that position in 79 years.

Mark Callahan American politician

Mark Allen Callahan is an American politician. He was the Republican nominee in the 2016 United States Senate election in Oregon. He is an information technology consultant based out of Portland, Oregon.

Edward A. Geary

Edward Andrew Geary was an American politician and farmer from the state of Oregon. He was a Republican who served eight years in the Oregon House of Representatives. In the house, Geary represented a large rural district in southern Oregon. He served as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives during the 1955 legislative session. He also served as acting governor of Oregon for several brief periods in the mid-1950s.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Charles Hanson succumbs to cancer". The Bend Bulletin. September 11, 1990.
  2. 1 2 Church, Jim (June 24, 1976). "Independent backs Boe to lead Senate". The Bend Bulletin. The Associated Press.
  3. ↑ unsigned editorial (January 31, 1981). "Make state forestry board advisory". Eugene Register-Guard.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mapes, Jeff (September 11, 1990). "Former state sen. Charles Hanlon dies". The Oregonian.
  5. ↑ "Self-service gas station bill defeated". Eugene Register-Guard. May 12, 1977. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  6. ↑ The Bulletin - Google News Archive Search
  7. ↑ Eugene Register-Guard - Google News Archive Search
  8. ↑ The Bulletin - Google News Archive Search
  9. ↑ Tri City Herald - Google News Archive Search
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.