Jim McGreevey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jim McGreevey
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McGreevey in 2009
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| 52nd Governor of New Jersey | |
| In office January 15, 2002 – November 15, 2004 |
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| Preceded by | Richard Codey (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Richard Codey |
| 19th Mayor of Woodbridge Township | |
| In office January 1, 1992 – January 15, 2002 |
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| Preceded by | Joseph DeMarino |
| Succeeded by | Frank Pelzman |
| Member of the New Jersey Senate from the 19th district |
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| In office January 11, 1994 – January 13, 1998 |
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| Preceded by | Randy Corman |
| Succeeded by | Joe Vitale |
| Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 19th district |
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| In office January 9, 1990 – January 14, 1992 Serving with George Otlowski
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| Preceded by | Alan Karcher |
| Succeeded by | Stephen A. Mikulak Ernest L. Oros |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
James Edward McGreevey
August 6, 1957 Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
Kari Schutz
(m. 1991; div. 1997)Dina Matos
(m. 2000; div. 2008) |
| Domestic partner | Mark O'Donnell (Separated) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Catholic University Columbia University (BA) Georgetown University (JD) Harvard University (MEd) General Theological Seminary (MDiv) |
James Edward McGreevey (born August 6, 1957) is an American politician. He served as the 52nd governor of New Jersey from 2002 until he stepped down in 2004.
Before becoming governor, McGreevey worked in different government roles. He was a member of the New Jersey General Assembly from 1990 to 1992. He also served as the 19th mayor of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey from 1991 to 2002. From 1994 to 1998, he was a member of the New Jersey Senate.
McGreevey first ran for governor in 1997 but lost by a small number of votes. He ran again in 2001 and won by a large amount. After leaving office, he wrote a book called The Confession. He also studied to become a priest in the Episcopal Church. Later, he returned to the Catholic Church.
Since 2013, McGreevey has worked with programs that help people. He led Jersey City's Employment & Training Program (JCETP). He is now the Executive Director of the New Jersey Reentry Corporation. This group helps people who have been in prison get back into society.
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Early Life and Education
Jim McGreevey was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, on August 6, 1957. His mother, Veronica, was a nurse, and his father, Jack, was a Marine drill instructor. Jack McGreevey fought in World War II and the Korean War.
Jim grew up in a family with Irish Catholic roots in Carteret. He went to St. Joseph Elementary School there. Later, he attended St. Joseph High School in Metuchen.
After high school, McGreevey went to The Catholic University of America. He then graduated from Columbia University in 1978. He continued his studies, earning a law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1981. In 1982, he received a master's degree in education from Harvard University. He also studied law for a summer at the London School of Economics.
Political Career
Before he became a politician, McGreevey worked as an assistant prosecutor. He also served as the executive director of the state Parole Board. He has taught classes on ethics, law, and leadership at Kean University in Union, New Jersey.
McGreevey started his political career in the New Jersey General Assembly. He represented the 19th Legislative District from 1990 to 1992. In 1992, he became the Mayor of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey. He was re-elected mayor two more times, in 1995 and 1999. From 1993 to 1997, he also served in the New Jersey Senate at the same time he was mayor.
Serving as Governor of New Jersey
McGreevey first ran for governor in 1997. He lost a very close election to the Republican governor at the time, Christine Todd Whitman. In 2001, McGreevey ran for governor again. This time, he won with 56% of the votes. This made him the first governor elected by a majority of votes since James Florio. His main opponent in that election was Bret Schundler.
When McGreevey became governor on November 6, 2001, New Jersey was facing a big financial problem. The state had a $5 billion budget deficit. During his time as governor, McGreevey worked to fix this. He raised taxes on cigarettes and increased the state income tax for wealthier people.
McGreevey achieved several important things as governor. He reformed auto insurance laws to make them fairer. He also changed the Division of Motor Vehicles into the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. He signed a law to protect the Highlands Water region. He also started a plan for stem cell research in New Jersey. He strongly supported a law for domestic partnerships for same-sex couples, which he signed in early 2004.
Governor's Resignation
On August 12, 2004, Governor McGreevey announced that he would resign from his position. He stated that he would step down on November 15, 2004. This announcement made him the first state governor in U.S. history to openly share personal information while in office.
McGreevey chose to make his resignation effective in November. This decision was important for the Democratic Party. It meant that the party would keep control of the governorship until the end of the term in January 2006. If he had resigned earlier, a special election would have been held in November. This special election might have led to a Republican winning the governorship.
After McGreevey's announcement, some people in New Jersey politics asked him to resign sooner. An editorial in The New York Times said that waiting until November was not good for New Jersey residents. They felt the state would be led by a governor dealing with personal issues for three months.
On September 15, a judge dismissed a lawsuit that tried to force McGreevey to resign immediately. The judge said that McGreevey planned to stay in office until November 15. Therefore, a special election was not needed, and voters' rights were not being violated.
When McGreevey resigned, New Jersey Senate President Richard Codey became the acting governor. He served the rest of the term until January 17, 2006. After McGreevey's resignation, New Jersey changed its state constitution in 2005. This change created the position of Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey. This new role started on January 17, 2006. The first election for lieutenant governor was held in 2009.
Life After Being Governor
Writing a Memoir
In September 2006, McGreevey published a book about his life. It was called The Confession. He appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show to talk about his book. This was part of a two-month effort to promote his memoir.
Divinity Studies and Community Work
After leaving office, McGreevey became interested in religious studies. He and his partner, Mark O'Donnell, regularly attended Saint Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in New York. On April 29, 2007, McGreevey officially joined the Episcopal Church.
He was accepted into General Theological Seminary, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree. This degree is usually needed to become an Episcopal priest. In 2009, McGreevey told The New York Times that he volunteered for Exodus Ministries. There, he helped former prisoners at the Church of Living Hope in Harlem, New York. In 2011, it was reported that he was not approved to become a priest.
McGreevey's life after politics, his studies, and his work with prison inmates are shown in a 2013 HBO documentary film. The film is called Fall to Grace and was directed by Alexandra Pelosi. After being an Episcopalian for some years, McGreevey later rejoined the Catholic Church. As of 2023, he regularly attends Mass at Christ the King Catholic Church in Jersey City.
Jersey City Employment & Training Program
In July 2013, McGreevey was chosen to be the executive director of Jersey City's Employment & Training Program (JCETP). This program helps people find jobs and get training. Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said that McGreevey was a "valuable asset" in this role.
In September 2014, a new facility called Martin's Place opened. It is located on Martin Luther King Drive in Jersey City. Many important people attended the opening, including Brendan Byrne, Tom Kean, Steve Fulop, Chris Christie, Robert Menendez, Nancy Pelosi, and Cornell William Brooks. This program helps people who have been in prison re-enter society. It is funded by a $4.2 million grant from the New Jersey Parole Board. The program is located in Sacred Heart Church.
In January 2019, the board of the JCETP decided to end McGreevey's employment. A review suggested that some money had been moved to another program, NJ ReEntry. McGreevey said that this decision was political. He also stated that eight different reviews found no problems with his work.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in New Jersey, McGreevey worked to find shelters for prisoners who were released early. Many of these individuals were homeless.
New Jersey Reentry Corporation (NJRC)
McGreevey is currently the Executive Director and Chairman of the Board of the New Jersey Reentry Corporation (NJRC). This organization continues his work helping people successfully return to their communities after being in prison.
Possible Return to Politics
In October 2015, McGreevey moved to Jersey City. This led to talk that he might run for mayor there. In 2023, the current mayor, Steven Fulop, announced he would run for governor. McGreevey's name was then mentioned as a possible candidate to become the next mayor of Jersey City. The mayor of Union City and State Senator Brian P. Stack supported his possible campaign. McGreevey officially filed to run for election on October 31, 2023.
Personal Life
Jim McGreevey has two daughters. His first daughter is from his first marriage (1991–1997) to Karen Joan Schutz. His second daughter is from his second marriage to Portuguese-born Dina Matos.
Matos and McGreevey separated after he shared personal information. In late 2005, McGreevey began a relationship with Mark O'Donnell. They lived in Plainfield, New Jersey. On March 14, 2007, news reports said that McGreevey was seeking custody of his younger daughter. He was also filing for child support. Matos asked for money and alimony. On August 8, their divorce was finalized. McGreevey received joint custody of his daughter and was ordered to pay child support. Matos was not granted alimony. In her book, Matos wrote that she would not have married McGreevey if she had known certain things about him.
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See also
List of the first LGBT holders of political offices in the United States
