Martha Coakley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Martha Coakley
|
|
|---|---|
Coakley in 2014
|
|
| 43rd Attorney General of Massachusetts | |
| In office January 17, 2007 – January 21, 2015 |
|
| Governor | Deval Patrick Charlie Baker |
| Preceded by | Thomas Reilly |
| Succeeded by | Maura Healey |
| Massachusetts District Attorney for the Northern District | |
| In office January 3, 1999 – January 17, 2007 |
|
| Preceded by | Thomas Reilly |
| Succeeded by | Gerard Leone |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Martha Mary Coakley
July 14, 1953 Pittsfield, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Thomas O'Connor |
| Education | Williams College (BA) Boston University (JD) |
Martha Mary Coakley (born July 14, 1953) is an American lawyer, lobbyist, and former politician. She served as the Attorney General of Massachusetts from 2007 to 2015. Before that, she was the District Attorney for Middlesex County from 1999 to 2007.
Coakley is known for her political campaigns. In 2010, she ran for a seat in the United States Senate but lost in a surprising election result. This election was important because it affected a major healthcare law being discussed in the country at the time.
She was re-elected as Attorney General in 2010. In 2014, Coakley ran for Governor of Massachusetts but lost a close race to Republican Charlie Baker. After her political career, Coakley worked as a lobbyist for different companies.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Martha Coakley was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Her father, Edward, was a veteran of two wars and owned a small business. Her mother, Phyllis, was a homemaker. When Martha was one year old, her family moved to North Adams, where she grew up.
Coakley did very well in school. She graduated with honors from Williams College in 1975. She then went to Boston University School of Law and earned a law degree, called a Juris Doctor, in 1979. After law school, she started working as a lawyer in Boston.
Legal Career
Assistant District Attorney
In 1986, Coakley began working for the government as an Assistant District Attorney. A year later, the U.S. Justice Department asked her to join a special team that focused on organized crime. She later returned to the District Attorney's office and, in 1991, became the head of a unit that handled cases involving child safety.
In 1997, she was a leading lawyer in the famous case of Louise Woodward, a British au pair (a type of nanny). This was a very difficult and widely watched case involving the death of a baby.
District Attorney
In 1998, Coakley was elected as the District Attorney for Middlesex County. She was re-elected in 2002 without any opponents. As District Attorney, she was the top lawyer responsible for handling criminal cases in the county.
Attorney General of Massachusetts
In 2006, Coakley was elected as the Attorney General of Massachusetts. She was the first woman to ever hold this job. The Attorney General is the top lawyer and law enforcement officer for the entire state.
Notable Work as Attorney General
As Attorney General, Coakley worked on many important issues.
The 2007 Boston Bomb Scare
In January 2007, Boston had a major scare when small electronic signs were mistaken for bombs. The signs were actually advertisements for a cartoon show. Coakley defended the city's decision to be cautious, saying the devices looked "sinister" with batteries and wires. The people who put up the signs later apologized and did community service.
Protecting Consumers and the Environment
In 2007, Coakley's office created a guide and a special phone line to help people with money problems. In 2008, she worked with Apple Inc. to make its iTunes software easier for people with disabilities to use.
She also pushed the U.S. government to take action against pollution. She wanted the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate greenhouse gases, which are harmful to the environment.
Big Dig Settlement
Coakley's office handled the final lawsuits related to the 2006 Big Dig ceiling collapse, a tragic accident in a Boston tunnel. Her office recovered over $610 million for the state of Massachusetts from the companies involved.
Political Campaigns
Coakley ran for public office several times during her career.
2010 U.S. Senate Campaign
In 2009, Senator Ted Kennedy passed away, leaving his U.S. Senate seat open. Coakley ran in a special election to fill the seat. She won the Democratic party's nomination but faced Republican Scott Brown in the final election.
During the campaign, Coakley made some comments that were criticized. For example, when asked why she wasn't out meeting voters, she replied, "As opposed to standing outside Fenway Park? In the cold? Shaking hands?" She also mistakenly called a famous Boston Red Sox player who supported her opponent "another Yankee fan."
Her opponent, Scott Brown, argued that the Senate seat belonged to the people, not to any political party. On January 19, 2010, Brown won the election with 52% of the vote to Coakley's 47%. It was considered a major upset.
2014 Governor Campaign
In 2014, Coakley ran for Governor of Massachusetts. She won the Democratic nomination but lost the general election in a very close race to Republican Charlie Baker.
After the election, The Boston Globe newspaper wrote that Coakley had run a much better campaign this time. The paper said she "worked her heart out" and showed that she cared about helping people in the state.
Career After Politics
After leaving public office in 2015, Coakley worked as a lawyer and lobbyist for the Boston law firm Foley Hoag.
In 2019, she took a job with the e-cigarette company Juul, working on their government affairs team. Some people questioned this move, as Juul was accused of marketing its products to young people.
Coakley later returned to Foley Hoag. In July 2025, she joined another law firm, the Zucker Law Group.
Personal Life
Coakley lives in Medford, Massachusetts. She is married to Thomas F. O'Connor Jr., a retired police deputy superintendent.
See also
- List of female state attorneys general in the United States
