Neil Hartigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Neil Hartigan
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Hartigan c.1989
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| Judge of the Illinois Court of Claims | |
| In office May 2, 2013 – March 21, 2019 |
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| Appointed by | Pat Quinn |
| Preceded by | Norma Jann |
| Succeeded by | Sonia Antolec |
| Judge of the Illinois First District Appellate Court | |
| In office December 2, 2002 – June 1, 2004 |
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| Preceded by | Robert Chapman Buckley |
| Succeeded by | P. Scott Neville Jr. |
| 38th Attorney General of Illinois | |
| In office January 12, 1983 – January 14, 1991 |
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| Governor | James R. Thompson |
| Preceded by | Ty Fahner |
| Succeeded by | Roland Burris |
| 40th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois | |
| In office January 8, 1973 – January 10, 1977 |
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| Governor | Daniel Walker |
| Preceded by | Paul Simon |
| Succeeded by | Dave O'Neal |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Cornelius Francis Hartigan
May 4, 1938 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Marge Dunne
(m. 1966; died 2003) |
| Education | Georgetown University (B.S.) Loyola University (J.D.) |
Cornelius Francis "Neil" Hartigan (born May 4, 1938) is an American lawyer, judge, and politician. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Hartigan served as the Attorney General of Illinois and the 40th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois. He was born in Chicago, Illinois.
In 1972, Hartigan was elected Lieutenant Governor with Dan Walker. They won the election together. Later, in 1976, Hartigan ran for a second term but lost.
He was elected Attorney General in 1982 and again in 1986. In 1990, Hartigan ran for Governor of Illinois but lost a close race. From 2002 to 2004, he served as a judge on the Illinois Appellate Court.
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Early Life and Education
Neil Hartigan grew up in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago. His family was Irish Catholic. His father, David L. Hartigan, was also involved in Democratic politics.
David Hartigan worked for the city and became the City Treasurer of Chicago. He was also elected Alderman twice.
Neil Hartigan went to Loyola Academy for high school. He then attended Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. There, he became friends with Nancy Pelosi, who later became a powerful political leader.
Hartigan earned a bachelor's degree from Georgetown. In 1966, he received a law degree from Loyola University College of Law.
Early Career in Chicago
After finishing law school, Hartigan worked for the City of Chicago. He was an assistant to Mayor Richard J. Daley. He was put in charge of liquor licensing for the city.
Hartigan later became a deputy mayor under Daley. He also helped manage the mayor's successful election campaigns in 1967 and 1971.
Hartigan also worked as a lawyer for the City of Chicago in Springfield. Springfield is the state's capital. He was also a lawyer for the Chicago Board of Health. In addition, he was the main lawyer for the Chicago Park District.
In 1968, Hartigan was elected as a Democratic Committeeman for Chicago's 49th ward. This role involved local party leadership. He held this position for about 12 years.
Serving Illinois: Lieutenant Governor
In 1971, Paul Simon, who was the Lieutenant Governor, asked Hartigan to run with him. They planned to run for governor and lieutenant governor in the next election.
Hartigan won the nomination for lieutenant governor. However, Simon lost the governor nomination to Dan Walker. Even so, Hartigan and Walker ran together.
They won the 1972 general election. They defeated the Republican governor Richard B. Ogilvie.
When he took office, Hartigan was the youngest lieutenant governor in the United States. Time magazine even named him one of the country's future leaders in 1973.
One of his biggest achievements was creating a statewide Department of Aging. This department helped run government programs for older people in Illinois.
Hartigan ran for reelection in 1976. Governor Walker lost his primary election. Hartigan easily won his nomination. But the Democratic team of Michael Howlett and Hartigan lost the general election.
Serving Illinois: Attorney General
After his defeat, Hartigan worked as a banker for five years. He then returned to politics. In 1982, he successfully ran for Attorney General of Illinois.
As Attorney General, Hartigan focused on protecting consumers. He also worked on stricter rules for hazardous waste. He was reelected in 1986.
Hartigan also spoke at the 1984 Democratic National Convention. This is a big meeting where the Democratic Party chooses its presidential candidate.
In 1990, Hartigan was the Democratic candidate for governor. He lost a very close election to Jim Edgar.
Later Career and Public Service
After 1990, Hartigan considered running for other political offices. In 1995, there were reports that he might run for the U.S. Senate. He thought about it but decided not to run.
Later, he announced he would run for governor again in 1998. But he changed his mind and chose not to run. This marked the end of his political career.
After leaving public office, Hartigan became Chairman of World Trade Center Illinois. He also worked for a law firm in Chicago.
In 2002, he was elected as a judge to the Illinois Appellate Court. This court covers Cook County. After two years, Hartigan decided to retire from being a judge. He retired on June 1, 2004.
In 2008, Hartigan supported Hillary Clinton in the presidential primary election. He was part of her campaign team in Illinois.
On March 22, 2013, Governor Pat Quinn appointed Hartigan to the Illinois Court of Claims. He served as a judge on this court from May 2, 2013, until January 21, 2019.
