Jackie Clarkson Explained

Office:Member of the New Orleans City Council
Term Start:2007
Term End:2014
Predecessor:Michael C. Darnell (interim)
Successor:Jason Williams
Constituency:At-large (division 2)
Term Start1:2002
Term End1:2006
Predecessor1:Troy Carter
Successor1:James Carter
Constituency1:District C
Term Start2:1990
Term End2:1994
Predecessor2:Mike Early
Successor2:Troy Carter
Constituency2:District C
State House3:Louisiana
District3:102nd
Term Start3:1994
Term End3:2002
Predecessor3:Troy Carter
Successor3:Jeff Arnold
Birth Name:Jacquelyn Brechtel
Birth Date:17 January 1936
Birth Place:New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Party:Democratic
Spouse:Arthur Clarkson
Children:5, including Patricia

Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson (January 17, 1936 – June 26, 2024) was an American politician who served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1994 to 2002 and on the New Orleans City Council from 1990 to 1994, 2002 to 2006, and 2007 to 2013. She had been Honorary consul of Lithuania in New Orleans from December 2014 to her death.[1] She was the mother of actress Patricia Clarkson.

Background

Clarkson was born as Jacquelyn Brechtel in New Orleans on January 17, 1936.[2] Her maternal grandmother, Sophie Bass, was a Jewish immigrant from Lithuania.[2] [3] She was the daughter of Sophie (née Berengher) and Johnny Brechtel, a football coach. She was married to Arthur Clarkson and they have five daughters, including Academy Award-nominated actress Patricia Clarkson. Before entering politics she was in real estate and president of the Louisiana Realtor Association.[4]

Clarkson represented District C on the New Orleans City Council from 1990 to 1994 and from 2002 to 2006, as well as District 102 at the Louisiana House of Representatives.[5] The boundaries of District 102 are roughly the same as the Algiers neighborhood (also known as the Fifteenth Ward) in New Orleans.[6] [7] Those of District C include Algiers, as well as the Vieux Carré or French Quarter neighborhood.[8]

Clarkson died on June 26, 2024, at the age of 88.[9]

After Hurricane Katrina

Clarkson ran for Councilmember at Large in 2006, but she lost in the general election, often called the runoff in Louisiana, against Arnie Fielkow, another Democrat and former Executive Vice President of the National Football League's New Orleans Saints.[10] [11] Mayor Ray Nagin won re-election only after facing a much tougher challenge than expected before the hurricane,[12] and half of the council members who ran again were defeated.[13]

The resignation of Councilmember at Large Oliver Thomas in 2007 over bribery charges enabled Clarkson to return on New Orleans City Council. She was elected to her first term as Councilmember-at-Large in a special election in November 2007, defeating Cynthia Willard-Lewis.[14]

Clarkson in 2008 and 2009 became particularly outspoken in defending likeminded councilwoman Stacy Head in a feud with city sanitation director Veronica White. Clarkson called for White's dismissal, but Nagin defended White.[15]

Clarkson was re-elected as Councilmember at Large in February 2010 (again narrowly defeating Cynthia Willard-Lewis),[16] and was named president of the council in May 2011.[17]

Election history

Although a lifelong Democrat, Clarkson had received support from Republican organizations including the Parish Executive Committee of the Orleans Parish Republican Party.[18] In 2008 she broke party ranks and supported Republican challenger Anh "Joseph" Cao in his longshot but successful bid to unseat Democratic incumbent William J. Jefferson from Louisiana's 2nd congressional district seat.[19] Likeminded fellow Democratic Councilwoman Stacy Head found herself soon facing a recall petition. Clarkson, however, was not subjected to a recall effort; as councilwoman-at-large she represented a broader constituency, and she was more ingrained into the New Orleans political scene.[20] In May 2009, as the New Orleans e-mail controversies intensified, Clarkson began publishing thousands of her e-mail messages online:

Anything we don't want the public to see, we shouldn't put in an e-mail. [...] Just let us do it responsibly so private information about our constituents doesn't get out there.[21]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Atidarytas pirmasis Lietuvos garbės konsulatas Naujajame Orleane | Naujienos | Lietuvos Respublikos užsienio reikalų ministerija. November 27, 2023.
  2. Web site: Golden Globe Winner Grateful to Litvak Ancestors. Jewish Community of Lithuania. January 14, 2019. November 23, 2019. June 29, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240629022714/https://www.lzb.lt/en/2019/01/14/golden-globe-winner-grateful-to-litvak-ancestors/. live.
  3. https://www.lrytas.lt/kultura/meno-pulsas/2019/01/08/news/-auksinio-gaublio-laimetoja-uz-isvaizda-dekinga-proteviams-is-lietuvos-8793322/ Auksinio gaublio laimėtoja už išvaizdą dėkinga protėviams iš Lietuvos
  4. Web site: Biography . jackieclarkson.com . February 12, 2015 . February 12, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150212115507/http://jackieclarkson.com/meet-jackie/biography/ . live .
  5. News: The 2000 Legislature. October 10, 2011. The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.). November 22, 1999. June 29, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240629022713/https://www.newslibrary.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AD&p_theme=ad&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB4791FEF5C9730&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date%3AD&s_trackval=GooglePM. live.
  6. Web site: Richard . Campanella . 2017-08-08 . How Algiers grudgingly became part of New Orleans . 2024-06-30 . NOLA.com . en . June 30, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240630051643/https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/home_garden/how-algiers-grudgingly-became-part-of-new-orleans/article_9278a0ca-4890-5cf7-8890-843f98f423f5.html . live .
  7. Web site: 2003 . New Orleans House (2003) District 102 Census Map . June 30, 2024 . house.louisiana.gov . September 11, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210911234804/https://house.louisiana.gov/mapspdf/Census2003Maps/District102.pdf . live .
  8. Web site: New Orleans City Council District C Map . June 30, 2024 . nola.gov . February 21, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220221165444/https://www.nola.gov/council-maps/maps/councildistrictc/ . live .
  9. News: Myers. Ben. June 26, 2024. Jackie Clarkson, New Orleans City Council member and state rep, dead at 88. NOLA. New Orleans. June 26, 2024. June 26, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240626212402/https://www.nola.com/news/politics/jackie-clarkson-new-orleans-city-council-obituary/article_d59a3254-33ee-11ef-b5a7-4b2116a1d202.html. live.
  10. Web site: DuBos . Clancy . 2024-06-27 . Clancy DuBos: Farewell to Jackie Clarkson, a gracious yet effective politician . 2024-06-30 . NOLA.com . en.
  11. Web site: 2008-02-01 . Big Score . 2024-06-30 . en-US . June 30, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240630045824/https://www.myneworleans.com/big-score/ . live .
  12. Web site: 2006-05-16 . Landrieu on the attack in New Orleans debate . 2024-06-30 . NBC News . en . June 30, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240630051227/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna12821264 . dead .
  13. Web site: 2010-04-29 . Louisiana Secretary of State - Live Election Results . 2024-06-30 . April 29, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100429084553/http://electionresults.sos.louisiana.gov/weborb30/soselection/soselection.html . dead .
  14. Frank Douze, Clarkson wins at-large Council seat, Times-Picayune (New Orleans), November 17, 2007.
  15. See the articles on Stacy Head, Ray Nagin, and Veronica White.
  16. http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/02/arnie_fielkow_jackie_clarkson.html "Arnie Fielkow, Jackie Clarkson elected to New Orleans City Council at-large posts"
  17. http://jackieclarkson.com/2011/05/03/jacquelyn-brechtel-clarkson-becomes-city-council-president/ "Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson becomes City Council President"
  18. http://www.jackieclarkson.org/ Clarkson campaign web site
  19. Michelle Krupa & Frank Donze, Anh 'Joseph' Cao beats Rep. William Jefferson in 2nd Congressional District, Times-Picayune, December 7, 2008 (accessed March 18, 2009). At the time Jefferson was under indictment on 16 felony counts, and on August 5, 2009, he was convicted on 11 of them (see William J. Jefferson#Indictment and trial).
  20. See Black Residents Defend Stacy Head Amid Recall: Local Group Claims City Council Member Is Racist, March 9, 2009 (accessed March 18, 2009); and James Gill, "Of all the accusations against Stacy Head, only one sticks -- she's white" in Times-Picayune (New Orleans), March 18, 2009, Saint Tammany Edition, p. B5.
  21. News: Krupa . Michelle . More New Orleans City Council e-mail may soon be available online . 28 June 2024 . NOLA.com . 20 May 2009 . en . June 28, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240628095505/https://www.nola.com/news/more-new-orleans-city-council-e-mail-may-soon-be-available-online/article_905715f9-dbc2-51fd-b4b1-93745d42a8c6.html . live .

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