Tony Earl Explained

Tony Earl
Order:41st Governor of Wisconsin
Lieutenant:James Flynn
Term Start:January 3, 1983
Term End:January 5, 1987
Predecessor:Lee Dreyfus
Successor:Tommy Thompson
Office1:Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Governor1:Patrick Lucey
Martin J. Schreiber
Lee S. Dreyfus
Term Start1:December 15, 1975
Term End1:November 1, 1980
Predecessor1:Lester P. Voigt
Successor1:Carroll Besadny
Title2:Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Administration
Governor2:Patrick Lucey
Term Start2:January 6, 1975
Term End2:December 15, 1975
Predecessor2:Joe Nusbaum
Successor2:Robert Dunn
Office3:Member of the Wisconsin Assembly
Term Start3:January 1, 1973
Term End3:January 6, 1975
Predecessor3:Constituency established
Successor3:Edward F. McClain
Constituency3:85th district
Term Start4:October 14, 1969
Term End4:January 1, 1973
Predecessor4:Dave Obey
Successor4:Constituency abolished
Constituency4:Marathon 2nd district
Birth Name:Anthony Scully Earl
Birth Date:12 April 1936
Birth Place:St. Ignace, Michigan, U.S.
Death Place:Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Party:Democratic
Children:4
Education:Michigan State University (BA)
University of Chicago (JD)
Allegiance: United States

Anthony Scully Earl (April 12, 1936 – February 23, 2023) was an American lawyer and Democratic politician who served as the 41st governor of Wisconsin from 1983 until 1987.[1] Prior to his election as governor, he served as secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Administration and secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in the administration of Governor Patrick Lucey. He also served three terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Marathon County.

Early life and career

Earl was born in St. Ignace, Michigan, the son of Ethlynne Julia (Scully) and Russell K. Earl.[2] He graduated from Michigan State University in 1958 and earned a J.D. from the University of Chicago.[3] After four years in the U.S. Navy, including two years as a legal officer, Earl made his way to Wisconsin in 1965.[3] He was the district attorney of Marathon County, Wisconsin from 1965 to 1966, and the city attorney of Wausau, Wisconsin from 1966 to 1969.[3] That year, he was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly, filling the seat vacated by David Obey, who was elected a member of the United States House of Representatives.[3]

In 1974, Earl left the Assembly to run for Wisconsin Attorney General, but was defeated in the primary by Bronson La Follette. Upon his defeat, then-Gov. Patrick Lucey named Earl secretary of the Department of Administration. Later, Earl became Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) where his list of accomplishments include addressing the State's surface water pollution.[4]

Governor of Wisconsin

In 1982, Earl ran for governor when Lee S. Dreyfus unexpectedly declined to run for re-election, and soon the Wisconsin Democratic Party's hopes of reclaiming the governor's mansion became very real. As head of the state Department of Natural Resources, Earl was well-received as a staunch defender of the environment and a problem-solver. Earl used that reputation to defeat former Acting Governor Martin J. Schreiber (1977–79) in the Democratic primary for governor. Earl went on to defeat the Republican candidate, Terry Jodok Kohler, in a landslide victory.[3]

However, Earl's tenure as governor was a challenge from the start. By the time he took office, Wisconsin was marred by a budget deficit of nearly $1 billion and a 12% unemployment rate.[3] Earl signed legislation making the 5% sales tax permanent and also added a 10% surtax on state income tax which was later reduced. Once the state was fiscally sound, Earl passed initiatives improving the environment, education, and equal opportunity.[3] Earl appointed Doris Hanson, the State's first female to hold the office of secretary of the Department of Administration and Howard Fuller, the first African-American appointed to a cabinet position heading the Department of Employee Relations. Due to disagreements over healthcare reform, prison staffing, wage freezes, and other matters, Earl's relations with state labor Unions soured and made his tenure as governor all the more complicated.

After restoring the state following one of the worst economic predicaments in state history, Governor Earl was ousted after one term. State Assembly Minority Leader Tommy Thompson, a Republican, staunchly opposed Earl's policies and was elected in 1986 to the first of four consecutive terms.[3] Earl Bricker wrote an essay, "goodbye to Wisconsin Governor Tony Earl" bemoaning that Tommy Thompson had defeated Earl in the 1986 election, and that his "pro-family" stance may have given him wider demographic appeal than Earl's defense of gay and lesbian rights.

Post-gubernatorial career

Earl served on the governing board of "Common Cause Wisconsin" from 1995 until 2005.[5] a non-partisan, non-profit citizen's lobby affiliated with national Common Cause. In 1990, Earl was elected to the Common Cause National Governing Board and served until 1996. CC/WI promotes campaign finance reform, ethics and lobby reform, open meetings laws, voting rights, non-partisan redistricting, and other issues concerning the promotion and maintenance of accountable government. Earl also served on the board of the Chicago-based Joyce Foundation for many years until 2013.[6]

In July 2004, Earl was recognized at the 12th Annual Outreach Awards for his acknowledgment of the needs of the gay and lesbian community during his term in office; he received the organization's Political Courage Award. He served on the board of directors of the American Transmission Company which assumed ownership, operation, planning, maintenance, and monitoring of all the electrical transmission assets formerly owned by a number of Wisconsin utility companies, cooperatives, and municipal utilities. He was a past partner in one of the largest law firms (more than 400 lawyers) in Wisconsin, Quarles and Brady.[7] The Peshtigo River State Forest in Marinette and Oconto counties has been renamed Governor Earl Peshtigo State Forest according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. September 25, 2019, as reported in the Appleton Post-Crescent on September 26, 2019.

Personal life and death

Tony Earl married Sheila Rose Coyle of Chicago, in the summer of 1962. They met while he was a student at the University of Chicago Law School.[8] They had four daughters together, and were married for more than 30 years before separating in 1995. Their divorce was finalized in 2003.[9] In 2011, Earl married Jane Nemke.[10]

Earl had a stroke on February 19, 2023, and died four days later, on February 23, at the UW Health University Hospital, 48 days short of his 87th birthday.[4]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Assembly, Marathon 2nd district (1969, 1970)

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| Special Election, October 7, 1969| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, November 3, 1970

Wisconsin Assembly, 85th district (1972)

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, November 7, 1972

Wisconsin Attorney General (1974)

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| Democratic Party Primary, September 10, 1974

Wisconsin Governor (1982, 1986)

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| Democratic Party Primary, September 14, 1982| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, November 2, 1982| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| Democratic Party Primary, September 9, 1986| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, November 4, 1986

U.S. Senate (1988)

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| Democratic Party Primary, September 13, 1988

External links

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Doug Moe: Former governor, new wife are 'giddy' . Doug Moe . February 22, 2012 . . February 22, 2012.
  2. Book: Who's Who in the Midwest 2005 . June 2004 . 9780837907345 .
  3. News: Tony Earl, Wisconsin's 41st governor who championed the environment, equal rights, dies at age 86 . Bill . Glauber . February 23, 2023 . Milwaukee Journal Sentinel . February 23, 2023.
  4. News: Former Gov. Tony Earl, a champion for equality and conservation, dies at 86. Wisconsin State Journal. February 23, 2023. February 23, 2023. Schmidt. Mitchell.
  5. Web site: Opinions: James Wigderson . JAMES WIGDERSON. July 27, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20110527080019/http://www.gmtoday.com/milwaukeetoday/editorials/wigderson/2007/wigderson_07272006.asp. May 27, 2011. dead . September 14, 2008.
  6. Web site: Two Mott grantees honored by American Bar Association. ANN RICHARDS. September 2, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081014165717/http://www.mott.org/recentnews/news/2008/ABA.aspx. October 14, 2008. September 14, 2008. dead.
  7. Web site: Madison Public Library Board Meeting Minutes. September 14, 2008.
  8. News: Other Engagement News . . July 4, 1962 . 26 . February 23, 2023 . .
  9. News: Sheila Earl files for separation . . July 25, 1995 . 3 . February 23, 2023 . .
  10. News: Gov. Tony Earl through the years . February 22, 2023 . WiscNews.com . February 23, 2023 .