Marvin Mandel

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Marvin Mandel
56^th Governor of Maryland
Preceded by	Spiro T. Agnew
Succeeded by	Harry R. Hughes
Born	April 19, 1920 Baltimore, Maryland
Political party	Democrat
Spouse	Barbara Oberfeld (divorced 1979), Jeanne Dorsey
Children	Gary and Ellen

Marvin Mandel (b. April 19, 1920), a member of the United States Democratic Party, was the 56^th Governor of Maryland in the United States from 1969 to 1979. He was Maryland's first, and to date only Jewish governor.

Mandel was born in Baltimore, Maryland and attended the Baltimore City Public Schools. He also attended Baltimore City College and the University of Maryland before receiving his law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law.

Mandel has been the chairman of the Governor's Commission on the Structure and Efficiency of State Government since 2003. He has also been a member of the Board of Regents for the University System of Maryland since 2003.

Mandel was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1952, repesenting Baltimore City (District 5). Mandel was chosen as speaker of the house in 1963 and served in that position until 1969, at which point he was elected Governor by the Maryland General Assembly following the resignation of Spiro Agnew (Agnew had resigned as governor to serve as Vice President of the United States under former President Richard Nixon). Mandel was re-elected by the people in 1970 and again in 1974.

Mandel's administration was notable for many reasons. While governor, the executive branch of the Maryland government was reorganized into twelve departments. The mass-transit system of Maryland fostered under him, enacting plans for the establishment of subways for Baltimore City and the Washington, DC suburbs. Additionally, a large public school construction initiative was undertaken while he was governor.

Mandel married the former Barbara Oberfeld on June 8, 1941 and had two children, Gary and Ellen. In 1974, while governor, Mandel divorced Barbara Oberfield and married the former Jeanne Blackistone Dorsey, who died October 6, 2001.

The negative highlight of Mandel's governorship was his conviction of mail fraud and racketeering. As a result, on June 4, 1977, Governor Mandel notified Lieutenant Governor Blair Lee III that Lee would serve as acting governor until further notice (Lee continued to serve as acting governor until January 15, 1979, when Mandel rescinded his letter appointing Lee Acting Governor two days before the expiration of his second full elective term). Mandel served 19 months in prison before being pardoned by President Ronald Reagan. His conviction was officially overturned in 1987 by a lower court and confirmed by the United States Supreme Court.

Mandel currently lives and practices law in Annapolis, Maryland.

[edit] References

Marvin Mandel. December 09, 1998. Maryland State Archives. Accessed Oct 25, 2004. [1]
Some information or images have been taken from a non-password protected section of the Maryland State Archives. This is copyrighted but may be legally reproduced as long as credit is given. See citation policy.

[edit] External links

Preceded by Spiro Agnew	Governor of Maryland* 1969—1979	Succeeded by Harry R. Hughes
Lieutenant Governor Blair Lee III executed the powers and duties of Governor from 1977-1979.