Blair Lee III
Encyclopedia
Blair Lee III was an American
Democratic
politician
. He served as the Secretary of State of Maryland
from 1969 to 1971. He was Lieutenant Governor of Maryland
from 1971 to 1979 and Acting Governor from 1977 to 1979, during Marvin Mandel
's self-imposed suspension of gubernatorial powers and duties.
, the son of E. Brooke Lee and Elizabeth S. Wilson. He was a member of the Lee family
, a major political family in American history. He was grandson of the first popularly-elected Maryland
U.S. Senator, Blair Lee I
; direct descendant of two signers of the Declaration of Independence
, Richard Henry Lee
and Francis Lightfoot Lee
; and also Montgomery Blair
and Francis Preston Blair
, an adviser and friend of Andrew Jackson
and Abraham Lincoln
. His father, E. Brooke Lee, was a major figure in Maryland politics.
Lee majored in American history at Princeton University
, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree
in 1938. His thesis, "The Free Soil Movement in the 1840s", was based on correspondences between his ancestors and Presidents, cabinet members, and others from his family's private collection. After spending time studying law at The George Washington University, the entry of the United States into World War II
in 1941 resulted in Lee joining the United States Navy Reserve
. He spent the War working on supply ships in the Atlantic Ocean
. It was also during the War, on July 6, 1944, that he married Mathilde Boal with whom he would have eight children. After four years of service, Lee was discharged with the rank of lieutenant commander
in 1945.
After the War, Lee began work as a newspaper journalist. He worked as an editor for his father's newspaper, the Maryland News, and also served as President of the Maryland Press Association and Silver Spring Board of Trade in 1949. Lee also pursued environmental interests in government, serving as Vice Chairman and Park Commissioner of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
(MNCPPC) until 1951, and Executive Officer of the National Capital Planning Commission
from 1951 to 1954.
in 1948, and later in 1960 and 1964. He was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates
in 1954, and served until 1962, when he made an unsuccessful bid for the United States Senate
. In the House, Lee served as chairman of the Montgomery County, Maryland
delegation, and was chosen in 1958 by the Maryland Legislative Correspondents Association as "Legislator of the Year" for his efforts in resolving a crisis that emerged between the Maryland General Assembly
and the Maryland State Teacher's Association.
In Presidential politics, Lee served as campaign manager for John F. Kennedy
1960 Presidential bid in Montgomery County, and later in 1964 as regional coordinator for the Lyndon B. Johnson
campaign.
In 1966, Lee entered the Maryland State Senate
, where he served on the Finance Committee as vice chairman and in the Legislative Council. He was chosen Secretary of State of Maryland
by Governor Marvin Mandel
in 1969.
was created, and voters chose Lee to serve in that position. During his tenure as Lt. Governor, Lee served on various committees and commissions established by the Governor. Also as Lt. Governor, Lee helped prepare the budget, determine policy actions, and served as chairman of the Governor's Cabinet, as well as Governor's Chief of Staff.
The most notable moment of Lee's career occurred when Governor Mandel designated Lee as Acting Governor of Maryland, effective with a letter dated June 4, 1977, per Article 2, Section 6b, of the Maryland Constitution of 1867. Mandel's decision was the result of a stroke
, as well as federal political corruption
charges that were linked to some $200,000 in gifts received. Lee continued to serve as Acting Governor until Mandel rescinded his letter on January 15, 1979, though Mandel briefly reinstated Lee as acting governor the next day so he would be able to preside over the appointment of a judge to the Maryland Court of Appeals
.
Even with the added boost of serving as acting governor, Lee was not able to overcome the severe damage the Mandel Administration had taken as a result of the corruption trial. He unexpectedly lost his attempt for election in the Democratic primary to Harry R. Hughes, who would later win the general election and succeed Mandel as governor in 1979. Lee stated a few days after the loss that he was relieved of a burden, and that it was a "luxurious feeling" coming upon problems that he would not have to worry about. However, acquaintances and staff members commented that he seemed melancholic and deflated. Many of his staff shared the same feelings, since the loss was unexpected and most did not have any contingency plans.
Board of Regents, where he served until his death in 1986. After his death, commentators remarked that Lee was an able governor, but a modest politician who was not comfortable working in crowds and did not adequately distance himself from the corruption of Mandel and Mandel's predecessor, Spiro Agnew
. Lee was also damaged by family troubles, which included the suicide of one of his sons in 1973. Nevertheless, Lee was praised by the media for his eloquence, honesty, and capable administrative skills. He is buried in Rock Creek Cemetery
in Washington, D.C.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He served as the Secretary of State of Maryland
Secretary of State of Maryland
The Secretary of State of Maryland is charged with the administrative and record-keeping functions of the State Government of the U.S. state of Maryland. The Secretary of State also holds custody of the Seal of Maryland. Unlike in many states, the Secretary of State is not an elective office, but...
from 1969 to 1971. He was Lieutenant Governor of Maryland
Lieutenant Governor of Maryland
The Lieutenant Governor of Maryland is the second highest ranking official in the executive branch of the state government of Maryland in the United States. He or she is elected on the same ticket as the Governor of Maryland and must meet the same qualifications.The current Lieutenant Governor is...
from 1971 to 1979 and Acting Governor from 1977 to 1979, during Marvin Mandel
Marvin Mandel
Marvin Mandel , a member of the United States Democratic Party, was the 56th Governor of Maryland in the United States from January 7, 1969, to January 17, 1979. He was Maryland's first, and, to date, only Jewish governor.- Early life :...
's self-imposed suspension of gubernatorial powers and duties.
Early life, family and career
Lee was born in Silver Spring, MarylandSilver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It had a population of 71,452 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth most populous place in Maryland, after Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown.The urbanized, oldest, and...
, the son of E. Brooke Lee and Elizabeth S. Wilson. He was a member of the Lee family
Lee family
The Lee family of the United States is a historically significant Virginia and Maryland political family, whose many prominent members are known for their accomplishments in politics and the military. Through the past few hundred years it was believed that Colonel Richard Lee of Virginia descended...
, a major political family in American history. He was grandson of the first popularly-elected Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
U.S. Senator, Blair Lee I
Blair Lee I
Francis Preston Blair Lee was a Democratic member of the United States Senate, representing the State of Maryland from 1914 to 1917. He was also the great-grandson of American patriot Richard Henry Lee, and grandfather of former Maryland Governor Blair Lee III...
; direct descendant of two signers of the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
, Richard Henry Lee
Richard Henry Lee
Richard Henry Lee was an American statesman from Virginia best known for the motion in the Second Continental Congress calling for the colonies' independence from Great Britain. He was a signatory to the Articles of Confederation and his famous resolution of June 1776 led to the United States...
and Francis Lightfoot Lee
Francis Lightfoot Lee
Francis Lightfoot Lee was a member of the House of Burgesses in the Colony of Virginia. As an active protester of issues such as the Stamp Act, Lee helped move the colony in the direction of independence from Britain. Lee was a delegate to the Virginia Conventions and the Continental Congress...
; and also Montgomery Blair
Montgomery Blair
Montgomery Blair , the son of Francis Preston Blair, elder brother of Francis Preston Blair, Jr. and cousin of B. Gratz Brown, was a politician and lawyer from Maryland...
and Francis Preston Blair
Francis Preston Blair
Francis Preston Blair, Sr. was an American journalist and politician.-Biography:Blair was born at Abingdon, Virginia. He moved to Kentucky, graduated from Transylvania University in 1811, took to journalism, and was a contributor to Amos Kendall's paper, the Argus, at Frankfort...
, an adviser and friend of Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
and Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. His father, E. Brooke Lee, was a major figure in Maryland politics.
Lee majored in American history at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in 1938. His thesis, "The Free Soil Movement in the 1840s", was based on correspondences between his ancestors and Presidents, cabinet members, and others from his family's private collection. After spending time studying law at The George Washington University, the entry of the United States into World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1941 resulted in Lee joining the United States Navy Reserve
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
. He spent the War working on supply ships in the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. It was also during the War, on July 6, 1944, that he married Mathilde Boal with whom he would have eight children. After four years of service, Lee was discharged with the rank of lieutenant commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
in 1945.
After the War, Lee began work as a newspaper journalist. He worked as an editor for his father's newspaper, the Maryland News, and also served as President of the Maryland Press Association and Silver Spring Board of Trade in 1949. Lee also pursued environmental interests in government, serving as Vice Chairman and Park Commissioner of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is a bi-county agency that administers parks and planning in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in Maryland.-History:...
(MNCPPC) until 1951, and Executive Officer of the National Capital Planning Commission
National Capital Planning Commission
The National Capital Planning Commission is a U.S. government agency that provides planning guidance for Washington, D.C. and the surrounding National Capital Region...
from 1951 to 1954.
Maryland political career
Lee entered politics shortly after the end of the Second World War, serving as delegate to the Democratic National ConventionDemocratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
in 1948, and later in 1960 and 1964. He was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates
Maryland House of Delegates
The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...
in 1954, and served until 1962, when he made an unsuccessful bid for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. In the House, Lee served as chairman of the Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
delegation, and was chosen in 1958 by the Maryland Legislative Correspondents Association as "Legislator of the Year" for his efforts in resolving a crisis that emerged between the Maryland General Assembly
Maryland General Assembly
The Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is a bicameral body. The upper chamber, the Maryland State Senate, has 47 representatives and the lower chamber, the Maryland House of Delegates, has 141 representatives...
and the Maryland State Teacher's Association.
In Presidential politics, Lee served as campaign manager for John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
1960 Presidential bid in Montgomery County, and later in 1964 as regional coordinator for the Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
campaign.
In 1966, Lee entered the Maryland State Senate
Maryland State Senate
The Maryland Senate, sometimes referred to as the Maryland State Senate, is the upper house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland...
, where he served on the Finance Committee as vice chairman and in the Legislative Council. He was chosen Secretary of State of Maryland
Secretary of State of Maryland
The Secretary of State of Maryland is charged with the administrative and record-keeping functions of the State Government of the U.S. state of Maryland. The Secretary of State also holds custody of the Seal of Maryland. Unlike in many states, the Secretary of State is not an elective office, but...
by Governor Marvin Mandel
Marvin Mandel
Marvin Mandel , a member of the United States Democratic Party, was the 56th Governor of Maryland in the United States from January 7, 1969, to January 17, 1979. He was Maryland's first, and, to date, only Jewish governor.- Early life :...
in 1969.
Lieutenant Governor and Acting Governor
Following the amendment of the Constitution of Maryland in 1970, the office of Lieutenant Governor of MarylandLieutenant Governor of Maryland
The Lieutenant Governor of Maryland is the second highest ranking official in the executive branch of the state government of Maryland in the United States. He or she is elected on the same ticket as the Governor of Maryland and must meet the same qualifications.The current Lieutenant Governor is...
was created, and voters chose Lee to serve in that position. During his tenure as Lt. Governor, Lee served on various committees and commissions established by the Governor. Also as Lt. Governor, Lee helped prepare the budget, determine policy actions, and served as chairman of the Governor's Cabinet, as well as Governor's Chief of Staff.
The most notable moment of Lee's career occurred when Governor Mandel designated Lee as Acting Governor of Maryland, effective with a letter dated June 4, 1977, per Article 2, Section 6b, of the Maryland Constitution of 1867. Mandel's decision was the result of a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
, as well as federal political corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
charges that were linked to some $200,000 in gifts received. Lee continued to serve as Acting Governor until Mandel rescinded his letter on January 15, 1979, though Mandel briefly reinstated Lee as acting governor the next day so he would be able to preside over the appointment of a judge to the Maryland Court of Appeals
Maryland Court of Appeals
The Court of Appeals of Maryland is the supreme court of the U.S. state of Maryland. The court, which is composed of one chief judge and six associate judges, meets in the Robert C. Murphy Courts of Appeal Building in the state capital, Annapolis...
.
Even with the added boost of serving as acting governor, Lee was not able to overcome the severe damage the Mandel Administration had taken as a result of the corruption trial. He unexpectedly lost his attempt for election in the Democratic primary to Harry R. Hughes, who would later win the general election and succeed Mandel as governor in 1979. Lee stated a few days after the loss that he was relieved of a burden, and that it was a "luxurious feeling" coming upon problems that he would not have to worry about. However, acquaintances and staff members commented that he seemed melancholic and deflated. Many of his staff shared the same feelings, since the loss was unexpected and most did not have any contingency plans.
Later years and legacy
In 1980, Lee was appointed to the University of Maryland, College ParkUniversity of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
Board of Regents, where he served until his death in 1986. After his death, commentators remarked that Lee was an able governor, but a modest politician who was not comfortable working in crowds and did not adequately distance himself from the corruption of Mandel and Mandel's predecessor, Spiro Agnew
Spiro Agnew
Spiro Theodore Agnew was the 39th Vice President of the United States , serving under President Richard Nixon, and the 55th Governor of Maryland...
. Lee was also damaged by family troubles, which included the suicide of one of his sons in 1973. Nevertheless, Lee was praised by the media for his eloquence, honesty, and capable administrative skills. He is buried in Rock Creek Cemetery
Rock Creek Cemetery
Rock Creek Cemetery — also Rock Creek Church Yard and Cemetery — is an cemetery with a natural rolling landscape located at Rock Creek Church Road, NW, and Webster Street, NW, off Hawaii Avenue, NE in Washington, D.C.'s Michigan Park neighborhood, near Washington's Petworth neighborhood...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....