Jeffrey Paul Smith
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey Paul Smith is an attorney
, community organizer, and political activist from Illinois
who is known for advocacy of progressive, reform, and independent causes.
In 1983-1984, at age 27, Smith served as Illinois state coordinator for George McGovern
’s “elder statesman” presidential campaign. Two years later, he mounted a successful grassroots
effort to unseat the Illinois Democratic Party
chairman, Calvin Sutker, and was elected Democratic State Central Committeeman for the 9th Congressional District of Illinois, then represented in Congress by Sidney Yates.
In 2007, Smith and a group of Harvard Law School
classmates garnered attention for public criticism of the actions of fellow classmate, then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez.
Smith served as president of a large community organization
in Evanston, Illinois
, the Central Street Neighbors Association ("CSNA"). His analysis was credited with "playing a leading role" in the development of the Central Street
Master Plan in 2007-08. Smith has been a proponent of green building
and the principle that new construction should be sustainable as a matter of law.
Smith's essays and commentary appear frequently on the CSNA website, on the Chicago-area online magazine Gapers Block, and on Prairie State Blue, a progressive leaning Illinois blog
. In the fall of 2008, especially following a column he published on municipal priorities, there was an effort to draft Smith to run for mayor of Evanston.
In 2010, Smith ran in the Democratic primary for representative of the 18th district of the Illinois General Assembly coming in fourth place. In November, 2011, Smith filed to run for representative in the newly redistricted 17th district of the Illinois General Assembly after Rep. Daniel Biss
(D-Evanston) announced he intended to run for Sen. Jeffrey Schoenberg
's soon-to-be vacant state Senate seat.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, community organizer, and political activist from Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
who is known for advocacy of progressive, reform, and independent causes.
In 1983-1984, at age 27, Smith served as Illinois state coordinator for George McGovern
George McGovern
George Stanley McGovern is an historian, author, and former U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, and the Democratic Party nominee in the 1972 presidential election....
’s “elder statesman” presidential campaign. Two years later, he mounted a successful grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
effort to unseat the Illinois Democratic Party
Democratic Party of Illinois
The Democratic Party of Illinois is a political party and affiliate of the United States Democratic Party in Illinois. It is the oldest still-existing state party in Illinois and, along with the Green and Republican Parties, one of just three legally established parties in the state.-History:The...
chairman, Calvin Sutker, and was elected Democratic State Central Committeeman for the 9th Congressional District of Illinois, then represented in Congress by Sidney Yates.
In 2007, Smith and a group of Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
classmates garnered attention for public criticism of the actions of fellow classmate, then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez.
Smith served as president of a large community organization
Community organization
Community organizations are civil society non-profits that operate within a single local community. They are essentially a subset of the wider group of nonprofits. Like other nonprofits they are often run on a voluntary basis and are self funded...
in Evanston, Illinois
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
, the Central Street Neighbors Association ("CSNA"). His analysis was credited with "playing a leading role" in the development of the Central Street
Central Street (Evanston, IL)
Central Street is the principal east-west artery in the far north of Evanston, Illinois and is a major thoroughfare in other northern and northwest suburbs of Chicago...
Master Plan in 2007-08. Smith has been a proponent of green building
Green building
Green building refers to a structure and using process that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition...
and the principle that new construction should be sustainable as a matter of law.
Smith's essays and commentary appear frequently on the CSNA website, on the Chicago-area online magazine Gapers Block, and on Prairie State Blue, a progressive leaning Illinois blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
. In the fall of 2008, especially following a column he published on municipal priorities, there was an effort to draft Smith to run for mayor of Evanston.
In 2010, Smith ran in the Democratic primary for representative of the 18th district of the Illinois General Assembly coming in fourth place. In November, 2011, Smith filed to run for representative in the newly redistricted 17th district of the Illinois General Assembly after Rep. Daniel Biss
Daniel Biss
Daniel Kálmán Biss is an American mathematician and State Representative for the 17th district in the Illinois House of Representatives, serving since 2011...
(D-Evanston) announced he intended to run for Sen. Jeffrey Schoenberg
Jeffrey Schoenberg
Jeffrey Schoenberg is a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 9th district since 2003. He earlier served for six terms in the Illinois House of Representatives, first elected to that position in 1990.- Senate career :...
's soon-to-be vacant state Senate seat.
External links
- Jeff Smith for State Representative official campaign website