Maria Leavey
Encyclopedia
Maria Leavey was an independent political strategist. She was born on January 1, 1954 and died December 31, 2006, the day before her 53rd birthday.
in 1993, living in a small apartment in Crystal City
. Though she did not have a regular job and had very little money, she managed to become quite well connected within DC politics. She was a consultant to Howard Dean
during his presidential campaign and worked with Senators Tom Harkin
and Harry Reid. She was known for having the insider gossip before others, and for having a rare understanding of the personalities and complex rules that govern the Senate.
She started a monthly breakfast to connect journalists with figures in liberal politics including John Podesta
, Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi
, and Harry Reid
. She was known for baking cookies for everyone from leading politicians to her postal worker.
, grew up mostly in New York
, and attended Trinity University
in Washington and got a master's in American History from Pennsylvania State University
.
Though having few economic resources, Maria still managed to support her autistic younger brother, Andrew, who lives in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
.
The Campaign for America's Future
has created an annual award in Maria's memorial named the Maria Leavey Tribute Award.
Political Work
Leavey came to 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....
in 1993, living in a small apartment in Crystal City
Crystal City, Virginia
Crystal City is an urban neighborhood in the southeastern corner of Arlington County, Virginia, south of downtown Washington, D.C.. Its residents can live, shop, and work without going outside, due to its extensive integration of office buildings and residential high-rise buildings using...
. Though she did not have a regular job and had very little money, she managed to become quite well connected within DC politics. She was a consultant to Howard Dean
Howard Dean
Howard Brush Dean III is an American politician and physician from Vermont. He served six terms as the 79th Governor of Vermont and ran unsuccessfully for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination. He was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2009. Although his U.S...
during his presidential campaign and worked with Senators Tom Harkin
Tom Harkin
Thomas Richard "Tom" Harkin is the junior United States Senator from Iowa and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served in the United States House of Representatives ....
and Harry Reid. She was known for having the insider gossip before others, and for having a rare understanding of the personalities and complex rules that govern the Senate.
She started a monthly breakfast to connect journalists with figures in liberal politics including John Podesta
John Podesta
John David Podesta was the fourth and final White House Chief of Staff under President Bill Clinton, from 1998 until 2001. He is the president of the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank in Washington, D.C., and is also a Visiting Professor of Law at the Georgetown University Law...
, Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...
, and Harry Reid
Harry Reid
Harry Mason Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been the Senate Majority Leader since January 2007, having previously served as Minority Leader and Minority and Majority Whip.Previously, Reid was a member of the U.S...
. She was known for baking cookies for everyone from leading politicians to her postal worker.
Life
Leavey was born to an American soldier stationed in Pisa, ItalyPisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
, grew up mostly in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and attended Trinity University
Trinity Washington University
Trinity Washington University, founded in 1897 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, is a Roman Catholic university located in Washington, D.C. across from Catholic University of America and the Dominican House of Studies...
in Washington and got a master's in American History from Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
.
Though having few economic resources, Maria still managed to support her autistic younger brother, Andrew, who lives in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
The city of Lock Haven is the county seat of Clinton County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Located near the confluence of the West Branch Susquehanna River and Bald Eagle Creek, it is the principal city of the Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, micropolitan statistical area, itself part of the...
.
Legacy
Leavey died of an undiagnosed heart condition that was hereditary in her family. Had she had health insurance and access to regular medical checkups, she would likely have been treated and survived. Her death is often cited by progressive activists as a wake-up call about the lack of resources flowing to dedicated activists who are outside the think tank sphere.The irony is that conservative groups, whose leaders are often stereotyped as stingy and heartless, tend to provide far better conditions for their troops than progressive organizations do. The right may or may not have more money, but it has used what it has to provide a living for the people who build its institutions, which have thrived as a result. Maria deserved much better -- and so do the many like her who accept low wages to uphold their ideals. Being able to pay the rent, get health insurance and even take a vacation would not corrupt them.
-- Joe Conason
Joe ConasonJoe Conason is an American journalist, author and political commentator. He writes a column for the weekly New York Observer newspaper, for Salon.com and has written a number of books, including Big Lies , which addresses what he says are myths spread about liberals by conservatives.-Life and...
writing at salon.com
Maria wasn't the type of person who would demand something for herself; she just sacrificed rather than put her allies in an uncomfortable situation. This was the case even with health insurance. She had many invaluable skills, but getting progressives to value her wasn't one of them. It is the disrespect towards people like Maria, a willingness to toss our best allies aside like unnecessary conveniences, that is our biggest moral flaw. I don't know if the new progressive movement matters, or if we're going to succeed. But what is very clear is that what we are doing is built on the willingness of people to sacrifice their lives and their time to work for change. ... Our priorities are really messed up. When our organizations and groups allow people like Maria to die for their lack of health care, while at the same time funneling hundreds of millions of dollars into TV commercials, it's really bad. If it continues, we will fail. It's that simple.
-- Matt Stoller writing at MyDD
The Campaign for America's Future
Campaign for America's Future
Campaign for America's Future is an American political organization with a strongly progressive orientation. Its main issues of concern include the environment, energy independence, health care reform, Social Security, and education...
has created an annual award in Maria's memorial named the Maria Leavey Tribute Award.