Marie Ragghianti
Encyclopedia
Marie Fajardo Ragghianti (born June 13, 1942) is an American
parole board
administrator, famous as the whistleblower
who exposed Tennessee
Governor
Ray Blanton
's "clemency
for cash" scandal in 1977-1979.
Ragghianti grew up as a beauty queen
in Florida
. She married a boxer, by faking pregnancy. Her husband became alcoholic, and beat her. Their son nearly died from a lung infection at the age of two. They divorced, leaving Ragghianti with three young children.
In 1971, at the age of 29, Ragghianti won a scholarship
to Vanderbilt University
, and earned a B.S.
in English literature
and psychology
in 1975. She was active in the Vanderbilt Young Democrats
Club, and caught the attention of newly elected governor Blanton's legal counsel, T. Edward "Eddie" Sisk. She was hired as an Extradition
Officer for the Tennessee Department of Correction
from 1975 to 1976, and was appointed the chair of the Tennessee Board of Pardons and Paroles from 1976 to 1977.
Ragghianti earned an M.S.
in Management of Human Services in 1978 from Vanderbilt University, and an M.P.A.
from the Harvard University
John F. Kennedy School of Government
in 1992. She worked as a consultant to the Tennessee Legislature in 1979. From 1979 through 1997 she worked as a criminal justice
consultant. From 1997 through 1999, she worked as the Chief of Staff
for the United States Parole Commission
.
Ragghianti was responsible for a federal investigation of corruption in the Tennessee parole and pardon process that led to the conviction of the governor and two aides, and was the subject of the movie, Marie
. She received the Goldsmith Award for journalism while attending the Kennedy School of Government and was a National Institute on Drug Abuse
fellow while attending the graduate program in criminal justice at the University of Albany, SUNY
.
She was appointed a member of the U.S. Parole Commission National Appeals Board on December 9, 1999, by President Bill Clinton
in a recess appointment
. She was designated as the board's Vice Chairman on January 6, 2000. Her appointment expired December 15, 2000, as no action on her nomination had been taken by the United States Senate
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
parole board
Parole Board
A parole board is a panel of people who decide whether an offender should be released from prison on parole after serving at least a minimum portion of their sentence as prescribed by the sentencing judge. Parole boards are used in many jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom and the United...
administrator, famous as the whistleblower
Whistleblower
A whistleblower is a person who tells the public or someone in authority about alleged dishonest or illegal activities occurring in a government department, a public or private organization, or a company...
who exposed Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Ray Blanton
Ray Blanton
Leonard Ray Blanton was the 44th Governor of Tennessee from 1975 to 1979. Blanton's administration was rife with corruption.-Early life and Congress:...
's "clemency
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
for cash" scandal in 1977-1979.
Ragghianti grew up as a beauty queen
Beauty contest
A beauty pageant or beauty contest, is a competition that mainly focuses on the physical beauty of its contestants, although such contests often incorporate personality, talent, and answers to judges' questions as judged criteria...
in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. She married a boxer, by faking pregnancy. Her husband became alcoholic, and beat her. Their son nearly died from a lung infection at the age of two. They divorced, leaving Ragghianti with three young children.
In 1971, at the age of 29, Ragghianti won a scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
to Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
, and earned a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in English literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
and psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
in 1975. She was active in the Vanderbilt Young Democrats
Young Democrats of America
The Young Democrats of America , founded in 1932, is the official youth arm of the Democratic Party of the United States, although it severed official ties with the Democratic National Committee following passage of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 and became an independent 527 group...
Club, and caught the attention of newly elected governor Blanton's legal counsel, T. Edward "Eddie" Sisk. She was hired as an Extradition
Extradition
Extradition is the official process whereby one nation or state surrenders a suspected or convicted criminal to another nation or state. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties...
Officer for the Tennessee Department of Correction
Tennessee Department of Correction
The Tennessee Department of Correction is a Cabinet-level agency within the Tennessee state government, headed by the Tennessee Commissioner of Correction, who is currently Gayle E. Ray, who succeeded George Little on 1/1/2010...
from 1975 to 1976, and was appointed the chair of the Tennessee Board of Pardons and Paroles from 1976 to 1977.
Ragghianti earned an M.S.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in Management of Human Services in 1978 from Vanderbilt University, and an M.P.A.
Master of Public Administration
The Master of Public Administration is a professional post-graduate degree in Public Administration. The MPA program prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of local, state/provincial, and federal/national government, and increasingly in nongovernmental organization and...
from the Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
in 1992. She worked as a consultant to the Tennessee Legislature in 1979. From 1979 through 1997 she worked as a criminal justice
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
consultant. From 1997 through 1999, she worked as the Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
for the United States Parole Commission
United States Parole Commission
The United States Parole Commission is the parole board responsible to grant or deny parole and to supervise those released on parole to incarcerated individuals who come under its jurisdiction. It is part of the United States Department of Justice....
.
Ragghianti was responsible for a federal investigation of corruption in the Tennessee parole and pardon process that led to the conviction of the governor and two aides, and was the subject of the movie, Marie
Marie (film)
Marie is a 1985 film starring Sissy Spacek as the real-life Marie Ragghianti, former head of the Tennessee Board of Pardons and Paroles, who was removed from office in 1977 after refusing to release prisoners who had bribed aides to then-Governor Ray Blanton...
. She received the Goldsmith Award for journalism while attending the Kennedy School of Government and was a National Institute on Drug Abuse
National Institute on Drug Abuse
The National Institute on Drug Abuse is a United States federal-government research institute whose mission is to "lead the Nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction."-History:...
fellow while attending the graduate program in criminal justice at the University of Albany, SUNY
University at Albany, The State University of New York
The State University of New York at Albany, also known as University at Albany, State University of New York, SUNY Albany or simply UAlbany, is a public university located in Albany, Guilderland, and East Greenbush, New York, United States; is the senior campus of the State University of New York ...
.
She was appointed a member of the U.S. Parole Commission National Appeals Board on December 9, 1999, by President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
in a recess appointment
Recess appointment
A recess appointment is the appointment, by the President of the United States, of a senior federal official while the U.S. Senate is in recess. The U.S. Constitution requires that the most senior federal officers must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming office, but while the Senate is in...
. She was designated as the board's Vice Chairman on January 6, 2000. Her appointment expired December 15, 2000, as no action on her nomination had been taken by 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...
.