Raymond P. Shafer
Encyclopedia
Raymond Philip Shafer served as the 39th Governor of Pennsylvania
from 1967 to 1971. He had previously served as Lieutenant Governor from 1963 to 1967. He was a national leader of the moderate wing of the Republican Party
in the late 1960s.
, the youngest of the five children of the Rev. David P. Shafer and his wife Mina. In 1933, Shafer's father moved the family to Meadville, Pennsylvania
to accept a position as pastor of the First Christian Church. The Shafer family had long roots in Crawford County where the Clark-Shafer Reunion was held until recently when the family has gotten so spread out throughout the country. Shafer became an Eagle Scout and as an adult was presented the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award
by the Boy Scouts of America
.
After finishing high school in Meadville, Shafer attended Allegheny College
, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi
Fraternity, and later Yale Law School
. There, several classmates, such as William Scranton
and Gerald Ford
, would help shape his future political career.
In 1942, Shafer entered the United States Navy
as a Naval intelligence
officer and later served on PT Boat
s. He would participate in over 80 combat missions during World War II
on PT Boats as commanding officer of PT-359 and later as executive officer
of Squadron 27. As Squadron XO, Shafer sailed aboard PT-375, one of the first PT Boats to penetrate the defenses of Manila Bay. Shafer earned the Bronze Star
and the Purple Heart
during his tour in the Pacific theater.
Shafer returned to Meadville after the war and entered private law practice. His political career began in 1948 when he was elected District Attorney
of Crawford County
. In 1958, he was elected to the State Senate
.
, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Scranton tapped him as his running mate
. Scranton had been Shafer's classmate at Yale and both were considered moderate Republicans. The Scranton/Shafer ticket won the election over the Democratic
ticket led by Philadelphia
Mayor Richardson Dilworth
, and Shafer became the Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania.
Scranton was limited to one term under then-existing state law and Shafer was considered the most likely choice to succeed him as the Republican nominee. In the general election, he faced wealthy Philadelphia businessman Milton Shapp
. The 1966 election
was marked by tragedies. State Attorney General
Walter Alessandroni, Shafer’s running mate, was killed in an aviation accident during the campaign and Ray Broderick
was named to replace him on the ticket. Former governor David L. Lawrence
collapsed and fell into a coma
during a campaign appearance for Shapp, and died later that November. On election day, Shafer was victorious by a margin of nearly a quarter of a million votes.
As Governor, Shafer was best known for championing reforms to the state constitution
. In 1963, Lieutenant Governor Shafer had chaired a bipartisan committee to explore constitutional reforms. By the beginning of Shafer's term as Governor, a constitutional convention was meeting to overhaul state government.
Shafer oversaw a massive expansion of Pennsylvania's highway system and dedicated several portions of the Interstate Highway System
in the state. He was also the first governor to reside in the modern Governor's Mansion
in Harrisburg
. Large expenditures for these and other programs caused huge budget deficits. To balance the budget, Shafer sought Pennsylvania's first state income tax
, a move that made him unpopular with many voters.
Although the 1968 constitution allowed incumbent governors to run for reelection, Shafer was bound by the previous rules and was limited to one term. He campaigned for Ray Broderick
, his lieutenant governor, as his successor. Although Broderick publicly opposed a state income tax, he was unable to escape the shadow of Shafer, who had proposed it. The 1970 election saw a Democratic sweep with Milton Shapp elected Governor and Democrats gaining control of both houses of the General Assembly for the first time in over 30 years.
at the 1968 Republican National Convention
, although the delegates instead chose former Vice President Richard Nixon
as the party's Presidential candidate
.
Many believe that Shafer's opposition to Nixon cost him the federal judgeship he was known to have desired. President Nixon appointed Shafer as chairman of the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse, also known as the Shafer Commission. He was criticized in this role by many conservatives
after the panel recommended the decriminalization of marijuana use.
Later, he served a brief stint as CEO of financially troubled TelePrompter
company. Following Watergate
, he returned to public service after being named special counsel to new Vice-President Nelson Rockefeller, a position he held from 1974 to 1977.
From 1977 to 1988 he was a partner with the accounting firm of Coopers & Lybrand. He also served briefly as president of his alma mater, Allegheny College
, from 1985 to 1986. He has also served on the Council on Foreign Relations
.
Shafer died at the age of 89 in Meadville, Pennsylvania, on December 12, 2006. He was buried with military honors
at St. John's Cemetery in Union Township, Crawford County, Pennsylvania
.
A section of Interstate 79
in Pennsylvania is named "The Raymond P. Shafer Highway" after him, as are residence halls at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
and Indiana University of Pennsylvania
and the auditorium at Allegheny College
.
Pennsylvania House Bill 1652 of 2011, introduced by Democratic State Rep. Mark B. Cohen
is named "The Governor Raymond P. Shafer Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act."
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
from 1967 to 1971. He had previously served as Lieutenant Governor from 1963 to 1967. He was a national leader of the moderate wing of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
in the late 1960s.
Early life and career
Shafer was born in New Castle, PennsylvaniaNew Castle, Pennsylvania
New Castle is a city in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States, northwest of Pittsburgh and near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border just east of Youngstown, Ohio; in 1910, the total population was 36,280; in 1920, 44,938; and in 1940, 47,638. The population has fallen to 26,309 according to the...
, the youngest of the five children of the Rev. David P. Shafer and his wife Mina. In 1933, Shafer's father moved the family to Meadville, Pennsylvania
Meadville, Pennsylvania
Meadville is a city in and the county seat of Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city is generally considered part of the Pittsburgh Tri-State and is within 40 miles of Erie, Pennsylvania. It was the first permanent settlement in northwest Pennsylvania...
to accept a position as pastor of the First Christian Church. The Shafer family had long roots in Crawford County where the Clark-Shafer Reunion was held until recently when the family has gotten so spread out throughout the country. Shafer became an Eagle Scout and as an adult was presented the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award
Distinguished Eagle Scout Award
The Distinguished Eagle Scout Award is a distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America . It is awarded to an Eagle Scout for distinguished service in his profession and to his community for a period of at least 25 years after attaining the level of Eagle Scout...
by the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
.
After finishing high school in Meadville, Shafer attended Allegheny College
Allegheny College
Allegheny College is a private liberal arts college located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the town of Meadville. Founded in 1815, the college has about 2,100 undergraduate students.-Early history:...
, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at Jefferson College in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania on February 19, 1852. There are over a hundred chapters and colonies at accredited four year colleges and universities throughout the United States. More than 112,000 men have been...
Fraternity, and later Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
. There, several classmates, such as William Scranton
William Scranton
William Warren Scranton is a former U.S. Republican Party politician. Scranton served as the 38th Governor of Pennsylvania from 1963 to 1967. From 1976 to 1977, he served as United States Ambassador to the United Nations.-Early life:...
and Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
, would help shape his future political career.
In 1942, Shafer entered the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
as a Naval intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
officer and later served on PT Boat
PT boat
PT Boats were a variety of motor torpedo boat , a small, fast vessel used by the United States Navy in World War II to attack larger surface ships. The PT boat squadrons were nicknamed "the mosquito fleet". The Japanese called them "Devil Boats".The original pre–World War I torpedo boats were...
s. He would participate in over 80 combat missions during 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...
on PT Boats as commanding officer of PT-359 and later as executive officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
of Squadron 27. As Squadron XO, Shafer sailed aboard PT-375, one of the first PT Boats to penetrate the defenses of Manila Bay. Shafer earned the Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
and the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
during his tour in the Pacific theater.
Shafer returned to Meadville after the war and entered private law practice. His political career began in 1948 when he was elected District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
of Crawford County
Crawford County, Pennsylvania
Crawford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 88,765.Crawford County was created on March 12, 1800, from part of Allegheny County and named for Colonel William Crawford...
. In 1958, he was elected to the State Senate
Pennsylvania State Senate
The Pennsylvania State Senate has been meeting since 1791. It is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such...
.
Governor of Pennsylvania
In 1962Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 1962
The Pennsylvania gubernatorial election of 1962 was held on November 6. Republican Bill Scranton and Democrat Richardson Dilworth, each a member of a powerful political family, faced off in a bitter campaign.After John F...
, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Scranton tapped him as his running mate
Running mate
A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position but can also properly be used when referring to both candidates, such as "Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen were...
. Scranton had been Shafer's classmate at Yale and both were considered moderate Republicans. The Scranton/Shafer ticket won the election over the 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...
ticket led by Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
Mayor Richardson Dilworth
Richardson Dilworth
Richardson K. Dilworth was an American Democratic Party politician, born in the Pittsburgh area, who served as the 91st Mayor of Philadelphia from 1956 to 1962.-Education and early career:...
, and Shafer became the Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania.
Scranton was limited to one term under then-existing state law and Shafer was considered the most likely choice to succeed him as the Republican nominee. In the general election, he faced wealthy Philadelphia businessman Milton Shapp
Milton Shapp
Milton Jerrold Shapp was the 40th Governor of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania from 1971 to 1979 and was the first Jewish governor of Pennsylvania.- Early life :...
. The 1966 election
Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 1966
The Pennsylvania gubernatorial election of 1966 was held on November 8. Republican Ray Shafer, the state's incumbent Lieutenant Governor, was elected to the state's highest office after holding off a charge from future governor Milton Shapp....
was marked by tragedies. State Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
Walter Alessandroni, Shafer’s running mate, was killed in an aviation accident during the campaign and Ray Broderick
Raymond J. Broderick
Raymond Joseph Broderick was a United States federal judge, and the Republican Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania from 1967 to 1971.-Biography:...
was named to replace him on the ticket. Former governor David L. Lawrence
David L. Lawrence
David Leo Lawrence was an American politician who served as the 37th Governor of Pennsylvania from 1959 to 1963. He is to date the only mayor of Pittsburgh to be elected Governor of Pennsylvania. Previously, he had been the mayor of Pittsburgh from 1946 through 1959...
collapsed and fell into a coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
during a campaign appearance for Shapp, and died later that November. On election day, Shafer was victorious by a margin of nearly a quarter of a million votes.
As Governor, Shafer was best known for championing reforms to the state constitution
Pennsylvania Constitution
The current Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, most recently revised in 1968, forms the law for the United States Commonwealth of Pennsylvania...
. In 1963, Lieutenant Governor Shafer had chaired a bipartisan committee to explore constitutional reforms. By the beginning of Shafer's term as Governor, a constitutional convention was meeting to overhaul state government.
Shafer oversaw a massive expansion of Pennsylvania's highway system and dedicated several portions of the Interstate Highway System
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
in the state. He was also the first governor to reside in the modern Governor's Mansion
Pennsylvania Governor's Mansion
The Pennsylvania Governor's Mansion is the official residence of the Governor of Pennsylvania and his family, in the Uptown neighborhood of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It was built from 1966 to 1968 and designed by George M. Ewing, owner of an architectural firm in Philadelphia.The Mansion is home to...
in Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
. Large expenditures for these and other programs caused huge budget deficits. To balance the budget, Shafer sought Pennsylvania's first state income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
, a move that made him unpopular with many voters.
Although the 1968 constitution allowed incumbent governors to run for reelection, Shafer was bound by the previous rules and was limited to one term. He campaigned for Ray Broderick
Raymond J. Broderick
Raymond Joseph Broderick was a United States federal judge, and the Republican Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania from 1967 to 1971.-Biography:...
, his lieutenant governor, as his successor. Although Broderick publicly opposed a state income tax, he was unable to escape the shadow of Shafer, who had proposed it. The 1970 election saw a Democratic sweep with Milton Shapp elected Governor and Democrats gaining control of both houses of the General Assembly for the first time in over 30 years.
Post-gubernatorial career
After leaving the state government, he became a major player in national Republican politics as the unofficial leader of the third largest Republican state party in the country. He gave the nominating speech for New York Governor Nelson RockefellerNelson Rockefeller
Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller was the 41st Vice President of the United States , serving under President Gerald Ford, and the 49th Governor of New York , as well as serving the Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower administrations in a variety of positions...
at the 1968 Republican National Convention
1968 Republican National Convention
The 1968 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States was held in at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Dade County, Florida, from August 5 to August 8, 1968....
, although the delegates instead chose former Vice President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
as the party's Presidential candidate
United States presidential election, 1968
The United States presidential election of 1968 was the 46th quadrennial United States presidential election. Coming four years after Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson won in a historic landslide, it saw Johnson forced out of the race and Republican Richard Nixon elected...
.
Many believe that Shafer's opposition to Nixon cost him the federal judgeship he was known to have desired. President Nixon appointed Shafer as chairman of the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse, also known as the Shafer Commission. He was criticized in this role by many conservatives
American conservatism
Conservatism in the United States has played an important role in American politics since the 1950s. Historian Gregory Schneider identifies several constants in American conservatism: respect for tradition, support of republicanism, preservation of "the rule of law and the Christian religion", and...
after the panel recommended the decriminalization of marijuana use.
Later, he served a brief stint as CEO of financially troubled TelePrompter
Teleprompter
An autocue is a display device that prompts the person speaking with an electronic visual text of a speech or script. Using a teleprompter is similar to the practice of using cue cards...
company. Following Watergate
Watergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
, he returned to public service after being named special counsel to new Vice-President Nelson Rockefeller, a position he held from 1974 to 1977.
From 1977 to 1988 he was a partner with the accounting firm of Coopers & Lybrand. He also served briefly as president of his alma mater, Allegheny College
Allegheny College
Allegheny College is a private liberal arts college located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the town of Meadville. Founded in 1815, the college has about 2,100 undergraduate students.-Early history:...
, from 1985 to 1986. He has also served on the Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
.
Shafer died at the age of 89 in Meadville, Pennsylvania, on December 12, 2006. He was buried with military honors
Military funeral
A military funeral is a specially orchestrated funeral given by a country's military for a soldier, sailor, marine or airman who died in battle, a veteran, or other prominent military figures or heads of state. A military funeral may feature guards of honor, the firing of volley shots as a salute,...
at St. John's Cemetery in Union Township, Crawford County, Pennsylvania
Union Township, Crawford County, Pennsylvania
Union Township is a township in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,049 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 15.9 square miles , of which, 15.8 square miles of it is land and...
.
A section of Interstate 79
Interstate 79
Interstate 79 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States, designated from Interstate 77 in Charleston, West Virginia to Pennsylvania Route 5 and Pennsylvania Route 290 in Erie, Pennsylvania...
in Pennsylvania is named "The Raymond P. Shafer Highway" after him, as are residence halls at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
Edinboro University is a public liberal arts university located in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, USA and one of 14 schools associated with the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The town is named after Edinburgh, Scotland. It is also not to be confused with the University of Edinburgh...
and Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana University of Pennsylvania is a public university in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, USA. The university is northeast of Pittsburgh. It is the largest university in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and is the commonwealth's fifth largest university...
and the auditorium at Allegheny College
Allegheny College
Allegheny College is a private liberal arts college located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the town of Meadville. Founded in 1815, the college has about 2,100 undergraduate students.-Early history:...
.
Pennsylvania House Bill 1652 of 2011, introduced by Democratic State Rep. Mark B. Cohen
Mark B. Cohen
Mark B. Cohen is a Democratic politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Succeeding Eugene Gelfand, he has represented Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 202 in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives since June 10, 1974, making him the most senior member in the Pennsylvania...
is named "The Governor Raymond P. Shafer Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act."