W. Cary Edwards
Encyclopedia
W. Cary Edwards was a New Jersey
politician who served as the state's Attorney General from 1986 to 1989.
Edwards grew up in Bergen County, New Jersey
and was raised Catholic by his mother, Virginia, who had converted to Roman Catholicism. His parents separated when he was 11. He and his siblings (a brother and a sister) moved with their mother to East Paterson (now Elmwood Park, New Jersey
). He signed his family's mortgage when he was 19 years old. He graduated from St. Luke's High School in Ho-Ho-Kus
, later studying business administration at Seton Hall University
, where he graduated in 1967. He received his law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law
in 1970 and was admitted to the New Jersey bar the same year.
Edwards married Lynn Cozzolino around 1970. In 1974 they moved to Oakland, New Jersey
, and a year later Edwards was elected councilman there. In 1977 he was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly
. He would serve three terms in the Assembly and be named assistant minority leader. Thomas Kean
served as Edwards' mentor in the Assembly, and when Kean became Governor of New Jersey
in 1982, he selected Edwards as his chief counsel.
Kean then named Edwards Attorney General, and he was sworn in on January 21, 1986, the day of Kean's second inauguration. As Attorney General, Edwards sought to increase the size of the Department of Law and Public Safety; initiated a new anti-drug program; instituted a task force to combat organized crime; planned a virtual overhaul of the Division of Motor Vehicles; and confronted problems such as insurance fraud and state land use planning. Edwards ran for Governor of New Jersey
in 1989, losing to Jim Courter
in the Republican primary. He ran again in 1993, losing out to Christine Todd Whitman
, who went on to victory in the general election. In 1995, Edwards opened his own private practice law firm, Edwards & Caldwell, where he worked until 2008.
In 1997 Whitman named Edwards to the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation
, and in 2004 Governor Richard Codey
appointed him chairman of the commission.
from cancer
on October 20, 2010, aged 66. He was survived by his wife and their two daughters.
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
politician who served as the state's Attorney General from 1986 to 1989.
Edwards grew up in Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
and was raised Catholic by his mother, Virginia, who had converted to Roman Catholicism. His parents separated when he was 11. He and his siblings (a brother and a sister) moved with their mother to East Paterson (now Elmwood Park, New Jersey
Elmwood Park, New Jersey
Elmwood Park is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 19,403....
). He signed his family's mortgage when he was 19 years old. He graduated from St. Luke's High School in Ho-Ho-Kus
Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey
Ho-Ho-Kus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 4,078. It is the home of several historical landmarks, including the Ho-Ho-Kus Inn and The Hermitage....
, later studying business administration at Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the...
, where he graduated in 1967. He received his law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law
Seton Hall University School of Law
The Seton Hall University School of Law is part of Seton Hall University, and is located in downtown Newark, New Jersey. Seton Hall Law School is the only private law school in New Jersey, and is the top-ranked of the three law schools in the state...
in 1970 and was admitted to the New Jersey bar the same year.
Edwards married Lynn Cozzolino around 1970. In 1974 they moved to Oakland, New Jersey
Oakland, New Jersey
Oakland is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 12,754.Oakland was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1902, from portions of Franklin Township.-History:The Van Allen House...
, and a year later Edwards was elected councilman there. In 1977 he was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
. He would serve three terms in the Assembly and be named assistant minority leader. Thomas Kean
Thomas Kean
Thomas Howard Kean is an American Republican Party politician, who served as the 48th Governor of New Jersey from 1982 to 1990. Kean is best known globally, however, for his 2002 appointment as Chairman of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, widely known as the...
served as Edwards' mentor in the Assembly, and when Kean became Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
in 1982, he selected Edwards as his chief counsel.
Kean then named Edwards Attorney General, and he was sworn in on January 21, 1986, the day of Kean's second inauguration. As Attorney General, Edwards sought to increase the size of the Department of Law and Public Safety; initiated a new anti-drug program; instituted a task force to combat organized crime; planned a virtual overhaul of the Division of Motor Vehicles; and confronted problems such as insurance fraud and state land use planning. Edwards ran for Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
in 1989, losing to Jim Courter
Jim Courter
James Andrew "Jim" Courter is an American Republican Party politician, lawyer and businessman. He is a resident of Hackettstown, New Jersey.-Biography:He was born October 14, 1941 in Montclair, New Jersey...
in the Republican primary. He ran again in 1993, losing out to Christine Todd Whitman
Christine Todd Whitman
Christine Todd "Christie" Whitman is an American Republican politician and author who served as the 50th Governor of New Jersey from 1994 to 2001, and was the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in the administration of President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2003. She was New...
, who went on to victory in the general election. In 1995, Edwards opened his own private practice law firm, Edwards & Caldwell, where he worked until 2008.
In 1997 Whitman named Edwards to the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation
New Jersey State Commission of Investigation
The New Jersey State Commission of Investigation is an independent governmental fact-finding agency in the U.S. State of New Jersey whose mission is to identify and investigate organized crime, corruption and waste, fraud and abuse in government spending by state, municipal and school...
, and in 2004 Governor Richard Codey
Richard Codey
Richard James Codey is an American Democratic Party politician who served as the 53rd Governor of New Jersey from November 2004 to January 2006. He has served in the New Jersey Senate since 1981 and served as the President of the Senate from 2002 to January 2010. He represents the 27th Legislative...
appointed him chairman of the commission.
Death
Edwards died at his home in Oakland, New JerseyOakland, New Jersey
Oakland is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 12,754.Oakland was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1902, from portions of Franklin Township.-History:The Van Allen House...
from cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
on October 20, 2010, aged 66. He was survived by his wife and their two daughters.