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William O'Neill (Ohio jurist)
Encyclopedia
William "Bill" Michael O'Neill (born May 6, 1947) is an American lawyer
, jurist
and political figure
who was an appellate judge on the Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals
. He was the 2010 Democratic
nominee for U.S. Representative
from , running against Republican incumbent Steve LaTourette
.
(1969), O'Neill joined the United States Army in 1969 and earned the Bronze Star
in Vietnam. He retired from the military in 2001 as a lieutenant commander in the Ohio National Guard
. With the help of the G.I. Bill, O'Neill studied law at the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University
, graduating in 1980.
O'Neill worked as a civil rights
lawyer, small business owner, and union organizer
. He returned to school at age 50 to become a registered nurse, and currently works nights and weekends in the pediatric emergency room at Hillcrest Hospital in Mayfield Heights, Ohio
.
O'Neill served as an appellate judge on the Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals
from 1997–2007, resigning to run for Congress. He had earlier run unsuccessfully for the Ohio Supreme Court in 2004 and 2006.
nominee for . He delivered his speech, "The End of the Line," in Shaker Heights, Ohio at the end of the RTA Van Aken Blue Line
with a transit car in view. His campaign slogan was also "Getting Back On Track," a central phrase and component of his speech and campaign which was speaking of expanding the Greater Cleveland Rapid Transit
rail system as far east as Ashtabula, but especially Mentor and Painesville, and as far south as Solon and Stow. He was defeated by LaTourette again, this time gaining about 31% of the vote.
Law of the United States
The law of the United States consists of many levels of codified and uncodified forms of law, of which the most important is the United States Constitution, the foundation of the federal government of the United States...
, jurist
United States federal courts
The United States federal courts make up the judiciary branch of federal government of the United States organized under the United States Constitution and laws of the federal government.-Categories:...
and political figure
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
who was an appellate judge on the Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals
Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals
The Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals is one of twelve appellate courts in Ohio. It is a state court. The Eleventh District is composed of five counties: Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Portage, and Trumbull....
. He was the 2010 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...
nominee for U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from , running against Republican incumbent Steve LaTourette
Steve LaTourette
Steven C. "Steve" LaTourette is the U.S. House of Representative for , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
.
Early life and education
A graduate of Cleveland Heights High School (1965) and Ohio UniversityOhio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
(1969), O'Neill joined the United States Army in 1969 and 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...
in Vietnam. He retired from the military in 2001 as a lieutenant commander in the Ohio National Guard
Ohio National Guard
The Ohio National Guard comprises:* Ohio Army National Guard* Ohio Air National Guard-External links:* compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History...
. With the help of the G.I. Bill, O'Neill studied law at the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University
Cleveland State University
Cleveland State University is a public university located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. It was established in 1964 when the state of Ohio assumed control of Fenn College, and it absorbed the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1969...
, graduating in 1980.
O'Neill worked as a civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
lawyer, small business owner, and union organizer
Union organizer
A union organizer is a specific type of trade union member or an appointed union official. A majority of unions appoint rather than elect their organizers....
. He returned to school at age 50 to become a registered nurse, and currently works nights and weekends in the pediatric emergency room at Hillcrest Hospital in Mayfield Heights, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
O'Neill served as an appellate judge on the Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals
Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals
The Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals is one of twelve appellate courts in Ohio. It is a state court. The Eleventh District is composed of five counties: Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Portage, and Trumbull....
from 1997–2007, resigning to run for Congress. He had earlier run unsuccessfully for the Ohio Supreme Court in 2004 and 2006.
2008 Congressional campaign
O'Neill resigned from the court in June 2007 in order to run for Congress. He ran an ambitious campaign but lost to incumbent Rep. Steven LaTourette (R). O'Neill lost the election by nearly 20% where the difference in campaign contributions played a major role -- LaTourette raised $1,476,187 and O'Neill raised $553,677.| Candidate | Party | Notes | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steve LaTourette Steve LaTourette Steven C. "Steve" LaTourette is the U.S. House of Representative for , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:... |
Republican | Incumbent | 188,488 | 58.32% |
| Bill O'Neill | Democratic | 125,214 | 38.74% | |
| David Macko | Libertarian | 9,511 | 2.94% |
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
2010 Congressional campaign
On February 6, 2010 Bill O'Neill announced that he would be running again as the DemocraticDemocratic 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...
nominee for . He delivered his speech, "The End of the Line," in Shaker Heights, Ohio at the end of the RTA Van Aken Blue Line
Blue and Green Lines (Cleveland)
The Blue Line, Green Line, and Waterfront Line are the interurban/light rail component of the RTA Rapid Transit, a rapid transit rail system in greater Cleveland and Shaker Heights, Cuyahoga County, Ohio...
with a transit car in view. His campaign slogan was also "Getting Back On Track," a central phrase and component of his speech and campaign which was speaking of expanding the Greater Cleveland Rapid Transit
RTA Rapid Transit
RTA Rapid Transit is a rapid transit and light rail system in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County owned by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority...
rail system as far east as Ashtabula, but especially Mentor and Painesville, and as far south as Solon and Stow. He was defeated by LaTourette again, this time gaining about 31% of the vote.
External links
- Bill O'Neill for U.S. Congress official campaign site
- Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org