Thomas J. Whelan

Infobox_Politician
name = Thomas J. Whelan


width = 144px
height = 216px
birth_date = birth date|1922|01|28|mf=y
birth_place = Jersey City, New Jersey
death_date = death date and age|2002|07|31|1922|01|28|mf=y
death_place = Naples, Florida
residence = Jersey City, New Jersey
office = Mayor of Jersey City
order = 36th
term_start = 1963-11-13
term_end = 1971-07-06
predecessor = Thomas Gangemi
successor = Charles K. Krieger
party = Democratic
religion = Roman Catholic
spouse =
children =
website =

Thomas J. Whelan (1922-01-28-2002-07-31) was an Irish-American mayor of Jersey City. He served as mayor from 1963 to 1971.

Whelan was born on January 28 1922 in Jersey City one of thirteen children to Joseph J. and Charlotte Vogel Whelan.

Whelan flew 63 missions in World War II as a pilot in the Army Air Force. He later became the chief security officer of New Jersey Bell Telephone Co. [ citation | newspaper = TIME | title = Slide-Rule Caesar | date = 1965-12-31 ]

A Democrat, Whelan was appointed mayor in 1963 when his predecessor, Thomas Gangemi, was forced to resign over a question about his citizenship. [ citation | last = Haff | first = Joseph | newspaper = The New York Times | title = MAYOR IS NAMED BY JERSEY CITY; Whelan Replaces Gangemi After 47-Day Delay Jersey City's Council Appoints New Mayor After 47-Day Delay 3-Way Tie | date = 1963-11-13 | page = 1] Whelan ran for mayor in 1965 and again in 1969, winning both times. [ citation | last = Waggoner | first = Walter | newspaper = The New York Times | title = JERSEY CITY KEEPS WHELAN IN OFFICE; Mayor Is Re-elected Easily With Kenny's Backing | date = 1965-05-12 | page = 52 ] [ citation | last = Waggoner | first = Walter | newspaper = The New York Times | title = Jersey City Re-elects Whelan By Margin of 5 to 3 in Runoff; Militant Black Clergymen in Newark Ousts Councilman After Recall Campaign | date = 1969-06-18 | page = 26 ]

In 1971, during his second term as mayor, Whelan, as indicted as a member of the "Hudson County Eight," and was convicted in federal court of conspiracy and extortion in a multi-million dollar political kickback scheme on city and county contracts. [ citation | last = Strumm | first = Charles | newspaper = The New York Times | title = Another Milepost on the Long Trail of Corruption in Hudson County | date = 1991-12-19 ]

Convicted along with him was former mayor and political boss, John V. Kenny and former City Council president Thomas Flaherty. [ citation | last = Strumm | first = Charles | newspaper = The New York Times | title = Another Milepost on the Long Trail of Corruption in Hudson County | date = 1991-12-19 ] Whelan served seven years of a 15-year sentence in the United States Penitentiary in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. [ citation | newspaper = The New York Times | title = EX-MAYOR WHELAN IS GRANTED PAROLE; Ex-Council Head Also to Be Freed --Served Terms for Extortion Both Men 'Gratified' | date = 1978-07-21 | page = B15 ]

Whelan died on July 31, 2002 in a nursing home in Naples, Florida, aged 80.Fact|date=May 2008

References