Robert H. Quinn

Robert Henry Quinn (1928-2014) was a Massachusetts attorney and politician.

Robert H. Quinn
Massachusetts Attorney General
In office 1969–1975
Governor	Francis Sargent
Preceded by	Elliot Richardson
Succeeded by	Francis Bellotti
Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
In office 1967–1969
Preceded by	John Davoren
Succeeded by	David M. Bartley
Majority Leader of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
In office 1964–1967
Preceded by	John Davoren
Succeeded by	David M. Bartley
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
In office 1957–1969
Preceded by	Thomas J. Hannon
Succeeded by	James F. Hart
Personal details
Born	January 30, 1928 Boston, Massachusetts
Died	January 12, 2014 (aged 85) Falmouth, Massachusetts
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	Boston College Harvard Law School
Occupation	Attorney Politician

Early life

Quinn was born January 30, 1928 in Boston, Massachusetts.[1] He was the youngest of seven children. When Quinn was six his father died.[2]

Quinn received a scholarship to Boston College High School and attended Boston College on a football scholarship. While at BC, he was stricken with tuberculosis and it was believed that he would die. Quinn recovered after spending three years in the hospital. He went on to finish college and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1955.[1][2]

Political career

Quinn was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1957 to 1969 and the speaker of that body from 1967 to 1969. During his tenure in the house, he played a role in the founding of the University of Massachusetts Boston by co-sponsoring the legislation that established the university.[2][3]

Quinn was elected Massachusetts Attorney General by the Massachusetts Legislature sitting in Joint Convention following Elliot Richardson's selection as Under Secretary of State. He won a full four-year term in 1970. In 1970, Quinn championed legislation that offered financial incentives to law enforcement officers who pursued higher education, which became known as the "Quinn Bill".[2]

Quinn sought the Democratic nomination for governor in 1974, but was defeated by Michael Dukakis.[2]

Later life and death

Following his defeat, co-founded the Quinn and Morris law firm and was a prominent lobbyist. He also served as chairman of the board of trustees of University of Massachusetts (1981-1986)[4] and the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority.[2]

Quinn died in Falmouth, Massachusetts on January 12, 2014 at the age of 85.[2][5]

See also

• Massachusetts House of Representatives' 9th Suffolk district
• 165th Massachusetts General Court (1967-1968)

References

1. Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 1967-68.
2. O'Sullivan, Jim (January 13, 2014). "Robert H. Quinn, former Mass. attorney general and House speaker, has died". The Boston Globe. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
3. Feldberg, Michael (2015), UMass Boston at 50: A Fiftieth-Anniversary History of the University of Massachusetts Boston, Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press, p. 8, ISBN 9781625341693
4. Feldberg, Michael (2015), UMass Boston at 50: A Fiftieth-Anniversary History of the University of Massachusetts Boston, Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press, p. 5, ISBN 9781625341693
5. http://www.dotnews.com/2014/former-house-speaker-attorney-general-robert-h-quinn-dead-82