Mary Rose Oakar(born March 5, 1940) is anAmericanDemocraticpoliticianand former member of theUnited States House of RepresentativesfromOhio,serving from 1977 to 1993. Oakar was the firstArab Americanwoman, firstSyrian American,and firstLebanese Americanwoman to serve in Congress. She was also the first Democratic woman elected to theUnited States Congressfrom that state. Oakar later served as a member of theOhio State Board of Education.
Mary Rose Oakar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theOhio House of Representatives from the 13th district | |
| In office January 3, 2001 – December 31, 2002 | |
| Preceded by | Barbara Pringle |
| Succeeded by | Mike Skindell |
| Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus[a] | |
| In office January 3, 1985 – January 3, 1989 | |
| Leader | Tip O'Neill Jim Wright |
| Preceded by | Geraldine Ferraro(Secretary) |
| Succeeded by | Steny Hoyer |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromOhio's20thdistrict | |
| In office January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1993 | |
| Preceded by | James Stanton |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Mary Rose Oskar March 5, 1940 Cleveland,Ohio,U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Ursuline College(BA) John Carroll University(MA) |
Early life
editOakar, who graduated with aB.A.fromUrsuline Collegein 1962 and an M.A. fromJohn Carroll Universityin 1966, taught at Lourdes Academy, a Catholic high school for women, directed plays, taught atCuyahoga Community Collegefrom 1968 to 1975 and served on theCleveland City Councilfrom 1973 to 1976 before winning election to the House fromOhio's 20th congressional districtinCleveland's West Side and the surrounding suburbs. She took office in 1977, succeedingJames V. Stanton.[1]
U.S. House of Representatives
editOakar, one of very fewArab-Americanmembers of the House (she is of Lebanese and Syrian ancestry),[2]became regarded as an increasingly powerful member. She was a high-ranking member of the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service and the House Administration Committee. Oakar's high placement on these committees allowed her to bring home to Cleveland large sums of money for urban renewal. Oakar forged strong relationships with Jewish groups in Cleveland. From 1985 to 1989, she was elected to a position in the House Democratic leadership, asSecretary of the House Democratic Caucus.[3]
House bank scandal
editIn 1991, she was one of nearly 100 Members of Congress involved in the widespreadHouse banking scandalinvolving multiple overdrafts and bounced checks. The House Bank, not a normally operating financial institution, was used to pay members of the House. However, members were allowed to take advances on their pay checks without overdraft charges or repercussions to theircredit.[4]Oakar was indicted on seven counts, including lying to the FBI, filing false financial statements and using the House bank to convert public money for personal use. If sentenced, she could have received 40 years in prison and a $1.7 million fine.[5][6]
Campaign irregularities
editShe had used the names ofstraw donorson federal documents to conceal illegal contributions amounting to $16,000. Three counts against her were thrown out by theSupreme Court,the others were dropped after she entered a plea bargain in which she pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges; conspiracy and violation of election law.[7]
Redistricting and defeat
editIn 1992, her district was renumbered the 10th and redrawn to include moreRepublicans,though it was still solidly Democratic. Oakar withstood a challenge fromCuyahoga CountyCommissionerTim Haganin the Democratic primary — Hagan had been endorsed by Cleveland MayorMichael R. White— but lost to businessmanMartin Hokein the general election.
Post-Congress career
editShe won a 1999libelsettlement against Cleveland's newspaper,The Plain Dealerafter seven years in court. In April 1992 thePlain Dealerpublished articles alleging that Oakar was forced to resign from a congressional task force after the House banking scandal. The paper acknowledged that the eight-term Democrat "was rightfully upset that erroneous information" had been printed.[8]
Oakar unsuccessfully ran in the 2001 Cleveland Mayoral Primary and served a single term in theOhio House of Representativesfrom 2000 to 2002.
Oakar served as president of theAmerican-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee(ADC) from 2003 through 2010. ADC describes itself as the largest Arab-American grassroots civil-rights organization in the U.S.[9]
In November 2012, she was elected to a four-year term on theOhio State Board of Educationwhere she represents District 11 which encompassesOhio Senatedistricts21,23and25.[10]
In popular culture
editIn 1979, theSupersisterstrading card set was produced and distributed; one of the cards featured Oakar's name and picture.[11]
See also
editNotes
edit- ^Known as Secretary of the House Democratic Caucus until 1987
References
edit- ^"OAKAR, Mary Rose, (1940 - )".bioguide.congress.gov.Retrieved14 April2012.
- ^"Mary Rose Oakar: Representative, 1977–1993, Democrat from Ohio".Women In Congress. Archived fromthe originalon 22 February 2012.Retrieved14 April2012.
- ^"Women Elected to Party Leadership Positions".Women in Congress.U.S. House of Representatives.Archived fromthe originalon July 30, 2008.Retrieved2008-12-15.
- ^Holden Lewis (Feb 22, 2000)."Congress comes down from the hill to bank with the rest of us".BankRate.Retrieved14 April2012.
- ^"Ex-Rep. Oakar Indicted in House Bank Scandal".The Los Angeles Times.Associated Press. February 23, 1995.
- ^"#102 Former Congresswoman Mary Oakar Rose Indicted".
- ^"Mary Rose Oakar: Representative, 1977–1993, Democrat from Ohio".Women In Congress. Archived fromthe originalon 22 February 2012.Retrieved14 April2012.
- ^Lori Robertson (April 1999)."After All These Years".American Journalism Review.Retrieved14 April2012.
- ^"ADC Expresses its Gratitude to Mary Rose Oakar for Over 6 Years of Service and Congratulates Sara Najjar-Wilson as New ADC President".ArabAmerica. Archived fromthe originalon 2014-07-19.Retrieved2013-09-13.
- ^"Member Bio - Mary Rose Oakar".education.ohio.gov.Ohio Department of Education. Archived fromthe originalon 2013-09-13.Retrieved2013-09-13.
- ^Wulf, Steve (2015-03-23)."Supersisters: Original Roster".Espn.go.Retrieved2015-06-04.
External links
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