463:. He was survived by his second wife, Sally, as well as a son, Thomas G Dunn Jr. (1947-) and his wife Elizabeth, a daughter, Kathleen Dunn Priestley (1952-) and her husband Robert, and three grandchildren, Brian Priestley (1979–2008), Mairin Priestley (1982-) and Meghan Dunn (1993-). His first wife, Ruth, had died in 1989.
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Thomas G. Dunn, the blunt, often irascible former Mayor of
Elizabeth, N.J., who was a major figure in the city's politics over four decades, died Wednesday at his home in the city.... Mr. Dunn, a maverick Democrat and former union official, had served as mayor of the largely working-class city for 28
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in 1959. He ran for Mayor of
Elizabeth and lost in 1961, but was elected to the first of seven four-year terms in office in 1964. FBI agents later released audio recordings of a meeting between Dunn and Mafia boss Sam 'The Plumber' DeCavalcante, during which the politician accepted cash, promised to
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His staunch conservative ideology, dubious ethical standing and irascible personality earned Dunn a spirited primary election challenge from progressive
Democrat James J. Devine when he ran for the General Assembly in 1991. Subsequent to his slim nomination victory, Dunn won an uncontested general
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described as being "believed to be the longest-serving mayor of a city of more than 100,000 residents". Despite his assurances that he would not run for mayor again, Dunn ran in the 1992 Democratic primary and lost his bid for the nomination to James
Christian Bollwage, who went on the win in the
532:, p. 204. E.J. Mullin, 1977. Accessed August 30, 2019. "Thomas G. Dunn, Dem., Elizabeth Senator Dunn was born in Elizabeth on April 9, 1921. He is a graduate of St. Mary's High School, Elizabeth, and of the Vail School of Business, Newark."
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During the 1972 United States presidential election, Dunn served as one of the national co-chairman of
Democrats for Nixon. Dunn was "read out of the party" in 1974 for his support of the Republican Nixon. He supported
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in the 1980 presidential race, but became the New Jersey chair of
Democrats for Reagan in 1984. He bucked the Democratic Party again in 1993, serving as state co-chair of Democrats supporting Republican
379:, Dunn issued orders to use deadly force if rioting erupted in the city, which was credited with preventing the spread of unrest to Elizabeth. After gasoline stations ran low on supplies following the
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deliver city work and was asked to tell two other individuals to "keep their mouths shut." During the 1980s, Dunn hired Mafia soldier JoJo
Ferarra as a municipal inspector on the city payroll.
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years, but he was defeated in his own party's primary in June 1992. Still, his tenure earned him the distinction as the nation's longest-serving mayor of a city of more than 100,000 people.
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In 1982, Mr. Dunn founded the
Thornsticks, a local charitable group that quietly helped families in need. The name was taken from the crooked walking sticks used in Ireland.
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In his first bid for elected office in 1950, he fell six votes short of winning in a seat on the
Elizabeth City Council, but came back and won in 1952. He was elected to the
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The son of James J. Dunn and Mary Ellen Moran Dunn, Dunn died at age 76 on
February 11, 1998, at his home in Elizabeth due to
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426:. After a single term in the Senate, Dunn was dropped by the Union County Democrats and was replaced on the party line by
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He was sworn into his seventh, and what he said would be his final, term of office as mayor in 1989, making him what
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Dunn declined to seek another term in the Legislature in 1993, after losing his mayoralty the previous year.
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578:"THE 1992 CAMPAIGN: NEW JERSEY -- MAYORAL RACES; Banker Holds A Large Lead In Jersey City"
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He was elected to the New Jersey Senate in 1973, where he opposed passage of the
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and was a frequent supporter of other Republican national and state candidates.
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430:. Dunn ran as an independent and lost to Gregorio in the general election.
345:. After completing his military service he helped found Local 1470 of the
383:, Dunn made Elizabeth one of the first cities in the nation to impose
277:. His 28 years leading the city made him what some believed was the
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November elections by a 3-1 margin over his Republican challenger.
289:, (population 120,000) for over 40 years.) Dunn also served in the
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Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
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Democratic Party members of the New Jersey General Assembly
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Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey, Volume 197, Part 2
269:(April 9, 1921 – February 11, 1998) was an American
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and Newark's Vail School of Business. He enlisted in the
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Dunn shared his passion for Irish music and culture on
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in her successful race against Democratic incumbent
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longest-serving mayor of a city in the United States
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337:, serving as an aerial gunner. He was awarded the
544:Daytona Beach Sunday News-Journal - Jun 11, 1969
597:"Elizabeth's Maverick Mayor; Read Out of Party"
347:International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
321:Dunn was born on April 9, 1921, and raised in
720:St. Mary of the Assumption High School alumni
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675:United States Navy personnel of World War II
559:"Jersey Mayor Is Sworn For the Seventh Time"
156:January 1, 1965 – December 31, 1992
55:January 14, 1992 – January 11, 1994
670:20th-century mayors of places in New Jersey
643:, OurCampaigns.com. Accessed July 15, 2010.
586:, November 4, 1992. Accessed July 15, 2010.
499:"Thomas Dunn, 76, Longtime Elizabeth Mayor"
309:, Dunn served as a national co-chairman of
301:from 1992 to 1994 where he represented the
116:January 8, 1974 – January 10, 1978
700:Democratic Party New Jersey state senators
567:, January 3, 1989. Accessed July 15, 2010.
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705:Politicians from Union County, New Jersey
605:, March 24, 1974. Accessed July 15, 2010.
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434:election with running mate George Hudak.
281:with more than 100,000 people. (However,
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327:St. Mary of the Assumption High School
497:Ronald Smothers (February 13, 1998).
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293:from 1973 to 1977, representing the
695:County commissioners in New Jersey
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730:20th-century American legislators
542:"Bugging Discloses mafia Secrets"
690:New Jersey city council members
680:Mayors of Elizabeth, New Jersey
641:NJ Senate District 21 - History
275:Mayor of Elizabeth, New Jersey
273:politician who was a longtime
144:Mayor of Elizabeth, New Jersey
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449:, which ran on radio station
710:Recipients of the Air Medal
369:Board of Chosen Freeholders
299:New Jersey General Assembly
36:New Jersey General Assembly
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725:United States Navy sailors
339:Distinguished Flying Cross
307:1972 presidential election
287:Charleston, South Carolina
303:20th Legislative District
295:21st Legislative District
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618:"Retro Quote of the Day"
418:Senator and Assemblyman
424:Equal Rights Amendment
408:Christine Todd Whitman
447:Tom Dunn's Irish Show
349:while working at the
256:Elizabeth, New Jersey
220:Elizabeth, New Jersey
205:Elizabeth, New Jersey
177:J. Christian Bollwage
57:Serving with
576:Sullivan, Joseph F.
325:, where he attended
453:from 1974 to 1992.
375:In the wake of the
311:Democrats for Nixon
283:Joseph P. Riley Jr.
238:Ruth Dunn (d. 1989)
16:American politician
623:2011-07-15 at the
602:The New York Times
583:The New York Times
564:The New York Times
504:The New York Times
393:The New York Times
385:odd-even rationing
351:Kearny, New Jersey
331:United States Navy
267:Thomas Gerard Dunn
23:Thomas Gerard Dunn
377:1967 Newark riots
291:New Jersey Senate
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214:February 11, 1998
97:New Jersey Senate
72:Thomas J. Deverin
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305:. During the
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508:. Retrieved
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403:Jimmy Carter
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366:Union County
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335:World War II
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253:Residence(s)
216:(1998-02-11)
172:Succeeded by
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132:Succeeded by
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79:Succeeded by
59:George Hudak
50:
665:1998 deaths
660:1921 births
615:Edge, Wally
162:Preceded by
122:Preceded by
67:Preceded by
654:Categories
510:2011-10-24
467:References
356:facility.
240:Sally Dunn
229:Democratic
198:1921-04-09
343:Air Medal
323:Elizabeth
317:Biography
235:Spouse(s)
152:In office
112:In office
101:from the
51:In office
40:from the
621:Archived
441:Personal
341:and the
245:Children
105:district
44:district
333:during
360:Mayor
553:via
451:WJDM
211:Died
192:Born
103:21st
42:20th
656::
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475:^
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248:2
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196:(
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