Joe R. Hanley

Joseph Rhodes Hanley (May 30, 1876 Davenport, Iowa - 1961) was an American lawyer and Republican politician who served as Lieutenant Governor of New York from 1943 to 1950.

Life

He served in the U.S. Army during the Spanish-American War. 1941-42 he was Commander-in-Chief of the United Spanish War Veterans. [ [http://freepages.military.rootsweb.com/~sunnyann/commanders-photos.html] Photo] He was a member of the New York State Assembly from Wyoming County, New York from 1927 to 1931, and a member of the New York State Senate from the 44th District from 1932 to 1943. After the death of Perley A. Pitcher he was elected Majority Leader of the New York State Senate on February 27, 1939. When Charles Poletti became governor after the resignation of Herbert H. Lehman in December 1942, and when Thomas W. Wallace died in office on July 17, 1943, he became Acting Lieutenant Governor of New York. In November 1943 he defeated Democrat William N. Haskell in a special election for Lieutenant Governor and, re-elected in 1946, continued to serve until 1950 under Governor Dewey. He was a delegate to the 1944 and 1948 Republican National Conventions. Early in 1950, Dewey announced he would not seek another term as governor. Hanley was the leading candidate to succeed Dewey. But then Dewey decided to run after all and was re-elected. For the record, Hanley claimed he had bowed out of the campaign voluntarily to clear the way for Dewey. But, in a "Dear King" letter to W. Kingsland Macy, Hanley said Dewey had persuaded him to run for the U.S. Senate instead and had promised him a state job if he lost the Senate race. [ [http://www.newsday.com/community/guide/lihistory/ny-history-hs808a,0,7747526.story?coll=ny-lihistory-navigation] "A Legacy of Kings" by Michael Dorman] He lost the senate race and became special counsel to the State Division of Veterans' Affairs. [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,814215,00.html?promoid=googlep] "Postscript" in TIME, January 15, 1951]

References