Daniel H. Coakley
Later political career
Later political career
----------------------

### Mayoral campaigns

In 1925, Coakley ran for Mayor of Boston on a platform of clearing the name of Joseph Pelletier. Coakley finished fourth behind [Malcolm Nichols](/wiki/Malcolm_E._Nichols "Malcolm E. Nichols"), Theodore Glynn, and [Joseph O'Neil](/wiki/Joseph_H._O%27Neil "Joseph H. O'Neil"). He ran again in 1929, but finished a distant third with 1% of the vote. He ran a third time in 1933, but dropped out of the race, stating that he feared his "candidacy was likely to result in the election of an enemy of the plain people." Coakley's purpose in all three campaigns was to siphon votes away from Curley or his proxy.

### Massachusetts Governor's Council

In 1932, Coakley was elected to the [Massachusetts Governor's Council](/wiki/Massachusetts_Governor%27s_Council "Massachusetts Governor's Council"). Following Curley's election as governor in 1934, he and Coakley reconciled, as Curley needed his assistance to secure patronage jobs. During his tenure on the Council, Coakley acted as a prosecuting officer in many removal proceedings brought by Curley against state officials. Through his alliance with Governor Curley, Coakley was able to secure 2,000 patronage jobs for men from his district on the [Quabbin Reservoir](/wiki/Quabbin_Reservoir "Quabbin Reservoir") project. During the [Charles F. Hurley](/wiki/Charles_F._Hurley "Charles F. Hurley") administration, Coakley was not involved in strategy or procedure. Instead, his main role was as a critic of Lieutenant Governor [Francis E. Kelly](/wiki/Francis_E._Kelly "Francis E. Kelly").

### Impeachment

In 1938, Coakley wrote the petition for a pardon of [Raymond Patriarca](/wiki/Raymond_L._S._Patriarca "Raymond L. S. Patriarca"), a young mobster who later became the boss of [New England organized crime](/wiki/Patriarca_crime_family "Patriarca crime family"). The petition contained praise from three priests. One had been tricked into signing the letter, another had never been consulted, and the third, a "Father Fagin," did not exist. The Governor's Council approved Patriarca's pardon, and he was released after only 84 days in jail.

On December 4, 1940, State Representative [Roland D. Sawyer](/wiki/Roland_D._Sawyer "Roland D. Sawyer") called for Coakley's [impeachment](/wiki/Impeachment_in_the_United_States "Impeachment in the United States"), alleging that Coakley had attempted to "thwart" the Special Legislative Pardon\-Probe Commission by contacting witnesses, threatening them, and advising them to commit perjury. On June 9, 1941, a special House committee found that Coakley had used his position and influence to secure pardons for Patriarca, Maurice Limon, and Frank W. Porter in exchange for financial gain and recommended his impeachment. On June 13, 1941, the Massachusetts House of Representatives voted 144 to 75 in favor of impeachment.

Coakley's [impeachment trial](/wiki/Impeachment_trial "Impeachment trial") was the first in Massachusetts since 1821\. Attorney General [Robert T. Bushnell](/wiki/Robert_T._Bushnell "Robert T. Bushnell") and state representative Benjamin Priest conducted the prosecution. Senator Joseph B. Harrington and attorney [William H. Lewis](/wiki/William_H._Lewis "William H. Lewis") served as defense counsel. The trial lasted six weeks. On October 2, 1941, the [Massachusetts Senate](/wiki/Massachusetts_Senate "Massachusetts Senate") found Coakley guilty on 10 of the 14 articles on impeachment. The Senate voted 28 to 10 to remove Coakley from office and 23 to 15 to bar him for life from holding a place of "profit or honor or trust" in the Commonwealth.


Who did Coakley act as a critic of during the Charles F. Hurley administration?