Darrell L. Clarke (politician)
| Darrell L. Clarke | |
|---|---|
| President of the Philadelphia City Council | |
|
Assumed office January 2, 2012 |
|
| Preceded by | Anna Verna |
| Member of the Philadelphia City Council from the 5th District | |
|
Assumed office May 18, 1999 |
|
| Preceded by | John Street |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Political party | Democratic |
Darrell L. Clarke (born 1952) is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party. He is the President of the Philadelphia City Council, where he represents the Fifth District, which encompasses North Central Philadelphia, Strawberry Mansion, Lower Hunting Park, Ludlow, Yorktown, West Poplar, Fairhill, Brewerytown, Francisville, Spring Garden, Fairmount, Logan Square, and parts of Northwood, Fishtown, Northern Liberties, and Center City.
A native of North Philadelphia, Clarke graduated from Edison High School.
Clarke was a longtime aide to John Street, who represented the Fifth District for nearly three decades and eventually became Council President.
In December 1998, Street resigned as a member of the City Council and as the body's President.
Clarke ran for, and was elected to, Street's Fifth District seat in the 1999 special election held on the day of the state's primary.
Clarke is a former Majority Whip and is the Chair of the Fiscal Stability and Public Property Committees and Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee. He was elected to the position of Council President after the office was vacated by the retiring Anna Verna.
One of Clarke's legislative actions was his introduction of the bill to end the City-subsidized lease on the 80-year-old headquarters building of the Cradle of Liberty Council of the Boy Scouts of America over their ban on gay scouts. After a protracted legal battle, the bill was overturned in Federal court and the City of Philadelphia was ordered to pay nearly a million dollars in legal fees to the Boy Scouts.
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