Frank J. Kelley
| Frank J. Kelley | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 50th Michigan Attorney General | |
|
In office December 28, 1961 – January 1, 1999 |
|
| Governor |
John Swainson George W. Romney William Milliken James Blanchard John Engler |
| Preceded by | Paul L. Adams |
| Succeeded by | Jennifer Granholm |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Frank Joseph Kelley December 31, 1924 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Democrat |
| Alma mater | University of Detroit |
| Occupation | lawyer |
Frank Joseph Kelley (born December 31, 1924), was the 50th Attorney General of the U.S. state of Michigan. His 37-year term of office, from 1961 to 1999, made him both the youngest (36 years old) and oldest (74 years old) Attorney General in the state's history, and led to his nickname as the "Eternal General." He is the longest serving state attorney general in U.S. history.
After receiving undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Detroit, Kelley became a lawyer in private practice in Alpena, Michigan, and later received an appointment as Alpena city attorney.
Kelley was appointed as Attorney General in 1961 by Governor John Swainson to fill a vacancy left when Paul L. Adams became a Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court. Kelley was elected in his own right as the Democratic candidate ten (10) times before his retirement from the position in 1999, when he was succeeded by the future Governor of Michigan Jennifer Granholm. Governor Granholm has publicly acknowledged Kelley to be one of her mentors and closest advisors.
Kelley was the first state attorney general to establish both a consumer protection and environmental protection division. He became nationally recognized in the area of consumer protection appearing annually on the NBC show "Dateline" to discuss issues such as item pricing. He also gained statewide acclaim for battling utilities and insurance companies on rate increases. President Bill Clinton acknowledged Kelley as a leading force in the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement, which resulted in most states receiving large multi-year payments to compensate them for the costs of tobacco-related illnesses.
While Attorney General, Kelley ran for election to the U.S. Senate in 1972, but lost to incumbent Robert P. Griffin. He later credited the controversy over school busing and the weakness of Democratic Presidential candidate George McGovern as major contributing factors in his 53-47 percent loss.
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