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Michael J. Egan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Michael Egan
Member of the Georgia Senate
from the 40th district
In office
June 1989 – January 2001
Preceded byPaul Coverdell
Succeeded byRusty Paul
1st United States Associate Attorney General
In office
1977–1979
PresidentJimmy Carter
Preceded byPosition created
Succeeded byJohn H. Shenefield
Member of the Georgia House of Representatives
from the 25th district
In office
January 1973 – June 1977
Succeeded byJohn Savage
Member of the Georgia House of Representatives
from the 116th district
In office
January 1969 – January 1973
Member of the Georgia House of Representatives
from the 141st district
In office
January 1966 – January 1969
Personal details
Born
Michael Joseph Egan, Jr.

August 8, 1926
Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
DiedJanuary 7, 2016
Sandy Springs, Georgia, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Donna Cole
(m. 1951)
Children6
EducationYale University (BS)
Harvard University (LLB)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1945–1947
1950–1952
Battles/warsWorld War II
Korean War

Michael Joseph Egan, Jr. (August 8, 1926 – January 7, 2016) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Georgia General Assembly and as the first United States associate attorney general.

Early life and education

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Egan was born to Elise (Robider) and Michael Joseph Egan on August 8, 1926, in Savannah, Georgia.[1] The grandson of an Irish immigrant, the Egans had resided in Savannah for generations. Egan attended elementary school taught by the Marist Brothers.[2] He left home to attended prep school in Portsmouth, Rhode Island at Portsmouth Priory School, and graduated in 1945.[2] That same year, Egan was drafted into the United States Army in the concluding year of World War II and was commissioned a second lieutenant, serving in the 86th Infantry Division. Egan was discharged in 1947, after the war's end, and enrolled in Yale University, graduating in 1950. During the Korean War, Egan was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant and recalled to active duty, serving in the 2nd Infantry Division until his discharge in 1952.[2] He then entered Harvard Law School, receiving his law degree in 1955.

Career

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After graduating from law school, Egan returned to Georgia and established a law practice in Atlanta.[1]

Egan was first elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1966 and served until 1977.[3][4] In 1977, Egan resigned from the House when he was appointed United States associate attorney general, by President Jimmy Carter.[5] In 1979, Egan resumed his law practice.

In 1988, he ran for a seat in the Georgia State Senate in a special election, to replace Senator Paul Coverdell who was appointed to the position of director of the Peace Corps by President George H. W. Bush on May 2, 1989. Egan was elected to Coverdell's vacated Senate seat in June, 1989. He served in the Senate, representing District 40 in Metropolitan Atlanta from 1989 to 2001.[1][2][6][7] Egan's willingness to occasionally support an unpopular cause, driven to do so by his own set of ethics, won the respect of colleagues, Republicans and Democrats alike. He became known as "the conscience of the senate" by his Republican colleagues.[1]

After his legislative career ended, Egan, who had retired from active practice with the Atlanta law firm of Sutherland Asbill and Brennan, continued his affiliation with the firm in "as counsel" capacity. In 2001, he was one of the first people appointed to the newly created Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District by Governor Roy Barnes. Egan also served on the board of the Trust for Public Land.[1]

Death

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Egan died at his home on January 7, 2016, at the age of 89.[1]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f New Georgia Encyclopedia Mike Egan
  2. ^ a b c d Michael Joseph Egan-obituary
  3. ^ "Members Of The General Assembly Of Georgia - Term 1967 - 1968". State of Georgia. September 1967. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  4. ^ "Members Of The General Assembly Of Georgia - Term 1966". State of Georgia. January 11, 1966. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  5. ^ "Members Of The General Assembly of Georgia - 1977-1978 Term". State of Georgia. November 1977. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  6. ^ Georgia General Assembly-Michael J. Egan
  7. ^ "Members Of The General Assembly Of Georgia - Second Session of 1999-2000 Term". State of Georgia. January 2000. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
Legal offices
Preceded by
office established
United States Associate Attorney General
1977–1979
Succeeded by