Francis Bellotti

Francis Xavier Bellotti (born May 3, 1923) is an American lawyer and politician who served as both the attorney general and the lieutenant governor of the U.S state of Massachusetts

Francis Bellotti
Bellotti in the 1960s
39th Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
In office
January 2, 1975 – January 3, 1987
GovernorMichael Dukakis
Edward J. King
Preceded byRobert H. Quinn
Succeeded byJames Shannon
61st Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
In office
January 3, 1963 – January 7, 1965
GovernorEndicott Peabody
Preceded byEdward F. McLaughlin Jr.
Succeeded byElliot Richardson
Personal details
Born
Francis Xavier Bellotti

(1923-05-03) May 3, 1923
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMargarita Wang[1][2]
Children12, including Michael
EducationTufts University (BA)
Boston College (JD)
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Navy
RankLieutenant (junior grade)
Battles/warsWorld War II

Early life

Bellotti was born in Boston, Massachusetts.[3][4] He graduated from Tufts University in 1947 and received his J.D. degree from Boston College in 1952. He served in the United States Navy during World War II reaching the rank of Lieutenant (junior grade).[1]

Political career

In his first campaign for public office, Bellotti was the Democratic nominee for district attorney of Norfolk County in 1958, but was defeated in the general election.[5] In 1962, Bellotti was elected as Lieutenant Governor for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1963 to 1965.

In 1964, he had challenged the sitting governor of his own party, Endicott Peabody, and defeated Peabody in the Democratic primary. However, he went on to lose the general election to John A. Volpe, with Volpe regaining the seat that he had lost two years earlier. In 1966, Belloti was the Democratic nominee for Massachusetts attorney general, but was defeated by Republican Elliot Richardson.[6] Being subsequently elected to that position in 1974, from 1975 until 1987 Bellotti served three terms as attorney general. In that capacity, he instilled professionalism among his staff, was a leader for civil rights and served as President of the National Association of Attorneys General. He sought the nomination of the Democratic party for governor in 1970 and in 1990, but was defeated in the Democratic primary election in both elections losing to Kevin White and John Silber respectively.

In his official capacity for the state, he was the named party in the commercial speech case: First National Bank of Boston v. Bellotti, 435 U.S. 765 (1978), which established that corporations have some free speech rights under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.[7]

Later life and career

After leaving office, Bellotti has practiced law in Boston with the firm of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky, and Popeo.

In 2012, the district courthouse in Quincy, Massachusetts, was named in his honor.[8]

He is currently the Vice Chairman of Arbella Insurance Group.[9]

He turned 100 on May 3, 2023.[10][11]

Personal life

He is the father of twelve children, including Norfolk County Sheriff Michael G. Bellotti.

References
  1. Man in the News; Massachusetts Victor; Francis Xavier Bellotti (New York Times, September 12, 1964)
  2. Francis Bellotti Jr. Obituary
  3. RM-612. Council of State Governments. 1977. p. 1956.
  4. "Bellotti, Francis X." Our Campaigns.
  5. "Frank Bellotti, former MA politician, reflects on his legal/political career". Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. April 3, 2006. Archived from the original on December 10, 2009.
  6. "Our Campaigns - MA Attorney General Race - Nov 08, 1966".
  7. "First National Bank v. Bellotti". FindLaw.
  8. Byrne, Matt (September 24, 2012). "Quincy courthouse renamed for Francis Bellotti: Ex-attorney general honored for service". The Boston Globe.
  9. "Francis X. Bellotti : Executive Profile & Biography". Bloomberg News. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  10. "A Good Age: Quincy court namesake Frank Bellotti 'keeps a tight schedule' at 100". The Patriot Ledger. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  11. "Happy birthday Frank Bellotti!". Boston Herald. May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
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