Robin Wright-Jones
Template:TOCnestleft Robin Wright-Jones is a former Missouri State Senator, representing District 5.
- A native of St. Louis and an ardent volunteer and political activist for more than 40 years, State Senator Robin Wright-Jones began her career in politics with an internal desire to improve the quality of life during political turmoil in the 1960s.
Sen. Wright-Jones is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority and the St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church. She has two sons: Damon Alexander Jones and Adam Christopher Jones.[1]
Education
In 1967, Sen. Wright-Jones graduated from Beaumont High School and went on to attend the University of Missouri at St. Louis, focusing her studies in English. She spent 10 years as a substitute and classroom teacher for the St. Louis Public Schools and the St. Louis Archdiocese, respectively.[1]
Political career
Sen. Wright-Jones was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives to fill an unexpired term in March 2002. While in the House, she served as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus from 2003 to 2007, and she served as Chair of the St. Louis Regional Caucus in 2004. Sen. Wright-Jones served as Chair of the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus from 2007 to 2008, and the St. Louis City Caucus from 2007 to 2008.
In 2008, Sen. Wright-Jones was elected to serve the more than 165,000 constituents located in the 5th Senatorial District in the Missouri Senate.[1]
Awards
Sen. Wright-Jones has received the following awards in appreciation for her dedication to state government:[1]
- 2003, 2004 and 2005 - Regional Chamber & Growth Association's (RCGA) Lewis & Clark Statesman Award for outstanding leadership
- 2003 and 2005 - St. Louis Business Journal's Legislative Leadership Award
- 2006 - Crystal Wagon Award from the SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center Board of Governors for her work promoting children's issues
- 2006 - Missouri Community College Association's Distinguished Legislator Award
- 2007 - St. Louis Business Journal as one of St. Louis' Most Influential
- 2008 - Coalition of Black Trade Unionists Award
Business career
In addition to her full-time job in the Missouri Senate, Sen. Wright-Jones also works as a real estate broker. In the past, she worked as a public housing administrator and as an engineering consultant from 1980 to 2002. As a small business owner, she established a real estate brokerage company, Arjen One, LLC, in 2006.[1]
2008 endorsements
John Hickey of Missouri ProVote sounded that theme: “Robin Wright-Jones' victory shows that grassroots work by progressive groups is more important than money and high-profile endorsements. Robin had the active support of key progressive organizations, such as the AFL-CIO, Planned Parenthood, PROMO, the Missouri NEA, the St. Louis Teachers Union, ACORN, the UAW, SEIU, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists , UNITE-HERE and NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri. This broad progressive coalition is what ProVote is all about. [2]
Communist Campaign Manager
In 2008 Robin Wright-Jones' campaign manager was Communist Party USA member Glenn Burleigh.[3]
Communist-affiliated Chief of Staff
Communist Party USA affiliate John L. Bowman ran Robin Wright-Jones’ successful Missouri State Senate campaign and was rewarded with her chief of staff job.
- That isn’t enough action for Bowman, however, who was once being positioned for a statewide run of his own as a candidate before the Legislative Black Caucus imploded around his chairmanship and he was nailed by the feds for credit card fraud.
In 2010, Bowman left to run another campaign by a state rep trying to move up to the state Senate: Maria Chappelle-Nadal. Three of the four candidates in that race are in the position of trying to move up from state rep: Ted Hoskins, who is termed out; Chappelle-Nadal, who has served six years of a possible eight; and Don Calloway, who has only one term under his belt.[4]
Pecinovsky support
Tony Pecinovsky has worked as a union organizer, advocacy journalist and District Organizer for the MO/KS Communist Party.
In 2010 he served in the following capacities: secretary-treasurer, Greater St. Louis CWA City Council; secretary, St. Louis area Jobs with Justice Leadership Team; St. Louis area Pro-Vote board member; and the St. Louis Newspaper Guild.
Pecinovsky has worked on "numerous key progressive electoral campaigns" including: John Bowman (D70), Jeanette Mott Oxford (D59), Robin Wright-Jones (5th Senate District) and Clem Smith (D71). [5]
Ethics investigation
Wright-Jones was defeated in the August 2012 Democratic primary after a year of legal and financial battles over her use of campaign funds, which sparked a state Ethics Commission investigation.[6]
Staff
As at September 2011, the following were staffers for Robin Wright-Jones:[7]
- John L. Bowman, chief of staff
- Michael Butler
References
- ↑ Jump up to: 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Missouri State Senate Biography for Senator Wright-Jones (accessed Dec 2010)
- ↑ St. Louis American, August 14, 2008
- ↑ Jeanette Mott Oxford for State Representative 2010 , June 12, 2008
- ↑ The St. Louis American, Free agents and farm teams, July 28, 2010
- ↑ Tony Pecinovsky Linkeldin page, accessed Jan. 8, 2011
- ↑ St Louis Dispatch, Reed STL mayoral campaign gets manager January 10, 2013 1:30 pm • By Joe Holleman
- ↑ Missouri Senate Staff List (accessed on Sept. 11, 2011)