Byrne, Brendan T., 1924-

Lawyer, state official, county prosecutor, superior court judge and governor of New Jersey.

From the description of Brendan T. Byrne papers, 1928-2006 (bulk 1952-1982). (Rutgers University). WorldCat record id: 75274847

• 1924: Born April 1 in West Orange, New Jersey, the fourth of five children of Francis A. Byrne (1888-1973) and his spouse Genevieve (Brennan) Byrne. Francis, a long-time local politician, served as West Orange Tax Assessor, chair of the West Orange Zoning Board of Adjustment, West Orange Town Commissioner and member of the Essex County Tax Board.
• 1942: Graduates from West Orange High School, where he served as president of the debating club and senior class president.
• Enrolls at Seton Hall University.
• 1943: In March, leaves Seton Hall to enlist in the Army Air Corp. His service as a B-17 navigator in the European Theater in World War II earns him the Distinguished Flying Cross, four Air Medals, and a Presidential Unit Citation.
• 1945: In September, is honorably discharged from military service, having attained the rank of lieutenant with the 414th Bomb Squadron of the 15th Air Force. He subsequently serves in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.
• Enrolls at Princeton University under the G.I. Bill.
• 1949: Graduates from Princeton University's School of Public and International Affairs with an A.B. upon completion of the thesis Proportional Representation in Municipal Government, although his coursework is actually completed by the fall of 1948.
• 1950: Graduates from Harvard Law School with L.L.B. and begins clerking for Judge Joseph Weintraub.
• 1951: In February, passes the New Jersey bar exam.
• Begins law career at the firm of McGlynn, Weintraub and Stein. Byrne would also work as an associate of Newark lawyer John W. McGeehan.
• Begins serving on the West Orange Planning Board and continues as a member until January 1, 1958.
• 1953: On June 27 marries Jean Featherly, a school teacher from West Orange, New Jersey.
• 1954: Jean Byrne gives birth to son Brendan T. "Tom" Byrne, Jr. The Byrnes eventually have six more children, Susan, Nancy, Timothy, Mary Anne, Barbara and William.
• 1955: Is appointed Deputy Attorney General to act as special prosecutor in Passaic County, New Jersey.
• In October, is appointed Assistant Counsel to (Democratic) Governor Robert B. Meyner.
• 1956: In June, is appointed Acting Executive Secretary to Governor Robert B. Meyner.
• 1959: On February 16, is appointed Deputy Attorney General to serve as prosecutor in Essex County.
• In July, is appointed to full term as Essex County Prosecutor by Governor Robert B. Meyner.
• 1964: Is appointed to second term as Essex County Prosecutor by (Democratic) Governor Richard J. Hughes, beginning September 2. During second term as prosecutor, serves as president of the County Prosecutor's Association of New Jersey and vice president of the National District Attorneys Association.
• In December, begins program of filming drunk drivers for use in prosecution.
• 1965: In July, helps found Intercontinental Life Insurance Company. Serves as chairman of the board until his resignation in 1970.
• 1967: On September 25, 200 cases, out of an original 801 regarding the July Newark riots, are brought to trial.
• 1968: In January, is appointed President of the New Jersey Board of Public Utility Commissioners by Governor Richard J. Hughes.
• In February, is appointed to the Executive Commission on Ethical Standards, on which he serves until 1970.
• Newspaper reports quoting a transcript of a mob wiretap lead to Byrne's reputation as the "Man who could not be bought."
• 1970: On December 8, is nominated for position as Superior Court Judge in Essex County by (Republican) Governor William T. Cahill.
• Following the nomination, resigns all posts at the Intercontinental Life Insurance Company as well as his position as director at the Broad National Bank (Newark) and his partnership in the law firm of Teltser, Byrne and Greenberg (East Orange).
• On December 30, is sworn in as Superior Court Judge.
• 1971: On May 2, is the keynote speaker at a community rally organized following the April 18 bombing of the West Orange Jewish Center.
• In October, rules that current procedures for administering the death penalty in New Jersey are unconstitutional. (A new death penalty law would not be enacted until after Byrne's term as Governor ended in 1982.)
• 1972: In July, is appointed Assignment Judge for New Jersey's Morris, Sussex and Warren Counties.
• New Jersey Supreme Court mandates a "thorough and efficient" education, known as the Robinson-Cahill mandate, effectively declaring the need for an income tax for adequate and equitable public school funding.
• 1973: On April 24, tenders resignation as Superior Court Judge and enters the Democratic Gubernatorial primary.
• On June 5, defeats Ralph DeRose and Anne Klein in the Democratic primary, winning the party's nomination for Governor.
• On November 6, is elected Governor of New Jersey, defeating United States Representative Charles Sandman by 721,000 votes, the largest plurality in the state's history.
• 1974: On January 15, is inaugurated as the 54th Governor of New Jersey.
• In February, imposes mandatory "odd-even" gas rationing in response to the gas crisis, allowing filling based on the last digit of a car's license plate.
• In March, the Byrne family moves into Morven, the Governor's mansion in Princeton, leaving Byrne's life-long home of West Orange.
• On May 2, the General Assembly sends to Governor Byrne for his signature a measure creating the Delaware and Raritan State Park.
• On May 6, signs campaign finance law providing for the public financing of gubernatorial races in the general election.
• On June 3, receives honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Rutgers University, an honor accorded each incoming governor by the State University. After previously receiving an honorary degree from Seton Hall University (May 18, 1974), he receives additional honorary degrees from other New Jersey institutions, including Seton Hall University, William Paterson College, Bloomfield College and Fairleigh Dickinson University.
• Creates new cabinet level post of Public Advocate.
• Establishes Economic Development Authority to provide businesses with low interest loans.
• Begins service as ex-officio trustee at Princeton University and serves until 1982.
• 1975: Signs the Open Public Meetings Act, also known as the Sunshine Law.
• Signs the Public Education Act, mandating statewide student proficiency standards.
• 1976: In May, joins other U.S. Governors on a trip to Ireland in celebration of the United States' Bicentennial.
• On July 4, several schools close as per state Supreme Court mandate. As a consequence, signs New Jersey's first income tax into law later that month, after earlier incarnations had been rejected by the State Legislature beginning in July 1974. Tax reforms for this year also include the inception of the Homestead Rebate Program, offering property tax relief to homeowners.
• On September 1, Meadowlands Racetrack holds its inaugural harness race.
• On October 10, the New York Giants play their inaugural game at Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands against the Dallas Cowboys.
• In November, a state constitutional amendment passes allowing for casino gambling.
• 1977: By April, is being referred to in newspaper and magazine articles as "One Term Byrne," due to the unpopularity of initiatives such as the income tax.
• On June 2, signs the Casino Control Act, officially legalizing casino gambling in Atlantic City.
• On June 7, defeats nine opponents, including Representative James J. Florio, to win the Democratic nomination for Governor.
• On November 8, defeats Republican State Senator Raymond H. Bateman by 300,000 votes, winning re-election as Governor of New Jersey.
• 1978: On January 17, is inaugurated as Governor of New Jersey for a second term.
• On March 3, pocket vetoes a bill to reinstate the death penalty in New Jersey. Several months later, vetoes a similar bill.
• In April, Byrne and his family embark on a publicly-criticized, ten-day vacation and business trip to Asia.
• In October, embarks on a week-long vacation and trade mission to Israel.
• 1979: In February, imposes an eighteen-month building moratorium in the Pinelands by executive order, thereby compelling the legislature to act on the issue.
• On June 28, signs the Pinelands Preservation Act, restricting development across nearly one-fifth of New Jersey's total area.
• In July, along with other governors, attends summit at Camp David on domestic and energy policies. Photographs taken at the summit by Byrne later appear in Newsweek.
• On September 1, a new penal code, which legalizes, among other things, homosexuality and social gambling, goes into effect, after nearly ten years of study and debate in the legislature.
• Extends public financing of gubernatorial elections to the primaries.
• Signs Public Transportation Act, forming New Jersey Transit Corporation.
• 1980: In the spring, hosts a twelve-week seminar at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, entitled Workshop in New Jersey Policy and Politics.
• 1981: In June, attends the World Trade Centers General Assembly in Moscow.
• In July, the Meadowlands Arena opens, bearing the name Brendan Byrne Arena.
• In September, embarks on an investment mission to Italy and France.
• 1982: In January, steps down as Governor of New Jersey following the completion of his second full term, and moves from Morven into a private residence in Princeton.
• Joins the Roseland, New Jersey, law firm of Carella, Bain, Gilfillan and Rhodes as a partner where he represents, among others, Carvel Ice Cream. The firm later changes its name to Carella, Byrne, Bain and Gilfillan.
• Becomes a director of the Elizabethtown Water Company and serves on its board until 2000.
• 1985: In November, is appointed Chair of the Council on New Jersey Affairs, a position he holds until 1989.
• 1988: On September 7, is elected to the Board of Directors of Ingersoll-Rand Co.
• 1989: In January, begins serving as a commissioner of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority for a four-year term ending in January 1993.
• 1993: Obtains divorce from Jean Byrne.
• 1994: In August, marries public relations executive Ruth Zinn.
• Becomes a director of the Mack-Cali Realty Corporation.
• Brendan T. Byrne Jr. is elected New Jersey Democratic Party Chair.
• 1996: In January, the Brendan Byrne Arena is renamed the Continental Airlines Arena as part of a corporate sponsorship deal.
• 2002: On July 24, Lebanon State Forest, located in the Pinelands, is renamed Brendan T. Byrne State Forest.
• Additional Information:: Following his tenure as Governor, Byrne also served, or serves, on the boards of Prudential Insurance Company of America, New Jersey Bell Telephone Company, Jamesway Corporation and Chelsea Property Group, Inc. He currently lives in Short Hills, New Jersey.

From the guide to the Papers, 1928-2006 (bulk 1952-1982), (Rutgers University. Special Collections and University Archives)