Jerry Costello | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromIllinois | |
| In office August 9, 1988 – January 3, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Melvin Price |
| Succeeded by | William Enyart |
| Constituency | 21st district (1988–1993) 12th district (1993–2013) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jerry Francis Costello (1949-09-25)September 25, 1949 (age 76) East St. Louis, Illinois, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Georgia Cockrum |
| Education | Southwestern Illinois College Maryville University (BA) |
Jerry Francis Costello (born September 25, 1949) is an American politician and formerU.S. Representative forIllinois's 12th congressional district. He previously representedIllinois's 21st congressional district and served in the US House from 1988 to 2013. He is a member of theDemocratic Party and was the dean of Illinois's 21-member congressional delegation. In October 2011, Costello announced that he would not seek another term in Congress in 2012.[1] He was succeeded byWilliam Enyart.
Costello was born inEast St. Louis, Illinois and attended Catholic schools, graduating from Assumption High School. He was later educated atMaryville College of the Sacred Heart inSt. Louis, from which he earned a bachelor's degree.
Costello worked in the law enforcement field. He servedSt. Clair County, Illinois as a court bailiff, deputysheriff, and director of court services and probation. Costello later was chief investigator for the Illinois State Attorney’s office. In 1980, he was elected as chair of the St. Clair County Board. Costello served in this capacity as county executive until his election to the House.
Costello took office on in August 1988, after winning a special election with 51% of the vote, to fill the seat of the deceasedMelvin Price.[2] He was elected to a full term that November with 53% of the vote.[3] After that, he received at least 60% of the vote in all of his re-election bids, until his retirement in 2012.[4]
Costello was the most senior member of Illinois' House delegation during his final term in office. On October 4, 2011, he announced he would not seek reelection in 2012.[5] Costello was succeeded byWilliam Enyart, who was elected on November 6, 2012.[6]
Costello served on the National Leadership Committee of then-SenatorBarack Obama's National Catholic Advisory Council during his 2008 election campaign.[7]
Shortly after the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States, Costello was prominently mentioned as a possible cabinet choice for Secretary of Transportation; the nomination eventually went to fellow Illinois RepresentativeRay LaHood.[citation needed]
In 2011, Costello co-sponsored HR 3, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, which would strictly limit the situations in which abortion could be paid for by public funds.[8] Costello is a member of the Reformers Caucus ofIssue One.[9]
In 1996,federal prosecutors alleged that Costello was an unindicted co-conspirator in a plan to build ariverboat casino. At the end of an investigation and trial, a longtime friend of Costello's was sentenced to six years in prison for obstruction of justice. Costello testified before a grand jury in regard to the matter, but was not indicted or charged in the case. He denied any involvement. In 1997, theCongressional Accountability Project filed anethics complaint requesting investigation of Costello which resulted in no action.[10]
In2016, Costello was apresidential elector fromIllinois.[11] Costello was originally intended to be an elector in the 2020 election as well; however, in the official vote he was replaced by Illinois House SpeakerChris Welch.[12][13]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromIllinois's 21st congressional district 1988–1993 | Constituency abolished |
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromIllinois's 12th congressional district 1993–2013 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded byas Former U.S. Representative | Order of precedence of the United States as Former U.S. Representative | Succeeded byas Former U.S. Representative |
| People | |
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| Other | |
