William Bulger

William Bulger
Bulger c. 1984–1987
President of the University of Massachusetts
In office
January 4, 1996 – September 1, 2003
Appointed byBill Weld
Preceded byShirley Penney
Succeeded byJack M. Wilson
President of the Massachusetts Senate
In office
January 6, 1978 – January 3, 1996
Preceded byKevin B. Harrington
Succeeded byTom Birmingham
Member of the Massachusetts Senate
from the 1st Suffolk district
In office
January 6, 1971 – January 3, 1996
Preceded byJoe Moakley
Succeeded byStephen Lynch
Member of the
Massachusetts House of Representatives
from Suffolk County
In office
January 4, 1961 – January 6, 1971
Preceded byJoe Moakley
Succeeded byRaymond Flynn
Constituency7th Suffolk district (1961–1965)
5th Suffolk district (1965–1969)
6th Suffolk district (1969–1971)
Personal details
Born
William Michael Bulger

(1934-02-02) February 2, 1934 (age 90)
Dorchester, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Mary Foley
(m. 1960; died 2020)
RelationsWhitey Bulger (brother)
EducationBoston College (BA, JD)
Signature
NicknameBilly
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Years of service1953–1955

William Michael Bulger (born February 2, 1934) is an American former Democratic politician, lawyer, and educator from South Boston, Massachusetts. His eighteen-year tenure as President of the Massachusetts Senate is the longest in history. After leaving office, he became president of the University of Massachusetts.

Bulger came from Old Harbor Village Housing Development (now more commonly known as the Mary Ellen McCormick Housing Development). He graduated from Boston College High School in 1952, then from Boston College in Classics, then from Boston College Law School.

Bulger was the younger brother of the convicted mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger, who led the Winter Hill Gang, and he received harsh criticism for refusing to distance himself from his brother, who was convicted of participating in 11 murders and sentenced to life in prison, or to cooperate with authorities after he became a fugitive.[1] He was forced to resign from the presidency of the University of Massachusetts. Bulger went on to teach as a visiting scholar at Suffolk University, but has since removed himself from public life.

  1. ^ Seelye, Katharine Q. (November 24, 2013). "Sticking by a Murderous Brother, and Paying for It Dearly". The New York Times.