Frank J. Kelley

This article is about the politician. For the operatic tenor, see Frank Kelley (tenor).

Frank J. Kelley
Kelley in 1996
50th Attorney General of Michigan
In office
December 28, 1961 – January 1, 1999
GovernorJohn Swainson
George W. Romney
William Milliken
James Blanchard
John Engler
Preceded byPaul L. Adams
Succeeded byJennifer Granholm
Personal details
Born
Frank Joseph Kelley

(1924-12-31)December 31, 1924
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
DiedMarch 5, 2021(2021-03-05) (aged 96)
Naples, Florida, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Children3
ResidenceAlpena, Michigan
Alma materUniversity of Detroit
OccupationLawyer

Frank Joseph Kelley (December 31, 1924 – March 5, 2021) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 50th Attorney General of the U.S. state of Michigan.[1][2][3][4] His 37-year term of office, from 1961 to 1999, made him both the youngest (36 years old) and oldest (74 years old) attorney general in the state's history, and led to his nickname as the "Eternal General".[A] He won ten consecutive terms of office.[1][2][6][7] He was the longest serving state attorney general in United States history, until Tom Miller of Iowa surpassed his longevity record in 2019—although Kelley still holds the record for longest continuous tenure as an attorney general.[3][8][9][10] In 37 years of service as Michigan's chief law enforcement officer, he worked in concert with five Michigan governors.[B]

He was cited by all 50 states attorneys general as being the attorney general who most furthered the cause of justice in the United States and was elected president of the National Association of Attorneys General, becoming the only Michigan attorney general so honored.[11] He was the first attorney general in the United States to establish Consumer Protection, Criminal Fraud and Environmental Protection Divisions.[9][11]

  1. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Newsobit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Egan, Paul (March 6, 2021). "Michigan's 'Eternal General' Frank Kelley dies at age 96". Detroit Free Press.
  3. ^ a b Waterman, Cole (March 6, 2021). "Michigan's longest-serving attorney general, Frank Kelley, dies at 96". Mlive. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  4. ^ Frank J. Kelley. Marquis Who's Who. 1971. p. 284. ISBN 9780837935010. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  5. ^ Skubick, Tim (March 9, 2021). "Editorials and Columns Kelley a great AG, a great guy". The Alpena News. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  6. ^ "Frank Kelley, Michigan Attorney General for 37 years, has died". Crains Detroit. Crain Communications, www.crainsdetroit.com.(subscription required)
  7. ^ Oosting, Jonathan (March 6, 2021). "Frank Kelley, Michigan's longtime attorney general, dies at 96". Michigan Government. Bridge Michigan.
  8. ^ Bingham, Emily (February 2, 2016). "Memoir Tells Story of State Attorney General Frank Kelley". Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  9. ^ a b Novak, Paul F. (July 2016). "Review: The People's Lawyer: The Life and Times of Frank J. Kelley: the Nation's Longest-serving Attorney General by Frank J. Kelley and Jack Lessenberry" (PDF). Michigan Bar Journal: 58–59. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  10. ^ White, Ed (March 9, 2021). "Longtime Michigan attorney general Frank Kelley dead at 96". Antelope Valley Press. Associated Press. Ibid. San Francisco Chronicle; Ibid.[permanent dead link] Middletown Press.
  11. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference MSU was invoked but never defined (see the help page).


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