Mike Boyle

David Michael "Mike" Boyle (born January 19, 1944, Los Angeles, California) is a Democratic politician in Nebraska, the former mayor of Omaha, and a current member of the Douglas County Board of Commissioners. Mike Boyle has been a lawyer in private practice in Omaha for over 30 years.

Biography

Educated in Catholic schools in Omaha (Saint Cecilia elementary school and Cathedral High School),[1] Boyle graduated from Creighton University in 1973 with a degree in economics and management from the Business Administration School. He graduated from the Creighton University School of Law in 1977.[1]

Mike married Anne Howell on April 24, 1965 at St. Cecilia Cathedral in Omaha. They have five children and 18 grandchildren. Anne Boyle is the first woman elected in the 130-year history of the Nebraska Public Service Commission. She was re-elected in 2008 and is a former chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party. She led the Bill Clinton for President campaign in Nebraska and the Re-election campaign, as well. She has been a delegate to several Democratic National Conventions and her father Sam J. Howell was considered the dean of Omaha's Douglas County Courthouse.

Political career

Boyle was elected Mayor of Omaha in 1981 and re-elected in 1985.[2]

In October 1986, a recall campaign was initiated against Boyle after the Omaha Public Safety Director Keithe Lant fired the city's police chief. The Mayor's brother-in-law had been followed and arrested, suspected of drunken driving, The incident showed a concerted effort to harass the Mayor's brother-in-law. The Police Chief refused to believe the Deputies did what was done. He refused to discipline the Chief Deputies. A panel of citizens, the Personnel Board of the City of Omaha ordered the firing and disciplining of the Deputy Chiefs of Police. Each of those firings and discipline were upheald by the Douglas County District Court. The firing of the Police Chief was overturned in Douglas county District Court, But on appeal, the firing of the Chief of police was upheld by the Supreme Court of the State of Nebraska.

Supporters of the recall effort obtained 34,816 signatures on recall petitions, significantly more than the 19,669 signatures needed to force a recall election.[3] The recall election was held in January 1987, and drew exceptionally large turnout of over 98,000 voters, 56.4 percent of those registered. Boyle was removed from office as a result of the election, in which the vote was 56 percent for his recall and 44 percent for his retention.[4][5]

Boyle has served on the Douglas County Board of Commissioners since 1997.[6] In 1989, Boyle ran for re-election as Mayor, He finished first out of a field of six. He lost to P.J. Morgan, a fiormer State Senator and close friend of the Mayor's. In 1990, Mayor Boyle ran for Governor. He lost the Democratic Primary by less than one vote per precinct Statewide. Ben Nelson was nominated; served two terms as Governor before being elected a United States senator.

See also

References

Preceded by
Al Veys
Mayor of Omaha
1981 - 1987
Succeeded by
Stephen Tomasek, Jr.
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