Peter Lawson Jones
| Peter Lawson Jones | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Ohio House of Representatives from the 11th district | |
|
In office January 3, 1997-February 9, 2002 | |
| Preceded by | Jane Campbell |
| Succeeded by | Lance Mason |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Democratic |
Peter Lawson Jones is an African-American actor and politician of the Democratic party. A resident of Shaker Heights, Ohio, he formerly served as a county commissioner in Cuyahoga County.
Political Career
Jones served on the Shaker Heights city council, and in 1994, he was the running mate for gubernatorial candidate Rob Burch. He served as a state representative from 1997 to 2002. In February 2002, after county commissioner Jane Campbell was elected mayor of Cleveland, the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party appointed Jones to replace her on the commission.
He received his BA magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1975, and his juris doctor from Harvard in 1980. He has extensive professional and community affiliations, and works at the law firm Roetzel & Andress in addition to his legislative duties.
In 2007, Jones made news with two dissenting votes on major decisions. He opposed the sales tax increase for Cuyahoga County from 7.5% to 7.75%. The tax, earmarked to pay for a new convention center and medical mart, was passed by a 2-1 vote (Jimmy Dimora and Tim Hagan voted for it), and it took effect on October 1, 2007. Jones also opposed the demolition of the Ameritrust Tower, which the county bought as a potential location for a new administration building, but later decided to sell.
On January 26, 2009, WKYC's Tom Beres reported that Jones was considering running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by the retiring Sen. George Voinovich.[1] But withdrew from the idea and went on to endorse Lee Fisher in the primaries, and now in the general election.
In November 2009 the voters of Cuyahoga County replaced the commission form of county government with a charter and an elected county executive who was elected in 2010.
Acting Career
After loosening his ties to the political realm, Jones started acting in many independent films in the Cleveland area.[2]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Battle Hill | Supporting | |
| 2012 | Alex Cross | Voice Over | |
| 2014 | Infinite Regression | Ted Adkins |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Detroit 1-8-7 | Supporting | 1 episode |
See also
- Election Results, Ohio Lieutenant Governor
- Election Results, Ohio Lieutenant Governor (Democratic Primaries)