{{Short description|American politician (born 1965)}} {{Use American English|date=October 2017}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2016}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Jeff Chiesa | image = Jeffrey Chiesa, official portrait, 113th Congress.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2013 | jr/sr = United States Senator | state = New Jersey | term_start = June 6, 2013 | term_end = October 30, 2013 | appointer = Chris Christie | predecessor = Frank Lautenberg | successor = Cory Booker | office1 = 59th Attorney General of New Jersey | governor1 = Chris Christie | term_start1 = January 10, 2012 | term_end1 = June 6, 2013 | predecessor1 = Paula Dow | successor1 = John Hoffman (acting) | birth_name = Jeffrey Scott Chiesa | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|6|22}} | birth_place = Bound Brook, New Jersey, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Republican | spouse = Jenny Sullivan | education = University of Notre Dame (BBA)<br>Catholic University (JD) | module = {{Listen |pos=center |embed=yes |filename=Sen. Jeffrey Chiesa on Interagency Information Sharing on National Security Threats.ogg |title=Chiesa's voice |type=speech |description=Chiesa questioning witnesses on inter-agency information sharing at a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing.<br>Recorded September 11, 2013}} }} '''Jeffrey Scott Chiesa''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|k|iː|ˈ|eɪ|z|ə|}} {{Respell|kee|AY|zə}}; born June 22, 1965) is an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from New Jersey from June 6 to October 30, 2013. As a member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 59th attorney general of New Jersey from January 10, 2012, until June 6, 2013.
Prior to his tenure as New Jersey Attorney General, he served as Chief Counsel to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Christie announced on June 6, 2013, that he would appoint Chiesa to the United States Senate seat that was vacated by the death of Democratic Senator Frank Lautenberg;<ref name=official>{{cite web|title=Governor Christie: Attorney General Jeff Chiesa Is The Best Person For The Job|url=http://www.state.nj.us/governor/news/news/552013/approved/20130606b.html|date=June 6, 2013|access-date=June 6, 2013}}</ref> four days later, Chiesa was sworn in, becoming the first Republican senator of New Jersey since Nicholas F. Brady.<ref name="WGDB: Chiesa» Sworn In as Senator">{{cite web|url=http://www.cq.com/doc/news-4291937?wr=bzR2QWhQbmtjMG11Q0JVQklBaHNuQQ|title=CQ.com - Login|website=www.CQ.com|access-date=October 15, 2017}}</ref> He declined to run for the remainder of the Senate term in the 2013 special election, which was subsequently won by Democrat Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark.
To date, Chiesa is the last Republican to serve as a U.S. senator from New Jersey.
==Early life, education and early law career== Chiesa grew up in Bound Brook, New Jersey, the eldest of three children. When he was 8 years old, his father, a chemical plant worker, died, and he was raised by his mother, a public school teacher.<ref name=Ledger>{{cite news |url=https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/01/new_attorney_general_takes_the.html |title=New N.J. attorney general takes the reins at a turbulent time for crime fighters |author=Christopher Baxter |newspaper=The Star-Ledger |date=January 25, 2012 |access-date=January 25, 2012}}</ref> He attended Bound Brook High School and graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1987 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting. He earned his J.D. from the Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America in 1990. In 1988, Chiesa joined the Cranford law firm of Dughi, Hewit & Palatucci (now known as Dughi & Hewit). There he met and befriended Chris Christie, who had joined the firm the year before.<ref name="OAG">{{cite web |url=http://www.nj.gov/oag/oag/ag_bio.htm |title=Biography of Jeffrey S. Chiesa |publisher=Office of the Attorney General of New Jersey |access-date=January 25, 2012}}</ref>
==U.S. Attorney's Office== In 2002, he followed Christie to the office of the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, where he led a number of the office's high-profile public corruption cases, including the one against former State Senate President John A. Lynch Jr.<ref name=Ledger/> He served as counsel to the U.S. Attorney, Chief of the Public Protection Unit, and Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney. He left in 2009 to become a partner in the firm of Wolff & Samson.<ref name=OAG/>
==Chief Counsel to Governor Christie== In 2009, after Christie was elected Governor of New Jersey, Chiesa headed his transition team.<ref>{{cite web|last=Delli Santi |first=Angela |url=http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2010250755_apuschristiefiscalemergencynewjersey.html |title=Fiscal emergency is option for NJ's gov-elect |publisher=The Seattle Times |date=November 11, 2009 |access-date=June 6, 2013}}</ref> Christie then named Chiesa his chief counsel.<ref name=Ledger/> In June 2010, Christie sent him to speak to Republican Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll, to persuade him to drop his opposition to the budget because it cut proportionally more aid to suburban schools than to urban ones.<ref>{{cite web|last=Friedman |first=Matt |url=http://www.northjersey.com/news/97284959_Trenton_braces_for_budget_marathon.html |title=Trenton braces for budget marathon |publisher=NorthJersey.com |date=June 28, 2010 |access-date=June 6, 2013}}</ref>
==Attorney General of New Jersey== On December 12, 2011, Governor Christie nominated Chiesa to succeed Paula Dow as Attorney General of New Jersey.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/state/attorney-general-paula-dow-to-be-replaced-by-christies-counsel-jeff-chiesa |title=Attorney General Paula Dow to be replaced by Christie's counsel Jeff Chiesa |author=Tom Hester Sr. |newspaper=NewJerseyNewsRoom.com |date=December 12, 2011 |access-date=January 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120904100915/http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/state/attorney-general-paula-dow-to-be-replaced-by-christies-counsel-jeff-chiesa |archive-date=September 4, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Chiesa was sworn in as Dow's successor on January 10, 2012.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://hudsonreporter.com/pages/full_story/push?article--+New+Jersey+officially+has+a+new+attorney+general-%20&id=17076705 |title=New Jersey officially has a new attorney general |author=Ray Smith |newspaper=The Hudson Reporter |date=January 13, 2012 |access-date=January 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104041708/http://hudsonreporter.com/pages/full_story/push?article--+New+Jersey+officially+has+a+new+attorney+general-%20&id=17076705 |archive-date=November 4, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Chiesa supported mandatory drug rehab treatment for non-violent drug offenders and holding violent defendants without bail.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2012/04/chiesa_pushes_mandatory_drug_o.html |title=Chiesa pushes mandatory drug offender treatment in Jersey City meeting |publisher=The Jersey Journal |date=April 26, 2012 |access-date=June 6, 2013}}</ref> In January 2012, he proposed a comprehensive program to crack down on prescription drug abuse addictions and overdoses.<ref>{{cite web|author=Baxter, Christopher |url=https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/01/attorney_general_reveals_new_p.html |title=N.J. Attorney General announces new prescription drug addiction program |date=January 19, 2012 |publisher=The Star-Ledger |access-date=June 6, 2013}}</ref>
In February 2012, he helped deliver $837.7 million to distressed homeowners of New Jersey from a settlement with major banks. The state had 10.6% of homeowners who are 90 or more days delinquent on their mortgage, the third-highest percentage in the nation at the time.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Beeson, Ed |author2=Portlock, Sarah |url=https://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2012/02/us_settlement_with_mortgage_se.html |title=U.S. settlement with mortgage servicers will deliver nearly $838 million to N.J. |publisher=The Star-Ledger |date=February 9, 2012 |access-date=June 6, 2013}}</ref>
In April 2012, he announced the arrest of three men accused of theft at several Home Depot stores across five states: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and New York. They were "under-ringing" their purchases at self-checkout machines and were charged with more than 500 illegal transactions totaling more than $100,000.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/the-feed/item/36525-nj-arrests-three-men-for-alleged-five-state-home-depot-theft-ring |title=N.J. arrests three men for alleged five-state Home Depot theft ring |publisher=NewsWorks |access-date=June 6, 2013 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> In the same month, he announced the arrests of 27 people in a major child pornography incident, that required the involvement of more than 100 law enforcement officers for "Operation Watchdog".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/04/27_nj_residents_arrested_in_ma.html |title=27 N.J. residents arrested in major child porn investigation |date=April 18, 2012 |publisher=NJ.com |access-date=June 6, 2013}}</ref> He also filed a lawsuit against John Kot and Gabriel R. DaSilva of leading home improvement companies for defrauding people and breaking several laws.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://legalnewsline.com/news/235921-n.j.-home-improvement-companies-sued |title=N.J. home improvement companies sued |publisher=Legal Newsline |date=April 23, 2012 |access-date=June 6, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426230741/http://www.legalnewsline.com/news/235921-n.j.-home-improvement-companies-sued |archive-date=April 26, 2012 }}</ref>
==U.S. Senate== thumb|Chiesa in November 2013, following his departure from the Senate On June 6, 2013, Governor Chris Christie announced that he would appoint Chiesa, a resident of Branchburg, New Jersey, to succeed recently deceased United States Senator Frank Lautenberg.<ref name="official"/><ref>Santora, Marc; and Zernike, Kate. [https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/07/nyregion/in-new-jersey-scrambling-to-vie-for-a-senate-seat.html "Attorney General of New Jersey Named as Interim Senator"], ''The New York Times'', June 6, 2013. Accessed June 6, 2013.</ref> Chiesa announced that he would not seek election to the seat in the 2013 special election.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Zernike|first1=Kate|title=Christie Picks New Jersey's Attorney General to Be Interim Senator|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/07/nyregion/in-new-jersey-scrambling-to-vie-for-a-senate-seat.html?hp&_r=0|access-date=June 6, 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 6, 2013|last2=Santora|first2=Marc}}</ref> In the news conference, he said that "I'm a conservative Republican, generally speaking." In regard to immigration reform, he stated, "I think the first thing we have to do is make sure the borders are secure."<ref>{{cite web|first=Maggie |last=Haberman |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2013/06/chris-christie-jeff-chiesa-interim-senator-new-jersey-92357.html?hp=bn |title=Chris Christie appoints Jeff Chiesa as interim senator |date=June 6, 2013 |publisher=Politico |access-date=June 6, 2013}}</ref>
Chiesa resigned as Attorney General on June 6, 2013, and Executive Assistant Attorney General John Jay Hoffman became acting Attorney General. Chiesa was sworn into the Senate on June 10, 2013, by Vice President Joe Biden. Chiesa was the only Republican senator to represent New Jersey since 1982 when then-Governor Thomas Kean appointed Nicholas F. Brady to the Senate in order to fill a vacancy; in that case, the seat was subsequently won by Lautenberg for the first time.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/06/10/chiesa-new-jersey-senate-lautenberg/2408555/|title=5 things to know about NJ Sen. Jeff Chiesa |first=Catalina|last=Camia|date=June 10, 2003}}</ref>
Chiesa's vote was seen as crucial to the passing of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013. John McCain joked that "I'm going to subject him to intense interrogation—I may waterboard the guy. Or maybe tell him that he's either going to support this legislation or hire someone to start his car in the morning."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-06-27/the-surreal-existence-of-jeff-chiesa-new-jerseys-accidental-senator |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130702144510/http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-06-27/the-surreal-existence-of-jeff-chiesa-new-jerseys-accidental-senator |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 2, 2013 |title=The Surreal Existence of Jeff Chiesa, New Jersey's Accidental Senator |work=Business Week |author=Julie Hirschfeld Davis |date=June 27, 2013|access-date=October 15, 2017}}</ref> He ultimately voted for the bill, which prompted conservative commentator Ann Coulter to proclaim that Christie was "dead to me" for appointing Chiesa to the Senate.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/28/ann-coulter-chris-christie_n_3518072.html |title=Ann Coulter Says Chris Christie Is Dead To Her For Jeff Chiesa's Immigration Vote |work=The Huffington Post |author=John Celock |date=June 28, 2013}}</ref> In July 2013, he signed the Mike Lee letter which called for an amendment to the continuing resolution that would defund the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.<ref>{{cite news |title=Have Your Members of Congress Signed the 'Defund ObamaCare' Letter? Find Out Here! |author=Joshua Withrow |url=http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/jwithrow/does-your-senator-stand-with-mike-lee-against-obam |work=FreedomWorks |date=August 14, 2013 |access-date=October 11, 2013 |archive-date=October 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013113348/http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/jwithrow/does-your-senator-stand-with-mike-lee-against-obam |url-status=dead }}</ref> He opposed Democratic attempts to reinsert funding for the Affordable Care Act<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.northjersey.com/news/Temporary_NJ_senator_mixes_votes_on_shutdown_bills.html |title=Temporary NJ senator mixes votes on shutdown bills |work=NorthJersey.com |author=Herb Jackson |date=September 27, 2013}}</ref> but ultimately voted for the Reid-McConnell bill to end the shutdown.<ref>{{cite news|last=Cameron|first=Darla|title=Votes to end the government shutdown|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/congress-votes-to-end-shutdown/senate.html?hpid=z2|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=October 16, 2013|author2=Andrews, Wilson}}</ref>
He used his time in the Senate to try to draw attention to the issue of human trafficking<ref>{{cite web |url=http://articles.philly.com/2013-10-31/news/43563443_1_jeff-chiesa-cory-booker-u-s-senate |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131101174057/http://articles.philly.com/2013-10-31/news/43563443_1_jeff-chiesa-cory-booker-u-s-senate |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 1, 2013 |title=Chiesa looks back fondly on a brief Senate career |work=philly.com |author=Jonathan Tamari |date=October 31, 2013}}</ref> and, according to ''The Washington Post'', voted with his party 84% of the time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.northjersey.com/news/politics/Outgoing_Sen_Chiesa_says_hes_open_to_future_run.html |title=Interim Sen. Jeffrey Chiesa wins accolades from both parties |work=NorthJersey.com |author=Herb Jackson |date=October 30, 2013}}</ref> He left the Senate on October 31, 2013, when Newark Mayor Cory Booker, who won the special election, was sworn in.<ref name="WGDB: Chiesa» Sworn In as Senator"/> Chiesa recorded a tenure of 129 days, the fourth-shortest of the 65 U.S. Senators who have served in New Jersey's history.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://editions.lib.umn.edu/smartpolitics/2013/06/07/chiesa-to-tally-4th-shortest/ |title= Chiesa to Tally 4th Shortest Senate Tenure in New Jersey History |work=Smart Politics |first=Eric |last=Ostermeier |date= June 7, 2013}}</ref>
Chiesa ruled out the possibility of running for the seat in the regularly scheduled 2014 election, but said that he would consider running for office in the future.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/10/jeff_chiesa_says_he_wouldnt_rule_out_running_for_office_report_says.html |title=Jeff Chiesa won't rule out running for office again, report says |work=NJ.com |first=Naomi |last=Nix |date=October 31, 2013}}</ref>
===Committee assignments=== *'''Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation''' **Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance *'''Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs''' *'''Committee on Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship'''
==Atlantic City state takeover== Chiesa was appointed by Christie to oversee the state takeover of Atlantic City in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/12/christie_friend_to_get_400_an_hour_for_atlantic_ci.html|title=Christie friend to get $400 an hour for Atlantic City takeover work|date=December 2016|website=NJ.com|access-date=October 15, 2017}}</ref> His private firm is to bill the state for their services.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/03/how_much_christies_appointee_has_billed_nj_for_atl.html|title=Here's how much Christie ally has billed N.J. in Atlantic City takeover|date=March 2017|website=NJ.com|access-date=October 15, 2017}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== * {{CongLinks | congbio=C001100 | votesmart=144672 | fec= | congress=jeffrey-chiesa/2192 }}<!-- Links formerly displayed via the CongLinks template: * [http://ballotpedia.org/Jeff_Chiesa Biography] at Ballotpedia * [http://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/412597 Congressional profile] at GovTrack * [http://www.opencongress.org/people/show/412597 Congressional profile] at OpenCongress * [http://www.rollcall.com/members/49406.html Congressional profile] at ''Roll Call'' * [http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/Jeff_Chiesa.htm Issue positions and quotes] at On the Issues * [http://www.c-spanvideo.org/jeffreychiesa Appearances] on C-SPAN programs * --> *{{C-SPAN|64996}}
{{s-start}} {{s-legal}} {{s-bef|before=Paula Dow}} {{s-ttl|title=Attorney General of New Jersey|years=2012–2013}} {{s-aft|after=John Hoffman<br>Acting}} |- {{s-par|us-sen}} {{s-bef|before=Frank Lautenberg}} {{s-ttl|title=United States Senator (Class 2) from New Jersey|years=2013|alongside=Bob Menendez}} {{s-aft|after=Cory Booker}} |- {{s-prec|usa}} {{s-bef|before=Jon Corzine|as=Former U.S. Senator}} {{s-ttl|title=Order of precedence of the United States|years=}} {{s-aft|after=George Helmy|as=Former U.S. Senator}} {{s-end}}
{{USSenNJ}} {{New Jersey Attorneys General}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chiesa, Jeffrey S.}} Category:1965 births Category:21st-century United States senators Category:Bound Brook High School alumni Category:Columbus School of Law alumni Category:Living people Category:Mendoza College of Business alumni Category:New Jersey attorneys general Category:New Jersey Republicans Category:People from Bound Brook, New Jersey Category:People from Branchburg, New Jersey Category:Republican Party United States senators from New Jersey