Joseph D. Early

{{Short description|American politician (1933–2012)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | birth_name = Joseph Daniel Early | image = JosephDEarly.jpg | state1 = [[Massachusetts]] | district1 = [[Massachusetts's 3rd congressional district|3rd]] | term_start1 = January 3, 1975 | term_end1 = January 3, 1993 | preceded1 = [[Harold Donohue]] | succeeded1 = [[Peter I. Blute]] | office2 = Member of the [[Massachusetts House of Representatives]] | term_start2 = 1963 | term_end2 = 1974 | birth_date = January 31, 1933 | birth_place = [[Worcester, Massachusetts]] | death_date = {{death date and age|2012|11|9|1933|1|31}} | death_place = Worcester, Massachusetts | resting_place = Saint John's Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts | resting_place_coordinates = | party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] | spouse = Marilyn Powers Early | relations = | children = | alma_mater = [[College of the Holy Cross]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]]) | profession = [[teacher]] | signature = | allegiance = {{nowrap|{{flag|United States of America}}}} | branch = [[File:Flag of the United States Navy (unofficial proportions).svg|border|20px]] [[United States Navy]] | service_years = 1955–1957 }}

'''Joseph Daniel Early''' (January 31, 1933 – November 9, 2012) was an [[politics in the United States|American politician]]. He represented the [[United States House of Representatives, Massachusetts District 3|third district of Massachusetts]] in the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] from 1975 to 1993.

== Early life == Early was born in [[Worcester, Massachusetts]], on January 31, 1933. He attended [[Saint John's High School (Shrewsbury)|Saint John's High School]], and received a B.S. degree from [[College of the Holy Cross]], graduating in 1955. He served in [[United States Navy]], 1955–1957. Following his time in the Navy he was employed as a high school teacher and [[basketball]] coach in [[Shrewsbury, Massachusetts|Shrewsbury]] and [[Spencer, Massachusetts|Spencer]].

== Political career == Early served six terms in the [[Massachusetts House of Representatives]] from 1963 to 1974. He was a delegate to [[Massachusetts State Democratic convention]]s from 1964 to 1970, and was elected as a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] to the [[94th United States Congress|94th]] and to the eight succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1993). He lost re-election in [[U.S. House election, 1992|1992]] to [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[Peter I. Blute]], in the aftermath of his implication in the [[House banking scandal]] and a nepotism scandal involving his brother George's employment in the Congressional Folding Room.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-01-03 |title=WHEN MEMBERS HAVE KIN ON THE HOUSE PAYROLL |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1992/04/09/when-members-have-kin-on-the-house-payroll/6a145076-ddd2-4eff-b095-dab4c19bd70e/ |access-date=2024-02-09 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

After his involvement in the House banking scandal came to light, Early gave a fiery speech to an empty House chamber where loudly said of his critics, "They ran like rats!!!", leading to widespread ridicule.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Early "They ran like rats!" |url=https://www.c-span.org/clip/call-in/early-they-ran-like-rats/4985457 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250810010215/https://www.c-span.org/clip/call-in/early-they-ran-like-rats/4985457 |archive-date=2025-08-10 |access-date=2026-02-07 |website=C-SPAN.org |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-06 |title=Howie Carr: There's always a Massachusetts connection — the Steele dossier edition |url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/11/06/howie-carr-theres-always-a-massachusetts-connection-the-steele-dossier-edition/ |access-date=2026-02-07 |website=Boston Herald |language=en-US}}</ref>

During his time in congress Early was regarded as one of the most "obscure" house representatives, neglecting to hold a press conference until 1990 and never hiring a press secretary.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Schudel |first=Matt |date=2023-05-19 |title=Joseph D. Early, nine-term Mass. congressman, dies at 79 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/joseph-d-early-nine-term-mass-congressman-dies-at-79/2012/11/09/b553f6a0-2aa1-11e2-b4e0-346287b7e56c_story.html |access-date=2024-02-09 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> He died on November 9, 2012.<ref>[http://www.telegram.com/article/20121109/NEWS/121109417/1116 Former Congressman Joseph Early Dies]</ref> His son, Joseph Early, Jr., today serves as the Worcester County District Attorney.

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{CongLinks|congbio=E000013}} * {{C-SPAN|8709}}

{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-hs}} {{US House succession box | state= Massachusetts | district=3 | before=[[Harold Donohue]] | after=[[Peter I. Blute]] | years=January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1993}} {{s-end}} {{USRepMA}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Early, Joseph}} [[Category:1933 births]] [[Category:2012 deaths]] [[Category:Democratic Party members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives]] [[Category:Politicians from Worcester, Massachusetts]] [[Category:Holy Cross Crusaders men's basketball players]] [[Category:College of the Holy Cross alumni]] [[Category:United States Navy sailors]] [[Category:Democratic Party United States representatives from Massachusetts]] [[Category:American men's basketball players]] [[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]] [[Category:20th-century members of the Massachusetts General Court]] [[Category:20th-century United States representatives]]