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Richard LaFollette Wright (born January 18, 1943) is an American political leader who held a number of positions at both the state and national level.^[1] He served as chief of staff to the governor of New Jersey in the Cabinet of Governor Jim Florio.^[2] He was National Finance Director in the presidential campaign of Senator Bill Bradley.^[3] He worked on the energy task force of President Jimmy Carter and as a senior advisor in the United States Department of Energy. Prior to joining the government, he was Executive Director of Amnesty International in Washington, D.C.

After living in Princeton, New Jersey in the 1990s^[4] he currently lives in the Belle Mead section of Montgomery Township, New Jersey, where he operates the LaFollette Vineyard and Winery.^[5]

Early life and education

He was born in Corpus Christi, Texas where his father was serving in the United States Navy. He grew up in Menlo Park, California where he attended Menlo-Atherton High School. He received his B.A. from Princeton University and his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall). At Princeton, "Rick" Wright was a basketball teammate of All-American Bill Bradley. He studied languages at the University in Munich, Germany. He is a distant member, on his mother's side, of the La Follette Wisconsin political family.

Federal service

Carter administration

After completing his work on the White House energy task force, he joined the staff of the newly created Department of Energy and Secretary James R. Schlesinger, working on the National Energy Act legislative package that the President had sent to Congress. He was appointed Director of Congressional Affairs. When Charles Duncan, Jr. became Secretary he was named Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, a position he held until the end the Carter presidency. In June, 1980 President Carter signed the Energy Security Act into law.

Clinton administration

He was appointed to consecutive terms on the National Advisory Council of the United States Small Business Administration, first by Administrator Phillip Lader and in the second term by Administrator Aida Alvarez.

State government

Florio administration

He was named to the transition team to work on auto insurance reform. He joined the administration as Associate State Treasurer. He became the governor's lead on large economic development projects. He was named Chief of Staff.

Corzine administration

He was named the co-chair of the transition team Energy Policy Transition Group. He joined the Office of Economic Growth and worked with a team to coordinate the drafting of the New Jersey Energy Master Plan.^[6]^[7]

Politics

Bradley presidential campaign

During the presidential campaign of Bill Bradley he served as both National Finance Director and Chairman of the Finance Committee. His team matched Vice President Al Gore's fund raising dollar for dollar.^[8] The Bradley campaign initially relied on a loyal group of donors developed over many years which included long time New Jersey political supporters,^[9] friends from Princeton,^[10] professional athletes,^[11] and corporate leaders.^[12] Fundraising events were organized around enthusiastic new supporters all over the country, many of whom had never participated in the political process before.^[13] An internet site for fundraising was developed for the first time and it produced a steady stream of revenue. The effort greatly expanded the national democratic donor lists.^[1]

Prior to this campaign he had worked in various capacities for a number of candidates. He was a volunteer for Bobby Kennedy in California in 1968 and served as Carol Bellamy's campaign manager in Brooklyn in 1972. He worked in a number of New Jersey and national campaigns as an organizer, fund raiser, policy person and campaign manager.

Non-profit

Amnesty International: directed the Washington Office from 1975 to 1977.^[14]
Union of Concerned Scientists: board member in the 1980s and 1990s.
Fund for New Jersey: board member since 1996.^[15]

References

^ ^a ^b "Princeton - in the News - February 23, 2000".
^ King, Wayne (May 27, 1993). "Florio Replaces Aide Who Left Amid Inquiry". The New York Times.
^ Bumiller, Elisabeth (August 13, 1999). "PUBLIC LIVES; Teammate Collects Dollar Bills for Bradley". The New York Times.
^ Dao, James. "Homecoming; The Bill Bradley Campaign as a Celebration and Affirmation of the Garden State", The New York Times, October 24, 1999. Accessed October 18, 2015. "Richard Wright, 56, the national finance director, met Mr. Bradley at Princeton, where they played together on the basketball team.... A Princeton resident, he is a lawyer who ran an energy company before joining the campaign."
^ Interview with Rick Wright, Rutgers University Eagleton Institute of Politics. Accessed October 18, 2015. "His varied career has also included serving National Finance Chairman and National Campaign Manager for Bill Bradley’s Presidential campaign in 2000 and operating the LaFollette Vineyard and Winery in Belle Mead, NJ."
^ New Jersey State Library ^{[dead link‍]}
^ "New Jersey Energy Master Plan Gets High Marks from the Union of Concerned Scientists | Union of Concerned Scientists". Archived from the original on June 23, 2011. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
^ "Roger Simon".
^ "Bradley Money-Making Machine Roars". The Washington Post. May 22, 1999. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
^ Dao, James (October 24, 1999). "Homecoming; the Bill Bradley Campaign as a Celebration and Affirmation of the Garden State". The New York Times.
^ "Archives". Los Angeles Times. November 15, 1999.
^ Who the corporate leaders? campaignfinance.org ^{[dead link‍]}
^ Dao, James (January 9, 2000). "For Bradley, Innovative Money Train". The New York Times.
^ Trenton Times, May 21, 1990, p.4
^ "Home | The Fund for New Jersey". Fundfornj.org. Retrieved June 24, 2022.

[princeton2000-1] "Princeton - in the News - February 23, 2000".

[2] King, Wayne (May 27, 1993). "Florio Replaces Aide Who Left Amid Inquiry". The New York Times.

[3] Bumiller, Elisabeth (August 13, 1999). "PUBLIC LIVES; Teammate Collects Dollar Bills for Bradley". The New York Times.

[4] Dao, James. "Homecoming; The Bill Bradley Campaign as a Celebration and Affirmation of the Garden State", The New York Times, October 24, 1999. Accessed October 18, 2015. "Richard Wright, 56, the national finance director, met Mr. Bradley at Princeton, where they played together on the basketball team.... A Princeton resident, he is a lawyer who ran an energy company before joining the campaign."

[5] Interview with Rick Wright, Rutgers University Eagleton Institute of Politics. Accessed October 18, 2015. "His varied career has also included serving National Finance Chairman and National Campaign Manager for Bill Bradley’s Presidential campaign in 2000 and operating the LaFollette Vineyard and Winery in Belle Mead, NJ."

[6] New Jersey State Library ^{[dead link‍]}

[7] "New Jersey Energy Master Plan Gets High Marks from the Union of Concerned Scientists | Union of Concerned Scientists". Archived from the original on June 23, 2011. Retrieved June 26, 2011.

[8] "Roger Simon".

[9] "Bradley Money-Making Machine Roars". The Washington Post. May 22, 1999. Retrieved June 24, 2022.

[10] Dao, James (October 24, 1999). "Homecoming; the Bill Bradley Campaign as a Celebration and Affirmation of the Garden State". The New York Times.

[11] "Archives". Los Angeles Times. November 15, 1999.

[12] Who the corporate leaders? campaignfinance.org ^{[dead link‍]}

[13] Dao, James (January 9, 2000). "For Bradley, Innovative Money Train". The New York Times.

[14] Trenton Times, May 21, 1990, p.4

[15] "Home | The Fund for New Jersey". Fundfornj.org. Retrieved June 24, 2022.

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+{{Short description|American political leader (born 1943)}}
-'''Richard LaFollette Wright''' (born January 18, 1943) is an American political leader who  held a number of positions at both the state and national level.<ref>http://www.princeton.edu/pr/news/00/c/0223.htm#Teammate</ref> He served as [[Chief of Staff]] to the [[Governor of New Jersey]] in the Cabinet of Governor [[Jim Florio]].<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/27/nyregion/florio-replaces-aide-who-left-amid-inquiry.html?pagewanted=1</ref> He was National Finance Director in the presidential campaign of Senator [[Bill Bradley]]  [<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/13/nyregion/public-lives-teammate-collects-dollar-bills-for-bradley.html?pagewanted=1</ref>]                                                                                        He worked on the energy task force of President [[Jimmy Carter]] and as a senior advisor in the [[United States Department of Energy]]. Prior to joining the government, he was Executive Director of [[Amnesty International]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]
+{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
+'''Richard LaFollette Wright''' (born January 18, 1943) is an American political leader who  held a number of positions at both the state and national level.<ref name="princeton2000">{{cite web|url=https://www.princeton.edu/pr/news/00/c/0223.htm#Teammate|title = Princeton - in the News - February 23, 2000}}</ref> He served as [[chief of staff]] to the [[governor of New Jersey]] in the Cabinet of Governor [[Jim Florio]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/27/nyregion/florio-replaces-aide-who-left-amid-inquiry.html?pagewanted=1|title = Florio Replaces Aide Who Left Amid Inquiry|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 27 May 1993|last1 = King|first1 = Wayne}}</ref> He was National Finance Director in the presidential campaign of Senator [[Bill Bradley]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/13/nyregion/public-lives-teammate-collects-dollar-bills-for-bradley.html?pagewanted=1|title=PUBLIC LIVES; Teammate Collects Dollar Bills for Bradley|newspaper=The New York Times|date=13 August 1999|last1=Bumiller|first1=Elisabeth}}</ref> He worked on the energy task force of President [[Jimmy Carter]] and as a senior advisor in the [[United States Department of Energy]]. Prior to joining the government, he was Executive Director of [[Amnesty International]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]
+After living in [[Princeton, New Jersey]] in the 1990s<ref>Dao, James. [https://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/24/nyregion/homecoming-bill-bradley-campaign-celebration-affirmation-garden-state.html?pagewanted=all "Homecoming; The Bill Bradley Campaign as a Celebration and Affirmation of the Garden State"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', October 24, 1999. Accessed October 18, 2015. "Richard Wright, 56, the national finance director, met Mr. Bradley at Princeton, where they played together on the basketball team.... A Princeton resident, he is a lawyer who ran an energy company before joining the campaign."</ref> he currently lives in the [[Belle Mead, New Jersey|Belle Mead]] section of [[Montgomery Township, New Jersey]], where he operates the LaFollette Vineyard and Winery.<ref>[http://governors.rutgers.edu/video-library/individual-interviews/interviews-with-rick-wright Interview with Rick Wright], [[Rutgers University]] [[Eagleton Institute of Politics]]. Accessed October 18, 2015. "His varied career has also included serving  National Finance Chairman and National Campaign Manager for Bill Bradley’s Presidential campaign in 2000 and operating the LaFollette Vineyard and Winery in Belle Mead, NJ."</ref>
 ==Early life and education==
-He was born in [[Corpus Christi, Texas]] where his father was serving in the United States Navy. He grew up in [[Menlo Park, California]] where he attended [[Menlo-Atherton High School]]. He received his [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] from [[Princeton University]] and his [[Juris Doctor|J.D.]] from the [[University of California, Berkeley School of Law]] (Boalt Hall). He studied languages at the University in [[Munich]], [[Germany]].
+He was born in [[Corpus Christi, Texas]] where his father was serving in the [[United States Navy]]. He grew up in [[Menlo Park, California]] where he attended [[Menlo-Atherton High School]]. He received his [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] from [[Princeton University]] and his [[Juris Doctor|J.D.]] from the [[University of California, Berkeley School of Law]] (Boalt Hall). At Princeton, "Rick" Wright was a basketball teammate of All-American [[Bill Bradley]].  He studied languages at the University in [[Munich]], [[Germany]]. He is a distant member, on his mother's side, of the [[La Follette family|La Follette Wisconsin political family]].
-==Federal Service==
+==Federal service==
-===Carter Administration===
+===Carter administration===
 After completing his work on the [[White House]] energy task force, he joined the staff of the newly created Department of Energy and Secretary [[James R. Schlesinger]], working on the [[National Energy Act]] legislative package that the President had sent to Congress. He was appointed Director of Congressional Affairs. When [[Charles Duncan, Jr.]] became Secretary he was named Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, a position he held until the end the Carter presidency. In June, 1980 President Carter signed the [[Energy Security Act]] into law.
-===Clinton Administration===
+===Clinton administration===
 He was appointed to consecutive terms on the National Advisory Council of the United States [[Small Business Administration]], first by Administrator [[Phillip Lader]] and in the second term by Administrator [[Aida Alvarez]].
 ==State government==
-===Florio Administration===
+===Florio administration===
 He was named to the transition team to work on auto insurance reform. He joined the administration as Associate State Treasurer. He became the governor's lead on large economic development projects.
 He was named Chief of Staff.
-===Corzine Administration===
+===Corzine administration===
-He was named the co-chair of the transition team Energy Policy Transition Group. He joined the Office of Economic Growth and worked with a team to coordinate the drafting of the New Jersey Energy Master Plan.<ref>http://www.njstatelib.org/digit/r424/r4242006f.pdf</ref><ref>http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/new-jersey-energy-master-plan.html</ref>
+He was named the co-chair of the transition team Energy Policy Transition Group. He joined the Office of Economic Growth and worked with a team to coordinate the drafting of the New Jersey Energy Master Plan.<ref>[http://www.njstatelib.org/digit/r424/r4242006f.pdf New Jersey State Library] {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/new-jersey-energy-master-plan.html |title=New Jersey Energy Master Plan Gets High Marks from the Union of Concerned Scientists &#124; Union of Concerned Scientists |access-date=2011-06-26 |archive-date=2011-06-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623023435/http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/new-jersey-energy-master-plan.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 ==Politics==
-===Bradley Presidential Campaign===
+===Bradley presidential campaign===
-During the presidential campaign of Bill Bradley he served as both National Finance Director and Chairman of the Finance Committee. His team matched Vice President [[Al Gore]]'s fund raising dollar for dollar.<ref>http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/simon011300.asp</ref> The Bradley campaign initially relied on a loyal group of  donors developed over many years which included long time New Jersey political supporters,<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/wh2000/stories/bradley052299.htm</ref> friends from Princeton,<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/24/nyregion/homecoming-bill-bradley-campaign-celebration-affirmation-garden-state.html?pagewanted=all</ref>
+During the presidential campaign of Bill Bradley he served as both National Finance Director and Chairman of the Finance Committee. His team matched Vice President [[Al Gore]]'s fund raising dollar for dollar.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/simon011300.asp|title = Roger Simon}}</ref> The Bradley campaign initially relied on a loyal group of  donors developed over many years which included long time New Jersey political supporters,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/wh2000/stories/bradley052299.htm |title=Bradley Money-Making Machine Roars |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=1999-05-22 |accessdate=2022-06-24}}</ref> friends from Princeton,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/24/nyregion/homecoming-bill-bradley-campaign-celebration-affirmation-garden-state.html?pagewanted=all|title = Homecoming; the Bill Bradley Campaign as a Celebration and Affirmation of the Garden State|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 24 October 1999|last1 = Dao|first1 = James}}</ref>
-professional athletes,<ref>http://www.campaignfinance.org/federalhtml/basketball_friends_generous.html</ref><ref>http://articles.latimes.com/1999/nov/15/news/mn-33879</ref> and corporate leaders.<ref>http://www.campaignfinance.org/federalhtml/who_the_corporate1.html?tableuuid=980228004</ref> Fundraising events were organized around enthusiastic new supporters all over the country, many of whom had never participated in the political process before.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2000/01/09/us/for-bradley-innovative-money-train.html?pagewanted=all</ref> An internet site for fundraising was developed for the first time and it produced a steady stream of revenue. The effort greatly expanded the national democratic donor lists.<ref>http://www.princeton.edu/pr/news/00/c/0223.htm#Teammate</ref>
+professional athletes,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-nov-15-mn-33879-story.html|title=Archives|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=15 November 1999 }}</ref> and corporate leaders.<ref>[http://www.campaignfinance.org/federalhtml/who_the_corporate1.html?tableuuid=980228004 Who the corporate leaders?] campaignfinance.org {{dead link|date=January 2024}}</ref> Fundraising events were organized around enthusiastic new supporters all over the country, many of whom had never participated in the political process before.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/01/09/us/for-bradley-innovative-money-train.html?pagewanted=all|title = For Bradley, Innovative Money Train|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 9 January 2000|last1 = Dao|first1 = James}}</ref> An internet site for fundraising was developed for the first time and it produced a steady stream of revenue. The effort greatly expanded the national democratic donor lists.<ref name="princeton2000"/>
 Prior to this campaign he had worked in various capacities for a number of candidates. He was a volunteer for [[Bobby Kennedy]] in California in 1968 and served as [[Carol Bellamy]]'s campaign manager in [[Brooklyn]] in 1972. He worked in a number of [[New Jersey]] and national campaigns as an organizer, fund raiser, policy person and campaign manager.
 ==Non-profit==
-Amnesty International: directed the Washington Office from 1975-1977.<ref>
+* Amnesty International: directed the Washington Office from 1975 to 1977.<ref>Trenton Times, May 21, 1990, p.4</ref>
-Trenton Times, May 21, 1990, p.4</ref><br />[[Union of Concerned Scientists]]: board member in the 1980s and 1990s.<br />Fund for New Jersey: board member since 1996.
+* [[Union of Concerned Scientists]]: board member in the 1980s and 1990s.
+* Fund for New Jersey: board member since 1996.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fundfornj.org/ |title=Home &#124; The Fund for New Jersey |publisher=Fundfornj.org |date= |accessdate=2022-06-24}}</ref>
-<ref>http://www.fundfornj.org/</ref>
 ==References==
 {{Reflist}}
-{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
-| NAME              = Wright, Richard L.
-| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
-| SHORT DESCRIPTION = American politician
-| DATE OF BIRTH     = January 18, 1943
-| PLACE OF BIRTH    =
-| DATE OF DEATH     =
-| PLACE OF DEATH    =
-}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Wright, Richard L.}}
 [[Category:1943 births]]
 [[Category:Living people]]
-[[Category:Princeton University alumni]]
+[[Category:UC Berkeley School of Law alumni]]
-[[Category:University of California, Berkeley School of Law alumni]]
 [[Category:State cabinet secretaries of New Jersey]]
+[[Category:Chiefs of staff to the governor of New Jersey]]
 [[Category:People from Menlo Park, California]]
 [[Category:Princeton Tigers men's basketball players]]
-[[Category:American people of Huguenot descent]]
-[[Category:American people of Welsh descent]]
-[[Category:American people of Scottish descent]]
 [[Category:People from Corpus Christi, Texas]]
-[[Category:People from Princeton, New Jersey]]
+[[Category:People from Montgomery Township, New Jersey]]
+[[Category:Politicians from Princeton, New Jersey]]
 [[Category:New Jersey Democrats]]
 [[Category:La Follette family]]
+[[Category:American men's basketball players]]