Jackie Clarkson

Jackie Clarkson
Clarkson in 2012
Member of the New Orleans City Council
In office
2007–2014
Preceded byMichael C. Darnell (interim)
Succeeded byJason Williams
ConstituencyAt-large (division 2)
In office
2002–2006
Preceded byTroy Carter
Succeeded byJames Carter
ConstituencyDistrict C
In office
1990–1994
Preceded byMike Early
Succeeded byTroy Carter
ConstituencyDistrict C
Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
from the 102nd district
In office
1994–2002
Preceded byTroy Carter
Succeeded byJeff Arnold
Personal details
Born
Jacquelyn Brechtel

(1936-01-17)January 17, 1936
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
DiedJune 26, 2024(2024-06-26) (aged 88)
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseArthur Clarkson
Children5, including Patricia

Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson (January 17, 1936 – June 26, 2024) was an American politician who served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1994 to 2002 and on the New Orleans City Council from 1990 to 1994, 2002 to 2006, and 2007 to 2013. She had been Honorary consul of Lithuania in New Orleans from December 2014 to her death.[1] She was the mother of actress Patricia Clarkson.

Background

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Clarkson was born as Jacquelyn Brechtel in New Orleans on January 17, 1936.[2] Her maternal grandmother, Sophie Bass, was a Jewish immigrant from Lithuania.[2][3] She was the daughter of Sophie (née Berengher) and Johnny Brechtel, a football coach. She was married to Arthur Clarkson and they have five daughters, including Academy Award-nominated actress Patricia Clarkson. Before entering politics she was in real estate and president of the Louisiana Realtor Association.[4]

Clarkson represented District C on the New Orleans City Council from 1990 to 1994 and from 2002 to 2006, as well as District 102 at the Louisiana House of Representatives.[5] The boundaries of District 102 are roughly the same as the Algiers neighborhood (also known as the Fifteenth Ward) in New Orleans.[6][7] Those of District C include Algiers, as well as the Vieux Carré or French Quarter neighborhood.[8]

Clarkson died on June 26, 2024, at the age of 88.[9]

After Hurricane Katrina

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Clarkson ran for Councilmember at Large in 2006, but she lost in the general election, often called the runoff in Louisiana, against Arnie Fielkow, another Democrat and former Executive Vice President of the National Football League's New Orleans Saints.[10][11] Mayor Ray Nagin won re-election only after facing a much tougher challenge than expected before the hurricane,[12] and half of the council members who ran again were defeated.[13]

The resignation of Councilmember at Large Oliver Thomas in 2007 over bribery charges enabled Clarkson to return on New Orleans City Council. She was elected to her first term as Councilmember-at-Large in a special election in November 2007, defeating Cynthia Willard-Lewis.[14]

Clarkson in 2008 and 2009 became particularly outspoken in defending likeminded councilwoman Stacy Head in a feud with city sanitation director Veronica White. Clarkson called for White's dismissal, but Nagin defended White.[15]

Clarkson was re-elected as Councilmember at Large in February 2010 (again narrowly defeating Cynthia Willard-Lewis),[16] and was named president of the council in May 2011.[17]

Election history

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Although a lifelong Democrat, Clarkson had received support from Republican organizations including the Parish Executive Committee of the Orleans Parish Republican Party.[18] In 2008 she broke party ranks and supported Republican challenger Anh "Joseph" Cao in his longshot but successful bid to unseat Democratic incumbent William J. Jefferson from Louisiana's 2nd congressional district seat.[19] Likeminded fellow Democratic Councilwoman Stacy Head found herself soon facing a recall petition. Clarkson, however, was not subjected to a recall effort; as councilwoman-at-large she represented a broader constituency, and she was more ingrained into the New Orleans political scene.[20] In May 2009, as the New Orleans e-mail controversies intensified, Clarkson began publishing thousands of her e-mail messages online:

Anything we don't want the public to see, we shouldn't put in an e-mail. [...] Just let us do it responsibly so private information about our constituents doesn't get out there.[21]
Orleans Parish Councilmember, District C, 1994[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Troy Carter 13,355 50.04
Democratic Jackie Clarkson 13,331 49.96
Total votes 26,686 100.00
Louisiana State Representative, 102nd Representative District, 1994[23][24]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jackie Clarkson 4,018 49.07
Democratic Yvonne Mitchell-Grubb 2,504 30.58
Democratic Adam "12" Thomas, Sr. 642 7.84
Democratic A. F. "Sonny" Armond 346 4.23
Democratic Anna Perkins 231 2.82
Democratic Kenneth P. Garrett, Sr. 226 2.76
Other William "Van" Howenstine 222 2.71
Total votes 8,189 100.00
General election
Democratic Jackie Clarkson 4,965 55.48
Democratic Yvonne Mitchell-Grubb 3,984 44.52
Total votes 8,949 100.00
Louisiana State Representative, 102nd Representative District, 1995[25][26]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jackie Clarkson (incumbent) 4,691 45.42
Democratic Ron Guidry 3,952 38.26
Republican William "Van" Howenstine 1,122 10.86
Democratic Philip Gibson 563 5.45
Total votes 10,328 100.00
General election
Democratic Jackie Clarkson (incumbent) 6,040 50.89
Democratic Ron Guidry 5,829 49.11
Total votes 11,869 100.00
Louisiana State Representative, 102nd Representative District, 1999[27]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jackie Clarkson (incumbent) 5,520 62.30
Democratic Kenneth P. Garrett 1,453 16.40
Democratic Clifford Gasper 1,263 14.25
Democratic Benita Williams Dalcour 625 7.05
Total votes 8,861 100.00
Orleans Parish Councilmember, District C, 2002[28]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jackie Clarkson 11,961 52.56
Democratic Catherine Smith 3,783 16.62
Democratic Nelson Savoie 2,721 11.96
Democratic Danette O'Neal 2,688 11.81
Other Catherine Moody 984 4.32
Other Lawrence J. Goldstein 620 2.72
Total votes 22,757 100.00
Orleans Parish Councilmembers at Large (2 seats), 2006[29][30]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Oliver Thomas (winner) 66,374 39.19
Democratic Jackie Clarkson (runoff) 36,839 21.75
Democratic Arnie Fielkow (runoff) 31,092 18.36
Democratic David Lapin 9,239 5.46
Democratic Leonard Lucas, Jr 8,736 5.16
Republican Michael T. Gray 7,220 4.26
No party preference Roger Wilson 2,985 1.76
Republican Alden G. Hagardorn 2,579 1.52
No party preference William "Poppa" Gant 1,919 1.13
Democratic Carlos J. Hornbrook 1,701 1.00
No party preference "Les" Evenchick 681 0.40
Total votes 169,365 100.00
General election
Democratic Arnie Fielkow 61,420 56.48
Democratic Jackie Clarkson 47,324 43.52
Total votes 108,744 100.00
Orleans Parish Councilmembers at Large, 2007[31][32]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Cynthia Willard-Lewis 20,623 28.01
Democratic Jackie Clarkson 15,766 21.41
Democratic Virginia Boulet 14,620 19.86
Democratic Diana E. Bajoie 7,816 10.62
Other Kaare Johnson 4,569 6.21
Democratic Tommie A. Vassel 4,259 5.78
Democratic Kimberly Williamson Butler 2,622 3.56
No party preference Malcolm Suber 832 1.13
No party preference Thomas Lewis 777 1.06
No party preference Quentin Brown 521 0.71
Democratic Dyan French 512 0.70
Democratic Gail Masters Reimonenq 294 0.40
Total votes 73,627 100.00
General election
Democratic Jackie Clarkson 27,740 52.72
Democratic Cynthia Willard-Lewis 24,874 47.28
Total votes 52,614 100.00

Footnotes

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  1. ^ "Atidarytas pirmasis Lietuvos garbės konsulatas Naujajame Orleane | Naujienos | Lietuvos Respublikos užsienio reikalų ministerija". Retrieved November 27, 2023.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ a b "Golden Globe Winner Grateful to Litvak Ancestors". Jewish Community of Lithuania. January 14, 2019. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  3. ^ Auksinio gaublio laimėtoja už išvaizdą dėkinga protėviams iš Lietuvos Archived January 10, 2019, at the Wayback Machine ( Lithuanian daily newspaper Lietuvos rytas)
  4. ^ "Biography". jackieclarkson.com. Archived from the original on February 12, 2015. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  5. ^ "The 2000 Legislature". The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.). November 22, 1999. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  6. ^ Campanella, Richard (August 8, 2017). "How Algiers grudgingly became part of New Orleans". NOLA.com. Archived from the original on June 30, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  7. ^ "New Orleans House (2003) District 102 Census Map" (PDF). house.louisiana.gov. 2003. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 11, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  8. ^ "New Orleans City Council District C Map". nola.gov. Archived from the original on February 21, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  9. ^ Myers, Ben (June 26, 2024). "Jackie Clarkson, New Orleans City Council member and state rep, dead at 88". NOLA. New Orleans. Archived from the original on June 26, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  10. ^ DuBos, Clancy (June 27, 2024). "Clancy DuBos: Farewell to Jackie Clarkson, a gracious yet effective politician". NOLA.com. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  11. ^ "Big Score". February 1, 2008. Archived from the original on June 30, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  12. ^ "Landrieu on the attack in New Orleans debate". NBC News. May 16, 2006. Archived from the original on June 30, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  13. ^ "Louisiana Secretary of State - Live Election Results". April 29, 2010. Archived from the original on April 29, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  14. ^ Frank Douze, Clarkson wins at-large Council seat Archived December 20, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Times-Picayune (New Orleans), November 17, 2007.
  15. ^ See the articles on Stacy Head, Ray Nagin, and Veronica White.
  16. ^ "Arnie Fielkow, Jackie Clarkson elected to New Orleans City Council at-large posts" Archived June 29, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Times-Picayune, February 5, 2010.
  17. ^ "Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson becomes City Council President" Archived March 29, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, official website, May 3, 2011.
  18. ^ Clarkson campaign web site Archived October 22, 2007, at the Wayback Machine (accessed March 18, 2009).
  19. ^ Michelle Krupa & Frank Donze, Anh 'Joseph' Cao beats Rep. William Jefferson in 2nd Congressional District Archived March 18, 2023, at the Wayback Machine, Times-Picayune, December 7, 2008 (accessed March 18, 2009). At the time Jefferson was under indictment on 16 felony counts, and on August 5, 2009, he was convicted on 11 of them (see William J. Jefferson#Indictment and trial).
  20. ^ See Black Residents Defend Stacy Head Amid Recall: Local Group Claims City Council Member Is Racist Archived September 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, March 9, 2009 (accessed March 18, 2009); and James Gill, "Of all the accusations against Stacy Head, only one sticks -- she's white" Archived October 2, 2011, at the Wayback Machine in Times-Picayune (New Orleans), March 18, 2009, Saint Tammany Edition, p. B5.
  21. ^ Krupa, Michelle (May 20, 2009). "More New Orleans City Council e-mail may soon be available online". NOLA.com. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  22. ^ "Councilmember -- District C". Louisiana Secretary of State. February 5, 1994. Archived from the original on May 18, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  23. ^ "State Representative -- 102nd Representative District". Louisiana Secretary of State. October 1, 1994. Archived from the original on May 18, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  24. ^ "State Representative -- 102nd Representative District". Louisiana Secretary of State. November 8, 1994. Archived from the original on May 18, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  25. ^ "State Representative -- 102nd Representative District". Louisiana Secretary of State. October 21, 1995. Archived from the original on May 18, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  26. ^ "State Representative -- 102nd Representative District". Louisiana Secretary of State. November 18, 1995. Archived from the original on May 18, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  27. ^ "State Representative -- 102nd Representative District". Louisiana Secretary of State. October 23, 1999. Archived from the original on May 18, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  28. ^ "Councilmember -- District C". Louisiana Secretary of State. February 2, 2002. Archived from the original on May 18, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  29. ^ "Councilmember(s) at Large". Louisiana Secretary of State. April 22, 2006. Archived from the original on May 18, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  30. ^ "Councilmember(s) at Large". Louisiana Secretary of State. May 20, 2006. Archived from the original on May 18, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  31. ^ "Councilmember(s) at Large". Louisiana Secretary of State. October 20, 2007. Archived from the original on May 18, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  32. ^ "Councilmember(s) at Large". Louisiana Secretary of State. November 17, 2007. Archived from the original on May 18, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
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Political offices
Preceded by
Mike Early (D)
 New Orleans Councilmember, District C
1990–1994 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Louisiana State Representative, 102nd Representative District
1994–2002 		Succeeded by
Preceded by New Orleans Councilmember, District C
2002–2006 		Succeeded by
James Carter (D)
Preceded by
Michael C. Darnell (D)
Interim
 New Orleans Councilmember at Large
2007–2014 		Succeeded by
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