Mo Cowan honors Sean Collier and Richard Donohue Jr., police officer casualties of the Boston bombers Recorded April 25, 2013
William Maurice Cowan (born April 4, 1969) is an American politician who served as a United States Senator from Massachusetts from February 1, 2013, to July 15, 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as legal counsel and chief of staff to Governor Deval Patrick. Patrick appointed him on an interim basis to fill the vacancy left by fellow Democrat John Kerry, who resigned to become U.S. Secretary of State.[1]
Cowan was born on April 4, 1969, in rural Yadkinville, North Carolina, the son of a machinist and a seamstress. His father died when he was 16 years old.[3][4]
In 1997, Cowan joined the law firm of Mintz Levin as an associate. There he practiced civil litigation and became a partner. He helped Massachusetts GovernorMitt Romney identify African-American candidates for judgeships after Romney was criticized for lack of diversity among his appointees.[4]
Cowan left Mintz Levin to join Deval Patrick's administration in 2009.[6] As Patrick's counsel, Cowan was responsible for the legal operations of the executive branch and oversaw the governor's judicial nominations, including that of Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial CourtRoderick L. Ireland. His principal projects as staff included legislation to contain the growth of health care costs and to expand gaming, as well as investigating and reorganizing the state Parole Board.[7]
Cowan served as Patrick's chief legal counsel for two years and then as chief of staff from January 2011 until November 2012, when he announced plans to return to the private sector. He continued to serve the governor as a senior adviser until his Senate appointment.[8] When appointed to the Senate, he said he had no intention of seeking public office once his interim appointment expired. He said: "This is going to be a very short political career. I am not running for office. I'm not a candidate for public service at any time today or in the future."[9]
In 2003, Boston Business Journal named him to its list of "40 under 40", a select group of younger business and civic leaders.[10] He is the former president of the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association[5] and the Northeastern Law School Alumni Association.[11] He serves on the Board of Trustees of Northeastern University.[12] Other non-profit boards he has served on include the Discovering Justice Foundation,[13] Roxbury Preparatory Charter School,[14] the Chestnut Hill School,[15] and Project STEP.[16]
In December 2012, President Barack Obama announced the nomination of U.S. Senator and Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry to serve as Secretary of State, leaving a vacancy in the seat Kerry had held for 28 years.[17] Under state law, the Massachusetts House of Representatives grants the governor of Massachusetts the right to fill vacant U.S. Senate seats with an interim appointment.[18] Governor Deval Patrick announced that he was looking at "out of the box candidates" who had never run for office, and would hold the seat temporarily, forgoing a run in the special election.[19][20]
On January 30, 2013, Patrick announced the appointment of Cowan to the seat.[21] Cowan became Massachusetts's second African-American U.S. Senator after Edward Brooke.[22] He served alongside Tim Scott of South Carolina,[23] the first time that two African-Americans served simultaneously in the Senate.[2][24] Cowan's term officially began on February 1, 2013, once Kerry's resignation took effect. He was sworn in by Vice President Joe Biden on February 7.[25] The term ended on July 15, 2013, when Ed Markey was sworn in following the special election.
