Edward Beard

Edward Peter Beard (January 20, 1940 – January 11, 2021) was an American politician who served in the United States House of Representatives from Rhode Island's 2nd congressional district from 1975 to 1981, as a member of the Democratic Party. He served in the Rhode Island House of Representatives from 1973 to 1975.

Beard was born in Providence, Rhode Island, and dropped out of school in order to financially support his family. He worked as a painter before defeating an incumbent representative in his election to the state legislature. He defeated incumbent U.S. Representative Robert Tiernan for a seat in the U.S. House in 1974. Beard won renomination in 1976 despite not being endorsed by the Democratic Party. He defeated Claudine Schneider in 1978, but lost to her in 1980.

During Beard's tenure in the U.S. House he was criticized for his finances and handling of campaign funds. He was accused of not reporting fundraiser revenue, using campaign funds for personal use, and taking bribes from the mafia.

Edward Peter Beard was born in Providence, Rhode Island, on January 20, 1940,^[1] to Thomas J. Beard and Anna L. Fitzpatrick.^[2][3] His father died when he was 11 and his sister drowned.^[4] He attended Assumption Elementary School and Hope High School, but dropped out to help his mother financially. He completed the General Educational Development while serving as a member of the Rhode Island Army National Guard from 1960 to 1966.^[1][5]

Beard was a boxer for two years.^[6] He worked as a painter at the Rhode Island School of Design^[7] and as a house painter, for which he earned $6,000 in 1973.^[1][8] He was a member of Painters' Union Local 195, an affiliate of the AFL-CIO.^[9] He married Marsha,^[10] with whom he had two children.^[4]

Beard defeated incumbent Leonard W. Forrest Jr. in the 1972 Democratic primary.^[11] Beard served as a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives from 1973 to 1975.^[1]

For the 1974 election Beard considered running for a seat in the United States House of Representatives or for Governor of Rhode Island.^[12] Beard defeated incumbent U.S. Representative Robert Tiernan for the Democratic nomination in Rhode Island's 2nd congressional district^[13] despite being outspent $41,697 to $8,192.^[14] Tiernan blamed his decision to change his endorsement in the Providence mayoral primary and his congressional workload for his defeat.^[15] Beard's cash-on-hand fell to $40.15 after the primary.^[7] He defeated Republican nominee Vincent J. Rotondo.^[16]

U.S. Senator John Pastore did not seek reelection in the 1976 election. Beard considered seeking the Democratic nomination to succeed Pastore, but chose to run for reelection to the U.S. House citing a lack of campaign funds and wanting to keep his committee positions.^[17] Eugene J. McCaffrey Jr., the mayor of Warwick, Rhode Island, defeated Beard for the endorsement of the Democratic State Committee, the first time a Rhode Island congressmember failed to win his party's endorsement.^[18] However, Beard won the Democratic primary^[19] and defeated Republican nominee Thomas V. Iannitti in the general election.^[20]

On February 5, 1978, Beard announced that he would seek reelection^[21] and was endorsed by the Democratic Party.^[22] Beard defeated Republican nominee Claudine Schneider in the 1978 election with 52% of the vote.^[23] Beard credited his victory to the coattail effect of appearing on the same ballot as Claiborne Pell and J. Joseph Garrahy.^[24] Beard defeated Stephen J. Fortunato, who spent over $100,000, in the 1980 Democratic primary,^[25][26] but Schneider defeated Beard in the general election.^[27][28]

During Beard's tenure he served on the Education, Labor, Aging, and Veterans' Affairs committees.^[17] The Blue Collar Caucus was founded by Beard and ten other representatives in 1977,^[29] but it was dissolved on February 2, 1979.^[30] Beard was among the 31 congressmembers who called for Bert Lance, director of the Office of Management and Budget, to resign in response to Lance's banking and financial affairs.^[31]

Pastore did not attend a testimonial dinner by Beard on March 8, 1975. Beard sent a letter to Pastore in which he called Pastore stupid, but later sent a letter expressing regret a week later. Beard also sent negative letters to Governor Philip Noel, Lieutenant Governor J. Joseph Garrahy, and Democratic Chair Charles Reilly.^[32] In 1977, Beard announced that he would not use testimonials to raise funds for himself.^[33]

Jay Solomon, the administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA), met with Beard in September 1978 to discuss using Beard as an undercover agent to investigate fraud by painting contractors in the GSA. Beard was a candidate due to his history as a house painter. However, Beard had to focus on his reelection campaign and Solomon hired a team of inspectors.^[34]

Beard endorsed Frank Church during the 1976 Democratic Party presidential primaries.^[35] Five U.S. representatives, including Beard, launched a draft effort in 1979 to have Ted Kennedy run for the Democratic nomination in the 1980 presidential election.^[36] Beard announced on August 7, 1979, that he would run as a favorite son in Rhode Island's presidential primary on behalf of Kennedy if Kennedy did not run himself^[37] and filed his candidacy with the Federal Election Commission on August 23.^[38]

Beard hosted a $50 cocktail party on October 29, 1974, as a campaign fundraiser. He reported receiving $1,100 from the event, but Theodore C. DiStefano claimed that he gave $3,000-5,000 to Beard at the party. Thomas J. Logan, who worked for Beard as a campaign aid, claimed that the cocktail party raised at least $5,000. Chair of the Cranston Democratic City Committee Michael DiRaimo, who handled the money, and Beard stated that only $1,100 was given to Beard and DiRaimo denied receiving money from DiStefano. The Associated Press found four canceled checks totaling $550 sent through DiStefano that were endorsed by DiRaimo and Beard's wife. Beard later said that he accepted $1,000, which was raised from nursing home owners by DiStefano, at a luncheon after the 1974 election.^[10] The Associated Press discovered that Beard did not report $1,200 he raised at a 1975 fundraiser.^[39] The Internal Revenue Service conducted an investigation into Beard and reported on August 11, 1977, that he owed $603.87 in back taxes.^[40]

George E. Conley, president of the Mayflower Savings and Loan Association, gave Beard, who described Conley as a longtime friend, a $6,000 personal check to buy a car in 1976. Conley claimed that the money was not a gift. The money was part of a loan with 6% annual interest, meaning that Beard would pay $500 less than the average car loan holder.^[41]

Of the money Beard raised during the 1974 campaign, he used $7,000 for personal expenses. Iannitti accused him of illegally diverting $30,000 of campaign funds for personal use, but did not provide evidence.^[10]

Nicholas A. Palmigiano, a mafia hitman, claimed that Beard accepted $5,000 from mob boss Nicholas Bianco in exchange for a favor Beard did for Bianco. Beard was called before a grand jury and questioned about Palmigiano's allegations in 1981.^[42]

After losing reelection Beard purchased the Batter's Choice Tavern in Central Falls, Rhode Island.^[43][44] He ran for mayor of Providence in 1982,^[45] but Francis Darigan Jr. defeated him in the Democratic primary.^[46] He attempted to regain his congressional seat, but lost in the Democratic primary to Jack Reed.^[47] He worked at WHJJ in the 1980s.^[48] Beard was director of elderly affairs for Providence from 1986 to 2002. He died in Providence on January 11, 2021,^[1] after suffering from Parkinson's disease.^[5]

In 1974, Beard proposed legislation to require all new municipal and state buildings constructed in Rhode Island to be handicap accessible.^[49] Public Citizen gave Beard a score of 46% in 1976.^[50] He voted in favor of the District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment.^[51]

The United Steelworkers's unionization effort at General Dynamics Electric Boat's plant at Quonset Point in 1977 was supported by Beard.^[52] He advocated for victims of byssinosis and criticized the South Carolina General Assembly due to byssinosis in the state.^[53]

In response to rising oil prices, Beard called for oil dealers in Rhode Island to volunterarily price control their products.^[54] Beard initially supported nuclear power plants, but withdrew his support for the construction of a nuclear power plant in Charlestown, Rhode Island after the Three Mile Island accident.^[55] In 1980, Beard accused 50 members of congress of being "bought off" by the oil industry and cited a report showing $3.9 million in political donations.^[56]

John Chafee, Fernand St Germain, Pell, and Beard introduced legislation in 1978 to appropriate $3.5 million in order to settle the Narragansett people's land claims in Charlestown.^[57] The government would purchase 900 acres of land with the money and the state government would donate an additional 900 acres of land.^[58] Beard voted in favor of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act in 1978.^[59]

Beard supported the anti-abortion movement.^[21] Beard voted to prohibit the usage of Medicaid funds for abortions.^[60] He voted in favor of the Hyde Amendment.^[61]

Beard sent a letter to Tip O'Neill, Jimmy Carter, and the United States Government Accountability Office requesting that the government seize assets from the Peoples Temple and that taxpayer money not be spent on identifying and airlifting the victims of the Jonestown massacre.^[62]

Beard went to Nicosia, Cyprus, in 1975, but was blocked by Turkish soldiers from entering the portion of the city held by the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus.^[63] Kâmran İnan, a member of the Senate of the Republic, created the incident "just to create a public image".^[64] Beard was critical of the United States sending weapons to Turkey due to the conflict in Cyprus.^[65]

Beard criticized Garrahy for meeting with Deng Xiaoping and stated that it would be like if Garrahy met with Adolf Hitler. Beard was the only member of Rhode Island's congressional delegation to oppose normalizing relations with China.^[66] He voted in favor of the Taiwan Relations Act in 1979.^[67]

In response to the Iran hostage crisis Beard called for all Iranians to be expelled from the United States. He was critical of students from Iran who participated in protests against the United States.^[68] He requested that UN Ambassador Donald McHenry ask all member nations of the United Nations to boycott Iranian oil until the hostages were released.^[69]

Beard was critical of Interpol and stated that it was a "definite threat to the privacy and basic human rights" of Americans.^[70]

• United States Congress. "Edward Beard (id: B000279)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.