Jim McGreevey

James Edward McGreevey (born August 6, 1957) is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party, who served as the 52nd Governor of New Jersey from 2002 until his resignation in 2004. He served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1990 to 1992, as the Mayor of Woodbridge Township from 1991 to 2002 and in the New Jersey Senate from 1994 to 1998. He was the Democratic nominee for Governor of New Jersey in 1997 but was narrowly defeated by Republican incumbent Christine Todd Whitman. He ran again in 2001 and was elected by a large margin. In early 2002, Governor McGreevey was criticized for appointing his secret lover, Israeli national Golan Cipel, as homeland security adviser even though Cipel lacked experience or other qualifications for the position. On August 12, 2004, McGreevey came out as gay and announced he would resign the governorship, effective November 15, 2004. This made McGreevey the first openly gay governor in United States history. In 2007, McGreevey was accepted by the General Theological Seminary in New York City to obtain his Master of Divinity degree, a requirement to becoming an Episcopal priest. He volunteered service through Exodus Transitional Community to former prisoners seeking rehabilitation at the Church of Living Hope in New York City. In July 2013, McGreevey was appointed head of Jersey City's Employment & Training Program (JCETP). In January 2019, the board of the non-profit voted to terminate his employment.