Fife Symington III

J. Fife Symington III is a former Governor of Arizona.

Born 12 August, 1945 in New York, he was raised in Maryland and educated at Harvard University. His father, J. Fife Symington Jr., was a business executive who was active in Maryland politics and later served as a U.S. Ambassador. After graduation he served in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. Following his military service he went into business as a real estate developer.

He was active in Arizona Republican politics in the 1980s and became a candidate for governor in 1989, winning election in a run-off in 1991.

However, he faced substantial legal problems. In 1994 he faced a charges from the government that he had violated conflict of interest laws while director of a savings and loan institution. He was able to settle this lawsuit out of court. Then, in 1997, he was convicted of fraud for his business practices as a real estate developer prior to his election (but during his political campaign). The charges primarily centered around misleading financial statements he provided to lenders and investors, overstating assets and understating liabilities.

He appealed, and his conviction was overturned by the U.S. Court of Appeals in 1999 for reasons relating to trial procedure. He was pardoned by President Bill Clinton in January, 2001. Later in 2001, he settled out of court with pension funds that sustained the losses leading to the original trial.

Following his conviction, he earned a degree in culinary arts, and now operates a culinary school and works as a chef.

As of February, 2005, he is considering another run for governor.

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Categories: Arizona | U.S. politicians | People from New York | Scandals | 1945 births