Joseph John Fauliso (February 16, 1916 – August 20, 2014) was an American politician who was the 103rd lieutenant governor of Connecticut from 1980 to 1991.[1]

Joseph J. Fauliso
103rd Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut
In office
December 31, 1980 – January 9, 1991
GovernorWilliam A. O’Neill
Preceded byWilliam A. O'Neill
Succeeded byEunice Groark
Member of the Connecticut State Senate
from the 1st district
In office
January 4, 1967 – December 31, 1980
Preceded byThomas J. Kerrigan Jr.
Succeeded byWilliam A. DiBella
Personal details
Born(1916-02-16)February 16, 1916
Stonington, Connecticut
DiedAugust 20, 2014(2014-08-20) (aged 98)
Hartford, Connecticut
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseAnn-Marie Schwerdtfeger
Alma materBoston University Law School

Early life

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Fauliso was born in Stonington, Connecticut. He studied at Providence College and then studied law at Boston University Law School. He married Ann-Marie Schwerdtfeger and they have one son, Richard.[2]

Political career

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Fauliso was an Alderman in Hartford and city and state judge before he was first elected into the Connecticut Senate in 1966. He served as President pro tempore of the Connecticut Senate. Early in 1980, he told his close friend, governor Ella T. Grasso, that he had decided not to seek reelection that year, after seven terms in the State Senate. Grasso then asked Fauliso to reconsider, because she needed him in the Senate for the final two years of her second term. He consulted with his family and close friends, and after a week told Grasso he would seek reelection. What he did not anticipate was that Grasso would resign on December 31, 1980, because she was dying from cancer. On that day, Lieutenant Governor William A. O'Neill became the new governor and Fauliso, as the newly reelected leader of the State Senate, automatically became Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut.[2] Fauliso then stayed as lieutenant governor throughout the gubernatorial terms of O'Neill. They did not seek reelection in 1990 and served until January 9, 1991. He died in 2014 at the age of 98.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Brief Descriptions of Connecticut State Agencies, Lieutenant Governor Archived 2007-10-26 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b Madden, Richard L. (December 4, 1981). "For Governor's Deputy, an Unforeseen Step Up". The New York Times. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  3. ^ Former Lt. Gov. Joseph J. Fauliso dies at 98
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut
1982, 1986
Succeeded by
Sandra Bender
Political offices
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut
1980-1991
Succeeded by