Guide to the Jay C. Waldman Papers, 1968-2003 AIS.2007.10

Arrangement

Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title
Jay C. Waldman Papers
Creator
Waldman, Jay C.
Collection Number
AIS.2007.10
Extent
30 Linear Feet (24 boxes)
Date
1968-2003
Abstract
The Jay C. Waldman Papers document the fifteen years (1971-1986) Waldman served as a close aide to Dick Thornburgh. Waldman first joined Thornburgh in 1971 when Thornburgh was serving as United States Attorney for Western Pennsylvania, later went with him to Washington, D.C. to the Criminal Division at the United States Department of Justice, and subsequently returned to Pennsylvania with Thornburgh in 1977 to manage his successful Campaign for Governor. He then served as the Executive Assistant to the Governor and General Counsel until 1986 when he returned to the private practice of law in Philadelphia. The collection includes material such as correspondence, memoranda, issue research and polling, news clips, and legal case documents.
Language
English .
Author
Nancy Watson
Publisher
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address
University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

Biography

The Jay C. Waldman Papers document the fifteen years that he served as a close aide to Dick Thornburgh in his political career in the U.S. Department of Justice and as Pennsylvania Governor. As advisor to Thornburgh, Waldman also played a pivotal role in Pennsylvania government. Thornburgh's dedication to Waldman in his autobiography, Where the Evidence Leads, describes the relationship best: "To my friend, colleague and mentor."

Waldman graduated from University of Wisconsin in 1966, where he received honors in History and Political Science, and from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1969. Following law school, he served as law clerk to Pittsburgh Judge Gwilym A. Price, Jr. and briefly was an associate at Rose, Schmidt & Dixon in Pittsburgh.

Waldman became known early on for his keen intellect and insights and accordingly served in major roles throughout Thornburgh's years of public service. In May 1971, Waldman first joined Thornburgh, then U.S. Attorney for Western Pennsylvania. When Thornburgh moved on to serve as Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., Waldman accompanied him and served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General responsible for the Division's Organized Crime and Racketeering Section, Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, and Public Integrity Section, as well as the management of litigation for these operations from July 1975 to 1977.

Thornburgh returned to Pittsburgh to run for Governor in 1977; Waldman soon joined him and served as his Campaign Manager. Waldman's winning 1978 campaign strategies proved to be exceptional, particularly as Waldman had never run a campaign before. He subsequently served as executive assistant and legal counsel during Thornburgh's years as Governor of Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1986. The Spring 2004 issue of the "Penn Journal" said, "Those who had the good fortune to know and work with Judge Waldman during these years, witnessed the workings of a brilliant political mind." After leaving the Thornburgh Administration, Waldman practiced law in Philadelphia and was nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in 1988, serving on the federal bench for 14 years. At the time of his death in 2003, it was expected that he would be elevated to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Scope and Content Notes

The material in this collection reflects the expansive responsibilities Waldman amassed in his fifteen years of service as an aide to Dick Thornburgh. In addition to his native ability and advice, it is well known and documented that Waldman and Thornburgh not only worked well together, but also respected and admired one another. Waldman's collection and that of Dick Thornburgh's are significantly linked together, as many topics and issues are specifically intertwined. The collection contains correspondence, memoranda, issues, research and polling, news clippings, and legal case documents. The majority of the materials in this collection date from 1968 to 2003.

Waldman's contributions in each of his fifteen years of public service are reflected in these personal papers. However, as one who did not commit much to paper, the files are diverse and thin in some respects. They do reflect Waldman's expansive responsibilities in each position and the issues addressed. Waldman's ideas are particularly well represented in his memoranda during the first campaign for governor (1977-1978) and in reports and memoranda to Dick Thornburgh in Department of Justice years.

Waldman's official files from his gubernatorial years (1979-1986) are held by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission as part of the Dick Thornburgh Governor files: collection MC-404. Waldman's, as Executive Assistant and General Counsel, are within that collection: 4-2825.

Arrangement

Series I. Office of the United States Attorney, Western Pennsylvania, 1965-1975

Series II. Criminal Division, United States Department of Justice, 1975-1977

Series III. Campaign for Governor Consultants, 1977-1978

Series IV. Campaign for Governor Opposition Research, 1977-1978

Series V. Campaign for Governor Issues, 1977-1978

Series VI. Campaign for Governor Primary Election, 1977-1978

Series VII. Campaign for Governor General Election, 1978

Series VIII. Gubernatorial Transition, 1978

Series IX. Re-election Campaign for Governor, 1979-1983

Series X. Office of the Governor, 1979-1986

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Roberta Waldman in 2007.

Custodial History

The Waldman files came from his office and home following his untimely death in 2003. They were collected, boxed and ultimately kindly donated to the University of Pittsburgh by his wife, Roberta Waldman. Some files and papers were loose in boxes, some foldered, many not. Where Waldman had assorted folders in large accordion files or others titled specifically by him, that order has been maintained.

Previous Citation

Jay C. Waldman Papers, 1968-2003, AIS.2007.10, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh

Preferred Citation

Jay C. Waldman Papers, 1968-2003, AIS.2007.10, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Nancy Watson in January-September 2009.

Copyright

The University of Pittsburgh holds the property rights to the material in this collection, but the copyright may still be held by the original creator/author. Researchers are therefore advised to follow the regulations set forth in the U.S. Copyright Code when publishing, quoting, or reproducing material from this collection without the consent of the creator/author or that go beyond what is allowed by fair use.

Related Material

Dick Thornburgh Papers, AIS.1998.30, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Peter F. Flaherty Papers, 1964-1995, AIS.1999.19. Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission: Waldman

Separated Material

All media material including tapes and recordings are housed separately in media storage.

Subjects

    Corporate Names

    • Pennsylvania. Governor -- Elections, 1978
    • United States. Department of Justice. Public Integrity Section
    • Pennsylvania. Office of the Governor. Office of General Counsel
    • Pennsylvania. Office of the Governor
    • United States. Attorney (Pennsylvania : Western District)
    • United States. Attorney-General
    • United States. Department of Justice. Criminal Division. Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section
    • United States. Department of Justice. Criminal Division. Organized Crime and Racketeering Section

    Personal Names

    • Thornburgh, Dick
    • Waldman, Jay C.

    Geographic Names

    • Pennsylvania -- Politics and government -- 20th century
    • United States -- Politics and government -- 20th century
    • Pittsburgh (Pa.)
    • Harrisburg (Pa.)
    • Philadelphia (Pa.)
    • Washington (D.C.)

    Genres

    • Correspondence
    • Memorandums
    • Legal documents
    • Clippings (Information artifacts)

    Other Subjects

    • Lawyers -- Pennsylvania
    • Lawyers -- United States
    • Organized crime -- United States
    • Politics
    • Campaign management -- Pennsylvania
    • Personal papers
    • Political campaigns -- Pennsylvania

Container List