Mary McCarty
EducationUniversity of Florida
OccupationPolitician
SpouseKevin McCarty

Mary Ballard McCarty (born December 8, 1954) is a politician and former County Commissioner in Palm Beach County, Florida, and served in office from November 1990[1] until resigning for corruption, announced on January 8, 2009.[2] McCarty resigned from the Board of County Commissioners after she pleaded guilty to one count of honest services fraud.[3] The charges stemmed from votes on projects that indirectly benefited her husband, Kevin McCarty a former employee of Raymond James, without the required disclosure and she received reduced hotel rates from a company that did business with Palm Beach County.[1]

Prior to joining the County Commission, McCarty was elected to the Delray Beach, Florida City Commission; she was first elected to the post in 1987 at the age of 32.[4] In December 2000 McCarty became the chair of the Palm Beach County Republican Party.[5] and served two years.[6]

After pleading guilty, McCarty served 21 months of a 3½-year prison sentence.[4] After being released from a Texas prison, McCarty and her husband (who also served prison time) returned to Palm Beach County and jointly started a management consulting business. Mary McCarty also opened a life coaching business.[4]

Early life, education and family

Mary Ballard McCarty was born in Chicago, Illinois on December 8, 1954, the eldest of six children.[7] The family lived there for a time in Arlington Heights and Northbrook, both suburbs of Chicago.[7] In 1969, McCarty's family moved to Spooner, Wisconsin,[7] where McCarty graduated from Spooner High School in June, 1972. In the same month, McCarty's family moved to Delray Beach, Florida.[7] McCarty started attending the University of Florida in 1973.[7] She began her career in politics as an intern for U.S. House Majority Leader Tip O'Neill in Washington D.C. in 1974[7] and helped to monitor the Watergate Hearings. She worked as a waitress to help pay for college.[8]

McCarty graduated from the University of Florida in 1977 with a bachelor's degree in journalism.[9][10] McCarty went on to work in many capacities in the restaurant industry including, waiting tables,[8] bar-tending,[11] and management.[9] McCarty is married to Kevin McCarty[8]

In 1986, McCarty co-chaired the Delray Beach 75th Diamond Jubilee,[9] a month-long city anniversary celebration.

Public office

From 1987 - 1990, she was a City Commissioner and Vice-Mayor of Delray Beach. From November 1990 until her 2009 resignation, she was a county commissioner of Palm Beach County. In 2002, CEO Magazine named her as one of the "100 Most Powerful People in South Florida".[12]

Federal felony conviction

On January 8, 2009, McCarty resigned from office after 18 years and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud.[13] The charges stemmed from votes on projects that indirectly benefited her husband’s employer without the required disclosure and failed to disclose that she received reduced hotel rates from a company that did business with the county (in establishing a Palm Beach County Convention Center hotel).[14]

In June 2009, U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks sentenced McCarty to 42 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.[15] McCarty served her sentence at the Federal Prison Camp, Bryan in Texas.[16][17] She ultimately served 21 months in prison.[4]

Her husband, Kevin also pleaded guilty to a misprision of a felony for not reporting his wife’s crimes to authorities. He was sentenced to 8 months [18] and spent 5 months in Miami Federal Prison Camp, serving the remaining time under Halfway House supervision.[19]

Life after prison

After being released from a Texas prison, McCarty and her husband (who also served prison time) returned to Palm Beach County and jointly started a management consulting business. Mary McCarty also opened a life coaching business.[4]

Presidential pardon

December 2020 pardon granted by Donald Trump

On December 23, 2020, McCarty received a full pardon from President Donald Trump.[20]

References

  1. 1 2 James, Meg (November 7, 1990). "Big Spenders Take 3 Seats Roberts, McCarty Foster Win Close Race". The Palm Beach Post.
  2. ↑ Reid, Andy (January 8, 2009). "Palm Beach County Commissioner Mary McCarty Resigns, Pleads Guilty to Fraud". The Palm Beach Post.
  3. ↑ "Palm Beach commissioner resigns after fraud charges". Associated Press. January 9, 2009.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Eliot Kleinberg, Mary McCarty’s got a brand new gig: Prison-life coach, Palm Beach Post (November 11, 2015).
  5. ↑ Bennett, George (December 7, 2000). "McCarty to Head Palm Beach County Republican Party". The Palm Beach Post.
  6. ↑ Briefs "County Commissioner Mary McCarty one of three volunteers" "The Palm Beach Post", July 3, 2003.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 James, Meg (April 12, 1992). "Mary Mary, Quite Contrary". The Palm Beach Post.
  8. 1 2 3 Minor, Emily J. (May 5, 2011). "Interview: Mary McCarty reflects on life after prison". The Coastal Star.
  9. 1 2 3 James, Meg (November 1, 1990). "Growth, Environment Central to County Race". The Palm Beach Post.
  10. ↑ Any spelling OK in write-in vs. incumbent County Commission, Palm Beach Post, 6B (October 18, 1998).
  11. ↑ James, Meg (1990). "Wilkens, McCarty Trade Campaign Jobs". The Palm Beach Post.
  12. ↑ "McCarty Piles up Another Honor" "The Palm Beach Post", June 1, 2004.
  13. ↑ Reid, Andy "Palm Beach County Commissioner Mary McCarty Resigns, Plans to Plead Guilty Fraud, The Palm Beach Post (January 8, 2009).
  14. ↑ Mike Vogel, Mary McCarty's Fall from Grace (March 1, 2009).
  15. ↑ Veteran Palm Beach County Commissioner Is Sentenced in Public Corruption Probe, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida (June 4, 2009).
  16. ↑ Brian Haas, McCarty Arrives At Federal Prison, South Florida Sun-Sentinel (July 14, 2009).
  17. ↑ George Bennett, Mary McCarty says prison has made her humble: Former Palm Beach County commissioner is serving sentence for fraud, Palm Beach Post (January 23, 2011).
  18. ↑ Dargan, Michele "McCarty Pleads Guilty; Husband gets eight months" "Palm Beach Daily News", March 28, 2009.
  19. ↑ Lambiet, Jose "Kevin McCarty finishing sentence in Halfway House", December 2009.
  20. ↑ www.whitehouse.gov
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