Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Collection |
Van Meter, Thomas A. collection |
Title |
Thomas A. Van Meter collection |
Accession number |
2012-10 |
Admin/Biographical History |
Thomas A. Van Meter, born April 22, 1943, Detroit, Michigan, Died March 7, 1992, Cleveland Clinic, buried Ashland, Ohio. Grew up in Lakewood, Ohio and graduated from Lakewood High School 1961. Graduated Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio, Bachelor of Arts 1965. Military service in the United States Army as 1st Lieutenant 1968. United States Army Reserves, Company Commander 1970-1975 705th Transportation Company, Mansfield, Ohio. Served as congressional assistant to Representative John M. Ashbrook 1965-1967. Served in the Ohio Senate from 1972 to 1982 and in the state House of Representatives from 1985 to 1986. President Van Meter, Ashbrook and Associates, Columbus, Ohio 1983. Consulting firm specializing in corporate policital action committee organization, development and maintainence. Thomas A. Van Meter Article concerning his funeral March 1992 Conservative Republican Thomas A. Van Meter was eulogized yesterday as a man of deep conviction who inspired and nurtured a new generation of conservative activists in Ohio. "The shadow he cast over Ohio's political landscape was longer and more clearly etched than many of his contemporaries," Gov. George V. Voinovich told hundreds of mourners assembled at the Park Street Brethren Church in Ashland. Van Meter, who served in the Ohio Senate and House and unsuccessfully sought the GOP nomination for governor in 1982, died Saturday after a bout with cancer. He was 48. Republican state lawmakers, county commissioners and party officials crammed into the church to pay their last respects to the man whom supporters warmly called "Mr. Conservative" and whom shuddering critics called the ringleader of the "Caveman Caucus." Rep. John Kasich, R-12, of Westerville, drew chuckles when he said, "Tom Van Meter is truly to the right hand of God as he looks down on us today." Kasich and Voinovich credited Van Meter with doing more than any other politician to draw young people to the Republican Party. A number of the proteges mourned in the church, including Rex Elsass, state GOP executive director; Douglas Preisse, a top Voinovich aide; and Robert Klaffky, who works in Van Meter, Ashbrook & Associates Inc., Van Meter's consulting firm. Voinovich said Van Meter gave him sound political advice at a bleak point in his career. "In late 1988, we ate at Top of the Town in Cleveland," Voinovich said, recalling when he had just badly lost his race for the Senate against Democrat Howard Metzenbaum. "He said, 'George, run for governor. Do it.' And we did. Without Tom's early support - and it was catalytic - I would not be governor today.' Voinovich named Van Meter to the Ohio Liquor Control Commission last year, but Van Meter stepped down in the wake of disclosures about his potential conflict of interest as a registered lobbyist. Van Meter, an aggressive political tactician, was heading the GOP effort to capture majority control of the Ohio House when he died. He was credited with developing the master plan that eventually gave Republicans control of the Ohio Senate in the early 1980s. Jim Underwood, The Plain Dealer's Columbus bureau chief, also eulogized Van Meter. He said it was a tribute to Van Meter's sense of humor that Van Meter wanted "a liberal, left-wing journalist" among the eulogists at his funeral. Recalling the many political debates they shared over the years, Underwood said: "I suggested he learn more about liberal politics. He said it would be impossible to visit that many asylums." Underwood said he would remember Van Meter as "the conservative centurion guarding the cause against all enemies." The Rev. Arden Gilmer, the church pastor who led the mourners in prayer, said President Bush and former President Richard M. Nixon called Van Meter's widow, Nancy, Monday with their condolences. F. Clifton White, director of the John M. Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs, which Van Meter founded in 1983 in memory of his mentor, said, "Tom was a politician and was proud of it." Ashbrook, who had been a congressman, died in 1982. From:The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH - March 12, 1992 The material on the site is intended for free personal, non-commercial use. Commercial use of any of the materials presented on these pages is prohibited. Please do not consider any information on this site as a primary source, all data should be verified by you, the researcher. If you encounter any problems or have a question/correction, you can Email me at Scott Van Metre |
Caption |
Thomas A. Van Meter |
Catalog Number |
2012-10archives |
Creator |
Van Meter, Thomas A. |
Dates of Accumulation |
1972 to 1986 |
Imagefile |
010\201210archives.JPG |
Object Name |
Collection |
People |
VanMeter, Tom. |
Scope & Content |
Thomas A. Van Meter collection Contains 223 record storage boxes The following is the box inventory: Numbers following are box numbers Calabrese, John Conally-58 A, 58 B Silver Fleexe Co., Agent Orange 58 A, 58 B Orta High Speed Rail, Fed Judiciary 58 A, 58 B House Bill 167 files 58 A, 58 B ??Unknown 106A, 106B ??Unknown 29A, 29B ??Unknown 40A, 40B ??Unknown 89A, 89B ??Unknown 1986 88A, 88B A-B 30A, 30B A-C 79A, 79B A-J 1972-74 37A, 37B A-L Alpha Files 1980 49A, 49B A-M TAV 1983 45A, 45B Assorted 1983 75A, 75B Bechtel 112-113 77A, 77B Bechtel Files I-R 36A, 36B Bechtel Files S-Z 35A, 35B Bechtel, current files 44A, 44B Bechtel, Liq Bl, Crme Victm, SB30 92 Bechtel, Old Files 1981-1982 102A, 102B Bechtel, Old Files T-Z 81-82 25A, 25B Bills, Senate and House 39A, 39B Bills, Senate and House 43A, 43B Blair, Robert Files Box #2, 76-77 67A, 67B Blair, Robert Files 1976-77 26A, 26B Budget 1979 6A, 6B Budget 1979 H. B. 204 68A, 68B Budget 1981 63A, 63B Budget 77-79, Books 74A, 74B Campaign Financial Reports 1982 58A, 58B Campaign Financial Reports 1972+ 41A, 41B Campaign Materials & Student Senate 1972 21A, 21B Campaign, House and Senate 1982-83 17A, 17B Constituent Mail 1977 105A, 105B Constitutional Revision 56 Correspondence by county 1979 104A, 104B Correspondence files 1976-77 13A, 13B Corespondence files 1977 11 Correspondence files 1978 31A, 31B Correspondence files A-J 1981 38A, 38B Correspondence files M-Z 1977 10 Correspondence files 1981 K-S 84A, 84B Correspondence files 1981 T-Z 69A, 69B, 69C Correspondence files 1979 9A, 9B D-G 34A, 34B Defered Compensatation 5 Energy Comission 1975 14A, 14B Environment & Labor Newsletter 23 F Form Letters 4A, 4B General Assembly 111th Correspondence Files 1976-77 61A, 61B General Assembly 112th 82A, 82B General Assembly 112th Clippings 78A, 78B General Assembly 112th Issues 90A, 90B General Assembly 113th 1A, 1B General Assembly 113th 50A, 50B General Assembly 113th 52A, 52B General Assembly 113th & Issues Files 20A, 20B General Assembly 113th Box A 33A, 33B General Assembly 113th Box B 100A, 100B General Assembly 113th Cross Files 94A, 94B General Assembly 113th A-L 85A, 85B General Assembly 114th News R. Comp 70A, 70B Governor Race TAV 66A, 66B Governor Race TAV 1982 95A, 95B Governor TAV 19A, 19B Governor TAV Finance Records 54A, 54B, 54C H.J.R. and S.B. 60A, 60B House Fills, Information Files 22 Issues 93A, 93B Issues Files 16A, 16B Issues Files 18A, 18B Issues Files 27a, 27B Issues Files 28A, 28B issues Files B, Celebreze 71A, 71B Joe Curran 7A, 7B Legislative Invitations 1981-82 76A, 76B M-Z Alpha files 1980 59A, 59B Miscellaneous Files 99A, 99B Miscellaneous Record, Finance Records 62A, 62B Miscellaneous Files 72A, 72B Miscellaneous Files, Thank Yous 3A, 3B News Clippings 98A, 98B, 98C News Reviews 1983 80A, 80B News Reviews 1983, Issues Files A 65A, 65B News Reviews 1984-85 47A, 47B News Clippings 1984-85 15A, 15B Newsletter and Magazine 1975 12 P-R 48A, 48B Personal Files 97A, 97B Printed Reports 24A, 24B Printed Reports 32A, 32B Printed Reports B-D 103A, 103B Printed Reports C, News Reviews 86A, 86B Printed Reports G-L 46A, 46B Printed Reports L-N 73A, 73B Printed Reports V-Z 1973-79 64A, 64B Printed Reports, School 81A, 81B Reports, Annual 1982 96A, 96B Rhodes for Governor Committee 1978 42 S-V 91A, 91B, 91C S.E.T. Stop Excessive Taxation 1983, Governor Race 1982, Senate 1982 55A, 55B S.E.T. Stop Excessive Taxation 83 S.E.T. Stop Excessive Taxation 1983 87A, 87B S.E.T. Stop Excessive Taxation Campaign Files 2A, 2B Senate Bills 57 Sundary Claims 51A, 51B TAV K-Z 1972-74 101A, 101B Thoburn 8A, 8B |