Former Massachusetts Rep. William Delahunt dies peacefully at age of 82 after ‘long term illness’
- Democrat Delahunt died Saturday at his home in Quincy at the age of 82
- Delahunt was a member of the House of Representatives for fourteen years, from 1997 to 2011
William D. Delahunt of Massachusetts, a staunch Democratic politician who delayed his own retirement from Washington to help advance former President Barack Obama’s legislative agenda, has died after a long illness.
Delahunt died Saturday at his home in Quincy, Massachusetts, at the age of 82, his family announced.
The Democrat served for fourteen years in the U.S. House of Representatives, from 1997 to 2011, representing Massachusetts’ 10th congressional district.
He also served as Norfolk County’s district attorney from 1975 to 1996, after serving in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1973 to 1975.
The Delahunt family issued a statement Saturday saying he died “peacefully” but did not reveal the specific cause of death, according to news reports.
William Delahunt faces reporters during a press conference in 2010. Former Massachusetts congressman and prosecutor Delahunt, a Democratic fan who delayed his own retirement from Washington to help push former President Barack Obama’s agenda, has died after an illness
“While we mourn the loss of such a great person, we also celebrate his remarkable life and his legacy of dedication, service and inspiration,” the statement said. “We could always turn to him for wisdom, comfort and a laugh, and his absence leaves a gaping hole in our family and our hearts.”
Democratic U.S. Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts praised Delahunt’s long public service as a lawmaker in the nation’s capital and as a prosecutor in the county south of Boston.
“I met Bill in Quincy in February, and he was clear and as committed as ever to working on behalf of the South Shore and the people of Massachusetts,” Markey said in a statement.
“It is a fitting honor that the door of the William D. Delahunt Norfolk County Courthouse opens every day so that the people inside can do the hard work of improving lives, as Bill Delahunt did.
“The Commonwealth and the country are better for Bill Delahunt’s vision and service.”
Delahunt speaks at Rep.-elect’s victory party. Bill Keating in 2010
Senator John Kerry, center, speaks with U.S. Representative William Delahunt, right
President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela posted a statement on X, formerly Twitter, mourning Delahunt’s passing.
According to news reports, in 2005, as a member of Congress, Delahunt struck a deal with then-Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to obtain heating oil for low-income Massachusetts residents.
Delahunt also attended Chavez’s state funeral in Caracas in March 2013.
Delahunt resigned from the U.S. House of Representatives in January 2011. He told The Boston Globe that he had previously considered retiring, but fellow veteran Bay State lawmaker Sen. Edward M. Kennedy convinced him he was needed to help pass Obama’s legislative initiatives at the time. .
Delahunt was an early backer of Obama, becoming the first member of the Massachusetts congressional delegation to support the Illinois senator’s presidential bid, according to reporting by The Patriot Ledger, the newspaper in Delahunt’s hometown of Quincy.
Announcing his retirement in March 2010, Delahunt said Kennedy’s death last year turned his thoughts to finding time for priorities outside Washington.
“It became clear that I wanted to spend my time, the time I have left, with my family, with my friends and with my loved ones,” Delahunt said.