Name Nicholas Mavroules Preceded by Edward Meaney | Religion Greek Orthodox Resigned January 3, 1993 | |
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Spouse Mary Mavroules (m. ?–2003) | ||
Nicholas James Mavroules (November 1, 1929 – December 25, 2003) was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts.
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Mavroules was born in Peabody, Massachusetts, November 1, 1929; and graduated from Peabody High School. Nicholas was employed by GTE-Sylvania now OSRAM Sylvania, from 1949 to 1967, and served as supervisor of personnel. He was then elected a city councilor in Peabody, Massachusetts, from 1958 to 1965. Mavroules was elected mayor of Peabody in 1966 and served from 1967 to 1978. He was a delegate to the 1976 Democratic National Convention. Nicholas Mavroules was elected to the United States House of Representatives from the 6th Congressional District of Massachusetts as a Democrat and served there from January 3, 1979, to January 3, 1993. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1992, losing to Peter Torkildsen. He served on the House Armed Services Committee.
Mavroules served as chairman of the House subcommittee on investigations, helped expose major cost overruns on Navy aircraft and shed light on the deadly 1989 explosion on the USS Iowa. He was also instrumental in making certain that the crew of the USS Pueblo obtained P.O.W. status.
Conviction
Mavroules was voted out of office in 1992, the year he was indicted on seventeen counts of corruption amid a federal investigation into alleged misuse of his office for private gain. Allegations included extortion, accepting illegal gifts and failing to report them on congressional disclosure and income tax forms.
Mavroules pleaded guilty to fifteen counts in April 1993 and was sentenced to a fifteen-month prison term.
At his sentencing, he apologized to his family "who have endured enormous, enormous pain" and to supporters and friends "for any hurt I have brought upon them."
Death
He died on December 25, 2003, in Salem, Massachusetts, and was buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery, Peabody, Massachusetts. Over 6,000 people attended his wake and funeral which was held at St. Vasilios Church Greek Orthodox church in Peabody. Several members of Congress (former and current) attended the services. The eulogy at the funeral mass was offered by Rudy de Leon a former staffer who later became deputy defense secretary and vice president of Boeing. At the graveside service, another eulogy was made by local reporter and talk show host Dan Rea.