Summary
Peter Lawson Jones (born December 23, 1952) is an American actor, philanthropist and politician of the Democratic party. A resident of Shaker Heights, Ohio, he formerly served as a county commissioner in Cuyahoga County.
Peter Lawson Jones | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Ohio House of Representatives from the 11th district | |
| In office January 3, 1997 – February 9, 2002 | |
| Preceded by | Jane Campbell |
| Succeeded by | Lance Mason |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Peter Lawson Jones December 23, 1952 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Lisa Payne |
| Residence | Shaker Heights, Ohio |
| Alma mater | Harvard University (AB, JD) |
Early years edit
Jones was born December 23, 1952, to Charles Whitman Jones and Margaret "Diane" Jones, who paid twenty percent over asking - the black tax - to buy a house in Shaker Heights. When asked to not pay the higher fee, his mother was said to have responded, "My son is going to Shaker schools because I understand they’re very good."[1] He received his AB magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1975, and his juris doctor from Harvard in 1980. He was admitted to the Ohio State Bar in November 1980.[2]
Political career edit
Jones served on the Shaker Heights city council, and in 1994, he was the running mate for gubernatorial candidate Rob Burch. He served as a state representative from 1997 to 2002. In February 2002, after county commissioner Jane Campbell was elected mayor of Cleveland, the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party appointed Jones to replace her on the commission.
Jones has extensive professional and community affiliations, and works at the law firm Roetzel & Andress in addition to his legislative duties.
In 2007, Jones made news with two dissenting votes on major decisions. He opposed the sales tax increase for Cuyahoga County from 7.5% to 7.75%. The tax, earmarked to pay for a new convention center and medical mart, was passed by a 2–1 vote (Jimmy Dimora and Tim Hagan voted for it), and it took effect on October 1, 2007. Jones also opposed the demolition of the Ameritrust Tower, which the county bought as a potential location for a new administration building, but later decided to sell.
On January 26, 2009, WKYC's Tom Beres reported that Jones was considering running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by the retiring Sen. George Voinovich.[3] He decided not to run and then endorsed Lee Fisher in both the primary and the general election.
In November 2009, the voters of Cuyahoga County replaced the county commission form of government with a charter form of government with an elected county executive.
Acting career edit
After loosening his ties to the political realm, Jones started acting in many independent films in the Cleveland area.[4]
Philanthropy edit
Jones created the Charles & Margaret Jones Scholarship Fund at College Now Greater Cleveland in honor of his late parents' legacy and commitment to education.[5]
Filmography edit
Film edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Battle Hill | Supporting | |
| 2012 | Alex Cross | Voice Over | |
| 2014 | Infinite Regression | Ted Adkins | |
| 2021 | Chicago Fire, Episode 904, Funny What Things Remind Us[6] | Henry Sidwell | |
| 2022 | A Man Called Otto[7] | Reuben |
Television edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Detroit 1-8-7 | Supporting | 1 episode |
Playwright edit
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | The Family Line[8] | |
| 2016 | The Bloodless Jungle[9] | |
| 2022 | The Phoenix Society[10] |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Shaker Heights honors former commissioner Peter Lawson Jones". The Sun Press. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
- ^ "The Supreme Court Of Ohio Attorney Directory". Retrieved 2022-11-29.
- ^ "Cuyahoga County Commish Peter Lawson Jones Exploring U.S. Senate Run | OhioDaily". Archived from the original on 2011-07-28. Retrieved 2009-02-17.
- ^ "Theatrical Resume". Peterlawsonjones.com. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
- ^ "College Now Greater Cleveland: A Man Called Otto". Retrieved 2022-11-30.
- ^ "IMDB: Chicago Fire: Funny What Things Remind Us". Retrieved 2022-11-29.
- ^ "IMDB: A Man Called Otto". Retrieved 2022-11-29.
- ^ "The Harvard Crimson". Retrieved 2023-07-12.
- ^ "National New Play Network New Play Exchange". Retrieved 2022-11-29.
- ^ "Playwrights Local". Retrieved 2022-11-29.
External links edit
- Cuyahoga County official biography