Statesmen and Mischief Makers: Volume III

About the Book

My first two volumes of Statesmen and Mischief Makers portrayed the stories of officeholders who had tremendous impact on politics at the national level, either by way of Presidential proximity, legislative accomplishments or simply through living a life of idiosyncrasies that made a great anecdote - or two. Governors and big-city Mayors are no different. There were smart leaders, courageous leaders, visionary leaders, and inevitably, small-minded and even unscrupulous leaders. In other words, leaders who were anything but. Whatever the case, the Governors that ushered their state structure into a modern era or the Mayors whose cities have become the cultural meccas with landmarks that attract millions are all people who deserve recognition. And yes, so do the people who ended up on the wrong side of the law and went to jail. Volume three examines these individuals. All presided within the times of Kennedy to Reagan. All are Statesmen and Mischief Makers. And all are told here.

About the Author

The author’s first word could easily have been “politics.” Scott Crass’s passion for politics may have been fueled by his first book on U.S. presidents, given to him by his mother, Madeline, at the ripe young age of 5. He quickly wore out the pages, prompting his mother to buy a replacement. Scott has been a devoted student of Presidential and Congressional politics ever since. Scott obtained his B.A. in Political Science and Communications from Monmouth University in Long Branch, N.J., and achieved his M.A. in Counseling at the same institution. A New Jersey native, Scott has always been drawn to his beloved Jersey Shore, where he enjoys spending much of his free time. Besides politics and the Shore, Scott is a fan of music of all kinds, including oldies, swing, Strauss waltzes and the sounds of another Jersey treasure, Frank Sinatra. And just like his grandfather, the late Charles J. Mandel, he is enchanted with the beautiful music from Broadway classics, including “South Pacific,” “Oklahoma,” and “My Fair Lady.” He lives in South Brunswick, N.J and thrives by a personal motto, “Failure is only our enemy if it does not serve as our guide.”