Mary Ballard McCarty (born December 8, 1954) is a politician and former County Commissioner in Palm Beach County, Florida, and served in office from November 1990[1] until resigning for corruption, announced on January 8, 2009.[2] McCarty resigned from the Board of County Commissioners after she pleaded guilty to one count of honest services fraud.[3] The charges stemmed from votes on projects that indirectly benefited her husband, Kevin McCarty a former employee of Raymond James, without the required disclosure and she received reduced hotel rates from a company that did business with Palm Beach County.[1]
Prior to joining the County Commission, McCarty was elected to the Delray Beach, Florida City Commission; she was first elected to the post in 1987 at the age of 32.[4] In December 2000 McCarty became the chair of the Palm Beach County Republican Party.[5] and served two years.[6]
After pleading guilty, McCarty served 21 months of a 3½-year prison sentence.[4] After being released from a Texas prison, McCarty and her husband (who also served prison time) returned to Palm Beach County and jointly started a management consulting business. Mary McCarty also opened a life coaching business.[4]
Early life, education and family
Mary Ballard McCarty was born in Chicago, Illinois on December 8, 1954, the eldest of six children.[7] The family lived there for a time in Arlington Heights and Northbrook, both suburbs of Chicago.[7] In 1969, McCarty's family moved to Spooner, Wisconsin,[7] where McCarty graduated from Spooner High School in June, 1972. In the same month, McCarty's family moved to Delray Beach, Florida.[7] McCarty started attending the University of Florida in 1973.[7] She began her career in politics as an intern for U.S. House Majority Leader Tip O'Neill in Washington D.C. in 1974[7] and helped to monitor the Watergate Hearings. She worked as a waitress to help pay for college.[8]
McCarty graduated from the University of Florida in 1977 with a bachelor's degree in journalism.[9][10] McCarty went on to work in many capacities in the restaurant industry including, waiting tables,[8] bar-tending,[11] and management.[9] McCarty is married to Kevin McCarty[8]
In 1986, McCarty co-chaired the Delray Beach 75th Diamond Jubilee,[9] a month-long city anniversary celebration.
Public office
From 1987 - 1990, she was a City Commissioner and Vice-Mayor of Delray Beach. From November 1990 until her 2009 resignation, she was a county commissioner of Palm Beach County. In 2002, CEO Magazine named her as one of the "100 Most Powerful People in South Florida".[12]
Federal felony conviction
On January 8, 2009, McCarty resigned from office after 18 years and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud.[13] The charges stemmed from votes on projects that indirectly benefited her husband’s employer without the required disclosure and failed to disclose that she received reduced hotel rates from a company that did business with the county (in establishing a Palm Beach County Convention Center hotel).[14]
In June 2009, U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks sentenced McCarty to 42 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.[15] McCarty served her sentence at the Federal Prison Camp, Bryan in Texas.[16][17] She ultimately served 21 months in prison.[4]
Her husband, Kevin also pleaded guilty to a misprision of a felony for not reporting his wife’s crimes to authorities. He was sentenced to 8 months [18] and spent 5 months in Miami Federal Prison Camp, serving the remaining time under Halfway House supervision.[19]
Life after prison
After being released from a Texas prison, McCarty and her husband (who also served prison time) returned to Palm Beach County and jointly started a management consulting business. Mary McCarty also opened a life coaching business.[4]
