Covid Claims Ted Baldwin

Thayer ​“Ted” Baldwin Jr. — a leading city lawyer, political reformer, and judge with social-justice roots dating back two centuries — has died at the age of 80.

The cause of death was complications related to Covid-19.

As a veteran of Democratic reform campaigns, in two stints as city corporation counsel, and in extensive civic activities, Baldwin was in some ways a throwback to more civil times: a passionate participant in public affairs who exuded respect and geniality to all he dealt with, whether or not he agreed with them. A simple question could lead to an hour-long discussion touching on practical politics, philosophy, and personal relationships, full of ardor but never harshness.

State Sen. Martin Looney recalled Baldwin Saturday evening as a man who practiced politics with kindness, vitality, and ​“a great sense of humor.”

“He loved to discuss policy, but never in a way that had any nasty, arbitrary self-righteous edge to it. He was always genuine, kind-spirited about it,” Looney said.

“Ted shaped the progressive politics that defined compassion and decency for decades in New Haven. He saw the better part of our city’s nature and challenged us to live up to it,” recalled John DeStefano, one of two mayors Baldwin served as corporation counsel. ​“I am so grateful to have had the chance to work with and learn from him. He was the best.”

Baldwin began doing civil-rights legal work pro bono as a Georgetown University law student. He was following in the footsteps of one of his ancestors: Roger Sherman Baldwin, who in 1841 along with John Quincy Adams convinced the U.S. Supreme Court to to set free the Amistad captives held in New Haven. More than a century and a half later, Ted Baldwin would get to read Roger Sherman Baldwin’s arguments in a reenactment of the trial at Long Wharf Theatre, which Ted Baldwin helped found and for which he served as the first executive director.

In 1970, Baldwin waged a challenge backed by anti-Vietnam War reform Democrats against incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Robert Giaimo. Baldwin’s campaign headquarters was a hangout at Elm and Church Streets called the New Politics Corner; a fire occurred there during the 1970 Mayday weekend protest over a Black Panther murder trial in town. (The New Haven Savings Bank, now Key Bank, tower rose in its place.)

Giaimo, who sought to link Baldwin to radical groups like SDS and the Weathermen, prevented Baldwin from obtaining 20 percent of the delegates at a party nominating convention. In those days candidates couldn’t petition onto primary ballots, so the campaign ended there.

But Baldwin was just getting started. In 1975, he and another rising Democrat named Rosa DeLauro ran the mayoral campaign of Frank Logue. Logue challenged incumbent Mayor Bart Guida, an ally of legendary Democratic machine boss Arthur ​“The Moustache” Barbieri, in a primary. The Logue campaign characterized its goal as dismantling the party machine and its style of politics. The campaign served as the entry point into local politics for a generation of liberal Democrats including Looney, now-State Rep. Pat Dillon, former Alder Steve Mednick, political scientist and pollster Stanley Greenberg, and DeLauro, who was just elected to her 16th term as a U.S. Congresswoman. Lifelong political alliances and personal friendships were formed.

“We were all in our 20s. Ted was like the senior statesman because he was 34,” Looney recalled. (Looney subsequently served as justice of the peace at Baldwin’s marriage to Barbara Geller.)

Logue won the election.

“Ted Baldwin, Stan [Greenberg], and I worked together to elect Mayor Frank Logue to defeat the political machine,” DeLauro reminisced Saturday evening. ​“Ted combined idealism and pragmatism and deep values to bring political change to New Haven and the state. Our kids grew up together, and we all mourn this loss.”

Logue served two terms as mayor. Baldwin served as his corporation counsel (top city lawyer) for one of them.

He returned to private practice, where he fought for housing rights for people with disabilities; and remained active in politics as well as other civic pursuits. He ran for the Democratic nomination for attorney general on the reform challenge slate of gubernatorial hopeful Ernie Abate in 1982. Baldwin was credited with hatching the idea for the state Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) program to reimburse cities for revenue lost on tax-exempt property.

“Ted Baldwin was among the people who inspired me and others new to politics to get involved,” recalled Toni Harp, who became an alder, a state senator, and then the city’s mayor. ​“He had the personality that would light up a room. I’m so glad to have been a friend.”

Mayor DeStefano enlisted Baldwin to return to City Hall as corporation counsel in 1998 to help him clean house and reposition his administration in a reform mode after a series of ethics scandals led to the departure of top appointees.

Baldwin remained on the job until 2001, when he became a state judge.

“As a judge, he gave fair hearing to the issues of economic injustice, institutional racism, and oppression. He focused much of his efforts on gun violence, fair housing laws, and juvenile justice reform,” his family wrote in his obituary.

New Haven politicos from across the ideological spectrum converged on the Quinnipiack Club in 2014 to pay tribute to Baldwin at his judicial retirement party.

Thayer Baldwin Jr. was born on Nov. 20, 1940 to Thayer and Hilda Baldwin. He died on Dec. 9, 2020. He was predeceased by his parents, his brother Seth, his wife Barbara Geller and his former wife Judith Baldwin. Baldwin is survived by his sister Elizabeth Baldwin, his children Teo (wife Suzy) Baldwin, Christopher Baldwin, Caitlin Baldwin, Jaime (husband William) Saturno, Jacob Baldwin, Sadra (husband Rashid) Baldwin and Derrick Baldwin Reyes; grandchildren Jordan, James(Cenzo), David, Roger, Eli, Giancarlo, Pricilla, Isabella, Zephaniah, Suzannah Estelle, and Nadia; granddaughter Raine; and dear niece Anne Lipsitz. A memorial service is planned for when the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions are lifted.