Raymond P. Shafer

Raymond P. Shafer
Born	Raymond Philip Shafer March 5, 1917
Birthplace	New Castle, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	December 12, 2006 Meadville, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Attorney, politician
Known for	39th Governor of Pennsylvania, Chair of the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse (Shafer Commission)
Education	Yale Law School (LL.B.)
Children	3
Awards	Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart

Raymond Philip Shafer (March 5, 1917 – December 12, 2006) was an American attorney and politician who served as the 39th governor of Pennsylvania from 1967 to 1971. A member of the Republican Party, Shafer rose through the ranks of Pennsylvania politics as a district attorney, state senator, and lieutenant governor before winning the governorship in 1966. His tenure was marked by significant constitutional reforms, the creation of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, increased spending on health and education, and a controversial proposal for a state income tax that, while politically damaging at the time, was later enacted by his successor, Milton Shapp. A leader of the moderate wing of the national Republican Party during the late 1960s, Shafer navigated a period of social upheaval that included race-related unrest in Pennsylvania's cities. After leaving the governorship, he gained renewed national attention as chairman of the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse — commonly known as the Shafer Commission — which recommended the decriminalization of personal marijuana possession and use within the home, a finding that remained a touchstone in American drug policy debates for decades. He died in Meadville, Pennsylvania, in 2006 at the age of 89.

Early Life

Raymond Philip Shafer was born on March 5, 1917, in New Castle, Pennsylvania. He spent his childhood in Meadville, a small city in Crawford County in northwestern Pennsylvania, which would remain his home for most of his life. Shafer grew up during the Great Depression era and attended local schools in Meadville before enrolling at Allegheny College, a liberal arts institution in the same city. He graduated from Allegheny College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1938.

Following his undergraduate studies, Shafer pursued legal training at Yale Law School, one of the nation's preeminent law schools, earning his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1941. After completing his legal education, he briefly practiced law in New York City before returning to Meadville to begin a legal career closer to home.

The outbreak of World War II interrupted Shafer's nascent legal career. He entered the United States Navy in 1942 and served until 1945. During the war, Shafer served as an intelligence officer and also saw combat duty aboard PT boats, the small, fast torpedo boats that saw action in multiple theaters of the war. His wartime service was distinguished: he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service and the Purple Heart, the latter indicating that he was wounded in action. Shafer attained the rank of lieutenant during his naval service. His military experience, particularly his combat service and decorations, would later feature prominently in his political biography and contribute to his credentials as a public figure in postwar Pennsylvania.

After his discharge from the Navy in 1945, Shafer returned to Meadville and resumed the practice of law, establishing himself in the Crawford County legal community.

Education

Shafer's educational background encompassed both a liberal arts foundation and rigorous professional legal training. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, in 1938. Allegheny College, founded in 1815, is one of the oldest colleges in the commonwealth, and Shafer maintained a lifelong connection to the institution and the Meadville community it anchors.

He then attended Yale Law School in New Haven, Connecticut, where he earned his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree in 1941. His training at Yale placed him among an elite cohort of legal professionals, and this background in law would underpin both his early career as a prosecutor and district attorney and his later work in governance and public policy. After his governorship, Shafer continued to draw upon his legal education in private practice and advisory roles.

Career

Early Political Career

Shafer's entry into public life began in 1948 when he was elected district attorney of Crawford County, Pennsylvania. In this role, he gained experience as a prosecutor and established a reputation in the local Republican Party organization. His work as district attorney provided the foundation for his subsequent move into state-level politics.

In 1958, Shafer was elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate, representing the 50th district, which encompassed parts of Crawford County and Mercer County. He took office on January 6, 1959, and served until November 30, 1962. During his time in the state senate, Shafer developed a legislative record and built relationships within the Republican caucus that positioned him for higher office. He succeeded Rowland Mahany in the senate seat, which Mahany later reclaimed after Shafer's departure.

Lieutenant Governor

In 1962, Shafer was elected as the 23rd lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, running on a ticket with gubernatorial candidate Bill Scranton. The Scranton-Shafer ticket won the general election, and Shafer took office as lieutenant governor on January 15, 1963, serving until January 17, 1967.

As lieutenant governor, Shafer was notably active in the role, which in Pennsylvania's governmental structure serves as president of the state senate and is first in the line of gubernatorial succession. He worked closely with Governor Scranton, who led a moderate Republican administration, and Shafer was involved in the administration's reform efforts and policy initiatives. His visibility and effectiveness in the lieutenant governor's office made him the natural successor to Scranton, who was limited to a single four-year term under the Pennsylvania Constitution as it then stood.

Governor of Pennsylvania

1966 Election

With Governor Scranton constitutionally barred from seeking a second consecutive term, Shafer emerged as the Republican candidate for governor in the 1966 election. He won the gubernatorial race, succeeding Scranton and taking office as the 39th governor of Pennsylvania on January 17, 1967. Raymond Broderick served as his lieutenant governor throughout his term.

Administration and Policy

Shafer's governorship, spanning from 1967 to 1971, coincided with one of the most turbulent periods in American domestic politics, marked by the Vietnam War, civil rights struggles, and urban unrest. His administration undertook several significant policy initiatives.

One of Shafer's most consequential achievements was overseeing constitutional reforms in Pennsylvania. These reforms modernized aspects of state governance and had lasting effects on the structure and operation of state government.

Shafer also presided over the creation of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), which consolidated the state's transportation-related agencies into a single department, streamlining oversight of highway construction, public transit, and transportation policy. This reorganization represented a significant administrative reform that endured long after Shafer left office.

The Shafer administration increased expenditures on health and education programs, reflecting the governor's moderate Republican orientation and his willingness to use state resources to address social needs. These spending priorities aligned with the broader national trend during the 1960s of expanded government investment in public welfare.

Income Tax Proposal

Perhaps the most politically contentious element of Shafer's governorship was his proposal for a state income tax. Pennsylvania at the time lacked a broad-based personal income tax, and Shafer argued that such a tax was necessary to address the state's fiscal needs and provide adequate funding for public services. The proposal proved deeply unpopular with many Pennsylvanians and encountered strong opposition in the state legislature. The failure to enact the tax during his term contributed to fiscal strain and eroded Shafer's popularity in the latter portion of his governorship.

Ironically, the income tax that Shafer had championed was eventually enacted under his Democratic successor, Milton Shapp, who took office in 1971. Shapp signed a state income tax into law, validating the fiscal logic behind Shafer's earlier proposal even as the political credit accrued to a different administration.

Race-Related Unrest

Shafer's time as governor also encompassed episodes of race-related civil unrest in Pennsylvania's cities. In 1969, York, Pennsylvania, experienced significant racial disturbances that reflected the broader tensions gripping American cities during the late 1960s. As governor, Shafer was responsible for the state's response to these events, which required balancing law enforcement measures with attention to the underlying social and economic grievances that fueled the unrest.

National Republican Politics

Beyond Pennsylvania, Shafer was a national leader of the moderate wing of the Republican Party during the late 1960s. This faction of the party, sometimes called the "Rockefeller Republicans" after Nelson Rockefeller of New York, favored relatively progressive positions on civil rights, government spending on social programs, and a pragmatic approach to governance. Shafer's policy positions — including his support for increased education and health spending and his income tax proposal — reflected this moderate orientation.

Shafer's prominence within the national party was recognized during his governorship. He was present at official functions at the national level, including events at the White House. Records from the American Presidency Project document Shafer's attendance at a state dinner hosted by Lyndon B. Johnson for General Joseph Arthur Ankrah, Chairman of the National Liberation Council of Ghana, at which Shafer was mentioned among the distinguished guests.

End of Term

Under the Pennsylvania Constitution as it existed during Shafer's governorship, the governor was limited to one four-year term and could not seek immediate reelection. Shafer therefore was not a candidate in the 1970 gubernatorial election. He left office on January 19, 1971, succeeded by Democrat Milton Shapp. By the end of his term, Shafer's popularity had waned amid the fiscal difficulties his administration faced and the negative public reaction to his income tax proposal, though the structural reforms he enacted — particularly the creation of PennDOT and constitutional changes — had lasting significance for Pennsylvania governance.

The Shafer Commission

After leaving the governorship, Shafer's most prominent public role came through his chairmanship of the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse, established in 1971 by President Richard Nixon under the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970. The commission became widely known as the "Shafer Commission" after its chairman.

The commission was tasked with studying marijuana use in the United States and making policy recommendations. After extensive research and deliberation, the Shafer Commission issued its first report, "Marihuana: A Signal of Misunderstanding," in 1972. The report's central recommendation was that personal possession of marijuana for use within the home should be decriminalized. The commission concluded that marijuana use, while not without risks, did not warrant the severe criminal penalties then in effect and that the social and legal costs of criminalization outweighed the benefits of prohibition for personal use.

The Shafer Commission's recommendations were rejected by President Nixon, who had expected the commission to support the administration's hardline approach to drug enforcement. Nixon's decision to disregard the findings has been widely documented in analyses of American drug policy. Despite the political rejection, the Shafer Commission report became an enduring reference point in debates over marijuana decriminalization and legalization in the United States. Subsequent policy discussions — including the Biden administration's 2024 move to reclassify cannabis from Schedule I — have invoked the Shafer Commission's findings as evidence of longstanding expert support for reforming marijuana laws.

Later Career

Following his work on the Shafer Commission, Shafer returned to Meadville and resumed the practice of law. He also served in various business and consulting roles in both the private and public sectors. He maintained connections to public life and civic affairs in the Meadville area and throughout Pennsylvania.

His papers and records from both his political career and subsequent activities are held in archival collections. The Syracuse University Libraries maintain a collection of Shafer's papers that documents his career in government and public service. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission also holds records related to his governorship.

Personal Life

Raymond P. Shafer was married to Jane Harris Davies Shafer, who died on March 30, 2009, at the age of 92 at Wesbury United Methodist Retirement Community in Meadville. The couple had three children. The Shafer family's long residence in Meadville reflected the governor's deep roots in northwestern Pennsylvania.

Shafer resided at 875 Dogwood Drive in Meadville for much of his later life. He died on Tuesday, December 12, 2006, at Meadville Medical Center at the age of 89. His death was reported by both local and national media, with The New York Times identifying him as "the former Pennsylvania governor who led a drug commission that recommended decriminalizing marijuana."

His grandson, Raymond P. Shafer III, known as "Flip," died on May 27, 2023, at the age of 60 in Meadville.

Recognition

Shafer's military service during World War II was recognized with the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart, two of the United States military's significant decorations for meritorious service and combat wounds, respectively.

His legacy in the Meadville community has been honored through the Governor Raymond P. Shafer Award for Distinguished Community Service, which continues to be bestowed upon individuals who have made significant contributions to the Meadville area. In 2023, Jan Van Tuil was named the recipient of the award.

Shafer maintained a lifelong affiliation with Allegheny College, which recognized him as one of its notable alumni. Following his death in 2006, the college's alumni magazine published a tribute to his life and career.

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission recognizes Shafer among the governors of the commonwealth, maintaining biographical information and archival materials related to his administration.

Legacy

Raymond P. Shafer's legacy encompasses several dimensions of Pennsylvania governance and national drug policy. As governor, his most enduring contributions were structural and institutional rather than politically popular during his time in office. The creation of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation consolidated the state's transportation agencies into a unified department that continues to operate as PennDOT, overseeing the commonwealth's extensive highway system, bridges, and public transit networks. The constitutional reforms enacted during his administration modernized elements of state government that had lasting effects on Pennsylvania's political structure.

His advocacy for a state income tax, though politically damaging during his governorship, proved prescient. The enactment of the income tax under his successor, Milton Shapp, confirmed the fiscal necessity that Shafer had identified, even as the political cost of the proposal fell on his shoulders rather than on those who ultimately implemented it.

The Shafer Commission report remains perhaps his most widely cited legacy outside of Pennsylvania. The commission's recommendation to decriminalize personal marijuana possession anticipated by decades a shift in American public opinion and policy on cannabis. As states across the country moved toward decriminalization and legalization beginning in the early 21st century, the Shafer Commission's findings were frequently invoked as evidence that expert analysis had long supported reform of marijuana laws. The Biden administration's 2024 decision to pursue the reclassification of marijuana from Schedule I to a less restrictive category represented a partial realization of the policy direction the Shafer Commission had recommended more than fifty years earlier.

Shafer also represented a now-diminished tradition of moderate Republicanism that was influential in the northeastern United States during the mid-twentieth century. His emphasis on government investment in education, health, and infrastructure, combined with fiscal responsibility and pragmatic governance, reflected a political philosophy that occupied a significant space in the national Republican Party during the 1960s but subsequently waned as the party moved in a more conservative direction.