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Guide to the Gordon Lee Weil Papers, 1954-2013 (bulk 1970-1974, 1986-2000)

Summary Information

Title:

Gordon Lee Weil papers

Creator:

Weil, Gordon Lee

ID:

M286

Date [inclusive]:

1954-2013 (bulk 1970-1974, 1986-2000)

Date [bulk]:

1970-2000

Extent:

18.25 Linear Feet

Repository:

George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives, Bowdoin College Library, Brunswick, Maine 04011

Abstract:

Using These Materials

Access Restrictions:

No restrictions.

Preferred Citation:

Gordon Lee Weil Papers, George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives, Bowdoin College Library, Brunswick, Maine.

Acknowledgment of non-neutrality:

The George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives, like all archives and special collections libraries, is the creation of human beings who have collected, organized, and described things in ways that reflect personal, cultural, societal, and institutional biases. Although we strive to preserve and present collections in a manner that is respectful to the individuals and communities who create, use, and are represented in the collections, we acknowledge that our systems are neither neutral nor perfect. We encourage you to let us know if you encounter materials, descriptive language, or practices that are offensive or harmful, particularly those for which inadequate context or warning is offered. We are committed to modifying and updating our descriptive practices to use respectful and inclusive terminology and appreciate your help in this work. We look forward to supporting you in your research and learning together.

Biographical/Historical Note

Gordon Lee Weil was born in Mineola, New York, on March 12, 1937. He was graduated magna cum laude from Bowdoin in 1958 and received his Ph.D. from Columbia in 1961. Weil has served in both the government and private sectors at international, national, state, and local levels. He was executive assistant to Senator George McGovern, Maine commissioner of business regulation, Maine state energy director, chair of New England Regional Transmission Organization negotiations, president of Standard Energy Corporation, and advised the U.S. Department of Energy on emergency planning. Weil has been a licensed power broker and energy consultant representing customers in Maine, across the United States, and Canada. He is the author of numerous books including The Long Shot: George McGovern Runs for President (1973) and Blackout: How the Electric Industry Exploits America (2006).

Scope and Content

Professional papers of Gordon Lee Weil (Bowdoin 1958), documenting his roles in Senator McGovern's presidential campaign (1970-1972) and as a consultant (Weil and Howe, Inc.) in Maine energy/utility matters (1986-2000). Also included are items relating to courses Weil taught in 1973-1974 as a visiting professor in Bowdoin's government and legal studies department. Materials include correspondence, clippings, press releases, position papers, travel schedules, interview transcriptions, and speeches.

Collection Inventory

Series Description:

Material documenting Weil's service as McGovern's executive assistant and campaign press secretary, organized in the following subseries: Campaign Correspondence, Memorandum, and Notes; Campaign Subject Files; Speeches, Publicity, and Media Material; Campaign Schedules, Contact Information, and Call Slips; Publications and Newsclippings; Images and Ephemera; Audio Recordings; Miscellaneous Materials.

Subseries Description:

Correspondence documenting both internal campaign communications and consultation with outside experts on a variety of policy issues. Memoranda consist primarily of internal McGovern campaign communications and statements of policies and procedures. Also included are handwritten notes by Weil on a range of topics.

Arrangement:

Alphabetically by subject, then chronologically.

Campaign Diary

box 1 folder 1

Correspondence: 1970

box 1 folder 2

Correspondence: 1970 (circa)

box 1 folder 3

Correspondence: 1971

box 1 folder 4

Correspondence: 1972 Jan-Jul

box 1 folder 5

Correspondence: 1972 Aug-Sept

box 1 folder 6

Correspondence: 1972 Oct-1977 Jul

box 1 folder 7

Correspondence: n. d.

box 1 folder 8

Memos: 1970-1971

box 1 folder 9

Memos: 1972 Jan-1972 Nov

box 1 folder 10

Memos: n.d.

box 1 folder 11

Notes

box 1 folder 12

Notes

box 1 folder 13

Subseries Description:

Files containing position proposals/papers and background materials used to research campaign issues.

Arrangement:

Arranged alphabetically.

1970 Campaign Fund

box 1 folder 14

Anti-Trust

box 1 folder 15

Connecticut Campaign

box 1 folder 16

Debates

box 1 folder 17

Delegates and State Coordinators

box 1 folder 18

Democratic Central and National Committees

box 2 folder 1

Democratic Nomination Campaign

box 2 folder 2

Democratic Nomination Campaign

box 2 folder 3

Democratic Policy Council

box 2 folder 4

Eagleton, Tom

box 2 folder 5

Economic Conversion

box 2 folder 6

Economy

box 2 folder 7

Education

box 2 folder 8

Evangelicals

box 2 folder 9

Fiscal Policy

box 2 folder 10

Foreign Policy

box 2 folder 11

Illinois Campaign

box 2 folder 12

International Trip, 1971

box 2 folder 13

International Trip, 1971: Background

box 2 folder 14

Israel/Jewry

box 2 folder 15

Kent State University

box 2 folder 16

Legislative Record

box 2 folder 17

Maine Campaign

box 2 folder 18

Massachusetts Campaign

box 2 folder 19

National Council for Indochina Deadline

box 2 folder 20

New Hampshire Campaign

box 2 folder 21

Nutrition

box 2 folder 22

Opponents

box 2 folder 23

Positions

box 2 folder 24

Positions

box 2 folder 25

Project Acquisition 1972

box 2 folder 26

Public Opinion Polls

box 2 folder 27

Regional Campaigns

box 2 folder 28

Senate

box 2 folder 29

Senate

box 2 folder 30

Tax and Welfare Reform

box 3 folder 1

Tax and Welfare Reform

box 3 folder 2

Tax and Welfare Reform

box 3 folder 3

Tax and Welfare Reform--Critiques and Expert Opinions

box 3 folder 4

Tax and Welfare Reform--Memos

box 3 folder 5

Tax and Welfare Reform--Proposals

box 3 folder 6

Tax and Welfare Reform--Proposals

box 3 folder 7

Tax and Welfare Reform--Speeches

box 3 folder 8

Tax and Welfare Reform--Statistics and Calculations

box 3 folder 9

Topical Tours

box 3 folder 10

Third Party

box 3 folder 11

Vietnam Disengagement Act

box 3 folder 12

Voter Registration

box 3 folder 13

Weil Reports and Speeches

box 3 folder 14

Westside Housing Coalition

box 3 folder 15

Youth of All Nations

box 3 folder 16

Subseries Description:

Includes campaign press releases; text of speeches delivered by McGovern; interview transcripts; and, publicity material used by the campaign.

Arrangement:

Arranged alphabetically.

Campaign Appearances

box 4 folder 1

Form Letters

box 4 folder 2

Interviews, Transcripts

box 4 folder 3

Media Monitoring

box 4 folder 4

"The O'Brien Letter: Weekly Commentary for the McGovern-Shriver Campaign"

box 4 folder 5

Press Kits and Campaign Publications

box 4 folder 6

Press Releases

box 4 folder 7

Press Releases

box 4 folder 8

Press Releases

box 4 folder 9

Press Releases

box 4 folder 10

Press Releases

box 4 folder 11

Speeches

box 4 folder 12

Speeches

box 4 folder 13

Speeches

box 4 folder 14

Speeches

box 4 folder 15

Speeches

box 4 folder 16

Speeches

box 4 folder 17

Speeches about McGovern

box 4 folder 18

Speeches; General Address

box 4 folder 19

Subseries Description:

Includes travel schedules, address and contact information for individuals associated with the McGovern campaign, and notifications of calls made to Weil.

Arrangement:

Alphabetical by material type.

Business Cards

box 5 folder 1

Call Slips

box 5 folder 2

Contact Information

box 5 folder 3

Contact Information

box 5 folder 4

Guest Lists

box 5 folder 5

Schedule, 1970 Mar-Dec

box 5 folder 6

Schedule, 1971 Jan

box 5 folder 7

Schedule, 1971 Feb

box 5 folder 8

Schedule, 1971 Mar-Apr

box 5 folder 9

Schedule, 1971 May

box 5 folder 10

Schedule, 1971 June

box 5 folder 11

Schedule, 1971 July

box 5 folder 12

Schedule, 1971 Aug

box 5 folder 13

Schedule, 1971 Sept

box 5 folder 14

Schedule, 1971 Oct

box 5 folder 15

Schedule, 1971 Nov

box 5 folder 16

Schedule, 1971 Dec

box 5 folder 17

Schedule, 1972 Jan

box 5 folder 18

Schedule, 1972 Feb

box 5 folder 19

Schedule, 1972 Mar

box 5 folder 20

Schedule, 1972 Apr

box 5 folder 21

Schedule, 1972 May

box 5 folder 22

Schedule, 1972 Jun

box 6 folder 1

Schedule, 1972 Jul-Aug

box 6 folder 2

Schedule, 1972 Sept

box 6 folder 3

Schedule, 1972 Oct

box 6 folder 4

Schedule, 1972 Nov

box 6 folder 5

Schedule, n.d.

box 6 folder 6

Subseries Description:

Newsclippings about the McGovern campaign, and published material used by Weil during his campaign activities.

Arrangement:

Arranged by material type.

Publications

box 6 folder 1

Publications

box 6 folder 2

Publications

box 6 folder 3

Publications--Legislative Reports

box 6 folder 4

Publications--News Digest

box 6 folder 5

Publications--Magazine Clippings

box 6 folder 6

Publications--Magazine Clippings, 1972

box 6 folder 7

Publications--Magazine Clippings, 1973

box 6 folder 8

Clippings

box 7 folder 1

Clippings

box 7 folder 2

Clippings

box 7 folder 3

Clippings

box 7 folder 4

Clippings

box 7 folder 5

Clippings

box 7 folder 6

Clippings

box 7 folder 7

Clippings

box 7 folder 8

Clippings

box 7 folder 9

Clippings

box 7 folder 10

Clippings

box 7 folder 11

Clippings

box 7 folder 12

Clippings

box 7 folder 13

Clippings

box 7 folder 14

Clippings

box 7 folder 15

Clippings

box 7 folder 16

Clippings

box 7 folder 17

Subseries Description:

Images of Weil, McGovern, and various campaign events and activities, as well as ephemera collected by Weil during McGovern's presidential campaign.

Arrangement:

Arranged by material type.

Photographs--CBS News, Face the Nation

box 7 folder 18

Photographs

box 7 folder 19

Photographs

box 7 folder 20

Photographs

box 7 folder 21

Art/messages from children, n.d.

box 7 folder 22

Ephemera

box 7 folder 23

Ephemera

box 21

Poster, McGovern as Robin Hood, n.d.

ovsz-box E

Subseries Description:

Audio recordings of McGovern and Weil media appearances and McGovern campaign advertisements.

Arrangement:

Arranged by material type.

"To End the War," NBC, May 12, 1970. [1/4" reel to reel]

box 8

McGovern and economists, June 23, 1971. [audio cassette]

box 8

Loeb interview with Anson/Weil, July 19, 1973. [Interview used by Weil and Robert Sam Anson as the basis for an article published on Loeb] [2 audio cassettes]

box 8

Radio messages for "The Amendment to End the War Committee," n.d. [1/4 reel to reel]

box 8

Senator George McGovern, 1972 Democratic Presidential Candidate, "Together We Can Win" b/w "The Story of George McGovern's Career by Noted Commentator Frank Mankiewicz," n.d. [flexidisc]

box 8

Subseries Description:

Summary of and book chapter drafts for an untitled book Weil was writing on his work for the McGovern presidential campaign.

Subseries Description:

Miscellaneous items acquired by Weil during the McGovern presidential campaign.

Misc. Material

box 7 folder 24

Misc. Material

box 7 folder 25

Misc. Material

box 7 folder 26

Series Description:

Drafts, communications, and filings relating to the Northern Maine Independent System Administrator/NM Work Group. Weil was the principal advisor on the creation of this Regional Transmission Group, one of several established after electric industry restructuring.

Arrangement:

As received from donor.

Northern Maine ISO

box 9

Northern Maine - Minutes of Meetings

box 10

Series Description:

Case files relating to the Long Falls Dam and Central Maine Power lease litigation. Weil served as the expert for the State of Maine in determining the lease fee to be paid under an agreement to negotiated by Governor Percival Baxter.

Arrangement:

As received from donor.

Long Falls Dam/Hydropower

box 11

Series Description:

Case files relating to the Town of Madison, Maine, Electric Works rate litigation. Weil arranged the first open market power purchase transaction in the United States after the restructuring of the electric utility industry pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 1992.

Arrangement:

As received from donor.

Madison Department of Electric Works

box 12

Madison Department of Electric Works

box 13

Madison Department of Electric Works

box 14

Madison Department of Electric Works

box 15

Series Description:

Drafts, communications, and filings concerning the New England Power Pool. Weil chaired the negotiations to create a single integrated electric transmission system in New England.

Arrangement:

As received from donor.

Regional Transmission Group and New England Regional Electric Transmission (NEPOOL)

box 16

Regional Transmission Group and New England Regional Electric Transmission (NEPOOL)

box 17

New England Power Pool

box 18

NEPOOL Agreement

box 19

Series Description:

Course syllabi, student evaluations, teaching notes, correspondence, and memoranda related to the 1973-1974 academic year when Weil served as an assistant professor in Bowdoin's Department of Government and Legal Studies and taught courses in international politics. Also included are syllabi and expense accounts from Weil's student days at Bowdoin.

Arrangement:

Arranged alphabetically by material type.

Exams and teaching notes, 1973-1974, n.d.

box 20 folder 1

Memoranda, correspondence, and miscellaneous materials, 1970-1974

box 20 folder 2

Notebooks kept by Gordon Weil's mother with Weil's student expenses at Bowdoin, 1954-1958

box 20 folder 3

Student evaluations of Government courses taught by Weil (students not identified), 1973-1974

box 20 folder 4

Syllabi, 1956, 1973-1974, n.d.

box 20 folder 5

Series Description:

Reports concerning electric power prepared by Gordon Weil for the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS) based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Arrangement:

Arranged chronologically in one folder.

Reports for the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies, 2003-2013

box 22 folder 1