SouthCoast Political Giant Biff MacLean Passes Away at 91

The SouthCoast is mourning the loss of a political giant, as William Q. “Biff” MacLean, Jr. has passed away.

He was 91 years old.

MacLean, a Democrat from Fairhaven, served over 30 years in the Massachusetts Legislature, beginning in 1961. He served 20 years in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, and then in 1980, was elected to the Massachusetts Senate. He served in that chamber until his retirement in January 1993.

Biff MacLean's Fairhaven Roots

MacLean’s father, William Q. MacLean, Sr., was a successful businessman, owning and operating MacLean Seafood. The younger MacLean was a five-sport athlete at Fairhaven High School, and played five seasons on the football, basketball and baseball teams (he had started playing on the varsity teams in the eighth grade) and earned 14 varsity letters before graduating in 1954. He was elected to the school's Hall of Fame in 2017.

He went on to attend the University of Massachusetts. MacLean also served as a Fairhaven reserve police officer, and in 1960, was elected to public office for the first time, winning both a seat on the Fairhaven School Committee and as a state representative.

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Biff MacLean's Rise to Power

As MacLean’s time in the House grew in both tenure and power, he became the House Majority Whip in 1973 and the Majority Leader in 1975. His last two campaigns in 1976 and 1978 saw him run unopposed.

In 1980, MacLean opted to run for the Massachusetts Senate, challenging incumbent Senator Robert M. Hunt in the Democratic primary. MacLean defeated Hunt 51 percent to 40 percent in the primary, and went on to win the general election with 67 percent of the vote.

Dominating Elections in the 1980s

The powerful MacLean then never faced another challenger in either a primary or a general election, until Hunt – who had switched to the Republican Party – ran against him in the 1990 general election. Once again, MacLean won with 67 percent of the vote.

MacLean's Tenure Ended in Controversy

MacLean retired from the Massachusetts Senate at the start of 1993 and was indicted a month later for violating the state’s conflict of interest law while he was in office. On February 5, 1993, he pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay the Commonwealth $512,000, serve a year of probation, and forfeit his pension.

A Personal Life Beyond Politics

MacLean was married three times. He and his first wife Martha George MacLean had three children: Douglas, Kim and Lauren. He was then married to Marjorie (McCarthy) MacLean until her death from cancer in 1995. In 1998, he married Mary Jane Moran O’Donnell.