William J. Foley Jr.

William J. Foley Jr. (December 18, 1923 – June 24, 1984) was an American politician who served on the Boston City Council from 1952 to 1970.

Early life Foley was born on December 18, 1923, in South Boston to Theresa (Liston) Foley and Suffolk County District Attorney William J. Foley. On December 1, 1952, Foley Sr. died. Despite pressure to give the job to Foley Jr. or another well-known political figure, Governor Paul A. Dever appointed assistant district attorney Garrett H. Byrne. Byrne kept on all of Foley Sr.'s assistant district attorneys, but Foley resigned in July 1953 and joined the firm of Frost and Breath. Foley lost to Byrne 46% to 25% in a four-candidate primary that also included Gabriel Piemonte and Timothy J. Murphy. In 1955, Foley received the most votes in the city council election for the third consecutive election. In 1957, Foley was elected council president. In 1958, Foley ran for Suffolk County Register of Deeds, an office that became open when Leo J. Sullivan was appointed Boston police commissioner. Foley finished second in the Democratic primary behind Joseph D. Coughlin, who had been appointed to complete Sullivan's term. In 1968, Foley was elected council president over Patrick F. McDonough 5 votes to 4. Foley had the support of Thomas I. Atkins, Frederick C. Langone, John L. Saltonstall Jr., and Joseph F. Timilty while Garrett M. Byrne, John E. Kerrigan, and Gerald O'Leary voted for McDonough.

During his tenure on the council, Foley was described as “rough, articulate” “skillful parliamentarian and an adept needler of witnesses and other councilors".

Later life Foley was one of three councilors defeated for reelection in 1969. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the council in 1971 and the Boston school committee in 1973 and 1981. Foley died on June 24, 1984, of an apparent heart attack. He was 60 years old.