Elle Shockley

Elle Shockley was a major politician in the early 24th century. She was the founding President of the League.

Background
Elle Shockley was born in 2261 in Standard City on St Lawrence. She was born to a family of ranchers who owned a decent amount of land at the "Silver Dollar" ranch on the edge of the Northern Half-Penny. Elle was raised to take over the family ranch and was educated locally, attending St Lawrence's City College and graduating with a BA in business administration.

She began to work for the ranch at 15 and often did cattle drives, recruiting runs and organizing sales of beef and stocks. Elle was also a natural at politics, getting involved in the Independent-Farmers Party (IFP). She became a fund-raiser, like her parents but showed more of a knack for it than her parents did and she helped raise money for and campaigned with several city-Councillors.

She took over the family business in 2301 which expanded under her watch. She aggressively competed for contracts and lands and won them through her business acumen and political allies on the council and colonial legislature. She declined to seek a seat on the Standard City Council but set her sights on a shock run for May of Fort Francis. She ran as a reformer on the IFP ticket and won with a slick, well funded campaign in 2304

Mayor of Fort Francis
Elected to a middle-sized city but holding a huge amount of influence over ranchers, home-steaders and moderates, she became an increasingly powerful voice on the planet's political scene. Successive governors were forced to make deals with her to deliver to her base in order to avoid serious political trouble.

Mayor Shockley won re-election in 2308 and her second term saw her expand the cities infrastructure and institute several new tough criminal codes, many of which were later overruled by the St Lawrence Court of Appeals.

Elle was barred from seeking a 3rd term in 2312 but she was re-elected in 2316 to an unprecedented 3rd term. She began to look to run for Governor of St Lawrence when the occupation began. She was a key figure in keeping St Lawrence free of Karkouri Occupation and advising Governor Collingwood on how to respond to the competing demands of OMDA, the Resistance and the Provisional Government.

Foundation of the League
Mayor Shockley was a major political figure behind the formation of the League. She took part in the key talks that helped to set up the League. She was seen as a smart, consensus building politician and quickly emerged as a favorite to be the first President of the League.

Mayor Shockley announced that she would seek the Presidency of the League. She finished second in the overall vote behind Cole Berenhault (the OMDA spokesman) who then refused to stand as President. Mayor Shockley was then named as the new President-elect. She took office in May of 2322.

President of the League
As the first President of the League, President Shockley spent much of her term setting out the standards and aims of the League. She had long, drawn out debates and conversations with various colonial governors, military leaders and corporate figures.

She was known for her progressive platform and she worked with Fleet chief of Staff Uwe van Lowe to incorporate many members of OMDA into the League's fleet. She also negotiated with Cole Berenhault and Thane Spiers of OMDA to disband many of OMDA's militias.

President Shockley also had to deal with the judicial ruling in ''Newburn v Cole. ''This historic supreme court ruling stated that without its own set of laws, the League had no judicial authority. Therefore either its laws would all be Ultra vires or it would be assumed that it was acting under the old laws of the Confederate Union. President Shockley made the agreement that the old laws would apply until overruled by new laws.

The Senate was largely comprised of independent Senators, most of whom were members of regional parties. The Senate was very slow to ratify anything and during President Shockley's (somewhat shorter) term she was only able to pass three laws.

In 2324, despite enjoying huge popularity, President Shockley announced she would not seek a second term, preferring to call the Presidential election in 2325. She stated her term had been spent as a caretaker President, setting things up so that the next President would have more authority.

President Shockley refused to endorse a candidate for the Presidential election in 2325.

Post Presidency
President Shockley handed over her office to President Pierce Colby in 2325. She was granted an extensive pension, private protection and was still given code-word clearance rated security briefings.

President Shockley kept a low profile until 2328 when she was critical of the Hansa and its "stalling tactics". She called on the League to show more leadership. She also called on the corporations to play a more responsible role or risk future conflict.

President Shockley agreed to become Chancellor of the University of St Lawrence in 2329.

Whilst she has been courted for another run in politics (either as Governor of St Lawrence or President of the League) she has ruled these out. President Shockley has made statements supporting the aims of the Progressive Union Party but remains an Independent.

President Shockley passed away in 2351.