About Charley
As a Massachusetts State Representative and Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, Charley Murphy works to provide practical policy solutions for the communities he represents.
Born and raised in Burlington, Charley understands the issues facing Massachusetts and has been a powerful voice for progress across the Commonwealth.
After graduating from the Burlington Public School system, Charley attended Villanova University and Vermont Law School. In 1989, he joined the US Marine Corps, where he served for 5 years and rose to the rank of Captain. As a Marine, he served a six-month tour as Staff Judge Advocate aboard the USS Gaudalcanal, acted as a military prosecutor, and was appointed Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Charley's time in the military reaffirmed his commitment to public service and his desire to lead his country forward.
Following his military service, Charley returned to Massachusetts to attend the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. After completing his degree, Charley moved back to Burlington, where he and his wife are now raising their two daughters, Amelia and Grace.
Charley was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1997 and has been representing the 21st Middlesex District for 12 years. A tireless advocate for his constituents, Charley is dedicated to the betterment of the district and the state. In his seventh terms as a State Representative, he has dramatically increased state aid to his district. During his time in the Legislature, Charley has steadily risen through the ranks of leadership. He served as vice chair of the Joint Committee on Capital Expenditures, Bonding and State Assets and in February of 2009 was named Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means.
As a veteran, Charley leads the fight to protect veterans' rights and promote veterans' benefits throughout Massachusetts. Since elected Representative, he has sponsored the passage of legislation to provide tuition assistance and workforce training programs for veterans across the state and has served on the Veterans' Mental Health Commission.
In 2003, Charley was named "One of the Top 100 Democrats to Watch" by the Democratic Leadership Council, largely in recognition of his efforts to strengthen public safety policies and ensure equality in the state's judicial system. Charley was also named "Outstanding Legislator of the Year" by the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation and Southern Middlesex Legal Services.
