Legality of Cannabis by U.S. Jurisdiction

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{{short description|American politician}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
'''Kemper Freeman, Jr.''' (born October 23, 1941) is a real estate developer, philanthropist, and an outspoken supporter of transportation policies he believes will benefit the Seattle/Bellevue region.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lang Jones|first=Jeanne|title=Retail mogul Kemper Freeman talks shop|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2012/02/10/retail-mogul-kemper-freeman-talks-shop.html?page=all|accessdate=1 October 2012|newspaper=Puget Sound Business Journal|date=10 February 2012}}</ref> He is Chairman, CEO, and principal owner of [http://www.bellevuesquare.com/KemperDevelopmentCompany.php Kemper Development Company]<ref>{{cite web|title=F. Kemper Freeman Jr|url=http://www.bellevuecollection.com/ManagementTeam.php|work=Kemper Development Company Executive Team|publisher=Kemper Development Company|accessdate=1 October 2012}}</ref> , which built and operates [[Bellevue Square]], [[Bellevue Place]] and [[Lincoln Square]] located in [[Bellevue, Washington]].
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Kemper Freeman
| image = Kemper Freeman at 2017 ULI Spring Meeting, Seattle.jpg
| image_size =
| smallimage = <!--If this is specified, "image" should not be.-->
| alt =
| caption =
| order =
| state_house1 = Washington
| district1 = [[Washington's 48th legislative district|48th]]
| term_start1 = January 8, 1973
| term_end1 = December 31, 1976
| predecessor1 = [[John D. Jones (Washington politician)|John D. Jones]]
| successor1 = [[Paul Sanders (politician)|Paul Sanders]]
| party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| birth_name = Frederick Kemper Freeman Jr.
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1941|10|23}}
| birth_place =
| citizenship =
| nationality =
| spouse = Betty Austin
| children = Amy Schreck and Suzanne McQuaid
| parents = Frederick Kemper Freeman Sr. and Clotilde Freeman (née Duryee)
| residence =
| education =
| alma_mater = [[Bellevue High School (Bellevue, Washington)|Bellevue High School]]
| profession = [[Real estate development|Real estate developer]]
| known_for = Kemper Development Company
| religion =
| signature =
| signature_alt =
| website =
}}


'''Frederick Kemper Freeman Jr.''' (born October 23, 1941)<ref name="HistoryLink">{{cite web|last=McRoberts|first=Patrick|date=October 29, 2006|title=Freeman, Frederick Kemper, Jr. (b. 1941)|url=http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=8000|work=[[HistoryLink]]|access-date=December 26, 2012}}</ref> is the active chairman and CEO of Kemper Development Company,<ref name="BusinessWeek Profile">{{cite web|title=Executive Profile: Kemper Freeman Jr.|url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=7044490&privcapId=4249564&previousCapId=526921&previousTitle=BARNES%20&%20NOBLE%20INC|work=Bloomberg BusinessWeek|publisher=Bloomberg|access-date=December 26, 2012}}{{dead link|date=April 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> which built and operates [[Bellevue Square]], Bellevue Place, and [[Lincoln Square (Bellevue)|Lincoln Square]], all located in [[Bellevue, Washington]]. Kemper represents the third generation of the Freeman family, who have been involved in the growth of the Bellevue community since 1897.<ref name="SeattleBMagCover">{{cite news|last=Stang|first=John|title=Cover Story: Kemper Freeman Jr.|url=http://www.seattlebusinessmag.com/article/cover-story-kemper-freeman-jr?page=0,1|access-date=December 26, 2012|newspaper=Seattle Business Magazine|date=June 2012}}</ref> He is a former [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] member of the [[Washington State House of Representatives]] from the [[Washington's 48th legislative district|48th district]]<ref name="WashHoR">{{cite web|last=Hoemann|first=Thomas A|title=State of Washington: Members of the Legislature, 1889 ñ 2009|url=http://www.leg.wa.gov/History/Legislative/Documents/Members_of_Leg_2009.pdf|work=State of Washington: Members of the Legislature|publisher=State of Washington Secretary of State|access-date=December 26, 2012}}</ref> and publicly active in conversations about traffic and transportation in Bellevue.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lang Jones|first=Jeanne|title=Retail mogul Kemper Freeman talks shop|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2012/02/10/retail-mogul-kemper-freeman-talks-shop.html?page=all|access-date=January 3, 2013|newspaper=Puget Sound Business Journal|date=February 10, 2012}}</ref>
== Family Background==
Freeman is a third-generation resident of Bellevue, Washington, and his family has been instrumental in the region since the early 1900’s. His grandfather Miller Freeman, pushed for improved Seattle area transportation as early as 1910 through the promotion of the Fishermen’s Terminal<ref name="historylink">{{cite web|title=Freeman, Frederick Kemper, Jr. (b. 1941)|url=http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=8000|work=Cyberpedia Library|publisher=HistoryLink.org|accessdate=1 October 2012}}</ref> and was instrumental in the construction of the first bridge from Seattle to Bellevue. Freeman’s father, Kemper Freeman, Sr., was the leader in creating Bellevue’s first school district and hospital. Kemper Freeman, Sr. also led the development of what became the [http://www.bellevuesquare.com/ Bellevue Square Shopping Center],<ref>{{cite web|title=The Tree|url=http://www.bellevuecollection.com/KemperDevelopmentLegacy.php|work=http://www.bellevuecollection.com/KemperDevelopmentLegacy.php|publisher=Kemper Development Company: Kemper History|accessdate=1 October 2012}}</ref> which opened in 1946 and continues to be one of the top shopping centers in the country.


== Early Life ==
== Freeman family ==
{{Split section|date=March 2023}}
At age nine, Freeman went to work on a 540-acre dairy farm in what is now [[Marymoor Park]],<ref name="historylink" /> earning 50 cents an hour. He learned to drive a [[tractor]] and eventually purchased his own, which allowed him to continue farm work over the next 23 years.
Kemper Freeman Jr. is a third-generation resident of Bellevue, Washington. His grandfather, Miller Freeman, was active in state politics and public affairs, including promoting the development of a bridge connecting Seattle, Mercer Island, and Bellevue,<ref name="SeattleBMagCover" /> and acting as a driving force in anti-Japanese discrimination, agitating for what he called a "white man's Pacific coast".<ref name="censored">{{cite web|url=https://crosscut.com/2020/03/bellevues-anti-japanese-history-censored-city-run-arts-festival-artists-say |title=Bellevue's anti-Japanese history 'censored' at city-run arts festival, artists say |first=Margo |last=Vansynghel |date=March 17, 2020 |work=[[Crosscut.com]] |publisher=Cascade Public Media}}</ref><ref name="Neiwert2016">{{cite book|author=David Neiwert|title=Eliminationists: How Hate Talk Radicalized the American Right|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3dpqCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT160|date=January 20, 2016|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-317-26060-8|page=160}}</ref> Beginning in 1907,<ref name="Neiwert2016"/> Miller Freeman was a prominent voice calling for the segregation or deportation of Japanese immigrants, whom he saw as a threat to white prosperity.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87093407/1919-07-26/ed-1/seq-1/|title=Deport Japanese|date=July 26, 1919|work=Seattle Star|access-date=March 16, 2019}}</ref> He founded the Anti-Japanese League of Washington in 1916 and was a vocal proponent for the state's 1921 [[alien land laws]], the [[1924 Immigration Act]], and the 1942 [[Internment of Japanese Americans|incarceration of American citizens of Japanese ancestry]] in concentration camps during World War II.<ref name="censored"/>


Freeman Jr.'s father, Frederick Kemper Freeman Sr., led the development of what is now Bellevue Square, which opened in 1946.<ref name="LincolnSquare">{{cite news|last=Brodsky |first=Sascha |title=Kemper's Lincoln Square Adds to Seattle Suburb |url=http://www.icsc.org/srch/sct/sct1205/Shopping_seattle_kemper.php |access-date=December 26, 2012 |newspaper=Shopping Centers Today |date=December 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121006072141/http://www.icsc.org/srch/sct/sct1205/Shopping_seattle_kemper.php |archive-date=October 6, 2012 }}</ref> He also was involved in building Bellevue's first hospital, [[Overlake Hospital Medical Center]].<ref name="SeattleBMagCover" /> Kemper Freeman Jr. was born on October 23, 1941.<ref name="HistoryLink" /> He married Betty Austin in 1965 and has two daughters, Amy Schreck and Suzanne McQuaid.<ref name="LightRail">{{cite news|last=Long |first=Katherine |title=Kemper Freeman is suing to stop light-rail expansion to Eastside |url=http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2011756951_kemper02m.html |access-date=December 26, 2012 |newspaper=The Seattle Times |date=May 1, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141009041418/http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2011756951_kemper02m.html |archive-date=October 9, 2014 }}</ref>
Kemper Freeman Jr. married Betty Austin in 1965 and had two daughters, Suzanne Lea and Amy Clotilde.


== Career ==
== Career ==
In 1973, Freeman Jr. was appointed to a vacant seat in the [[Washington State House of Representatives]] as a Republican representing the [[Washington's 48th legislative district|48th district]]. After serving for three years, he resigned from the seat to focus on his business in building and development.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lindblom|first=Mike|title=Kemper Freeman Jr.: Bellevue's man on the move|url=http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20020515&slug=kemper15e0|access-date=January 3, 2013|newspaper=The Seattle Times|date=May 15, 2002}}</ref> He then began working full-time on the expansion and enclosure of Bellevue Square with his father, which re-opened in 1981. In early-1980, Freeman Jr. founded the Kemper Development Company,<ref name="HistoryLink" /> which has overseen the continued expansion of Bellevue Square as well as development of:
Never having worked in [[radio]], Freeman agreed to help run his family’s local radio station, [[KFKF]], during a short absence by his father in 1964. He came to love the work and assumed management of the station soon thereafter.<ref name="historylink" />


* Bellevue Place, a mixed use property that opened in 1988, housing office space, retail, dining options, and the Hyatt Regency Bellevue.<ref>{{cite news|last=Park|first=Clayton|title=Glitzy remake for Bellevue Place|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/1996/06/17/story1.html?page=all|access-date=January 3, 2013|newspaper=Puget Sound Business Journal|date=June 16, 1996}}</ref>
In 1972, Freeman was elected to the [[Washington State House of Representatives]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Historical Photos of House Classes|url=http://www.leg.wa.gov/History/House/ClassPhotos/Pages/1973house.aspx|work=History of the State Legislature|publisher=Washington State Legislature}}</ref> After serving for four years, Kemper retired from the seat to work full-time for Kemper Development Company, focusing on the expansion and enclosure of Bellevue Square in the early 1980’s.<ref name="historylink" />
* Lincoln Square, which opened in 2005 with condominiums, a movie theater, a bowling alley, restaurants, retail, office space, and the Westin Bellevue.<ref name="LincolnSquare" />


In total, the three properties (Bellevue Square, Bellevue Place, Lincoln Square) makeup the Bellevue Collection, covering approximately 50 acres of land in downtown Bellevue.<ref name="SeattleBMagCover" /> In 2016, ''Bloomberg'' reported all of Freeman's holdings had a worth of "about $2 billion" of which Freeman and his two daughters owned a majority stake.<ref>{{cite news|last=Metcalf|first=Tom|title=A Billionaire Real Estate Mogul Can't Find Love in Hillaryland|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-29/in-hillaryland-a-real-estate-billionaire-has-long-list-of-foes|access-date=March 3, 2020|newspaper=Bloomberg|date=November 29, 2016}}</ref>
At Kemper Development Company, Freeman has been the vision behind and has overseen the creation and development of over four million square feet of mixed-use real estate<ref>{{cite web|title=Kemper History|url=http://www.bellevuecollection.com/KemperDevelopmentLegacy.php|work=http://www.bellevuecollection.com/KemperDevelopmentLegacy.php|publisher=Kemper Development Company: Kemper History|accessdate=1 October 2012}}</ref> including:


== Political involvement ==
:* A major expansion in the 1980s that transformed Bellevue Square from a one-level, open-air shopping center to a multi-level, enclosed super-regional center with over one million square feet of retail space
Freeman Jr. often speaks out against mass transit. In 1995 and 1996, Freeman Jr. led a campaign opposing the creation of a regional transit authority which later became [[Sound Transit]], arguing "the automobile has won".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Schaefer |first1=David |last2=Murakami |first2=Kery |date=March 15, 1995 |title=Transit plan derailed: Pierce, Snohomish county voters say no to $6.7 billion proposal |page=A1 |url=http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19950315&slug=2110262 |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=January 25, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119063248/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19950315&slug=2110262 |archive-date=January 19, 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Schaefer |first1=David |last2=Ervin |first2=Keith |date=March 6, 1995 |title=A long road to opposition: Kemper Freeman Jr. vs. the RTA |page=A1 |url=http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19950306&slug=2108601 |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=January 25, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007220138/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19950306&slug=2108601 |archive-date=October 7, 2008 }}</ref> In 2004 and 2008, Freeman backed state initiatives to convert HOV lanes and bus lanes to general traffic.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pryne |first=Eric |date=February 3, 2004 |title=Voters may decide on opening Washington HOV lanes |url=https://itd.idaho.gov/Transporter/2004/020604_Trans/020604_HOVlanes.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041122005153/https://itd.idaho.gov/Transporter/2004/020604_Trans/020604_HOVlanes.html |archive-date=November 22, 2004 |work=[[The Seattle Times]] |pages=B4}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Initiative 883 |url=https://www2.sos.wa.gov/elections/initiatives/text/i883.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240214074119/https://www2.sos.wa.gov/elections/initiatives/text/i883.pdf |archive-date=February 14, 2024 |access-date=February 14, 2024 |website=WA Secretary of State}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Villeneuve |first=Andrew |date=June 16, 2008 |title=Eyman makes appointment to turn in signatures for I-985 |url=https://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2008/06/eyman-makes-appointment-to-turn-in.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123152759/http://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2008/06/eyman-makes-appointment-to-turn-in.html |archive-date=January 23, 2013 |access-date=February 13, 2024 |website=Cascadia Advocate |publisher=Northwest Progressive Institute}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=November 4, 2008 |title=State of Washington Voter's Pamphlet |url=https://www.sos.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2022-05/Voters%27%2520Pamphlet%25202008%2520General%2520Election.pdf?uid=64b883c94715e |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240214074655/https://www.sos.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2022-05/Voters%27%2520Pamphlet%25202008%2520General%2520Election.pdf?uid=64b883c94715e |archive-date=February 14, 2024 |access-date=February 14, 2024 |website=Washington Secretary of State |page=11}}</ref>
:* The construction and completion of Bellevue Place, the region’s first true mixed-use center, totaling 1.2 million square feet comprised of two office buildings, retail space and a 733 room [[Hyatt Regency]] Hotel
:* An expansion of Bellevue Square in the year 2000 that added 110,000 square feet of retail space and brought street-front retail and a dining district to downtown Bellevue.
:* The turnaround and 2005 completion of the long-dormant Lincoln Square project, which added a 16-screen luxury theater, The Westin Bellevue, 148 luxury residences, and other retail and dining options to The Bellevue Collection’s offerings and provided a catalyst for additional real estate development in the downtown core.


Freeman has been a consistent opponent of Sound Transit's light rail plans. In 2002, the Freeman-backed group Sane Transit sued Sound Transit after the [[1 Line (Sound Transit)|1 Line]] was reduced in scope, alleging that a reduction in project scope required the agency to put the issue to another public vote.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dudley |first=Brier |date=October 8, 2000 |title=Who's in the fight against light rail |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20001008&slug=4046810 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201015041006/https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20001008&slug=4046810 |archive-date=October 15, 2020 |access-date=February 13, 2024 |work=[[The Seattle Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cohen |first=Josh |date=November 28, 2007 |title=Sound Transit (King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties) |url=https://www.historylink.org/file/8002 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240121165712/https://www.historylink.org/File/8002 |archive-date=January 21, 2024 |access-date=February 13, 2024 |website=HistoryLink}}</ref><ref>{{cite court |litigants=Sane Transit v. Sound Transit |vol=151 |reporter=Wn.2d |opinion=60 |pinpoint=64 |court=The Supreme Court of Washington |date=March 4, 2004 |url=https://casetext.com/case/sane-transit-v-sound-transit |access-date= January 10, 2019 |quote=After the voters rejected Sound Transit's 1995 proposal for a $6.9 billion, 16-year regional transit plan, Sound Transit promulgated a second, less ambitious plan in May 1996.}}</ref> In 2008, Freeman campaigned against the plan to bring light rail to downtown Bellevue,<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 7, 2007 |title=Group forms to fight light rail |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/group-forms-to-fight-light-rail/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080601210457/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003738555_webtraffic07m.html |archive-date=June 1, 2008 |access-date=February 13, 2024 |work=[[The Seattle Times]]}}</ref> and backed city council candidates in an effort to route the new light rail line alongside the [[Interstate 405 (Washington)|I-405]] freeway, away from population centers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barnett |first=Erica C. |date=September 15, 2009 |title=Freeman Backs Anti-Light Rail Slate on Eastside |url=https://www.seattlemet.com/news-and-city-life/2009/09/freeman-backs-anti-light-rail-slate-on-eastside |url-status=live |archive-date=March 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210306043449/https://www.seattlemet.com/news-and-city-life/2009/09/freeman-backs-anti-light-rail-slate-on-eastside |access-date=February 13, 2024 |website=PubliCola}}</ref> Freeman sued Sound Transit in 2009, arguing that the use of the I-90 HOV lanes for light rail was illegal. The suit was ultimately rejected after being appealed to the [[Washington State Supreme Court]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Lindblom|first=Mike|title=Kemper Freeman loses latest bid to stop light rail over I-90 bridge|url=http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2017712926_soundtransit0m.html|access-date=December 26, 2012|newspaper=The Seattle Times|date=March 9, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.komonews.com/news/local/State-Supreme-Court-Light-rail-OK-on-I-90-bridge-223504111.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130915052213/http://www.komonews.com/news/local/State-Supreme-Court-Light-rail-OK-on-I-90-bridge-223504111.html| archive-date = September 15, 2013| title = State Supreme Court: Light rail OK on I-90 bridge {{!}} Local & Regional {{!}} Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News {{!}} KOMO News}}</ref> In 2011, Freeman supported [[Tim Eyman|Tim Eyman's]] Initiative 1125, a proposed tolling measure containing a subtle clause prohibiting any "non-highway purpose" for I-90.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Westneat |first=Danny |date=October 25, 2011 |title=Eyman's secret war on light rail |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/dannywestneat/2016606680_danny26.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204220011/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/dannywestneat/2016606680_danny26.html |archive-date=February 4, 2012 |work=[[The Seattle Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sanders |first=Eli |date=October 26, 2011 |title=Kemper Freeman's Road Rage |url=https://www.thestranger.com/features/2011/10/26/10480022/kemper-freemans-road-rage |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240209213520/https://www.thestranger.com/features/2011/10/26/10480022/kemper-freemans-road-rage |archive-date=February 9, 2024 |access-date=February 13, 2024 |website=The Stranger |quote=Freeman became a generous patron for initiative peddler Tim Eyman, giving Eyman $1.1 million to run this fall's Initiative 1125. That $1.1 million constitutes about 90 percent of all the money behind the measure, which purports to be about limiting the state's tolling authority, and does contain a lot of language about tolls, but also contains fine print intended to halt light rail to Bellevue.}}</ref> In 2016, Freeman spent $210,000 in opposition to [[Sound Transit 3]], making up two-thirds of the nearly $316,000 donated to the "No on ST3" campaign.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lindblom |first1=Mike |title=Millions spent on Sound Transit 3 campaign — by those who would benefit |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/employers-contractors-unions-bankroll-sound-transit-3-push/ |access-date=May 5, 2024 |work=The Seattle Times |date=October 23, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505085955/https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/employers-contractors-unions-bankroll-sound-transit-3-push/ |archive-date=May 5, 2024}}</ref> Freeman called the plan a "major calamity", criticizing the plan's timeline, cost, and scope.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Moreno |first1=Amy |title=Developer: ST3 is 'a major calamity' |url=http://www.king5.com/news/traffic/developer-st3-is-a-major-calamity/317493266 |work=KING 5 News |date=September 12, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161016203308/http://www.king5.com/news/traffic/developer-st3-is-a-major-calamity/317493266 |archive-date=October 16, 2016}}</ref>
Freeman served as Chairman of the [[International Council of Shopping Centers]] (ICSC) in 1994–95 and is a current Trustee.<ref>{{cite web|title=Board of Directors|url=http://www.icsc.org/foundation/aboutus_board_of_directors.php|work=ICSC Foundation|publisher=ICSC|accessdate=1 October 2012}}</ref>


Freeman's motivations stem from a belief that cars provide significantly more personal freedom than transit. He believes that socialist nations have failed in part due to their reliance on public transportation.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Barnett |first=Erica C. |date=June 11, 2007 |title=Freeman: Transit Proponents Are Socialists, Terrorists |url=https://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/freeman_transit_proponents_are_socialist |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070620184607/https://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/freeman_transit_proponents_are_socialist |archive-date=June 20, 2007 |access-date=February 13, 2024 |work=[[The Stranger (newspaper)|The Stranger]]}}</ref> Critics have accused him of being motivated by classism, arguing that a 2005 comment about the [[Westfield Southcenter|Southcenter mall]] indicates his disdain for those who can't afford to shop at [[Bellevue Square]]: "When you walk through the [Southcenter] mall, the way the customer dresses just to shop there — the light blue and pink hair curlers, the shoes that flop, flop, flop along — it’s a completely different customer," said Freeman. "Yet we are 12 miles apart."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Large |first=Jerry |date=April 24, 2005 |title=Southcenter comments draw wrath of readers |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20050424&slug=jdl24 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025113418/https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20050424&slug=jdl24 |archive-date=October 25, 2020 |access-date=February 13, 2024 |work=[[The Seattle Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Goldstein |first=David |date=January 29, 2010 |title=Presumption Junction: where light rail intersects with Kemper Freeman’s shameful family history |url=http://horsesass.org/presumption-junction-where-light-rail-intersects-with-kemper-freemans-shameful-family-history/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150125063722/http://horsesass.org/presumption-junction-where-light-rail-intersects-with-kemper-freemans-shameful-family-history/ |archive-date=January 25, 2015 |access-date=February 13, 2024 |website=horsesass.org}}</ref>
== Involvement in Political and Transportation Issues ==
Kemper Freeman, continues to engage in the development of Bellevue and the Seattle region and is active in political affairs on a local, regional, and national level. He often speaks out on the issue of mass transit expansion and congestion reduction. He has received criticism for his opposition to [[Sound Transit]]’s plans for extending [[light rail]] from Seattle to Bellevue, and namely his financial opposition to Proposition 1, which was approved by [[King County, Washington|King County]] voters in 2008.


==Community involvement==
Freeman believes light rail is inadequate for alleviating the area’s congestion and says freeway expansion and dedicated bus lines will produce better, more cost-effective results).<ref>{{cite news|title=Town Square: Kemper Freeman Jr|url=http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=5211207|accessdate=1 October 2012|newspaper=Puget Sound Business Journal|date=27 February 2012}}</ref>
Freeman Jr. holds leadership appointments in several community and economic development organizations in the Bellevue area, including:


* Co-chair of the capital campaign<ref>{{cite web|title=Tateuchi Center Campaign Co-Chairs|url=http://your.kingcounty.gov/dnrp/library/parks-and-recreation/documents/task_force/meeting_materials/Tateuchi_Center_09.2012.pdf|work=Tateuchi Center: A King County Cultural Asset|publisher=King County, Washington Government|access-date=December 12, 2012}}</ref> and member of the Executive Committee for the Performing Arts Center Eastside (PACE), a series of five venues under construction in Bellevue that will feature theater, dance, and music when complete.<ref>{{cite web|title=Who we are-PACE|url=https://pacelive.org/who-we-are/#board|access-date=May 25, 2022}}</ref> The land for PACE was donated by Freeman Jr., who has also made a joint commitment with [[Microsoft]] to provide additional funding.<ref name="SeattleBMagCover" />
== Philanthropy and Community Involvement ==
* Trustee for Overlake Hospital Medical Center<ref name="BusinessWeek Profile" />
Freeman serves as co-chair of the capital campaign for the [http://www.tateuchicenter.org/ Tateuchi Center] – a performing arts center under construction in Bellevue that will feature theater, dance, and the music of the Seattle Symphony and others when complete. The land for the Tateuchi Center was donated by the Kemper Development Company and Freeman has also made a joint commitment with [[Microsoft]] to provide an additional $2 million in funding.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ervin|first=Keith|title=Freeman, Microsoft team up on arts-center gift|url=http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2016575635_bellevue22m.html|accessdate=1 October 2012|newspaper=The Seattle Times|date=21 October 2011}}</ref> Freeman was also past chair for the capital campaign for the Bellevue Arts Museum and has personally given more than $1 million to the Museum over the last ten years.
* Board Member of Bellevue LifeSpring, formerly Overlake Service League<ref>{{cite news|last=Staff|title=Overlake Service League names 8 to Advisory Council|url=http://www.bellevuereporter.com/community/89331492.html|access-date=January 3, 2013|newspaper=Bellevue Reporter|date=March 27, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305055201/http://www.bellevuereporter.com/community/89331492.html|archive-date=March 5, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>


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==References==
[http://www.bellevuelifespring.org/ Bellevue LifeSpring], formerly Overlake Service League, recognizes Kemper Freeman as a board member<ref>{{cite web|title=Board of Directors: Kemper Freeman, Jr|url=http://www.bellevuelifespring.org/aboutus/aboutus-board.php|work=Bellevue LifeSpring Board of Directors|publisher=Bellevue LifeSpring|accessdate=1 October 2012}}</ref> and Kemper Development Company as a lifetime donor. The [http://www.bellevuelifespring.org/thriftshop/thriftshop-main.php Bellevue LifeSpring Thrift Shop] has also been housed at Bellevue Square, paying $1 in annual rent for over five decades.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kemper Freeman, Sr. Scholarship|url=http://www.bellevuelifespring.org/findservices/fs-education.php|work=Bellevue LifeSpring: Educational Grants|publisher=Bellevue LifeSpring|accessdate=1 October 2012}}</ref>
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== External links==
Freeman also serves on the board of [[Overlake Hospital Medical Center|Overlake Hospital and Medical Center]] in Bellevue, which his father helped establish.<ref>{{cite web|title=Board of Trustees|url=http://www.overlakehospital.org/about-us/leadership/board-of-trustees/|work=Overlake Hospital Medical Center|publisher=Overlake Hospital Medical Center|accessdate=1 October 2012}}</ref>
* [http://www.bellevuesquare.com/ The Bellevue Collection]
* [http://www.bellevuesquare.com/KemperDevelopmentCompany.php Kemper Development Company]
* [https://kemperfreeman.com/ Kemper Freeman Website]


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==References==
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[[Category:1941 births]]
{{AFC submission|||ts=20121020022342|u=173.250.132.16|ns=5}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Bellevue, Washington]]
[[Category:American philanthropists]]
[[Category:American businesspeople]]
[[Category:Members of the Washington House of Representatives]]

Latest revision as of 18:52, 5 May 2024

Kemper Freeman
Member of the Washington House of Representatives
from the 48th district
In office
January 8, 1973 – December 31, 1976
Preceded byJohn D. Jones
Succeeded byPaul Sanders
Personal details
Born
Frederick Kemper Freeman Jr.

(1941-10-23) October 23, 1941 (age 82)
Political partyRepublican
SpouseBetty Austin
ChildrenAmy Schreck and Suzanne McQuaid
Parent(s)Frederick Kemper Freeman Sr. and Clotilde Freeman (née Duryee)
Alma materBellevue High School
ProfessionReal estate developer
Known forKemper Development Company

Frederick Kemper Freeman Jr. (born October 23, 1941)[1] is the active chairman and CEO of Kemper Development Company,[2] which built and operates Bellevue Square, Bellevue Place, and Lincoln Square, all located in Bellevue, Washington. Kemper represents the third generation of the Freeman family, who have been involved in the growth of the Bellevue community since 1897.[3] He is a former Republican member of the Washington State House of Representatives from the 48th district[4] and publicly active in conversations about traffic and transportation in Bellevue.[5]

Freeman family[edit]

Kemper Freeman Jr. is a third-generation resident of Bellevue, Washington. His grandfather, Miller Freeman, was active in state politics and public affairs, including promoting the development of a bridge connecting Seattle, Mercer Island, and Bellevue,[3] and acting as a driving force in anti-Japanese discrimination, agitating for what he called a "white man's Pacific coast".[6][7] Beginning in 1907,[7] Miller Freeman was a prominent voice calling for the segregation or deportation of Japanese immigrants, whom he saw as a threat to white prosperity.[8] He founded the Anti-Japanese League of Washington in 1916 and was a vocal proponent for the state's 1921 alien land laws, the 1924 Immigration Act, and the 1942 incarceration of American citizens of Japanese ancestry in concentration camps during World War II.[6]

Freeman Jr.'s father, Frederick Kemper Freeman Sr., led the development of what is now Bellevue Square, which opened in 1946.[9] He also was involved in building Bellevue's first hospital, Overlake Hospital Medical Center.[3] Kemper Freeman Jr. was born on October 23, 1941.[1] He married Betty Austin in 1965 and has two daughters, Amy Schreck and Suzanne McQuaid.[10]

Career[edit]

In 1973, Freeman Jr. was appointed to a vacant seat in the Washington State House of Representatives as a Republican representing the 48th district. After serving for three years, he resigned from the seat to focus on his business in building and development.[11] He then began working full-time on the expansion and enclosure of Bellevue Square with his father, which re-opened in 1981. In early-1980, Freeman Jr. founded the Kemper Development Company,[1] which has overseen the continued expansion of Bellevue Square as well as development of:

  • Bellevue Place, a mixed use property that opened in 1988, housing office space, retail, dining options, and the Hyatt Regency Bellevue.[12]
  • Lincoln Square, which opened in 2005 with condominiums, a movie theater, a bowling alley, restaurants, retail, office space, and the Westin Bellevue.[9]

In total, the three properties (Bellevue Square, Bellevue Place, Lincoln Square) makeup the Bellevue Collection, covering approximately 50 acres of land in downtown Bellevue.[3] In 2016, Bloomberg reported all of Freeman's holdings had a worth of "about $2 billion" of which Freeman and his two daughters owned a majority stake.[13]

Political involvement[edit]

Freeman Jr. often speaks out against mass transit. In 1995 and 1996, Freeman Jr. led a campaign opposing the creation of a regional transit authority which later became Sound Transit, arguing "the automobile has won".[14][15] In 2004 and 2008, Freeman backed state initiatives to convert HOV lanes and bus lanes to general traffic.[16][17][18][19]

Freeman has been a consistent opponent of Sound Transit's light rail plans. In 2002, the Freeman-backed group Sane Transit sued Sound Transit after the 1 Line was reduced in scope, alleging that a reduction in project scope required the agency to put the issue to another public vote.[20][21][22] In 2008, Freeman campaigned against the plan to bring light rail to downtown Bellevue,[23] and backed city council candidates in an effort to route the new light rail line alongside the I-405 freeway, away from population centers.[24] Freeman sued Sound Transit in 2009, arguing that the use of the I-90 HOV lanes for light rail was illegal. The suit was ultimately rejected after being appealed to the Washington State Supreme Court.[25][26] In 2011, Freeman supported Tim Eyman's Initiative 1125, a proposed tolling measure containing a subtle clause prohibiting any "non-highway purpose" for I-90.[27][28] In 2016, Freeman spent $210,000 in opposition to Sound Transit 3, making up two-thirds of the nearly $316,000 donated to the "No on ST3" campaign.[29] Freeman called the plan a "major calamity", criticizing the plan's timeline, cost, and scope.[30]

Freeman's motivations stem from a belief that cars provide significantly more personal freedom than transit. He believes that socialist nations have failed in part due to their reliance on public transportation.[31] Critics have accused him of being motivated by classism, arguing that a 2005 comment about the Southcenter mall indicates his disdain for those who can't afford to shop at Bellevue Square: "When you walk through the [Southcenter] mall, the way the customer dresses just to shop there — the light blue and pink hair curlers, the shoes that flop, flop, flop along — it’s a completely different customer," said Freeman. "Yet we are 12 miles apart."[32][33]

Community involvement[edit]

Freeman Jr. holds leadership appointments in several community and economic development organizations in the Bellevue area, including:

  • Co-chair of the capital campaign[34] and member of the Executive Committee for the Performing Arts Center Eastside (PACE), a series of five venues under construction in Bellevue that will feature theater, dance, and music when complete.[35] The land for PACE was donated by Freeman Jr., who has also made a joint commitment with Microsoft to provide additional funding.[3]
  • Trustee for Overlake Hospital Medical Center[2]
  • Board Member of Bellevue LifeSpring, formerly Overlake Service League[36]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Executive Profile: Kemper Freeman Jr". Bloomberg BusinessWeek. Bloomberg. Retrieved December 26, 2012.[dead link]
  2. ^ a b c d e Stang, John (June 2012). "Cover Story: Kemper Freeman Jr". Seattle Business Magazine. Retrieved December 26, 2012.
  3. ^ Hoemann, Thomas A. "State of Washington: Members of the Legislature, 1889 ñ 2009" (PDF). State of Washington: Members of the Legislature. State of Washington Secretary of State. Retrieved December 26, 2012.
  4. ^ Lang Jones, Jeanne (February 10, 2012). "Retail mogul Kemper Freeman talks shop". Puget Sound Business Journal. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  5. ^ a b Vansynghel, Margo (March 17, 2020). "Bellevue's anti-Japanese history 'censored' at city-run arts festival, artists say". Crosscut.com. Cascade Public Media.
  6. ^ a b David Neiwert (January 20, 2016). Eliminationists: How Hate Talk Radicalized the American Right. Taylor & Francis. p. 160. ISBN 978-1-317-26060-8.
  7. ^ "Deport Japanese". Seattle Star. July 26, 1919. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  8. ^ a b Brodsky, Sascha (December 2005). "Kemper's Lincoln Square Adds to Seattle Suburb". Shopping Centers Today. Archived from the original on October 6, 2012. Retrieved December 26, 2012.
  9. ^ Long, Katherine (May 1, 2010). "Kemper Freeman is suing to stop light-rail expansion to Eastside". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on October 9, 2014. Retrieved December 26, 2012.
  10. ^ Lindblom, Mike (May 15, 2002). "Kemper Freeman Jr.: Bellevue's man on the move". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  11. ^ Park, Clayton (June 16, 1996). "Glitzy remake for Bellevue Place". Puget Sound Business Journal. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  12. ^ Metcalf, Tom (November 29, 2016). "A Billionaire Real Estate Mogul Can't Find Love in Hillaryland". Bloomberg. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  13. ^ Schaefer, David; Murakami, Kery (March 15, 1995). "Transit plan derailed: Pierce, Snohomish county voters say no to $6.7 billion proposal". The Seattle Times. p. A1. Archived from the original on January 19, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  14. ^ Schaefer, David; Ervin, Keith (March 6, 1995). "A long road to opposition: Kemper Freeman Jr. vs. the RTA". The Seattle Times. p. A1. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  15. ^ Pryne, Eric (February 3, 2004). "Voters may decide on opening Washington HOV lanes". The Seattle Times. pp. B4. Archived from the original on November 22, 2004.
  16. ^ "Initiative 883" (PDF). WA Secretary of State. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 14, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  17. ^ Villeneuve, Andrew (June 16, 2008). "Eyman makes appointment to turn in signatures for I-985". Cascadia Advocate. Northwest Progressive Institute. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  18. ^ "State of Washington Voter's Pamphlet" (PDF). Washington Secretary of State. November 4, 2008. p. 11. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 14, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  19. ^ Dudley, Brier (October 8, 2000). "Who's in the fight against light rail". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on October 15, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  20. ^ Cohen, Josh (November 28, 2007). "Sound Transit (King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties)". HistoryLink. Archived from the original on January 21, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  21. ^ Sane Transit v. Sound Transit, 151 Wn.2d 60, 64 (The Supreme Court of Washington March 4, 2004) ("After the voters rejected Sound Transit's 1995 proposal for a $6.9 billion, 16-year regional transit plan, Sound Transit promulgated a second, less ambitious plan in May 1996.").
  22. ^ "Group forms to fight light rail". The Seattle Times. June 7, 2007. Archived from the original on June 1, 2008. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  23. ^ Barnett, Erica C. (September 15, 2009). "Freeman Backs Anti-Light Rail Slate on Eastside". PubliCola. Archived from the original on March 6, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  24. ^ Lindblom, Mike (March 9, 2012). "Kemper Freeman loses latest bid to stop light rail over I-90 bridge". The Seattle Times. Retrieved December 26, 2012.
  25. ^ "State Supreme Court: Light rail OK on I-90 bridge | Local & Regional | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | KOMO News". Archived from the original on September 15, 2013.
  26. ^ Westneat, Danny (October 25, 2011). "Eyman's secret war on light rail". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on February 4, 2012.
  27. ^ Sanders, Eli (October 26, 2011). "Kemper Freeman's Road Rage". The Stranger. Archived from the original on February 9, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024. Freeman became a generous patron for initiative peddler Tim Eyman, giving Eyman $1.1 million to run this fall's Initiative 1125. That $1.1 million constitutes about 90 percent of all the money behind the measure, which purports to be about limiting the state's tolling authority, and does contain a lot of language about tolls, but also contains fine print intended to halt light rail to Bellevue.
  28. ^ Lindblom, Mike (October 23, 2016). "Millions spent on Sound Transit 3 campaign — by those who would benefit". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on May 5, 2024. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  29. ^ Moreno, Amy (September 12, 2016). "Developer: ST3 is 'a major calamity'". KING 5 News. Archived from the original on October 16, 2016.
  30. ^ Barnett, Erica C. (June 11, 2007). "Freeman: Transit Proponents Are Socialists, Terrorists". The Stranger. Archived from the original on June 20, 2007. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  31. ^ Large, Jerry (April 24, 2005). "Southcenter comments draw wrath of readers". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on October 25, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  32. ^ Goldstein, David (January 29, 2010). "Presumption Junction: where light rail intersects with Kemper Freeman's shameful family history". horsesass.org. Archived from the original on January 25, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  33. ^ "Tateuchi Center Campaign Co-Chairs" (PDF). Tateuchi Center: A King County Cultural Asset. King County, Washington Government. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  34. ^ "Who we are-PACE". Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  35. ^ Staff (March 27, 2010). "Overlake Service League names 8 to Advisory Council". Bellevue Reporter. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved January 3, 2013.

External links[edit]

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kemper_Freeman&diff=1222388689&oldid=519706852