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Patrick Leahy
| Patrick Leahy | ||
 | ||
| U.S. Senate, Vermont | ||
| Incumbent | ||
| In office | ||
| January 3, 1975-Present | ||
| Term ends | ||
| January 3, 2017 | ||
| Years in position | 38 | |
| Party | Democratic | |
| Predecessor | George D. Aiken (R) | |
| Leadership | ||
| President pro tempore of the Senate | ||
| December 17, 2012 - Present | ||
| Compensation | ||
| Base salary | $193,400/year | |
| Elections and appointments | ||
| Last election | November 2, 2010 | |
| First elected | November 5, 1974 | |
| Next election | November 2016 | |
| Term limits | N/A | |
| Education | ||
| Bachelor's | Saint Michael's College | |
| J.D. | Georgetown University Law Center | |
| Personal | ||
| Birthday | March 31, 1940 | |
| Place of birth | Montpelier, VT | |
| Net worth | $129,503 | |
| Websites | ||
| Office website | ||
Contents |
Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Leahy is a "moderate Democratic leader".[1]
Biography
After earning his J.D. from Georgetown University, Leahy was admitted to the Vermont bar. He practiced law and became State's Attorney for Chittenden County for eight years before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 1974.[2]
Committee assignments
U.S. Senate
2013-2014
Leahy is on the following committees[3]:
- Judiciary Chair
- Subcommittee on Oversight, Federal Rights and Agency Action
- Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security
- Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry
- Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, Marketing and Agriculture Security
- Subcommittee on Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Food and Agricultural Research
- Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources
- Appropriations
- Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
- Subcommittee on Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Department of Homeland
- Subcommittee on Department of Defense
- Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
- Rules & Administration
2011-2012
Leahy is on the following committees[2]:
- Judiciary Chair
- Administrative Oversight and the Courts
- The Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights
- Immigration, Refugees and Border Security
- Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry
- Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources
- Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Food and Agriculture Research
- Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, Marketing and Agriculture Security
- Appropriations
- Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies
- Defense
- Homeland Security
- Interior, Environment and Related Agencies
- State, Foreign Operations, and Related Agencies Chair
- Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
- Rules & Administration
Issues
Senate Judiciary Committee
Leahy was first appointed to the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1978. In 1997, Leahy became the ranking Democratic member on the committee. Leahy served as ranking member from 1997 to 2001 and again from 2003 to 2007. Leahy first served as the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee from 2001 to 2003 and was re-appointed as Chairman in 2007 when Democrats regained control of the US Senate.[4]
Leahy has participated in the confirmation hearings for Chief Justices William Rehnquist in 1986 and John Roberts in 2005. Leahy has also served in the confirmation hearings of Associate Justices Sandra Day O'Connor in 1981, Antonin Scalia in 1986, Robert Bork in 1987, Anthony Kennedy in 1988, David Souter in 1990, Clarence Thomas in 1991, Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 1993, Stephen Breyer in 1994, Samuel Alito in 2006, and Sonia Sotomayor in 2009.
Leahy serves on the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees, and Border Security.[5]
Senator Leahy is the longest-tenured Democrat member of the Senate Judiciary Committee with 31 years of service. Orrin Hatch of Utah is the longest tenured member with 33 years of service on the committee.
Leahy has issued strong criticism of the GOP members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, claiming that they are dragging their feet with judicial conformations. [6]
Fiscal Cliff
Leahy voted for the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. The bill was passed in the Senate by a 89/8 vote on January 1, 2013.[7]
Elections
2010
On November 2, 2010, Leahy won re-election to the U.S. Senate, defeating Len Britton (R), Daniel Freilich (I), Stephen J. Cain (I), Johenry Nunes (I), Peter Diamondstone (Socialist), Cris Ericson (United States Marijuana), and a write-in.[8]
| U.S. Senate, Vermont, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Patrick J. Leahy Incumbent |
64.3% | 151,281 | |
| Republican | Len Britton | 30.9% | 72,699 | |
| Independent | Daniel Freilich | 1.5% | 3,544 | |
| Independent | Stephen J. Cain | 1% | 2,356 | |
| Independent | Johenry Nunes | 0.4% | 1,021 | |
| Socialist | Peter Diamondstone | 0.6% | 1,433 | |
| Independent | Cris Ericson | 1.2% | 2,731 | |
| Write-in | Unnamed | 0% | 113 | |
| Total Votes | 235,178 | |||
Campaign donors
Comprehensive donor information for Leahy is available dating back to 2004. Based on available campaign finance records, Leahy raised a total of $7,495,946 during that time period. This information was last updated on April 25, 2013.[9]
| Patrick Leahy's Campaign Contribution History | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Office | Result | Contributions | |
| 2010 | U.S. Senate (Vermont) |  |
$4,869,504 | |
| 2004 | U.S. Senate (Vermont) | |
$2,626,442 | |
| Grand Total Raised | $7,495,946 | |||
Leahy won re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2010. During that re-election cycle, Leahy's campaign committee raised a total of $4,869,504 and spent $4,104,770.[10]
| U.S. Senate, Vermont, 2010 - Patrick Leahy Campaign Contributions | |
|---|---|
| Total Raised | $4,869,504 |
| Total Spent | $4,104,770 |
| Total Raised by General Election Opponent | $232,549 |
| Total Spent by General Election Opponent | $231,114 |
| Top contributors to Patrick Leahy's campaign committee | |
| Technet | $81,961 |
| Girardi & Keese | $72,000 |
| Time Warner | $63,400 |
| Walt Disney Co | $45,400 |
| Vivendi | $36,706 |
| Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee | |
| Lawyers/Law Firms | $644,065 |
| TV/Movies/Music | $385,306 |
| Computers/Internet | $322,211 |
| Lobbyists | $284,900 |
| Leadership PACs | $212,900 |
Analysis
Lifetime voting record
According to the website GovTrack, Leahy missed 544 of 14,640 roll call votes from January 1975 to April 2013. This amounts to 3.7%, which is worse than the median of 1.7% among current senators as of April 2013.[11]
Congressional staff salaries
The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Leahy paid his congressional staff a total of $2,417,121 in 2011. He ranks 8th on the list of the lowest paid Democratic Senatorial Staff Salaries and he ranks 31st overall of the lowest paid Senatorial Staff Salaries in 2011. Overall, Vermont ranks 45th in average salary for senatorial staff. The average U.S. Senate congressional staff was paid $2,529,141.70 in fiscal year 2011.[12]
Net worth
2011
Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, Leahy's net worth as of 2011 was estimated between $49,007 and $210,000. That averages to $129,503, which is lower than the average net worth of Democratic Senators in 2011 of $20,795,450. His average net worth did not change from 2010.[13]
2010
Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, Leahy's net worth as of 2010 was estimated between $49,007 and $210,000. That averages to $129,503.50, which is lower than the average net worth of Democratic Senators in 2010 of $19,383,524.[14]
National Journal vote ratings
2012
Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of congress voted in the previous year. Leahy ranked 24th in the liberal rankings in 2012.[15]
2011
- See also: National Journal vote ratings
Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of congress voted in the previous year. Leahy ranked 11th in the liberal rankings.[16]
Political positions
Percentage voting with party
November 2011
The website Open Congress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus. According to the website, Leahy voted with the Democratic Party 94.6% of the time, which ranked 24 among the 51 Senate Democratic members in November 2011.[17]
Recent news
This section displays the most recent stories in a Google news search for the term Patrick + Leahy + Vermont + Senate
- All stories may not be relevant to this page due to the nature of the search engine.
Patrick Leahy News Feed
- Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy on amendment he didn't offer to immigration bill - BurlingtonFreePress.com (blog)
- For Gay Couples Seeking Immigration Reform, All Eyes On Sen. Patrick Leahy - BuzzFeed
- Key House chairman slams Senate immigration bill - Yahoo! News
- Officials: Senators reach deal on high-tech visas - Yahoo! News
- Sen. Patrick Leahy Introduces Bill to Reauthorize a Lifesaving G - FOX44 ... - Fox44abc22yourvoice
- Tensions high as Senate panel considers immigration reform - Washington Blade
- Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy steps back on gay ... - WPTV
- Senator Patrick Leahy Files Amendments To Include Gay Couples In ... - BuzzFeed
- Sen Pat Leahy retreats on attempt to sneak gay marriage in immigration reform bill - The Global Dispatch
- VT Sen. Leahy Pushing For Amendment to Prevent Border Crossing F - FOX44 ... - Fox44abc22yourvoice
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Personal
Leahy and his wife, Marcelle, have three children and five grandchildren.[2]
External links
- Social media:
- Biographies:
- Political profiles:
- Fact-checking:
- Financial:
- Interest group ratings:
- Issue positions:
- Legislation:
- Public statements:
- Voting record:
- Works by or about:
- Media appearances:
- Media coverage:
References
- ↑ Gov Track "Patrick Leahy," Accessed March 3, 2012
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Official Senate website "Biography," Accessed November 26, 2011
- ↑ Congressional Quarterly "Senate Committee List" Accessed January 18, 2013
- ↑ "Senate Judiciary" List of previous members
- ↑ "Senate Judiciary Committee" List of Subcommittees
- ↑ Leahy Statement on GOP ‘Obstruction’
- ↑ U.S. Senate "Roll Call Vote on the Fiscal Cliff" Accessed January 4, 2013.
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010"
- ↑ Open Secrets "Donor history for Patrick Leahy" Accessed April 25, 2013
- ↑ Open Secrets "Patrick Leahy 2010 Election Cycle," Accessed November 26, 2011
- ↑ GovTrack, "Leahy," Accessed April 11, 2013
- ↑ LegiStorm "Patrick Leahy"
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Leahy, (D-Vermont), 2011"
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Leahy, (D-Vermont), 2010"
- ↑ National Journal, "2012 Congressional Vote Ratings," February 28, 2013
- ↑ National Journal, "Searchable Vote Ratings Tables: Senate," February 23, 2012
- ↑ Open Congress "Voting With Party"
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by George Aikin |
U.S. Senate - Vermont 1975-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by Daniel Inouye (D) |
President Pro Tempore- U.S. Senate 2012-Present |
Succeeded by NA |
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