Robert E. Cooper, Jr.
Robert E. Cooper, Jr. is the former Democratic Attorney General of Tennessee.[1] Tennessee is unique in that the attorney general is appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court, rather than by the governor. Cooper was first appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court in 2006 for an eight-year term which expired in 2014.[2] Cooper served the entirety of his term and was replaced by Herbert H. Slatery on October 1, 2014.[3]
His father, Robert Cooper Sr., was a retired state supreme court justice who passed away on July 10, 2016.[4][5]
As Attorney General, Cooper listed a number of major accomplishments, including forming a task force with other state agencies in 2008 that resulted in $148 million for the state in healthcare provider fraud cases, obtaining a default judgment of nearly $11 million against a group targeting Ft. Campbell soldiers with predatory sales and lending practices, leading state agencies to form a working group on foreclosures and filed suit against “foreclosure rescue” operations in Memphis, and targeting violations of construction storm water permits and worked to stop rock harvesting by private companies on state property.[6]
There were efforts by some legislators to change how the attorney general was selected during Cooper's tenure. Under the current system, they argued, there could be a conflict of interest when the attorney general argues cases before a court that named him to his position. This was seen as a reaction to Cooper's refusal to join with other state attorneys general in their legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act, as well as his opinions in other cases. In 2013, state legislators introduced seven separate bills that would change either the duties of the attorney general or how the position is filled.[7]
Prior to his appointment, Cooper served as treasurer and legal counsel to Phil Bredesen (D) during his 2002 gubernatorial campaign and stayed on as legal counsel to the Bredesen administration.
Biography
Between graduating from college and entering law school, Cooper was employed by the North Carolina-based newspaper, The Raleigh Times, as a reporter. Shortly after obtaining his law degree, he worked as a clerk for United States District Judge Louis F. Oberdorfer in Washington, D.C. Cooper moved back to Tennessee and served as both a partner and an attorney for a Nashville law firm, Bass, Berry & Sims, PLC, specializing in corporate, constitutional, and regulatory litigation. From 2003 to 2006, he was Legal Counsel to Governor Phil Bredesen, providing legal advice and coordinating legal affairs for the governor, assisting in the development and implementation of legislation, advised on judicial appointments and reviewed requests for executive clemency and extradition.[1]
Education
- Graduated from Baylor School (1975)
- Bachelor's degree, Princeton University
- J.D. degree, Yale University[1]
Political career
Tennessee Attorney General (2006-2014)
Cooper was selected out of 14 potential candidates by the five justices of the Tennessee Supreme Court to assume the role of chief law enforcement officer and lawyer for the state and was sworn into office on November 1, 2006.[8] His term ended in October 2014, when he was replaced by Herbert H. Slatery.[2]
Issues
Protecting Financial Aid for Students and Taxpayers Act
On March 11, 2013, Cooper, with 12 other state attorneys general, sent a letter to Congress in support of the Protecting Financial Aid for Students and Taxpayers Act, a bill that sought to ban for-profit colleges from using federal funds for marketing and recruiting techniques.[9] Senators Kay R. Hagan (D-N.C.) and Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), who chaired the chamber's Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, sponsored the bill. Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley (D) stated that the proposed law aimed to "ensure that scarce federal education dollars will be used to serve and educate students rather than to finance advertising campaigns, recruitment operations, and aggressive marketing."[10]
In the letter, the attorneys general wrote, "Federal taxpayers should not be asked to foot the bill for aggressive recruiting and deceptive sales tactics of colleges that have placed profits ahead of ensuring student success."[10] At the time, there were an estimated 3,000 for-profit schools nationwide.[11]
On March 12, 2013, the bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, but no subsequent action was taken and the bill died in committee.[12]
On April 23, 2013, a related bill — HR 340 — was referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce's subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, but it also died in committee.[13]
Appointments
2006
Cooper was appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court in 2006 to serve an eight-year term. Chief Justice William M. Barker stated, “We are confident that Bob Cooper will be an outstanding attorney general. He has the legal and administrative experience and abilities needed to serve with excellence as the state’s chief legal officer.”[8]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Robert + Cooper + Tennessee + Attorney"
Contact information
Office of the Attorney General and Reporter
P.O. Box 20207
Nashville, TN 37202-0207
Tel: (615) 741-3491
Fax: (615) 741-2009
See also
External links
- Official Tennessee Attorney General website
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Biography at Vanderbilt Law School
- Democratic Attorneys General Association - Robert Cooper
- National Association of Attorneys General - Robert Cooper
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Tennessee Attorney General, "Biography" accessed November 12, 2012
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Governing, "The 2013-2014 Attorneys General Races: Who's Not Vulnerable?" March 21, 2013
- ↑ The Tennessean, "Slatery sworn in as Tennessee attorney general," October 1, 2014
- ↑ Chattanoogan, "Former Baylor Student Cooper Is State's Luckiest Lawyer," November 12, 2006
- ↑ Times Free Press, "Former Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Robert Cooper dies at 95," July 12, 2016
- ↑ Tennessee Attorney General, "Attorney General Robert E. Cooper, Jr.," accessed June 17, 2013
- ↑ The Tennessean, "TN attorney general's power makes him a target," June 16, 2013
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 The Chattanoogan, "Supreme Court Appoints Robert E. Cooper, Jr., Attorney General" 30 Oct. 2006
- ↑ The Library of Congress, "Bill Text 113th Congress (2013-2014) S.528.IS," March 12, 2013
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 The Boston Globe, "Attorney generals to Congress: Don’t let for-profit colleges use federal grants and loans for advertising," March 17, 2013
- ↑ Commonwealth of Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, "Letter to Congress," March 11, 2013
- ↑ Congress.gov, "All Bill Information (Except Text) for S.528 - Protecting Financial Aid for Students and Taxpayers Act," accessed August 7, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "All Bill Information (Except Text) for H.R.340 - Protecting Financial Aid for Students and Taxpayers Act," accessed August 7, 2015
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Paul Summers |
Attorney General of Tennessee 2006 - 2014 |
Succeeded by Herbert H. Slatery |
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