Joe Sestak

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Joe Sestak
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 7th district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 4, 2007
Preceded by	Curt Weldon
Born	December 12, 1951 (1951-12-12) (age 57) Secane, Pennsylvania
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Susan L. Clark
Children	Alexandra Sestak
Residence	Springfield, Pennsylvania
Alma mater	United States Naval Academy, Harvard University
Occupation	Vice Admiral
Religion	Roman Catholic

Joseph A. "Joe" Sestak, Jr. (born December 12, 1951) is a retired United States Navy Vice Admiral and currently a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district (map) since 2007. The district incorporates parts of the Philadelphia suburbs, including most of Delaware County.

Sestak is the highest-ranking former military officer to serve in Congress.^[1] His legislative efforts have resulted in House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer naming him the most productive freshman member of Congress. ^[2]

[edit] Personal

Sestak was born in Secane, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Cardinal O'Hara High School in Springfield, a suburb of Philadelphia in Delaware County. His grandfather, Martin, came to America from the village of Dolné Lovčice in Slovakia in 1922, after World War I, while his father Joseph (age 3), was sent to America in 1924 to join Martin. Sestak's father graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1942, and then fought in both the Atlantic and the Pacific during World War II. Following in his father's footsteps, Sestak graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science degree in American political systems.^[3] Between tours at sea, Sestak earned a Master of Public Administration and a Ph.D. in political economy and government from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard in 1980 and 1984, respectively.^[4]

Sestak is married to the former Susan L. Clark and they have a daughter, Alexandra, an eight-year-old brain cancer survivor.

[edit] Naval career

Joseph Sestak
Place of birth	Secane, Pennsylvania
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1974–2005
Rank	Vice Admiral (retired as Rear Admiral)
Commands held	Director of Navy Operations Group
Awards	Defense Distinguished Service Medal (3) Navy Distinguished Service Medal (2) Legion of Merit (2) Meritorious Service Medal (2) Joint Service Commendation Medal
Other work	U.S. Congress

As a surface warfare officer, Sestak served division officer tours as damage control assistant, combat information center officer and weapons officer on the guided missile destroyer USS Richard E. Byrd, and then was weapons officer on the guided missile destroyer USS Hoel. He then served as aide and flag lieutenant to the admiral in charge of United States Navy surface forces in the Pacific.

In January 1986, Sestak became executive officer of the guided missile frigate USS Underwood. He then served in the Politico-Military Assessment Division of the staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. On August 30, 1991, Sestak took command of the guided missile frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts, which was named the Atlantic Fleet's best surface combatant in the 1993 Battenberg Cup competition.

In July 1993 , Sestak became the head of the Strategy and Concepts Branch in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations. From November 1994 to March 1997, he was the Director for Defense Policy on the National Security Council staff at the White House, where he was responsible for national security and defense strategy, policies, programs, inter-agency and congressional coordination and regional political-military advice. In May 1997, he became the commander of Destroyer Squadron 14.^[3]

Vice Admiral Sestak

Sestak then directed the CNO's Strategy and Policy Division (N51), and led the Navy's efforts toward the 2000 Quadrennial Defense Review, for which he analyzed the economic value of U.S. defense spending. After September 11th, he became the first director of the Navy Operations Group (Deep Blue), which sought to redefine strategic, operational and budgetary policies in the Global War on Terrorism. He reported directly to the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Admiral Vern Clark, as policy adviser and administrator. Sestak told The Hill that as the designated policy adviser and administrator to Clark, it was his job to revamp the Navy, a process that necessarily ruffled feathers. “Change is very challenging,” Sestak said. “It did not sit well with a lot of people...I worked hard, and I did not ask anyone to work harder than me."^[5]

In the summer of 2005, Sestak was administratively reassigned from his position as DCNO due to a "poor command climate."^[6] His removal was one of the first changes made by Admiral Michael Mullen when he took over as the new Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) in July, according to Navy Times.

Sestak's decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, two Legion of Merit awards, two Meritorious Service Medals, Joint Service Commendation Medal, three Navy Commendation Medals and the Navy Achievement Medal.^[7]

However, because Sestak left the Navy before he had been a Vice Admiral long enough to be able to retire at that rank, he actually retired at the lower rank of a two star Rear Admiral.^[8]

[edit] Congressional campaigns

[edit] 2006

In 2006, Sestak challenged ten-term incumbent Curt Weldon in a race for the 7th district Congressional seat. Sestak proved a capable fund-raiser. In the second quarter of 2006, he raised $704,000 to Weldon's $692,000; in the third, $1.14 million to $912,000. As of September 30, 2006, Sestak had $1.53 million cash on hand, while Weldon had $1.12 million in the bank after making a $500,000 TV ad buy that had not started as of the close of the third quarter.^[9] Sestak received campaign funds from famed people around the world, including performer Jimmy Buffett, the Clintons, and many Naval officers.

On October 6, 2006, the nonpartisan Cook Political Report re-rated the race from "Lean Republican" to "Toss Up."[3] A poll released in late September 2006 showed Sestak and Weldon locked in a statistical dead heat. Sestak led Weldon 44-43 among likely voters in a Franklin & Marshall College Keystone Poll released September 29. The poll also found that 49 percent of registered voters in the district felt it was time for change in the district and only 37 percent said Weldon deserved re-election.^[10] The poll numbers suggest Sestak had seriously eroded Weldon's previous lead; a poll conducted in April 2006 by the pro-Democratic Party organization Democracy Corps had Weldon leading 51 to 41 percent. An October 8–10 survey by nonpartisan pollster Constituent Dynamics put Sestak ahead 51-44.^[11] On October 13, 2006, CQPolitics changed their rating on the race, from "Leans Republican" to "No Clear Favorite."^[12] The race was locked in a dead-heat until late October, when FBI special agents raided the homes of Weldon's daughter and a close friend in connection with a federal corruption probe ^[13] (though as of 2009 neither Weldon nor his daughter were ever charged with a crime).^[14] Sestak was elected on November 7, 2006, defeating Weldon by a 12-point margin (56-44)^[15], becoming only the second Democrat to represent the Delaware County-based district and its various permutations since the Civil War.

[edit] 2008

In 2008, Sestak faced Republican nominee Wendell Craig Williams, a U.S. Marine and attorney. Sestak defeated him by a 20-point margin (59.6-40.4), a full 8 points higher than his 2006 election, considered by many to be a landslide victory.^[16]

[edit] 2010 "Intended" Senatorial Campaign

[edit] Draft Efforts

Whispers of a possible senate campaign appeared in 2008, due to Sestak's popularity and $3 million campaign surplus after his re-election. Immediately following Specter's announcement to switch parties, draft efforts were organized. Most prominent was a straw poll conducted by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. It was entitled "Should a Draft Sestak movement be created to take on Sen. Arlen Specter in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary?" Nationwide, 86% responded yes, while 85% of Pennsylvanians said yes. Over 7500 votes were cast in five days. The day voting ended and the results were revealed, Sestak released the following statement:

• "I am honored that so many of you took the time to vote in the recent grassroots Straw Poll. Let me tell you, I and many others were paying attention. If I decide to run it will be in large measure because of the grassroots energy of so many people like you. Until I and my family make that decision, please accept my thanks and my best wishes as you continue be active participants in our people-powered democracy. Thank you so very much!" ^[17]

[edit] "Intention" to Run

On May 27, 2009, Sestak indicated that he intended to challenge current Senator Arlen Specter in the 2010 Democratic primary, pending a final family decision because he hadn't "had the time to sit down with my eight-year-old daughter or my wife to make sure that we are all ready to get in." ^[18] In June, he was overheard saying "[i]t would take an act of God for me to not get in now," in reference to the Senate race. ^[19] In a Quinnipiac poll conducted May 20-26, in the Democratic primary, Specter leads with 50%, with Sestak at 21% and 27% undecided. Despite the gap it is noted that Sestak does not have much statewide recognition, as he represents only one out of the nineteen Pennsylvania congressional districts. ^[20] However a recent poll conducted for a labor 527 has Sestak closing the gap with Specter to 50-42 when positive bios are read for each candidate. ^[21]

[edit] Congressional career

Sestak is vice-chairman of the Small Business Committee. He is also a member of the Education and Labor and Armed Services committees. To date, he is the highest-ranking military officer ever to serve in Congress^{[citation needed]} if Confederate States of America military officers aren't included. Also Andrew Jackson also served as Senator from Tennessee in 1822 after being commanding general during the First Seminole War. James A. Garfield was promoted to Major General after the Battle of Chickamauga and was then a Congressman from Ohio's 19th congressional district.

As a candidate, Sestak campaigned with much credibility on the need to end the war in Iraq. Once in office in 2007, he supported Congressional efforts to re-deploy forces but ultimately voted for the no-strings-attached war supplemental that the House constructed after President Bush's veto, a bill that many critics of the Bush administration have called a "blank check" for the continuation of administration policies in the Middle East. ^[22]

Sestak supported the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, which critics contend continues the Bush administration's policy of warrantless wiretapping and provides retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies who participated in the National Security Agency's "terrorist surveillance program." ^[23]

On April 22, 2008, he was interviewed as part of the Colbert Report's Better Know A District series. He said that he supports Senator Hillary Clinton for president, "because she has watched and observed the proper use of military force, not as the first step, like the Bush administration did; they walk, they clobber things with a big stick, and then we have to deal with the mess they've given us." When asked if he ever felt like a mushroom, Sestak joked, "Sometimes I feel as though my staff keeps me in the dark and feeds me ...", a reference to the use of compost in mushroom production.^[24]

Although Sestak endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton for president in the 2008 Democratic primaries, he endorsed Barack Obama for the general election after the suspension of Clinton's campaign. ^[25]

[edit] Committee assignments

• Committee on Armed Services
  • Subcommittee on Seapower and Expeditionary Forces
  • Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces
  • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
• Committee on Education and Labor
  • Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education
  • Subcommittee on Healh, Employment, Labor, and Pensions
• Committee on Small Business (Vice Chairman)
  • Subcommittee on Finance and Tax
  • Subcommittee on Contracting and Technology
  • Subcommittee on Regulations, Healthcare and Trade

[edit] Criticism

Sestak was criticized by Americans Against Hate, a watchdog group focusing on Islamic organizations, for accepting an invitation to speak at a fundraiser for the Council on American-Islamic Relations(CAIR). Republican activist Joe Kaufman, chairman of Americans Against Hate, said, "The congressman should be working to shut down this organization for its ties to Hamas." CAIR denied those allegations and Sestak responded that he was going to meet with his local Muslim constituency, also noting that President Bush had met with the same organization.^[26]

Sestak has also "developed a reputation for being a temperamental and demanding boss" due to reports that thirteen staffers have quit his employment in 2007. Aides are purportedly expected to work seven days a week, including holidays, for 14 hours a day. Sestak justifies these hours, which are considered long even by the standards of Capitol Hill, by presuming to instill a military-minded "toughness" in his civilian staff.^[27] The website Legistorm, which tracks salaries of Congressional staffers and other public information, stated that Sestak had employed a total of 61 staff members since being sworn in in 2007. In comparison, Representatives Jason Altmire, Patrick Murphy, and Christopher Carney, the three other Pennsylvania Democrats elected in 2006, have employed a total of 28, 26, and 25 staff members, respectively, as reported by Real Clear Politics. ^[28]

[edit] Electoral history

[edit] See also

United States Navy portal

United States House of Representatives elections, 2008

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Congressman Joe Sestak official U.S. House website
• Joe Sestak For Congress official campaign website

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Profile at SourceWatch Congresspedia
• Biography at United States Navy

Articles

• PA-7 Watch — Blog about the 2006 PA-7 Congressional race
• "GOP's Financial Edge Shrinks — Challengers Gain On Incumbents" The Washington Post, August 20, 2006
• "Sestak's command raises questions" Times Herald, April 1, 2006
• "War Vs. More War for Congress" The Washington Post, February 13, 2006
• Undated campaign photograph of Sestak
• Undated family photograph of Sestak
• Joe Sestak's Interview with The Young Turks.