Sheldon Whitehouse

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Sheldon Whitehouse
United States Senator
from Rhode Island
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2007
Serving with Jack Reed
Preceded by Lincoln Chafee
71st Rhode Island State Attorney General
In office
1999–2003
Governor Lincoln Almond
Preceded by Jeffery B. Pine
Succeeded by Patrick C. Lynch
U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island
In office
1993–1998
Preceded by Lincoln Almond
Succeeded by Margaret E. Curran
Personal details
Born October 20, 1955 (1955-10-20) (age 56)
New York City, New York
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Dr. Sandra Thornton Whitehouse
Residence Providence, Rhode Island
Alma mater Yale University (B.A.)
University of Virginia (J.D.)
Occupation Politician, Attorney
Religion Episcopalian
Website Senator Sheldon Whitehouse

Sheldon Whitehouse (born October 20, 1955) is the junior United States Senator from Rhode Island, serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served as United States Attorney (1994–1998) and State Attorney General for Rhode Island.

Contents

[edit] Early life, education, and pre-political career

Whitehouse was born in New York City, New York, the son of Mary Celine (née Rand) and career diplomat Charles S. Whitehouse, and grandson of diplomat Sheldon Whitehouse. He graduated from St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire, and from Yale University in 1978. He received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1982.

Whitehouse worked as a clerk for Judge Richard F. Neely in the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia from 1982 to 1983. He also worked in the Rhode Island Attorney General's office as a special assistant attorney general from 1985 to 1990, chief of the Regulatory Unit (which oversaw utilities) from 1988 to 1990, and also an assistant attorney general from 1989 to 1990.[1]

Whitehouse worked as Rhode Island Governor Bruce Sundlun's Executive Counsel beginning in 1991, and was later tapped to serve as Director of Policy. He oversaw the state's response to the RISDIC banking crisis,[2] which took place right after Sundlun took office. Whitehouse was appointed by Sundlun to be the state's Director of Business Regulation in 1992, where he oversaw a drastic reform in the state's workers's compensation insurance system.[1]

[edit] Early political career

[edit] U.S. Attorney

President Bill Clinton appointed Whitehouse to serve as United States attorney for Rhode Island in 1994. Whitehouse held the position for four years, and was the first prosecutor to convict a member of organized crime under Clinton's "three strikes law" for organized crime.[1] Whitehouse also initiated the investigation into municipal corruption in Rhode Island that led to Operation Plunder Dome, in which Providence Mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci was eventually convicted on conspiracy charges.[3]

[edit] State Attorney General

In 1998, Whitehouse was elected as state attorney general. He initiated a lawsuit against the lead paint industry that ended in a mistrial; the state later won a second lawsuit against former lead paint manufacturers Sherwin Williams Co., Millennium Holdings and NL Industries that found them responsible for creating a public nuisance.[4] However, this decision was unanimously overturned by the Rhode Island Supreme Court on July 1, 2008. The Court found that it is the responsibility of the property owners to abate and mitigate lead hazards (as specified by Rhode Island statute).

Whitehouse also founded the Rhode Island Quality Institute, "an organization dedicated to improving health care quality in the State of Rhode Island,"[5] and authorized the first Rhode Island State Police wire tap to investigate public corruption.

Whitehouse's tenure as attorney general also saw some controversy. When black Providence police officer Cornel Young Jr. was shot and killed by two fellow officers while he was off-duty in January 2000,[6] Whitehouse was criticized for not appointing an independent prosecutor to investigate the shooting.[7] Later that year, Whitehouse was criticized when 15-year-old Jennifer Rivera, a witness in a murder case, was shot by a relative of the man she was to testify against later that year.[8] After Rivera's shooting, Whitehouse strengthened the state's witness protection program.

[edit] 2002 gubernatorial election

Whitehouse was defeated in the Democratic primary by former State Senator and two time failed gubernatorial candidate Myrth York who was unsuccessful in the general election, against Republican Donald Carcieri.

[edit] U.S. Senate

[edit] Elections

2006
Main article: United States Senate election in Rhode Island, 2006

In 2006, Whitehouse ran for the seat occupied by Senator Lincoln Chafee, a Republican seeking a second full term. After winning the Democratic primary by a large margin, Whitehouse went on to defeat Chafee with 53 percent of the vote.

2012
Main article: United States Senate election in Rhode Island, 2012

Whitehouse is running for re-election to a second term.

[edit] Tenure

See also: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

During the passing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Whitehouse cautioned that conservative opposition to the bill was moving toward historical incidences of mob violence, saying "Too many colleagues are embarked on a desperate, no-holds-barred mission of propaganda, obstruction and fear. . . . History cautions us of the excesses to which these malignant, vindictive passions can ultimately lead. Tumbrils have rolled through taunting crowds. Broken glass has sparkled in darkened streets. Strange fruit has hung from southern trees.".[9]

In traditionally liberal Rhode Island, both the Democratic Whitehouse and his predecessor, Republican Lincoln Chafee, hold liberal political positions. However, Whitehouse has been to the left of Chafee on economic issues, a position that separated him from his opponent during the last election cycle.[10] For the 2007 year, Whitehouse was ranked second-most liberal senator by the National Journal.[11]

Whitehouse supports stem cell research, abortion rights, LGBT rights and gay marriage, as well as affirmative action. Whitehouse has publicly supported a reintroduction of the Equal Rights Amendment. Like Chafee, Whitehouse opposed intervention in Iraq (Chafee was the only Republican senator who voted against it) and the nomination of Samuel Alito to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Whitehouse supports a more progressive tax system, strongly opposing the Bush tax cuts and proposals to repeal the Estate Tax and the Alternative Minimum Tax. He is in favor of gun control and has spoken out against the Patriot Act. Whitehouse supports introducing a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq and has stated that the US must use caution in the future and must avoid entering into military action in Iran.[10]

Despite a generally pro-rehabilitation stance on crime, Whitehouse supports the federal use of the death penalty (but supports it being illegal in Rhode Island).[12] Whitehouse also opposed the North American Free Trade Agreement and other similar proposals. He has styled himself as a supporter of fair trade and is opposed to using presidential authority to "fast track" normalized trade relations.[12]

In addition, Whitehouse has stated that he does not want torture abuse by the Bush administration to be "papered over," and supports a commission to uncover war crimes by said administration.

On May 4, 2009, during a discussion on health information technology at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., Whitehouse compared Medicare costs to a Nazi Air Force attacking Britain, "The health care tsunami that is coming at us is something we should all be gravely concerned about because it fundamentally threatens the fiscal survival of our country and we have to get ahead of it. We have to view ourselves like RAF [Royal Air Force] pilots and the radar has just lit up that Luftwaffe is coming at us, and we have got to scramble to get into the air as fast as we can because the system is headed towards a terrible calamity if we don’t. We have set zero dollars aside to pay for a $35-trillion liability for Medicare.” Greg D’Angelo, a policy analyst at the conservative Heritage Foundation, said that it is unlikely that further government spending will avert the crisis that Whitehouse anticipates.[13]

In December 2009, Whitehouse said "birthers," "fanatics," and "people running around in right-wing militia and Aryan support groups "oppose America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009.[14]

U.S. Attorney controversy
See also: Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy
Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy

Whitehouse received notice in a June 2007 opinion piece from journalist (senior editorial writer) Michael McGough of the Los Angeles Times for Whitehouse's careful questioning and thoughtful statements, and his understanding that the less said, the more effective his efforts may be. McGough cites this statement by Whitehouse about President George W. Bush's "crony" (McGough's word) Attorney General Alberto Gonzales:[15]

“ His [Gonzales'] stated definition of what is improper for him and his staff, believe it or not, tracks the legal standard for criminal obstruction of justice. Is that the kind of attorney general we want? ”

In May 2007, Whitehouse had joined other Senators in pressuring for Gonzales' resignation [16] and continued to question Gonzales' service in the NSA warrantless surveillance controversy.[17]

[edit] Committee assignments

Whitehouse is a member of the following committees:[18][19][20]

On August 3, 2007, it was announced that Whitehouse would receive the Golden Gavel award, having presided over Senate debates for more than 100 hours in his first six months in office.

[edit] Caucus memberships

[edit] Electoral history

Rhode Island U.S. Senate Election 2006
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Sheldon Whitehouse 205,274 53.5
Republican Lincoln Chafee (Incumbent) 178,548 46.5 -7.0

[edit] Personal life

Question book-new.svg
 This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2011)

In 1986 Whitehouse married Dr. Sandra Thornton, a marine biologist and granddaughter of James Worth Thornton and Elena Mumm Thornton Wilson. Her step-grandfather was prominent essayist and critic Edmund Wilson. They live in Rhode Island with their two children, Molly and Alexander.

Whitehouse is a descendent of William Bradford, colonial governor of Massachusetts. [22]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Sheldon Whitehouse for Governor, "About Sheldon" (cached 9/1/2002)
  2. ^ [1][dead link]
  3. ^ Rhode Island Cancer Council, "Sheldon Whitehouse"
  4. ^ Peter B. Lord, "3 companies found liable in lead-paint nuisance suit," The Providence Journal, February 23, 2006.[2]
  5. ^ Rhode Island Quality Institute, "Who We Are"
  6. ^ Ken Mingis, "Off-duty Providence police officer shot, killed by 2 other officers," The Providence Journal, January 28, 2000.[3]
  7. ^ Jonathan D. Rockoff, "Minority leaders seek independent inquiry," The Providence Journal, February 6, 2000.[4]
  8. ^ Mark Arsenault, "Grounded in law, Whitehouse builds his case on leadership," The Providence Journal, August 25, 2002.[5]
  9. ^ Milbank, Dana (2009-12-21). "An ugly finale for health-care reform". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/20/AR2009122002872.html. 
  10. ^ a b "Sheldon Whitehouse on the Issues". Ontheissues.org. http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/sheldon_whitehouse.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-29. 
  11. ^ "National Journal's 2007 Vote Ratings"
  12. ^ a b Sheldon Whitehouse on the Issues
  13. ^ Ryan, Josiah (2009-05-05). "Democrat Senator Likens Unfunded Medicare Costs to Nazi Air Force Attacking Britain". Cybercast News Service. http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=47639. Retrieved 2009-05-05. [dead link]
  14. ^ http://washingtontimes.com/weblogs/watercooler/2009/dec/20/sen-whitehouse-foes-health-care-bill-are-birthers-/?feat=home_top5_read
  15. ^ McGough, Michael (June 14, 2007). "Whitehouse takes Gonzales to the woodshed: How the freshman senator built the strongest case against the attorney general.". Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/web/la-oew-mcgough14jun14,1,5118985.story. Retrieved 2007-06-17. [dead link]
  16. ^ Stout, David (2007-05-24). "Bush Backs Gonzales in Face of No-Confidence Vote". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/24/washington/24cnd-attorneys.html?ex=1188360000&en=0cbfc7ae45364884&ei=5070. 
  17. ^ David Johnston and Scott Shane (2007-07-25). "Gonzales Denies Improper Pressure on Ashcroft". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/25/washington/25gonzales.html. 
  18. ^ Committee Assignments United States Senate.'.' Retrieved June 20, 207.
  19. ^ Senate Judiciary Committee and Subcommittee membership United States Senate.'.' Retrieved June 20, 2008.
  20. ^ Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and Subcommittee membership United States Senate.'.' Retrieved June 20, 2008.
  21. ^ "Senate Leaders Announce Bipartisan Committee To Investigate Judge G. Thomas Porteous" (Press release). Senate Democratic Caucus. 2010-03-17. http://democrats.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=323186&. Retrieved 2010-04-29. 
  22. ^ http://www.jacpac.org/index.php/jac-candidates/senate-candidates/item/47-sheldon-whitehouse

[edit] External links

Legal offices
Preceded by
Lincoln Almond		 United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island
1993  – 1998		 Succeeded by
Margaret E. Curran
Preceded by
Jeffrey B. Pine		 Attorney General of Rhode Island
1999–2003		 Succeeded by
Patrick C. Lynch
United States Senate
Preceded by
Lincoln Chafee		 United States Senator (Class 1) from Rhode Island
2007–present
Served alongside: Jack Reed		 Incumbent
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Amy Klobuchar
D-Minnesota		 United States Senators by seniority
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