Bob Livingston

This article is about the politician. For the Texas musician, see Bob Livingston (musician).

Bob Livingston
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana's 1st district
In office August 27, 1977 – March 1, 1999
Preceded by	Richard Alvin Tonry
Succeeded by	David Vitter
Personal details
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Bonnie Livingston
Alma mater	Tulane University
Profession	Politician, lawyer

Robert ("Bob") Linlithgow Livingston Jr. (born April 30, 1943), is a Washington, D.C.-based lobbyist and a former Republican U.S. Representative from Louisiana. He was chosen as Newt Gingrich's successor as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives late in 1998, but chose instead to withdraw and retire after extramarital affairs of his were discovered. He is a descendant of Robert Livingston, the elder brother of Philip Livingston, one of the signers of the United States Declaration of Independence.

Early career

Out of college, he joined the law practice of David C. Treen, who would become Louisiana's first Republican congressman and governor since Reconstruction. Treen had been an active Republican back in the days when the party barely existed in Louisiana, and this connection allowed Livingston to make valuable contacts in GOP circles. He was a delegate to all Republican conventions between 1976 and 2000. Livingston later worked for the U.S. attorney for Louisiana's Eastern District, the Orleans Parish district attorney's office, and the Louisiana state attorney general, the Democrat William J. "Billy" Guste, Jr.

Career in Congress

Livingston resigned his position as head of the state attorney general's organized crime unit in 1976 when he won the Republican nomination for Louisiana's 1st Congressional District, based in the New Orleans suburbs and including a large part of the city itself. The seat had opened up when 36-year incumbent Democrat and former House Armed Services Committee chairman F. Edward Hébert retired. Although the seat had been trending Republican for some time, Livingston narrowly lost to one-term state legislator Richard Tonry. Livingston was denied victory by the third-party candidacy of former Sixth District Congressman John Rarick of St. Francisville, the seat of West Feliciana Parish. Rarick, who had been one of the most conservative Democrats in Congress during his tenure, presumably siphoned off enough votes from Livingston to allow Tonry to win.

Allegations, however, surfaced of "tombstone" votes for Tonry in both the primary and general election. Tonry was forced to resign in May 1977 and lost the Democratic nomination for the special election in August to State Representative Ron Faucheux. Faucheux also faced an independent challenge from the left. Livingston took advantage of the split in liberal ranks to become the first Republican to represent New Orleans in Congress since Reconstruction. Livingston was aided by a cadre of dedicated Republican volunteers, including the newly-installed National Committeewoman Virginia Martinez of Kenner. In 1978, Livingston won a full term with 86 percent of the vote. He was reelected eleven times, the last nine of those times unopposed. His district became even more Republican after the 1980s round of redistricting. Most of the district's share of New Orleans was shifted to the 2nd District and was replaced with some heavily Republican territory in Jefferson Parish. After the 1990 census, Livingston's district gained copacetic Washington Parish and Tangipahoa Parish from Louisiana's 6th congressional district while relinquishing equally conservative Saint Bernard Parish to Louisiana's 3rd congressional district.

Although well-known in Louisiana, Livingston was a relatively low-key congressman for his first eighteen years in Washington. But he managed early in his career to land a spot on the Appropriations Committee. This, along with his conservative stances on most issues, made him popular with his constituents, most of whom had never been previously represented by a Republican.

Livingston ran for governor in 1987 but finished third, behind fellow Congressman Buddy Roemer of the Sixth District and Edwin Edwards in a field of nine, ten points short of gaining a berth in the runoff, officially the Louisiana general election. Two other major candidates finished behind Livingston: then Democratic Congressman Billy Tauzin, of the neighboring Third District and outgoing Secretary of State James H. "Jim" Brown.

Livingston endorsed his House colleague Roemer, then a Democrat, after the primary, but the runoff election was canceled because Edwards conceded the race to Roemer. It was said that then Edwards wanted to face Livingston in a general election (or would not have bowed out if the opponent had been a Republican), and, when that did not happen, Edwards pulled out of the second round of balloting to prevent Roemer from consolidating majority support.

Despite his showing in the gubernatorial race, Livingston remained popular in his district and went on to win easy re-elections as he moved up the leadership ladder in the House.

Chairman, House Appropriations Committee

Livingston first came to national attention in 1995, when he was named chairman of the Appropriations Committee after the Republican takeover of the House. This instantly made him one of the most powerful members of Congress. During one committee session, he brandished a machete to demonstrate his seriousness as a budget-cutter.

During the Monica Lewinsky scandals, Livingston was one of many Republicans who demanded President Bill Clinton's resignation, and later impeachment, for perjury. After Newt Gingrich resigned as Speaker in part because of Republican losses in the 1998 elections, Livingston announced that he was not only running for Speaker but had lined up enough support to win. He was nominated as the Republican candidate for Speaker without opposition. As the Republicans had narrowly retained their majority, this effectively made him Speaker-elect.

Resignation

During debate over the impeachment resolution on December 19, 1998, Livingston acknowledged charges that he had had an affair and stepped down as Speaker-elect and challenged President Bill Clinton to resign as well, charging that the President had lied under oath and that others in both the military and civil service were serving time in prison for the identical charges as were lodged against Clinton. Livingston then announced he would resign from the House in May 1999. Livingston was succeeded by David Vitter, who later went on to become the first popularly elected Republican Senator from Louisiana before becoming embroiled in a sex scandal of his own.

Subsequent career

Soon after retiring from public life he founded The Livingston Group, one of many lobbying groups in the nation's capital.

Livingston, considered a formidable lobbyist, was identified by Jonathan Tilove of the New Orleans Times-Picayune as supporting U.S. Representative Anh "Joseph" Cao.

In 2003, Livingston was inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.

Livingston testified in the 2009 trial of Mose Jefferson, who was convicted on four counts related to bribery.

Livingston is also a member of the board of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, a non-profit involved in international elections.

Personal life

Livingston is married to the former Bonnie Robichaux (also born 1943), a native of Raceland in Lafourche Parish and niece of former United States Senator Allen Ellender (1890-1972). The Livingstons reside in Washington and in New Orleans, Louisiana. Bob Livingston also has family in the northeast United States. Livingston was reared Episcopalian and converted to Roman Catholicism.

Family tragedy

Richard Godwin Livingston, the son of Bob and Bonnie Livingston, was killed on July 25, 2006, while he was trimming trees in New Orleans. Livingston (born 1969), was killed in the Lakeview neighborhood when he apparently touched an electrical wire. Emergency workers pronounced him dead at the scene.

External links

• New York Times Article

References

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• A Livingston Legacy Revised