Bob Corker

Bob Corker
United States Senator from Tennessee
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2007 Serving with Lamar Alexander
Preceded by	Bill Frist
71st Mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee
In office 2001–2005
Preceded by	Jon Kinsey
Succeeded by	Ron Littlefield
Personal details
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Elizabeth
Children	Julia, Emily
Residence	Chattanooga, Tennessee
Alma mater	University of Tennessee (B.S.)
Profession	Construction executive Real-estate magnate State commissioner of finance Mayor of Chattanooga

Robert Phillips "Bob" Corker, Jr. (born August 24, 1952), is the junior United States Senator from Tennessee. Before his election to the Senate in 2006, he served as state commissioner from 1995 to 1996 and as mayor of Chattanooga from 2001 to 2005. Corker was an unsuccessful candidate for the Senate in 1994, and a successful businessman as construction company owner and commercial real estate developer, prior to holding public office. He is second Republican US Senator from Chattanooga following Bill Brock. He serves as the ranking member on the Senate Aging Committee.

Early life and family

The Corker Family: his wife, Elizabeth, their daughters Julia and Emily, and Bob Corker.

Born in Orangeburg, South Carolina, Corker moved to Tennessee at the age of 11. He graduated from Chattanooga High School in 1970. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1974. He and his wife Elizabeth, whom he married on May 18, 1987, have two daughters. The family's permanent residence is at the Anne Haven mansion built by Coca-Cola Bottling Company heirs Anne Lupton and Frank Harrison.

After working four years as a construction superintendent, he started his own construction company, Bencor, which he sold in 1990. In 1999, he purchased the two largest real estate companies in Chattanooga, Osborne Building Corporation and the Stone Fort Land Company, making him the largest private land owner in Hamilton County, Tennessee. He sold most of these holdings in 2006 to Henry Luken. His business successes have made Corker a multimillionaire. Corker's assets were estimated at $19.19 million in 2008.

Early political career

Corker first ran for the United States Senate in 1994, losing the Republican primary to eventual winner Bill Frist.

In 1995, Corker was appointed Commissioner of Finance and Administration for the State of Tennessee, working for Governor Don Sundquist.

Although Chattanooga's mayors are generally Democrats, as Republican mayor of the fourth-largest city in Tennessee from 2001 to 2005, Corker oversaw a $120 million renovation project, including an expansion of the Hunter Museum, a renovation of the Creative Discovery Museum, an expansion of Chattanooga's River Walk, and the addition of a new salt water building to the Tennessee Aquarium.

2006 United States Senate race

Main article: Tennessee United States Senate election, 2006

In 2004, Corker announced that he would seek the U.S. Senate seat to be vacated by incumbent Republican Senator Bill Frist, who had announced that he would not run for reelection. In the Republican primary election, he ran against two former congressmen, Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary. Both of his opponents ran as strong conservatives, denouncing Corker as a moderate and eventually labelling him a leftist. In the course of his primary campaign, Corker spent $4.2 million on television advertising, especially in the western portion of the state, where he was relatively unknown before the primary. In the August primary election, he won with 48% of the vote over Bryant's 34% and Hilleary's 17%.

For the general election campaign, his Democratic opponent, Harold Ford, Jr., challenged Corker to seven televised debates across the state. In response, Corker said he would debate Ford, though he did not agree to seven debates. The two candidates eventually participated in three televised debates: in Memphis on October 7, in Chattanooga on October 10, and in Nashville on October 28.

In October 2006, as polls indicated that Ford was maintaining a slight lead over Corker, - the Republican National Committee ran a television advertisement that would provoke a nationwide outcry. In the 30 second television advertisement, sound bites of numerous "people in the street" pronouncing Ford wrong for Tennessee were interspersed with two shots of a white woman animatedly recalling meeting Ford—who is African-American and who was unmarried at the time—at "the Playboy party". The ad concludes with this woman leeringly inviting Ford to phone her. The ad was denounced by many people, including former Republican Senator and Secretary of Defense under Bill Clinton, William Cohen, who called it “a very serious appeal to a racist sentiment.” Corker subsequently pulled ahead in the polls. Corker went on to win the election by less than three percentage points. He was the only new Republican Senator in the 110th Congress. Tennessee holds the distinction of being the only U.S. state to elect a new Republican to both houses of Congress in the 2006 mid-term elections.

Senate career

Corker was joined at his inauguration by Bill Frist, Howard Baker, and Lamar Alexander.

Corker was sworn in as Senator on January 4, 2007. At the ceremony he was accompanied by “two former Senate majority leaders from Tennessee, Howard Baker and Bill Frist”.

Corker has become a defender of the Iraqi war since taking his seat in the 110th Congress. Despite frustration by the public, any further reduction in U.S. forces in Iraq must be based on improved conditions in the country, Corker said. He urged ultimate success will be determined by the Iraqi government, over which the U.S. has limited control, and the withdrawal of some of the troops that were added in 2007 has created some pressure on the Iraqi government, but warned that further cuts now could destabilize the country.

Corker has voted against a cap-and-trade measure, but said he might accept a "rational" version of the legislation. Criticizing as “political stimulus” for electoral campaigns, Corker became one of the only sixteen Senators who opposed the tax rebate stimulus plan. Later, he had described the stimulus package that passed Congress as "silly".

Corker was one of the original members of the Gang of 10, now consisting of twenty members, which is a bipartisan coalition seeking comprehensive energy reform. The group is pushing for a bill that would encourage state-by-state decisions on offshore drilling and authorize billions of dollars for conservation and alternative energy.

In December 2008, Corker opposed a Democratic proposed federal bailout for the failing US automakers, and expressed doubt that the companies would be salvaged. Corker proposed that federal funds be provided for automakers only if accompanied by cuts in labor costs and other concessions from unions. Negotiations regarding Corker's proposal broke down on the evening of December 11, 2008. The United Auto Workers, which had previously accepted a series of cuts in its current contract, sought to put off any further cuts until 2011, while Corker requested that cuts go into effect in 2009. Republicans blamed the UAW for failure to reach an agreement, while the UAW claimed that Corker's proposal singled out "workers and retirees for different treatment and make[s] them shoulder the entire burden of restructuring." On December 13, 2008, Businessweek reported that Corker was "one of those responsible for winning the new Volkswagen (VOWG) factory at a cost of $577 million in tax incentives" during his tenure as mayor of Chattanooga, raising questions about Corker's motivations during the bailout negotiations. Economist Paul Krugman referred to him as “the Senator from Nissan.” Nissan already has two plants and its North American headquarter near Nashville.

On January 12, 2009, The Politico reported that Corker has not so much over ideology, but is unpredictable, creative and has a knack for getting press.

In September, 2009, Corker became a ranking member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, replacing former Sen. Mel Martinez. On September 30, 2009 Corker described Canada as being "parasitic" for siphoning U.S. dollars to that country with low prescription drug prices. He stated that "In essence, the Canadian government and its citizens are taking advantage of our citizens by virtue of setting prices that are lower than competitive prices."

In February, 2010, Corker said that he is willing to be the lone Senate Republican vote in favor of bipartisan legislation on overhauling financial regulation, despite warning from other colleagues about the perils of directly negotiating with the Banking Committee's chairman, Dems Sen. Chris Dodd. GOP Senate aide familiar with the meetings stated, "Corker may understand markets well, but he doesn't know how to count votes very well." The less-experienced Corker acknowledged he breached the unwritten rules of etiquette by his brash move to leapfrog the committee's ranking Republican Sen. Richard Shelby. Some Republicans were infuriated to Corker, because he appeared to breach party unity just as Republicans were gaining momentum. Some liberal commentators doubted Corker's motivations, criticized him as a publicity seeker or a stalking horse for Republican talking points, and stated the Democrats are being gullible in their expectation of getting even one Republican vote. Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell stated the delaying tactic was “the best way to get a better bill”.

In late February 2010, Corker took a decidedly less bipartisan turn when he became the sole senator to back retiring Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky in filibustering a 30-day extension of expiring unemployment and COBRA benefits.

Committee assignments

• Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development
  • Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance and Investment
  • Subcommittee on Security and International Trade and Finance (Ranking Member)
• Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
  • Subcommittee on Energy
  • Subcommittee on National Parks
  • Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests
• Committee on Foreign Relations
  • Subcommittee on African Affairs
  • Subcommittee on European Affairs
  • Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance, Economic Affairs,
    and International Environmental Protection (Ranking Member)
  • Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs
• Special Committee on Aging (Ranking Member)

Sen. Corker's committee assignments

Republican Main Street Partnership controversy

On December 6, 2006, Roll Call reporter Nicole Duran reported that Senator-elect Corker and Dean Heller (Rep.-elect, NV) would be joining the moderate Republican Main Street Partnership, according to its executive director. This caused a stir in conservative circles, since Corker ran in Tennessee as a conservative, and several bloggers attacked him for this apparent act of betrayal. By the end of the day, however, Corker's office responded to the report to say that not only was he was not joining the organization, but that he "only learned of the group’s existence when this story was reported today." Roll Call subsequently reported that the group's executive director stated she had been "misinformed", and only Heller would be joining the group.

Political positions and ideology

Corker with U.S. Representatives Jim Cooper, Bart Gordon and Zach Wamp

In the 2006 Senate race, Corker positioned himself as a conservative on most social and economic issues through television advertisements, his campaign website, and in debates. Corker supports broad Second Amendment rights, "appointing Federal judges who practice judicial restraint," making the 2001 tax cut and the 2003 tax cut permanent, and increasing security on U.S. borders by hiring more border agents and constructing barriers in high traffic areas.

Corker has expressed skepticism regarding the claims of human-caused global warming; supports continued U.S. involvement in Iraq; and has shown interest in replacing the federal progressive income tax with a flat tax. He favors imposing a tax on carbon.

In the 2006 primary campaign, Corker's opponents pointed out that Corker has changed his view on abortion since his first Senate campaign in 1994. Corker responded that he "was wrong in 1994" when he said that the government should not interfere with an individual's right to an abortion, stating that he now believes that life begins at conception. Corker now says he opposes abortion rights except when the life of the mother is endangered or in cases of rape and incest.

In the 2006 general election, Corker received the endorsement of the National Right to Life Committee, but the state branch of the group, Tennessee Right to Life, refused to endorse Corker, calling him a "pro-abortion" politician.

John McCain admitted he sharply disagrees with Corker, who did the hysterical reaction to oppose McCain's 2008 campaign proposal to suspend the 18-cents-per-gallon federal gasoline tax, calling it "pandering extraordinaire". After the 2008 U.S. presidential election, Corker released a statement expressing his opinion to "put partisanship aside as we try to solve the many challenges facing our country."

Sen. John Thune, No. 4 in GOP leadership criticized Corker as a guy who’s willing to get down into the weeds, who breaks from the party line a lot because he actually thinks about policy. The Tennessean suggested that Corker is viewed as a maverick by national standards, and he's finding that when he put himself in the middle of things, sometimes he end up stuck there. However, the Obama administration stated Republicans like Corker have a different definition of bipartisanship than the Democrats do.

Despite his moderate image, Corker scored 83% on American Conservative Union’s 2008 Ratings of Congress. According to National Journal’s 2009 Vote Ratings, he was ranked as the 34th conservative member among the 40 GOP senators.

In one area of difference of political philosophy for the conservative, he voted in favor of the Wall Street bailout. As a result, he fund-raised more money from the banking and securities industries than any of the committee's Republican members. This is not a "bail-out of Wall Street," but an unprecedented effort to avert a catastrophe that would devastate Main Street. If our resources are invested properly, the federal government will get all of its money back and taxpayers may even see a return on the investment, Corker claimed.

Corker doubted Barack Obama’s 18-month timetable for win-in-Afghanistan strategy, and expected that America's military mission in Afghanistan will last at least another 10 years. Corker told that he will agree a bigger U.S. military presence if General Stanley A. McChrystal determines there is need, afterwards he predicted, “We’re going to be involved with Afghanistan for decades and decades and decades.”

On April 2010, Corker withdrew his appropriations requests, joining about two dozen Republican senators in deciding to forgo earmarks. Corker told the "greatest threat that we have" is about politicians continuing to try to give citizens everything they want. He's very concerned about the nation's financial affairs, the national debt, and predicted the U.S. could end up like Greece.

Group ratings

111th Congress

• National Journal: 66% Conservative [1]
  • Economic: 29% Liberal, 69% Conservative
  • Social issue: 29% Liberal, 70% Conservative
  • Foreign-policy: 41% Liberal, 56% Conservative

110th Congress

• Americans for Democratic Action: 20% [2]
• National Taxpayers Union: 56% [3]

Issues

The sale of protected wetlands

In 2003, Corker's real estate company sold protected wetlands near South Chickamauga Creek in Chattanooga to Wal-Mart for $4.6 million while he was mayor of Chattanooga. According to Joe Prochaska, an attorney representing the Tennessee Environmental Council, "What they did was outrageous. They just ran roughshod over this public property for private gain." Environmental educator Sandy Kurtz filed suit in 2003 to stop the land deal, but the lawsuit was dismissed.

New allegations, however, surfaced in August 2006, and a suit was filed by Kurtz and the Tennessee Environmental Council over the alleged encroachment of Wal-Mart onto an adjacent protected nature area that is also held by a company owned by Corker. The suit alleges that Corker did not fully disclose his interest in the property where the Wal-Mart was built or in the adjacent nature area at the time the deal was made. The Corker campaign has countered that Corker's company filed papers to develop the wetlands in 2000, before Corker became mayor, and that it was widely known that Corker had an interest in the property.

On September 18, 2006 a Memphis, Tennessee newspaper, The Commercial Appeal, reported that Corker's attorneys acquired city authorization to cut a road through the protected property owned by Corker in July 2003 while Corker was mayor. City records show that Corker's attorneys won concessions from the city as details of the deal were worked out, much of which was done in private.

Corker's campaign manager has said that a blind trust kept Corker from the details of the project.

On October 13, 2006, lawyers involved in the case announced a settlement agreement. Details of the settlement were not announced, but court records indicate that a portion of the settlement involved a 45 day option for the Tennessee Environmental Council to purchase over 13 acres (53,000 m²) of the land in dispute that the Council hopes to dedicate for public use.

Missing papers

On September 9, 2006, The Commercial Appeal reported that official records from both Corker's 2001 to 2005 service as mayor and his 1996 service as state finance commissioner are missing. The missing records include letters written and received by Corker during a six month period in 1996 and e-mails written and received by Corker in his official capacity as mayor between 2001 and 2005.

Some of the e-mails were discovered on his former assistant's computer by The Commercial Appeal in October.

Blind trust

On October 11, 2006, The Commercial Appeal reported that the blind trust that Corker set up to run his businesses to avoid conflicts of interest while he was mayor "may not have been all that blind". According to e-mails discovered by the Appeal (some of which had previously presumed to be lost):

"Corker met often with employees from his private companies while mayor from 2001 to 2005, and he shared business tips with others. Corker also got help organizing his 2001 mayoral campaign from City Hall, where a government secretary passed on voting lists and set up meetings for the millionaire commercial real estate developer."

The e-mails show that Corker often met with officials from his private company, the Corker Group, which was part of the blind trust, while he was mayor. When asked about these e-mails by the Appeal, Corker said that he thought the blind trust had "worked very well" and that he had sold most of his business holdings so that he could avoid the appearance of conflicts of interest in the Senate.

Electoral history

2006 United States Senate election, Tennessee

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Bob Corker	929,911	50.7	-14.4
	Democratic	Harold Ford, Jr.	879,976	48.0	+15.8
	Independent	Ed Choate	10,831	0.6	n/a
	Independent	David "None of the Above" Gatchell	3,746	0.2	n/a
	Independent	Emory "Bo" Heyward	3,580	0.2	n/a
	Independent	H. Gary Keplinger	3,033	0.2	n/a
	Green	Chris Lugo	2,589	0.1	n/a
Majority			49,935	2.7
Turnout			1,833,693

External links

• Official U.S. Senate website
• Official campaign website

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Profile at Vote Smart
• 2001-2005 Bob Corker at Official Chattanooga website