Clay Shaw (politician)

E. Clay Shaw, Jr.
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 22nd district
In office 1981–2007
Preceded by	None (District Created After 1990 Census)
Succeeded by	Ron Klein
Personal details
Born	(1939-04-19) April 19, 1939 Miami, Florida
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Emilie Shaw
Residence	Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Alma mater	Stetson University, University of Alabama
Occupation	Judge, Accountant

Eugene Clay Shaw, Jr. (born April 19, 1939) is a former American politician who was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1981 until 2007. He represented the 22nd District of Florida until he was defeated by Ron Klein in the 2006 midterm election.

Early life, education, and career

Shaw was born in Miami, Florida. He graduated in 1957 from Miami Edison Senior High School. He received a bachelor's degree in business in 1961 from Stetson University in Florida, where he joined Sigma Nu Fraternity, a master's degree in accounting in 1963 from the University of Alabama, and a law degree in 1966 from Stetson University School of Law. Shaw married the former Emilie Costar on August 22, 1966.

After graduation, Shaw practiced law and worked as a certified public accountant. In 1968, he became assistant city attorney in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was chief city prosecutor from 1968 to 1969, then became an associate municipal judge and, later, city commissioner from 1971 to 1973.

Mayor of Ft. Lauderdale

After two years as vice mayor, he served as mayor of Fort Lauderdale from 1975 to 1981. During his tenure as mayor, Shaw served on the Advisory Board and Executive Committee of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, former President of the National Conference of Republican Mayors and was named Special U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea by President Gerald Ford. [2] In 1976, Shaw demanded a grand jury investigation because he feared that the Marlin Beach Hotel's active courting of gay tourism would cause the industry to spread to other areas of the city. The investigation was dropped upon the decision of city's attorney.

U.S. House of Representatives

The 1980 election

The 1980 election cycle provided National Republicans with opportunities to gain Congressional seats. As Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter battled for the White House, the National Republican Campaign Committee was actively seeking a Republican candidate in South Florida to challenge incumbent Democratic Congressman Ed Stack. Having been turned down by two potential candidates, including state Senator Van Poole, National Congressional Republicans set their eyes on popular Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Clay Shaw. After multiple attempts to convince Shaw to run for Congress, Shaw agreed. With the support of his wife Emilie and four young children, Shaw undertook the task of defeating an incumbent. However, Shaw's likely Democratic challenger, Ed Stack was upset in the Democratic primary by a young Ft. Lauderdale lawyer, Allen Becker. [3] Shaw and Becker faced off in a spirited November general election with Shaw winning 55 percent of the vote. [4] Congressman-elect Shaw was on his way to Washington to represent Broward County's 15th Congressional district. Also in 1980, Ronald Reagan became the 40th President of the United States, and Republicans gained control of the United States Senate.

The 1982 election

Shaw won re-election with 57.1% against Democrat nominee, former U.S. Congressman Edward Stack, who represented the Florida's 15th congressional district and the 12th district. from 1979 to 1981.

The 1984 election

Shaw won re-election with 65.7% against Democratic nominee Bill Humphrey. Also in 1984, President Reagan cruised to re-election defeating former Vice President Walter Mondale. [5]

The 1986 election

Shaw won re-election without opposition. Also in 1986, Democrats regained control of the United States Senate. Florida Governor Bob Graham defeated U.S. Senator Paula Hawkins, and Tampa Mayor Bob Martinez becomes Governor of Florida.

The 1988 election

Shaw won re-election with 66.1% against Democratic nominee Mike Kuhle. Also in 1988, Vice President George H.W. Bush defeated Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis to become the 41st President of the United States. [6] Florida Congressman Connie Mack was elected to the United States Senate.

The 1990 election

Shaw was re-elected without opposition. Also in 1990, former U.S. Senator Lawton Chiles defeated Governor Bob Martinez to become Governor of Florida.

The 1992 election

In November 1992, Shaw faced his toughest congressional opponent to date. Following the 1990 U.S. Census, the Democratic Party-controlled Florida Legislature re-apportioned the state's congressional districts. As a result, Broward's 15th congressional district was cut up and Shaw found himself running in the new, 90-mile congressional district stretching from Juno Beach, Florida to the north down to Lincoln Road on Miami Beach to the south. To make matters worse, the Democratic candidate for Congress was the person who drew the congressional district in Tallahassee, state Senate President Gwen Margolis.

The Shaw vs. Margolis race was highly competitive. Both campaigns full of energy and raising thousands of dollars in campaign contributions. The campaigns highlighted the other candidates' records. Margolis claimed Shaw voted to "decriminalize drugs" while in Washington. Shaw called the claim "an absolute falsehood". Margolis fought back concerns of her involvement with the failed Miami Beach Savings & Loan. In March 1992, the Resolute Trust Corporation filed suit against Margolis and other bank directors claiming they approved speculative loans and were responsible for $4.5 million in loses. [7]

Shaw cruised to victory in November claiming 58% of the general election vote. [8]

The 1994 election

Shaw won re-election with 63.4% of the vote against Democratic nominee Hermine Weiner. Shaw was a supporter of the Republican Contract with America that helped sweep the Republican Party to control of the United States Congress for the first time in 40 years.

The 1996 election

Shaw won re-election with 61.9% of the vote against Democratic nominee, Ft. Lauderdale Ken Cooper. Also in 1996, President Bill Clinton was re-elected defeating former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole. [9]

The 1998 election

Shaw was re-elected with opposition. Also in 1998, Jeb Bush was elected Governor of Florida.

The 2000 election

Shaw being sworn in by Speaker Dennis Hastert for the 108th Congress.

Seeking his 10th term in Congress, Shaw faced a challenge in state Representative Elaine Bloom. Bloom declared her candidacy in June 1999. Aided by the Democratic presidential ticket of Al Gore and Joe Lieberman, Bloom was making the race extremely competitive. In early October it was reported that Bloom served on the board of a Florida pharmaceutical company that was accused of price fixing. Bloom denied the accusations, yet press reports, including a piece on Nightline highlighting the price fixing scandal. Bloom remained on defense for the remainder of the campaign. The Shaw campaign commercials can be found here: [10] It was only the second difficult re-election contest for Shaw. The district, once a Republican-leaning swing district, leaned Democratic in the early 1990s along with most of South Florida. In 2000, Al Gore defeated George W. Bush in the district by 52% to 48%.

The 2002 election

The Florida Legislature responded by cutting out a heavily Democratic section of Miami-Dade County in the 2000s round of redistricting, pushing it further into Palm Beach County. This district was only slightly less Democratic than its predecessor (even though Republicans have a small plurality of registered voters). Shaw was re-elected with 60.8% of the vote against Democrat Carol Roberts, a former Palm Beach County Commissioner.

The 2004 election

Shaw won re-election with 62.8% of the vote against a last-minute replacement Democratic candidate, Robin Rorapaugh. His original opponent, Jim Stork, dropped out before the election for medical reasons, but his name remained on the ballot. John Kerry defeated George W. Bush in the district by a margin of 50% to 48%.

The 2006 election

Main article: Florida U.S. House election, 2006

Shaw was defeated in the general election by Democratic State Senator Ron Klein, who won by a narrow 51% to 48%. After his 2006 loss, Shaw donated his official Congressional papers (totaling more than 100 linear feet) and memorabilia to his alma mater, Stetson University. The Shaw Collection includes policy notebooks, plaques, awards, videos, letters from U.S. presidents, a number of signed framed bills with the presidential signing pens, and more than 2,500 photos.

Congressional accomplishments

Missing Children's Act

Being swept into office as part of the Reagan Revolution, Shaw quickly found himself at the center of a national tragedy following the tragic death of 7-year old constituent Adam Walsh. As a result of this tragedy, Shaw introduced the Missing Children's Act of 1982. The legislation allowed parents access to a central computer file designed to trace missing children. President Reagan signed the legislation on October 12, 1982. [11] Shaw was honored for his efforts and continued support for Missing and Exploited Children in 2004, with other members of Congress, by the Center for Missing and Exploited Children and its founder John Walsh. [12]

Posse Comitatus

As a member of the House Judiciary Committee, Shaw aggressively supported legisaltion to fight the War on Drugs. In fall of 1986, Shaw lamented that illegal drugs was "the biggest threat we have ever had to our national security." [13] To combat the rise of illegal drug trafficking and its impact on Americans, the House of Representatives in May 1988, voted 385 to 23 authorizing 45 days for President Reagan to mobilize U.S. armed forces in the fight against illegal drug trafficking. The legisaltion required the U.S. military to halt illegal drug trafficking into the southern portions of the United States wile requiring the Pentagon to begin arial radar coverage of the U.S. southern border. The legislation amended the Civil War era Posse Comitatus Act which prohibited the military from enforcing civilian laws. Calling the overwhelming bipartisan vote the end of a defeatist "Vietnam type mentality toward the war on drugs", Shaw solidified his standing as a leader in the War on Drugs. [14]

Welfare reform

Shaw said in 1994, "The inscription at the base of the Statue of Liberty was written before welfare. People come to this country to work. Now the question becomes, Are these handouts a magnet that is bringing people into this country? To some degree, they are." As a result of the Republican takeover of the United States Congress following the 1994 mid-term elections, Shaw was awarded with his first chairmanship of his Congressional career. As a senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, Shaw was tapped to chair the Human Resources Subcommittee. This move was significant, for included in the Republican Contract with America was a commitment to reform of the nation's welfare system. [15] Shaw began work on reforming welfare in 1995 by holding numerous committee hearings and public sessions to identify problems within the welfare system. Working with state governors such as Florida Governor Lawton Chiles, Michigan Governor John Engler, Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson and Delaware Governor Tom Carper, Shaw began crafting legislation that shifted the federal focus of social welfare to an emphasis on personal responsiblity. [16]. After two presidential vetos by President Bill Clinton, Welfare Reform was finally signed into law on August 22, 1996.

Committee assignments

House Ways and Means Committee

Shaw was the second most senior Republican on the House Ways and Means committee at the time he left Congress, having taken that position after Phil Crane lost reelection. [17]

Trade subcommittee

DR-CAFTA FTA

From 2005 to 2007, Shaw chaired the Ways and Means Trade subcommittee and was actively invloved in passage the United States free trade agreement between a number of central American nations and the Dominican Republic. As Chairman, Shaw and his fellow Republicans on the Ways and Means Committee voted the trade agreement out of committee on a straight party line vote. Shortly thereafter the House passed, by a vote of 217-215, the Dominican Republic Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) to open U.S. exports up, duty free, to the central American nations of the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. President [George W. Bush] signed the United States-DR-CAFTA Free Trade Agreement on August 3, 2005, with Shaw and other members of Congress present. [18]

Haiti

In addition, Shaw was a strong supporter for U.S. export opportunities to the impoverished nation of Haiti. [19]

Social Security Subcommittee

From 1999 to 2005, he was as Chairman of the Social Security Subcommittee. As Chairman of the Social Security committee, Shaw introduced legislation to repeal the Social Security Earnings Penalty. [20] In March 2000, the House of Representatives, by a vote of 422-0 passed the Social Security Earnings Penalty repeal. [21] Following Senate approval, President William Jefferson Clinton signed the bill into law. The new law allows seniors ages 65 to 69 to continue working without the fear of losing their Social Security benefits.

Human Resources Subcommittee

From 1995 to 1998, Shaw chaired the Human Resources subcommittee. Followiing the 1994 Republican takeover of Congress, Clay Shaw was named to chair this important House committee. Having introduced legislation previously to reform welfare, Shaw found himself in a key post to enact much needed reform. As a result of his efforts, the welfare system was drastically changed and replaced with an emphasis on personal responsibility. Welfare reform was the hightlight of Shaw's congressional career.

Florida Congressional Delegation Chairman

He also was chairman of the Florida delegation from 1996 until leaving office in 2007. In this capacity, Shaw coordinated activites by the delegation including bipartisan delegation meetings. In this capacity, Shaw facilitiated discussion amongst Florida colleagues on particular issues or topics and invited special guests to address the delegation including Governor Jeb Bush, FEMA Director David Paulison as well as federal and state officials.

House 2015 caucus

In 2003, following lung cancer surgery, Shaw, along with Minnesota Congressman Colin Peterson, founded the House 2015 Caucus. The purpose of the 2015 Caucus was to find a cure for cancer or treat it as a managable disease by the year 2015. Members of the caucus expressed their desire to eliminate cancer disease and suffering by 2015. [22] Shaw was also a member of the Congressional Arts Caucus, Congressional Fire Services Caucus, Congressional Narcotics Abuse and Control Caucus, Congressional Social Security Caucus, Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus, Friends of Ireland, Law Enforcement Caucus, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus. He was also the co-chair of the following Congressional Boating Caucus, Congressional Coastal Caucus, and International Conservation Caucus.

Congressional papers, awards, pictures, and memorabilia

In 2007, following his departure from Congress, Shaw provided his entire Congressional collection to his alma mater, Stetson University. The Shaw collection is housed at the university's duPont-Ball library in Deland, Florida. [23]

Great Floridian

In 2008, Clay Shaw was named a Great Floridian by the Florida Department of State, an honor extended to individuals who made major contributions to the progress and welfare of the state of Florida. Shaw's honor was advocated by state House Representative Adam Hasner (R-Delray Beach). Other Great Floridians include Governors LeRoy Collins, Lawton Chiles and Bob Martinez; NASCAR founder Bill France, environmentalist Majory Stoneman Douglas, inventor John Gorrie and Senator Claude Pepper.

E. Clay Shaw, Jr. Bridge

In 2002, the newly constructed 17th Street Causeway bridge re-opened to Ft. Lauderdale traffic. As a result of federal funding secured by the Congressman Shaw, the Florida Legislature approved a resolution naming the 17th Street bridge the E. Clay Shaw, Jr. bridge. [24]

External links

• United States Congress. "Clay Shaw (id: S000303)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Voting record maintained by the Washington Post
• US News & World Report on Shaw's 2006 Re-Election Campaign
• The E. Clay Shaw Collection at the Stetson University Library