Derrick Van Orden
Derrick Van Orden | |
---|---|
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 3rd district | |
Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
Preceded by | Ron Kind |
Personal details | |
Born | Derrick Francis Van Orden September 15, 1969 Minnesota, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Education | Excelsior University (BS) |
Website | House website |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United States |
Branch/service | United States Navy |
Years of service | 1988–2014 |
Rank | Senior Chief Petty Officer |
Unit | United States Navy SEALs |
Battles/wars | |
Derrick Francis Van Orden (born September 15, 1969) is an American politician, businessman, actor, and retired United States Navy SEAL who is the U.S. representative for Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district.[1] He is a member of the Republican Party.
Career
Van Orden served in the United States Navy SEALs from 1988 to 2014.[2]
Political involvement
Van Orden was the Republican nominee for Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district in the 2020 election, narrowly losing to incumbent Democrat Ron Kind.[3] He was nominated to run for the seat again in the 2022 election, and won, narrowly defeating Democratic nominee Brad Pfaff and flipping the district from Democrat to Republican for the first time since 1994.[4][5]
January 6th
Van Orden participated in the January 6th "Stop the Steal" rally[6] and was present at the United States Capitol during the January 6 United States Capitol attack.[7][8]
Incident with Senate Pages
According to Punchbowl News, Van Orden, was giving a tour for several dozen visitors around midnight on the evening of July 26, 2023, when he happened upon Senate pages (who are all 16 or 17 years old), lying on the floor of the Rotunda, taking photos of the interior of the Capitol dome. Punchbowl News also reported that the Senate Rotunda is the work location where pages are directed to sit awaiting instructions while the Senate is in late-night session, as it was that night.[9] Van Orden "cursed out the pages, who are in their last week of service, calling them ‘lazy shits’ and told them to ‘get the fuck up’ off the floor."[10] Punchbowl News later reported that Van Orden had been "partying loudly" with the group at an event in his office where alcohol was being served, prior to yelling at the pages.[11]
Other work
Van Orden is an actor, appearing in Act of Valor (2012),[12] Surviving the Wild (2018) and Running with the Devil (2019).[citation needed] He opened the Butternut Cafe in Butternut, Wisconsin, in 2017.[13]
LGBT library book incident
On June 17, 2021, Van Orden confronted a staff member at Prairie du Chien Memorial Library in indignation over a display of books with LGBT themes assembled for Pride Month.[14] Van Orden was particularly upset by the book A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo, about a fictional day in the life of Marlon Bundo, the real-life pet rabbit of former Vice President of the United States Mike Pence, and the rabbit's subsequent same-sex romance. Van Orden submitted a written complaint to the library that the book was "skewing young people to think that Republicans are not inclusive. This book is not informational, it is propaganda".[15] A staff member described Van Orden as "very uncomfortable, threatening" with "full-on shouting" and "aggressively shoving the books around". He wanted to know who had established the display so he could "teach them a lesson".[14] Van Orden subsequently withdrew all the books on display out of the library and then returned them within a week.[14]
Gun arrest
On August 27, 2021, Van Orden was arrested at the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, after attempting to carry a fully-loaded SIG Sauer handgun through a security checkpoint.[16] He initially pleaded not guilty, but later waived his rights and pleaded guilty.[16] The court ordered Van Orden to pay fines and complete a gun safety program. He was placed on one year's probation on December 28, 2021.[16][17][18]
Senate page incident
On July 27, 2023, Van Orden reportedly yelled obscenities at a group of Senate pages who were resting in the rotunda of the Capitol, while working late into the evening, as the Senate was working on amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act. (It should be noted that Senate pages usually rest in the rotunda when the Senate works late into the evening.)[19][20][21][22][23]
According to a transcript of the remarks, Van Orden yelled at the pages: “Wake the fuck up you little shits...What the fuck are you cunts all doing? Get the fuck out of here. You are defiling the space, you [pieces of shit],” Van Orden added.[24][25][26][27][28]
“Who the fuck are you?” Van Orden asked, to which one person said they were Senate pages. “I don’t give a fuck who you are, get out. You jackasses, get out,” he added.[29][30][31][32][33]
Van Orden did not deny this account of events, and declined to issue an apology.[34][35][36][37][38]
Personal life
Van Orden and his wife, Sarah Jane, have four children and eight grandchildren. He is a Protestant.[39][40]
Electoral history
2020
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Derrick Van Orden | 36,395 | 65.9 | |
Republican | Jessi Ebben | 18,835 | 34.1 | |
Total votes | 55,230 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ron Kind (incumbent) | 199,870 | 51.3 | |
Republican | Derrick Van Orden | 189,524 | 48.6 | |
Write-in | 224 | 0.1 | ||
Total votes | 389,618 | 100.0 |
2022
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Derrick Van Orden | 65,164 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Derrick Van Orden | 164,743 | 51.82 | |
Democratic | Brad Pfaff | 152,977 | 48.12 | |
Write-in | 202 | 0.06 | ||
Total votes | 317,922 | 100.0 |
References
- ^ Date information sourced from Library of Congress Authorities data, via corresponding WorldCat Identities linked authority file (LAF).
- ^ "Derrick Van Orden". Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
- ^ Herken, Olivia (August 10, 2022). "Pfaff wins Democratic primary, will face Van Orden for WI 3rd Congressional District". La Crosse Tribune. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
- ^ Andrea, Lawrence (November 9, 2022). "Republican Derrick Van Orden defeats Brad Pfaff in Wisconsin's 3rd District, flipping seat". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
- ^ "Derrick Van Orden". Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
- ^ "In Wisconsin, voters shrug off GOP candidate's Jan. 6 tie". AP News. October 16, 2022. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
- ^ Solender, Andrew (August 10, 2022). "Jan. 6-linked Derrick Van Orden wins Wisconsin GOP primary for House seat". Axios. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
- ^ Van Orden, Derrick (January 13, 2021). "Derrick Van Orden: We need Abraham Lincoln now more than ever". La Crosse Tribune. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
- ^ Weaver, Al (July 27, 2023). "'Jackasses,' 'little s‑‑‑‑': GOP congressman curses out teenage Senate pages". The Hill. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
- ^ "Punchbowl News". Punchbowl News. July 27, 2023. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
- ^ "https://twitter.com/maxpcohen/status/1684664837584883712". Twitter. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
{{cite web}}
: External link in
(help)|title=
- ^ "About". Van Orden for Congress.
- ^ Carlson, Seth (June 28, 2017). "Retired Navy SEAL opens Butternut Cafe in downtown Butternut". Rice County Review. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Congressional candidate Derrick Van Orden confronted teen library staffer over Gay Pride display". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Associated Press. August 24, 2021. Archived from the original on August 25, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
- ^ Herken, Olivia (August 22, 2021). "Library staff felt 'threatened' after GOP candidate complained about Pride Month display". La Crosse Tribune. Archived from the original on August 25, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
- ^ a b c "CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS VS VANORDEN, DERRICK FRANCIS, Case No. 06571CRSMSM133691". Iowa State Courts Online. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
- ^ Marley, Patrick (May 9, 2022). "Congressional candidate Derrick Van Orden fined for having a loaded gun in an airport. He calls the incident a mistake". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
- ^ Herken, Olivia (May 9, 2022). "GOP congressional candidate Derrick Van Orden fined for having loaded gun in Iowa airport". La Crosse Tribune. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
- ^ https://thehill.com/homenews/4123626-gop-congressman-curses-out-teenage-senate-pages/
- ^ https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2023/07/27/van-orden-reportedly-curses-teenage-senate-pages-during-capitol-tour/70479593007/
- ^ https://newrepublic.com/post/174700/lazy-shits-republican-congressman-curses-teenage-senate-pages
- ^ https://www.mediaite.com/politics/congressman-defends-screaming-at-high-school-pages-in-capitol-rotunda-wake-the-fck-up-you-little-shts/
- ^ https://www.thedailybeast.com/gop-congressman-unleashes-profanity-filled-tirade-on-teen-senate-pages
- ^ https://thehill.com/homenews/4123626-gop-congressman-curses-out-teenage-senate-pages/
- ^ https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2023/07/27/van-orden-reportedly-curses-teenage-senate-pages-during-capitol-tour/70479593007/
- ^ https://newrepublic.com/post/174700/lazy-shits-republican-congressman-curses-teenage-senate-pages
- ^ https://www.mediaite.com/politics/congressman-defends-screaming-at-high-school-pages-in-capitol-rotunda-wake-the-fck-up-you-little-shts/
- ^ https://www.thedailybeast.com/gop-congressman-unleashes-profanity-filled-tirade-on-teen-senate-pages
- ^ https://thehill.com/homenews/4123626-gop-congressman-curses-out-teenage-senate-pages/
- ^ https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2023/07/27/van-orden-reportedly-curses-teenage-senate-pages-during-capitol-tour/70479593007/
- ^ https://newrepublic.com/post/174700/lazy-shits-republican-congressman-curses-teenage-senate-pages
- ^ https://www.mediaite.com/politics/congressman-defends-screaming-at-high-school-pages-in-capitol-rotunda-wake-the-fck-up-you-little-shts/
- ^ https://www.thedailybeast.com/gop-congressman-unleashes-profanity-filled-tirade-on-teen-senate-pages
- ^ https://thehill.com/homenews/4123626-gop-congressman-curses-out-teenage-senate-pages/
- ^ https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2023/07/27/van-orden-reportedly-curses-teenage-senate-pages-during-capitol-tour/70479593007/
- ^ https://newrepublic.com/post/174700/lazy-shits-republican-congressman-curses-teenage-senate-pages
- ^ https://www.mediaite.com/politics/congressman-defends-screaming-at-high-school-pages-in-capitol-rotunda-wake-the-fck-up-you-little-shts/
- ^ https://www.thedailybeast.com/gop-congressman-unleashes-profanity-filled-tirade-on-teen-senate-pages
- ^ "Religious affiliation of members of 118th Congress" (PDF). Pew Research Center. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
- ^ "Faith on the Hill: The religious composition of the 118th Congress". Pew Research Center. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
External links
- Congressman Derrick Van Orden official U.S. House website
- Derrick Van Orden for Congress campaign website
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Derrick Van Orden at IMDb
- 1969 births
- 21st-century American businesspeople
- 21st-century American male actors
- American male film actors
- American restaurateurs
- Businesspeople from Wisconsin
- Christians from Wisconsin
- Living people
- Male actors from Wisconsin
- Military personnel from Wisconsin
- People from Crawford County, Wisconsin
- People from Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin
- Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin
- United States Navy SEALs personnel
- Wisconsin Republicans