Emanuel Cleaver
Emanuel Cleaver | |
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Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri's 5th district | |
Assumed office January 3, 2005 | |
Preceded by | Karen McCarthy |
51st Mayor of Kansas City | |
In office 1991–1999 | |
Preceded by | Richard Berkley |
Succeeded by | Kay Barnes |
Personal details | |
Born | Emanuel Cleaver II October 26, 1944 Waxahachie, Texas, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Dianne Cleaver |
Education | Prairie View A&M University (BS) Saint Paul School of Theology (MDiv) |
Website | House website |
Emanuel Cleaver II (born October 26, 1944) is a United Methodist pastor and an American politician who is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Cleaver represents Missouri's 5th congressional district, elected in 2005. The district includes the southern three-fourths of Kansas City, including all of the city south of the Missouri River, as well as the more rural counties of Lafayette, Ray, and Saline east of Jackson. Cleaver is a member of the Democratic Party, and in January 2011, he became chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, a position he held until 2013.
Cleaver served on the Kansas City Council from 1979 to 1991, until he was elected Mayor, serving from 1991 to 1999. In 2004, Cleaver was elected to represent Missouri's 5th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Early life, education, and career
Cleaver was born in Waxahachie, Texas, the son of Marie (née McKnight) and Lucky G. Cleaver.[1] He grew up in public housing in Wichita Falls, Texas. He graduated from Prairie View A&M University[2] where he was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.[3] Cleaver then moved to Kansas City, Missouri where he founded a branch of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference[4] and received a Master of Divinity degree from St. Paul School of Theology.[2]
Cleaver was the pastor at the St. James United Methodist Church in Kansas City, Missouri from March 1972 until June 28, 2009.[5]
Early political career
Cleaver served as Kansas City Councilman from 1979 to 1991 and as Mayor of Kansas City for two terms from 1991 until 1999.[4] He is the first African American Mayor of Kansas City.[6]
During the last days of his tenure as Mayor, Reverend Cleaver agreed to an international visit to London, England. On the invitation of UK NGO Operation Black Vote, he assisted in campaigning for increased electoral participation in the elections for the Mayor of London and the London Assembly. His visit culminated in a keynote speech at Westminster City Hall alongside British political figures including Ken Livingstone, Simon Hughes, and Lee Jasper.[citation needed]
Cleaver is a cousin to exiled Kansas City Black Panther leader Pete O'Neal. In 1997, Cleaver attempted unsuccessfully to obtain a pardon for O'Neal from President Bill Clinton.[7]
U.S. House of Representatives
After the compromise Budget Control Act deal had been reached to resolve the 2011 United States debt ceiling crisis in August 2011, Cleaver wrote on Twitter calling it a "sugar-coated Satan sandwich".[8]
Committee assignments
Caucus membership
Tenure
During his tenure, Cleaver has voted with the Democratic Party 95.8% of the time.[10] He has been recognized as a congressman who is "not shy about earmarks" and has brought many tax dollars back to Kansas City.[11]
Cleaver has called for ethics charges against fellow U.S. Representatives Charlie Rangel and Maxine Waters to be dropped, saying "The process has been tainted."[12]
On December 18, 2019, Cleaver voted for both of two articles of impeachment against President Donald J. Trump and is one of only two Missouri representatives in the House to have done so, along with Rep. Lacy Clay (D).[13]
Loan default
On April 6, 2012, the Kansas City Star reported that Bank of America had sued Cleaver Company LLC over a commercial real estate loan for a Grandview car wash. In a lawsuit filed March 30, Bank of America said Cleaver, his wife Dianne, and the company owed over $1.46 million on the loan.[14][15]
Office attack
On September 11, 2014 around 2:50 a.m. what appeared to be a Molotov cocktail was thrown through the window of Cleaver's Kansas City office. He was in Washington D.C. at the time and no staff members were present during the attack.[16]
Political campaigns
In late 2003, Karen McCarthy, who had represented the 5th Congressional District since 1995, announced her retirement. Though having served in city government for 20 years, including eight years as mayor, Cleaver initially posted weak numbers in the Democratic primary and general elections. Cleaver went on to defeat former Clinton Administration official Jamie Metzl in the Democratic primary by a margin of 60-40 percent. In the general election, Republican Jeanne Patterson made the race far more competitive than conventional wisdom would suggest for the district, which has long been reckoned as the second-most Democratic district in Missouri (behind the St. Louis-based 1st Congressional District). The Democrats have held this seat for all but eight years since 1909, and without interruption since 1949. By comparison, McCarthy won 65% of the vote in 2002.
2008 Democratic Presidential Primary Election
During the course of the contentious 2008 Democratic Presidential Primary, Cleaver endorsed Hillary Clinton.[17] Cleaver claimed that African American superdelegates who supported Clinton were subjected to harassment, threatened with primary opponents and called “Uncle Tom.” He said they were told, “You’re not black if you’re not supporting Barack Obama. … It's ugly.”[18] On March 30, 2008, he was interviewed on The Sunday Edition on CBC Radio and said he realized he was on the losing team: "Even though I don't expect the Kansas City Chiefs to beat the Indianapolis Colts, I cheer for the Kansas City Chiefs."[19] According to BlackMissouri.com.,[20] U.S. Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois asked Cleaver, "If it comes down to the last day and you're the only superdelegate? … Do you want to go down in history as the one to prevent a black from winning the White House?" Cleaver explained, "I told him I'd think about it." Cleaver said during the course of the primary he'd be shocked if Obama wasn't the next President but made it clear he still supported Clinton until she suspended her bid.
Electoral history
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | Emanuel Cleaver | 50,204 | 53 | |
Nonpartisan | Bob Lewellen | 43,989 | 47 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | Emanuel Cleaver | 51,057 | 55 | |
Nonpartisan | Dan Cofran | 41,024 | 45 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Emanuel Cleaver | 161,727 | 55.19 | |
Republican | Jeanne Patterson | 123,431 | 42.12 | |
Libertarian | Rick Bailie | 5,827 | 1.99 | |
Constitution | Darin Rodenberg | 2,040 | 0.70 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Emanuel Cleaver | 136,149 | 64.25 | |
Republican | Jacob Turk | 68,456 | 32.30 | |
Libertarian | Randy Langkraehr | 7,314 | 3.45 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Emanuel Cleaver | 197,249 | 64.37 | |
Republican | Jacob Turk | 109,166 | 35.63 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Emanuel Cleaver | 102,076 | 53.32 | |
Republican | Jacob Turk | 84,578 | 44.18 | |
Libertarian | Randy Langkraehr | 3,077 | 1.61 | |
Constitution | Dave Lay | 1,692 | 0.88 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Emanuel Cleaver | 200,290 | 60.52 | |
Republican | Jacob Turk | 122,149 | 36.91 | |
Libertarian | Randy Langkraehr | 8,497 | 2.57 | |
Write-In | Others | 6 | 0.00 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Emanuel Cleaver | 79,256 | 51.59 | |
Republican | Jacob Turk | 69,071 | 44.96 | |
Libertarian | Roy Welborn | 5,308 | 3.46 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Emanuel Cleaver | 190,766 | 58.8 | |
Republican | Jacob Turk | 123,771 | 38.2 | |
Libertarian | Roy Welborn | 9,733 | 3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Emanuel Cleaver | 175,019 | 61.7 | |
Republican | Jacob Turk | 101,069 | 35.6 | |
Libertarian | Alexander Howell | 4,725 | 1 |
Personal life
Emanuel Cleaver and his wife, Dianne, have four children. They reside in Kansas City.[21]
On June 25, 2000, a road in Kansas City was renamed Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard. The new route consisted of Brush Creek Blvd., E. 47th St., and the portion of Van Brunt Blvd. south of 31st St.[22]
See also
References
- ^ "emanuel cleaver". freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
- ^ a b "Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress - Retro Member details". bioguideretro.congress.gov. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
- ^ "Congressional Record Extensions of Remarks Articles". www.congress.gov. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
- ^ a b Cheam, Bunthay (April 8, 2007). "Emanuel Cleaver (1944- ) •". Retrieved July 15, 2020.
- ^ "History » St. James UMC". www.stjamesumc.com. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
- ^ "Black History Month: Emanuel Cleaver II". KSHB. February 2, 2017. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
- ^ McKinley Jr., James C. "A Black Panther's Mellow Exile: Farming in Africa". Retrieved August 23, 2018.
- ^ Kim, Seung Min (August 1, 2011). "Debt-ceiling deal frustrates House liberals". Politico. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
- ^ "Membership". Congressional Black Caucus. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
- ^ "Voting Statistics for Emanuel Cleaver". The Political Guide. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
- ^ "Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II". Jackson County Democratic Committee. Archived from the original on June 4, 2012. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
- ^ Kraske, Steve (June 15, 2012). "Cleaver wants ethics charges against Waters, Rangel dropped". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on January 29, 2013. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
- ^ Panetta, Grace (December 18, 2019). "WHIP COUNT: Here's which members of the House voted for and against impeaching Trump". Business Insider. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
- ^ "BOA sues Cleaver, company for $1.5 million". BusinessWeek. Associated Press. April 6, 2012. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
- ^ Helling, Dave; Kraske, Steve (April 6, 2012). "Taxpayers could have to cover Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's bad loan". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on April 8, 2012.
- ^ "FBI Probes Vandalism as Congressman's Office". ABC News. September 11, 2014. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
- ^ Missouri Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II Endorses Clinton Archived August 22, 2007, at the Wayback Machine hillaryclinton.com, August 21, 2007
- ^ Cleaver: Black superdelegates backing Clinton are being "threatened" Kansas City Star, Keith Chrostowski, February 28, 2008
- ^ What Not To Say on Canadian Radio, Christopher Beam, Slate, April 1, 2008
- ^ Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri Endorses Hillary blackmissouri.com, February 15, 2008
- ^ "Full Biography". U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
- ^ City of Kansas City [MO] (June 15, 2000). Ordinance #000771, Council of Kansas City. kcmo.org, passed June 15, 2000, effective June 25, 2000. Retrieved from http://cityclerk.kcmo.org/LiveWeb/Documents/Document.aspx?q=Kuh8rXvHZqk3AMAQH1LHksLCIicTHNYXojLZy1x/0AsdOxTi42VHlGoLabg22X7B.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II official U.S. House website
- Emanuel Cleaver for Congress
- Emanuel Cleaver at Curlie
- 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
- 1944 births
- 21st-century American politicians
- African-American mayors
- African-American members of the United States House of Representatives
- African-American Methodists
- African-American people in Missouri politics
- American United Methodist clergy
- Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives
- Living people
- Mayors of Kansas City, Missouri
- Members of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri
- Missouri Democrats
- People from Waxahachie, Texas
- People from Wichita Falls, Texas
- Prairie View A&M University alumni
- Saint Paul School of Theology alumni