Thad McCotter



Thaddeus G. McCotter is a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Michigan's 11th district, since 2003 (map). He was the head of the Republican Policy Committee for the 110th Congress, and continued in that role during the 111th Congress.

Iraq War
In an Aug. 30, 2007 posting on Redstate.org McCotter argued that the "surge" in Iraq was working. He asked that when Gen. Patraeus issued his Sept. 15 report to Congress that Americans focus on the local tribes, town and provinces where the surge was "delivering both the eradication of the insurgents and localized reconstruction projects," enabling an "election for freedom" by Iraqis who were choosing between American-allied forces and insurgents. Focusing on failures by the Iraqi parliament to meet political benchmarks set by Congress in early 2007 was getting things "absolutely backwards," McCotter wrote, "We cannot abandon Iraq’s fledgling democracy – or any democracy – under terrorist attack. The War for Freedom must be won through ideological, political, economic, diplomatic and – as an ultimate resort – martial means."

See also:
 * Congressional actions regarding President Bush’s 2007 proposed troop “surge” in Iraq
 * U.S. House of Representatives votes on the Iraq War

AIPAC point-man
Justin Raimondo reports: The reality is that McCotter could care less about freedom in Egypt: long a knee-jerk supporter of Israel, he leaps when AIPAC says jump, and is a favorite of fanatic anti-Arab bigot Debbie "Bad Hair" Schlussel. He babbles on about the alleged "control" of the anti-Mubarak movement by the Muslim Brotherhood – the line being put out there by the Israel lobby – but has zero evidence to back up his assertions. In order for this to be true, it would have to mean that virtually the entire population of Egypt, sans the security forces and the ruling party, are Muslim Brotherhood supporters, and yet we have seen nothing of the kind manifested in the massive demonstrations launched by grassroots activists and ordinary Egyptians. McCotter isn't some fringe nut job, a bald male version of Michelle Bachmann – he's the chairman of the Republican Policy Committee and a GOP bigwig. These are the types of people who inhabit the upper reaches of the Republican party – clueless dogmatists who only care about how much campaign money they can get from the money-bags at AIPAC. (McCotter bagged $10,550 in the past two years.)

Environmental record
For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Reparations for Japanese Latin Americans
McCotter cosponsored The Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Latin Americans of Japanese Descent Act in the 110th Congress which would establish a commission that would determine the facts and circumstances involving the relocation, internment and deportation of Japanese Latin Americans.

Bio
McCotter was born August 22, 1965 in Livonia, Michigan. He received a B.A. from the University of Detroit in 1987 and a J.D. from the same school in 1990. He had a private law practice before being elected to the Wayne County Commission in 1992. While on the Commission, he helped change the county charter to require that new taxes win the approval of 2/3rds of the Commission and 60% of voters in order to be passed. McCotter was elected to the Michigan State Senate in 1998.

Congressional career
As a State Senator, McCotter helped design the U.S. Congressional district from which he was elected in 2002 for the 108th Congress. He was re-elected in the 2004 Congressional elections. Following the 2006 midterm elections, McCotter was selected as the head of the House Republican Policy Committee for the 110th Congress.

2006 elections
In 2006, the Democrats nominated Tony Trupiano to face McCotter in his November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006) McCotter retained his seat.

Money in politics
cid=N00013808&cycle=2006

Committees

 * House Committee on Foreign Affairs
 * Subcommittee on Middle East and Central Asia
 * Subcommittee on Europe and Emerging Threats -Ranking
 * House Committee on Budget

Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

 * House Committee on Budget
 * House Committee on International Relations
 * Subcommittee on Europe and Emerging Threats
 * Subcommittee on the Middle East and Central Asia
 * House Committee on Small Business
 * Subcommittee on Tax Finance and Exports
 * Subcommittee on Workforce Empowerment and Government Programs
 * Joint Economic Committee

Affiliations

 * Member, Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong in China

More Background Data

 * 2006 Michigan CD 11 Candidate List from VIS

Contact
DC Office: 1632 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-8171 Fax: 202-225-2667 Web Email Website

District Office- Livonia: 17197 North Laurel Park Drive, Suite 533 Livonia, MI 48152 Phone: 734-632-0314 Fax: 734-632-0373

Twitter
 Thad McCotter posts on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ThadMcCotter/

Latest posts: http://twitter.com/statuses/user_timeline/8542882.rss|title=none| max=3| short See all the members of Congress who Twitter

External resources

 * Official website
 * Campaign website
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Michigan Liberal 11th CD Section