Richard Gephardt

Dick Gephardt (Richard Andrew Gephardt) (1941- ) was a Democrat representing Missouri in the U.S. House of Representatives from January 3, 1977 until January 3, 2005. He was majority leader in the One Hundred First through One Hundred Third Congresses and minority leader in the One Hundred Fourth through One Hundred Seventh Congresses. He ran as a candidate for the democratic nomination for presidency in 2004. June 16, 2005, he joined the U.S. offices of the global law firm DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary as senior counsel in the Government Affairs practice. In 2006, although not listed by the investment firm on its website or in its news releases, he surfaced in the news media in California  and Illinois  as a representative on Goldman-Sachs promoting the privatization of highways to state officials.

Official Bio
According to Gephardt's House of Representatives' biography, Rep. Richard Gephardt "was the first leader to call for quickly establishing a Department of Homeland Security to protect the public from a second attack [following 9/11]. ..."

"Gephardt has also sought to promote economic and personal security by strengthening bedrock commitments to the American people, especially Medicare and Social Security. He has fought for an economic plan that would provide a much-needed short-term jolt to the economy while laying the groundwork for long-term prosperity and opportunity for every hard-working family. ... Joining with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), he has repeatedly reached across the aisle to pass campaign finance reform, end corporate welfare and restore tax code fairness for all.

"In an economic address to the Democratic Leadership Council in January 2002, Gephardt argued that a long term vision of energy independence, technological advancement and pension fairness would reflect bedrock Democratic values and restore growth and prosperity across the country. 'Opportunity, responsibility, and community isn't just a slogan, it defines who we are as a party,' said Gephardt. ...

"Gephardt was first elected to represent Missouri's Third Congressional District in 1976. As a House freshman, he was given the rare opportunity of serving on both the Ways and Means and Budget Committees, where he became a national leader on health care, trade and tax fairness.

"In 1984, Gephardt was elected Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, the fourth-ranking leadership position in the House. In 1987, he became the first Democratic candidate to enter the 1988 presidential race, where he won the Iowa Democratic Caucus and helped frame the economic issues that dominated the election. In 1989, he was elected by his colleagues in the House to serve as their Majority Leader."

Iraq War
Gephardt voted for the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 that started the Iraq War.

Tobacco issues
In March 1979, Congressman Dick Gephardt sponsored a bill to increase the Federal excise tax on cigarettes from 8 cents to 10 cents per package. At a news conference to announce the bill, Rep. Gepiaardt explained that the purpose of the bill was to offset costs to the Social Security Disability program attributable to cigarette smoking. The bill also imposed a 9 percent "disability" surcharge on producers of alcoholic beverages.

On August 5, 1997, Gephardt wrote to then-President Bill Clinton to protest a provision inserted into a budget bill on behalf of the tobacco industry (allegedly during the night and without disclosure prior to voting) to allow cigarette manufactuers to write off a cigarette tax increase against their liability under the proposed national tobacco settlement. Gephardt asked Clinton to use his line-item veto to eliminate the provision.

Gephardt also gratefully received support from cigarette makers for his reelection campaigns.

Mother Jones magazine, in its May/June 1996 issue, reported:
 * Among the Democratic leadership in the House, Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (D-MO) is the seventh-largest recipient of tobacco funds, receiving $67,258 between 1986-1995. In the first six months of 1995 alone, Gephardt took in $11,000 from tobacco.

LGBT Issues
In November 2003, the New York Times reported that "Mr. Gephardt's decision to turn the spotlight on his [30-year old] daughter [Chrissy] underscores his own evolution in 27 years in Congress. In the early 1980's, he opposed abortion, school busing and federally financed legal services for gay men and lesbians.

"Over the years, he has changed those positions and today is hailed by gay and lesbian rights groups for sponsoring legislation against hate crimes and discrimination and for being the first presidential hopeful to give a gay relative such a prominent and public platform." 

Affiliations

 * Advisory Board, National Democratic Institute for International Affairs;
 * Consultant and Advisor, FTI Consulting, "through an exclusive agreement with his consulting firm, Gephardt & Associates LLC," reported the Wall Street Journal in January 2007; and
 * Advisory Board, Financial Dynamics, a "financial communications-services subsidiary" of FTI Consulting. Gephardt "will help the company and subsidiary with their ability to serve clients in the areas of government, public policy, international affairs and employee and labor relations," said and FTI spokesperson.
 * Former Chair, Progressive Policy Institute
 * Chair, National Endowment for Democracy (As of January 2009)
 * Trustee, RAND Corporation

Related SourceWatch Resources

 * MoveOn
 * Kristian Stiles
 * public polling industry
 * U.S. presidential election, 2004

Biography

 * Biographical Guide of the U.S. Congress entry on Gephardt

Campaign Funding

 * The Buying of the Presidency: The Center for Public Integrity.
 * Dick Gephardt 2004 Web Site.

Articles & Commentary

 * Mike Wilson, "Gephardt to End Presidential Campaign", Associated Press, 20 January 2004: "Dick Gephardt is conceding the Democratic presidential nomination to one of his rivals, acknowledging after a disappointing fourth-place finish in Iowa that 'this didn't come out the way we wanted.'"
 * Andy Metzger,, "Gephardt Joins DLA Piper," Influence, June 20, 2005.
 * Jordan Rau, "A feeding frenzy for lobbyists: The governor’s proposed $222-billion public works bond has advocates for firms and unions lining up for a piece of the action" Los Angeles Times, February 12, 2006
 * Mike Fitzgerald, "Gephardt tied to efforts to build a bridge: But he also consults for firm campaigning for new tollways," Belleville News-Democrat, June 25, 2006.
 * Donna Kardos, "Dick Gephardt to Join FTI Consulting as an Advisor," Wall Street Journal (sub req'd), January 18, 2007.

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