Joel Hefley



Joel M. Hefley was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives representing the 5th District of Colorado (map) from 1987 to 2007. He opted to retire rather than seek reelection in 2006.

Bio
Hefley was born April 18, 1935 in Ardmore, Oklahoma. He was educated at the Oklahoma State University and was a management consultant, executive director of the Colorado Community Planning and Research Council, executive director of the Pikes Peak Health Planning, and a member of the Colorado House of Representatives and the Colorado Senate before entering the House.

He served as chairman of the House Ethics Committee until 2005; he had angered Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert by repeatedly admonishing Majority Leader Tom DeLay, fueling allegations of corruption that had already damaged DeLay (adding insult to injury, the admonishing letters came during the heat of a contested election). 

2006 Elections
In February 2006, Hefley announced that he would retire at the end of his term. Democrats nominated Jay Fawcett and Republicans nominated Douglas L. Lamborn to contest the November 2006 election for his vacant seat. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006)

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

Actions as chairman of the House Ethics Committee
In 2004, Hefley was chairman of the House Ethics Committee at the time it was investigating then-Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas). His committee did not formally charge DeLay with any wrongdoing, but it did rebuke him for three separate actions that could have given the appearance of impropriety. Many Republicans were furious at his perceived disloyalty to the party, and Speaker Dennis Hastert replaced Hefley at the beginning of the 109th Congress with more loyal Rep. Doc Hastings.
 * For a more indepth exploration of these events, see the House Ethics Committee's page.

Support for Mollohan
In July 2006, Hefley inserted a statement into the Congressional Record defending Democratic Rep. Alan Mollohan’s (D-W.Va.) service to the House Ethics Committee. In addition, he criticized GOP leaders for attempting to change ethics rules at the outset of the 109th Congress.

In addition to defending Mollohan, Hefley also introduced legislation that would ban the use of leadership political action committees by members of Congress, something revolutionized in the mid-1990s by fellow-Republican and former Majority Leader Tom DeLay. 

Committees in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

 * House Committee on Armed Services
 * Subcommittee on Readiness - Chair
 * Subcommittee on Terrorism Unconventional Threats and Capabilities

Resources

 * Official website
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Articles

 * Mike Allen, "House GOP Leaders Name Loyalist to Replace Ethics Chief," Washington Post, February 3, 2005.
 * M.E. Sprengelmeyer, "Hefley calls it a career. Congressman's decision may spark lively primary in Colo. Springs district," Rocky Mountain News, February 17, 2006.
 * Alexander Bolton, "Rep. Hefley defends Mollohan," The Hill, July 25, 2006.
 * "Hefley Won't Run As Write-In. Despite Urgings, Retiring GOP Rep. Hefley Won't Run As Write-in," Associated Press (KKTV.com CBS11), August 29, 2006.
 * James L., "CO-05: Update - Hefley Demures, But Blasts GOP Nominee," Swing State Project, August 29, 2006.
 * Editorial: "No free pass in 5th CD race," Denver Post, August 30, 2006.

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Non-Prophet
 * Colorado Pols: Politics, News, and Inside Information
 * NewWest.net -- A Refreshing, new kind of journalism.

Contact
DC Office: 2372 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-4422 Fax: 202-225-1942 Web Email Website

District Office - Colorado Springs: 104 South Cascade Avenue, Suite 105 Colorado Springs, CO 80903 Phone: 719-520-0055 Fax: 719-520-0840