Jump to content

Joe Scarborough

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by DHeyward (talk | contribs) at 04:21, 24 March 2006 (That link doesn't exist. Probably for a good reason.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Joe Scarborough

Charles Joseph Scarborough (born April 9, 1963) is the host of the program Scarborough Country on MSNBC and has served in the United States House of Representatives, from 1995 to 2001, as a Republican from Florida.

Early life and education

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Scarborough graduated from Pensacola Catholic High School in Pensacola, Florida. He received a B.A. from the University of Alabama in 1985 and a J.D. from the University of Florida law school in 1990 with an emphasis in Constitutional Law [1]. He was admitted to the Florida State bar in 1991 [1]. Scarborough taught high school and practiced law in Pensacola. [2] His most high-profile case was that of Michael F. Griffin, later convicted of killing abortion doctor David Gunn. At the request of Griffin's family, Scarborough (who is against abortion) intially represented Griffin, though the judge refused his request to defend Griffin during the criminal trial, citing the inexperience of Scarborough, a civil lawyer, regarding criminal law. Scarborough assisted Griffin in obtaining a trial attorney. [3] Scarborough's first major foray into politics was assisting with a petition drive in late 1993 opposing a 65% increase in city property taxes. During the drive he made numerous contacts that would prove valuable in his upcoming Congressional race. [2]

Congressional career

In 1994 Scarborough was elected to the US House of Representatives, replacing retiring incumbent Democrat Earl Hutto. Scarborough, who signed the Contract with America, was part of the 1994 Republican takeover of the House, led by Newt Gingrich. Scarborough served on the Armed Services Committee, the Judiciary Committee, Government Reform and Oversight Committee, and the Education Committee. In 1998, he was named Chairman of the Civil Service Committee. In 1996 he was re-elected by a margin of 73%.

Scarborough was one of a group of about 40 GOP freshmen legislators who dubbed themselves the "New Federalists" after the Federalist Papers. Scarborough was elected Political Director of the incoming legislators. The New Federalists called for sweeping cuts in the US government, including plans to "privatize, localize, consolidate, [or] eliminate" [2] the Departments of Commerce, Education, Energy and Housing and Urban Development, but were largely unsuccessful in their goals. Scarborough was a fiscal conservative who continually pushed his party to force more reductions in the size and scope of the federal government.[citation needed] Gingrich tapped Scarborough to head a Republican task force on education, and Scarborough declared "Our goal is to get as much money, power and authority out of Washington and get as much money, power and authority into the classroom as possible." [2]

Scarborough sponsored a bill to force the US to withdraw from the United Nations after a four year transition [3] and voted to make the Corporation for Public Broadcasting "self-sufficent" [4] (pdf) by eliminating federal funding for the CPB. He also voted for the "Medicare Preservation act of 1995" [5], which cut the projected growth Medicare by $270 billion over ten years, against the "Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996" [6] which raised the minimum wage to $5.15. Scarborough had a conservative voting record on economic, social, and foreign policy issues but was seen as moderate on environmental issues and human rights causes. [2]

While in Congress, Scarborough received numerous awards, including: the "Friend of the Taxpayer Award" from Americans for Tax Reform; the "Guardian of Small Business Award" from the National Federation of Independent Business; the "Spirit of Enterprise Award" from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; the "Taxpayer's Hero Award" from the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste and the "Guardian of Seniors' Rights Award" from the 60 Plus Association. [7]

On July 20, 2001, Lori Klausutis, one of Scarborough's aides, died after hitting her head on a desk when she fainted in Scarborough's Fort Walton Beach, Florida office. Scarborough was in Washington, DC at the time and flew to Florida upon hearing the news. According to Scarborough, soon after her death allegations "spread all over the Internet" that he had been involved [4], although police found no evidence of foul play. In 2003, he joked about the incident with Don Imus on Imus' radio program [5] and in 2004 it was the subject of a public spat between Scarborough and filmmaker Michael Moore.[6]

Committee memberships

  • 104th Congress [7]
    • Committee on Government Reform and Oversight
    • Committee on National Security
  • 104th Congress[8]
    • Committee on National Security
    • Committee on Government Reform and Oversight
    • Committee on Education and the Workforce
  • 106th Congress[9]
    • Committee on Armed Services
    • Committee on Government Reform
    • Committee on the Judiciary
  • 107th Congress[10]
    • Committee on Government Reform
    • Committee on the Judiciary

Post-congressional career

In late May, 2001, Scarborough announced his resignation from Congress on September 6 to spend more time with his children. In his announcement, Scarborough also speculated about possible future presidential appointments and legal and television work. [11] He officially resigned on September 5, 2001 [1]. After leaving Congress, he joined the law firm of prominent Florida attorney Fred Levin. He currently practices law with the firm Beggs and Lane [8], the oldest firm in Florida. He was appointed to the President's Council on the 21st Century Workforce in 2002. [9]

In April 2003, he embarked upon a television career with the launch of Scarborough Country on MSNBC, a current affairs show.

Scarborough also published a book, Rome Wasn't Burnt in a Day (2004) (ISBN 0060749849) in which he reflects on his experiences as a young Republican congressman dedicated to reducing government spending during the Clinton years. Scarborough criticizes both political parties for irresponsible spending and giving in to special interests.

In August 2005, Scarborough confirmed reports that he had been asked to consider a challenge to U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris for the Republican nomination to challenge Senator Nelson's re-election bid. However, he announced later that month that he was renewing his contract with NBC. He subsequently expressed his dissatisfaction with the Republican leadership and lack of commitment to Republican principles as of late, saying on MSNBC that he's "embarassed ... to be a Republican ... because of the lack of leadership." [10]

Recent controversies

In his MSNBC TV program in May 2005, Scarborough criticized Arnold Schwarzenegger by repeating an allegation in a British newspaper that the California governor had advocated blowing up the moon as a way of controlling women's menstrual cycles. Scarborough apologized after learning that it was a comedy skit on the Howard Stern radio show and not an actual Schwarzenegger interview. According to the governor's spokesperson, the newspaper article was also circulated as fact by Democratic members of the California State Assembly. [11][12]

Family

In 1986, Scarborough married his first wife. They divorced in 1999 after having two children. The youngest was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. While interviewing Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., in June, 2005, Scarborough expressed concerns about the possibility one of his sons may have suffered vaccine damage, perhaps attributable to the sharp increase during the 1980s in the amount of thimerosal injected into infants, "My son, born in 1991, has a slight form of autism called Asperger's. When I was practicing law and also when I was in Congress, parents would constantly come to me and they would bring me videotapes of their children, and they were all around the age of my son or younger. So, something happened in 1989." [13]

Scarborough married his current wife in October, 2001. They live in Pensacola with their daughter and his two sons from his previous marriage.

Trivia

  • Scarborough plays with a band called Regular Joe. Their songs include lyrics about taking bribes and transvestites. They performed numbers about immigration and opportunity at the 2000 Republican National Convention. [2] Scarborough has written over 300 songs and has been recording music since he was 13. [citation needed]
  • Scarborough's MSNBC TV program is often broadcast from the local PBS affiliate - WSRE - located in Pensacola, Florida.
Preceded by US Representative, Florida 1st District
1995-2001 		Succeeded by

References

  1. ^ a b c ""Scarborough, Charles Joseph"". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2006-03-18.
  2. ^ a b c d e Michael Barone, Richard E. Cohen, Almanac of American Politics, National Journal Press, 2002, pages 374-76.
  3. ^ Bill Kaczor, "Abortion an Unmentionable Issue in District Hit by Anti-Abortion Violence", Associated Press, November 2, 1994; Laura Griffin, "Area lawyer hired in clinic killing", St. Petersburg Times, April 13, 1993.
  4. ^ Lisa Osburn, "Scarborough ready to get back home", Pensacola News Journal, September 6, 2001
  5. ^ James Wolcott, "MSNBC's fox hunt: management and marketing strategies", Vanity Fair 518 (Oct 2003): 140(5)
  6. ^ Judy Bachrach. "Moore's War", Vanity Fair (March 2005): 240; Scarborough Country, June 14, 2004 [1].
  7. ^ Designating Majority Membership on Certain Standing Committees of the House (House of Representatives - January 04, 1995)
  8. ^ Election of Majority Members to Certain Standing Committees of the House (House of Representatives - January 07, 1997); Election of Majority Members to Certain Standing Committees of the House (House of Representatives - January 09, 1997); Election of Majority Members to Certain Standing Committees of the House (House of Representatives - January 21, 1997)
  9. ^ Election of Majority Members to Certain Standing Committees of the House -- (House of Representatives - January 06, 1999); Election of Majority Members to Certain Standing Committees of the House -- (House of Representatives - March 11, 1999)
  10. ^ Election of Members to Certain Standing Committees of the House -- (House of Representatives - January 06, 2001)
  11. ^ Lisa Osburn, "U.S. Rep. Joe Scarborough Trading House for Home: Congressman ready to be a full-time dad", Pensacola News Journal, May 26, 2001.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joe_Scarborough&oldid=45215676"