Barbara Comstock
Encyclopedia
Barbara J. Comstock is an American politician, currently a Republican
member of the Virginia House of Delegates
. She first won election to her seat in 2009
, defeating Democratic
incumbent Margaret Vanderhye
. She was formerly a spokesperson, lobbyist, political consultant; and a founding partner and co-principal of public policy and public relations firm Corallo Comstock.
. After working as a lawyer in private practice, Comstock served from 1991-1995 as a senior aide to Congressman Frank Wolf. Comstock then served as chief investigative counsel and senior counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Government Reform from 1995 to 1999.
Comstock worked on behalf of the 2000 presidential campaign
of George W. Bush
. Her research team built massive stores of paper and electronic data, known as "The Gore File," that were a key source of information on the former vice president for GOP publicists and ad-makers. Comstock is credited with writing the Republican "playbook" defending Bush nominees such as John Ashcroft
for U.S. Attorney General. Comstock later served as director of public affairs for the Justice Department
from 2002 to 2003.
Comstock's work in opposition research
for the Republican National Committee
has been praised as "meticulous and thorough," with her research being "one of the most successful parts of the RNC in 2000." Former Solicitor General
Theodore Olson
has said, "She is tireless. She has an encyclopedic mind and damn good judgment. Those qualities are at a real premium in Washington."
Despite her reputation as a Republican partisan, Comstock has been described by critics such as journalist David Brock
as a "very smart lawyer by training" and maintains friendships crossing the political divide. Democratic consultant Donna Brazile
said in a 2005 interview, "I've had my [political] battles with Barbara, and won some and lost some. But either way, she has kept her smile and her wit."
Comstock assisted the defense teams of both I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby and former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay
. In 2005, Comstock was hired by Dan Glickman
to lobby on behalf of the Motion Picture Association of America
.
Comstock was a consultant on the presidential campaign
of Mitt Romney
and is a consultant to the Workforce Fairness Institute, which opposes the Employee Free Choice Act
.
, David Brock discusses Comstock's Whitewater
investigative efforts against the Clintons, characterized as "almost unhinged" by other critics. Brock notes that Comstock would regularly make late-night telephone calls with "the latest tidbit she had dug up in the thousands and thousands of pages of administration records she pored through frantically," and visited Brock to "watch the rerun of a dreadfully dull Whitewater hearing she had sat through all day." To Brock, Comstock seemed "especially intent on proving that Hillary [Clinton] had lied about her role" in Travelgate..."[a]s Constock’s leads failed to pan out, and she was unable to catch anyone in a lie, the Republican aide confided that the Clinton scandals were driving her to distraction, to the unfortunate point that she was ignoring the needs of her own family. A very smart lawyer by training and the main breadwinner for her charismatic, happy-go-lucky husband and kids, Comstock remarked that maybe she couldn’t get Hillary’s sins off her brain because 'Hillary reminds me of me. I am Hillary.'”
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the Virginia House of Delegates
Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
. She first won election to her seat in 2009
Virginia elections, 2009
The following offices were up for election in the United States Commonwealth of Virginia in the November 2009 general election:*Three statewide offices – Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General – for four-year terms...
, defeating Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
incumbent Margaret Vanderhye
Margaret Vanderhye
Margaret G. "Margi" Vanderhye is a McLean, Virginia community activist and a former delegate from the 34th district of Virginia. She was the Democratic nominee in the 2007 Virginia general election to fill the seat held by retiring incumbent Republican Vince Callahan, defeating Republican...
. She was formerly a spokesperson, lobbyist, political consultant; and a founding partner and co-principal of public policy and public relations firm Corallo Comstock.
Career
Comstock began her congressional career as an intern for Senator Ted KennedyTed Kennedy
Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history...
. After working as a lawyer in private practice, Comstock served from 1991-1995 as a senior aide to Congressman Frank Wolf. Comstock then served as chief investigative counsel and senior counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Government Reform from 1995 to 1999.
Comstock worked on behalf of the 2000 presidential campaign
George W. Bush presidential campaign, 2000
This article is about the 2000 presidential campaign of George W. Bush, winner of the 2000 presidential election and re-elected in the 2004 election.See George W. Bush for a detailed biography and information about his presidency, and George W...
of George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. Her research team built massive stores of paper and electronic data, known as "The Gore File," that were a key source of information on the former vice president for GOP publicists and ad-makers. Comstock is credited with writing the Republican "playbook" defending Bush nominees such as John Ashcroft
John Ashcroft
John David Ashcroft is a United States politician who served as the 79th United States Attorney General, from 2001 until 2005, appointed by President George W. Bush. Ashcroft previously served as the 50th Governor of Missouri and a U.S...
for U.S. Attorney General. Comstock later served as director of public affairs for the Justice Department
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
from 2002 to 2003.
Comstock's work in opposition research
Opposition research
Opposition research is:# The term used to classify and describe efforts of supporters or paid consultants of a political candidate to legally investigate the biographical, legal or criminal, medical, educational, financial, public and private administrative and or voting records of the opposing...
for the Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
has been praised as "meticulous and thorough," with her research being "one of the most successful parts of the RNC in 2000." Former Solicitor General
United States Solicitor General
The United States Solicitor General is the person appointed to represent the federal government of the United States before the Supreme Court of the United States. The current Solicitor General, Donald B. Verrilli, Jr. was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 6, 2011 and sworn in on June...
Theodore Olson
Theodore Olson
Theodore Bevry Olson is a former United States Solicitor General, serving from June 2001 to July 2004 under President George W. Bush.- Early life :...
has said, "She is tireless. She has an encyclopedic mind and damn good judgment. Those qualities are at a real premium in Washington."
Despite her reputation as a Republican partisan, Comstock has been described by critics such as journalist David Brock
David Brock
David Brock is an American journalist and author, the founder of the media watchdog group, Media Matters for America, and a Democratic political operative...
as a "very smart lawyer by training" and maintains friendships crossing the political divide. Democratic consultant Donna Brazile
Donna Brazile
Donna Brazile is an American author, professor, and political analyst affiliated with the Democratic Party. She was the first African American to direct a major presidential campaign, for Al Gore in 2000...
said in a 2005 interview, "I've had my [political] battles with Barbara, and won some and lost some. But either way, she has kept her smile and her wit."
Comstock assisted the defense teams of both I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby and former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay
Tom DeLay
Thomas Dale "Tom" DeLay is a former member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1984 until 2006. He was Republican Party House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005, when he resigned because of criminal money laundering charges in...
. In 2005, Comstock was hired by Dan Glickman
Dan Glickman
Daniel Robert "Dan" Glickman is an American businessman and politician. He served as the United States Secretary of Agriculture from 1995 until 2001, prior to which he represented the Fourth Congressional District of Kansas as a Democrat in Congress for 18 years. He was Chairman and CEO of the...
to lobby on behalf of the Motion Picture Association of America
Motion Picture Association of America
The Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. , originally the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America , was founded in 1922 and is designed to advance the business interests of its members...
.
Comstock was a consultant on the presidential campaign
Mitt Romney presidential campaign, 2008
Mitt Romney was a Republican Party primary candidate in the 2008 United States presidential election. On January 3, 2007, two days before he stepped down as governor of Massachusetts, Romney filed to form a presidential exploratory committee with the Federal Election Commission...
of Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
and is a consultant to the Workforce Fairness Institute, which opposes the Employee Free Choice Act
Employee Free Choice Act
The Employee Free Choice Act was a legislative bill that was introduced into both chambers of the U.S. Congress on March 10, 2009. The bill's purpose was to,...
.
Criticism
In his book Blinded by the RightBlinded by the Right
Blinded by the Right: The Conscience of an Ex-Conservative is a 2002 book written by former conservative journalist David Brock detailing his departure from the conservative movement. It is also the story of his coming out as a gay man. In the book, he states that he visited gay bars with Matt...
, David Brock discusses Comstock's Whitewater
Whitewater controversy
The Whitewater controversy was an American politics controversy that began with the real estate investments of Bill and Hillary Clinton and their associates, Jim and Susan McDougal in the Whitewater Development Corporation, a failed business venture in the 1970s and 1980s.A New York...
investigative efforts against the Clintons, characterized as "almost unhinged" by other critics. Brock notes that Comstock would regularly make late-night telephone calls with "the latest tidbit she had dug up in the thousands and thousands of pages of administration records she pored through frantically," and visited Brock to "watch the rerun of a dreadfully dull Whitewater hearing she had sat through all day." To Brock, Comstock seemed "especially intent on proving that Hillary [Clinton] had lied about her role" in Travelgate..."[a]s Constock’s leads failed to pan out, and she was unable to catch anyone in a lie, the Republican aide confided that the Clinton scandals were driving her to distraction, to the unfortunate point that she was ignoring the needs of her own family. A very smart lawyer by training and the main breadwinner for her charismatic, happy-go-lucky husband and kids, Comstock remarked that maybe she couldn’t get Hillary’s sins off her brain because 'Hillary reminds me of me. I am Hillary.'”
External links
- Comstock for Delegate official campaign website
- Independent Women's Forum biography for Barbara Comstock