Bill Delahunt
Encyclopedia
William D. Delahunt is a former U.S. Representative
for , serving from 1997 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party
. Delahunt did not seek re-election in 2010, and left Congress in January 2011. He was replaced by Norfolk County District Attorney Bill Keating
. He is currently an attorney with the firm of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott.
, Delahunt was educated at Thayer Academy
, Middlebury College
and Boston College Law School
and later served in the United States Coast Guard Reserve
. He served a term in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
(1973–75) before serving as district attorney
of Norfolk County
for more than 20 years.
battle against Philip W Johnston
of Marshfield
and Ian Bowles
of Woods Hole
. Johnston was initially declared the winner. A recount conducted in a handful of contested towns preserved Johnston's victory though by a narrower margin. Following the recount, Delahunt sought judicial review in the Massachusetts Superior Court
and Judge Elizabeth Donvan conducted a de novo review of the contested ballots and declared Delahunt the victor by a 108-vote margin. The case appealed to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
, which upheld the lower court ruling. The case is also noteworthy for the issue of "hanging chads" in punch-card voting machines.
In February 2010, Delahunt announced that was considering retirement from Congress at the end of his present term. His retirement was confirmed on March 4, 2010, by the Boston Globe.
, which he co-chaired with two other Coast Guard
veterans, Reps. Howard Coble
(R
-NC
) and Gene Taylor (D
-MS
). This benefited his district through getting the problems of outpaced resources and security recognized at the ports of Massachusetts.
In November 2005, he met with Venezuela
n President Hugo Chavez
and engineered a deal in which Venezuela would supply winter home heating oil at a 40 percent price reduction to thousands of low-income Massachusetts residents. The deal was carried out via the Venezuelan owned Citgo
, and brought accusations that Delahunt was assisting an anti-American leader. Delahunt, however, has sometimes criticized Chavez, such as in a September 2006 letter expressing "profound disgust" at a speech given by Chavez to the United Nations
, in which he personally attacked President George W. Bush
. In the letter he urged that Chavez express disagreements "in a more constructive manner," and work with the US to solve problems such as drug trafficking.
In the 110th Congress, Delahunt served as Chairman of the United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight.
He was a consistent opponent of the war in Iraq. However, on March 10, 2010 he voted against a measure to bring troops home from Afghanistan.
Caucus memberships
Delahunt was a member of the United States House Foreign Affairs Committee; Judiciary Committee
; and also served as co-chair of the bipartisan Coast Guard Caucus, House Older Americans Caucus, and the Congressional Working Group on Cuba
.
, Chuck Schumer, and Richard Durbin.
Delahunt and his wife, Katharina E. Delahunt, divorce
d in 1986. They have one daughter, Kristin, and adopted another, Kara Mai (née Nguyen Mai Tai Trang), from Vietnam
in 1975.
people of the South Shore and the Cape and Islands Delahunt retired
from the United States Congress. Embarking on a new chapter in life,
Delahunt continues to serve the same people and communities he
represented with the recent formation of the Delahunt Group. The Delahunt Group is a multi-service
consulting firm focused on Government Affairs, International Market
Entry Strategies, Corporate and Development Advisory, Federal and
State Funding, and Appropriations, Regulatory and Permitting
Assistance, Public Policy Strategies and Public Relations. Delahunt
recently told the Cape Cod Times that his goal is to continue to work
on issues he was involved in during his time in Congress. As a
legislator, he explained, he set policy at a macro level. Now, he
said: "we're taking that and bringing it down here to the communities,
to encourage implementation. We're working with the private sector and
the public sector in a way that's a win-win for everyone." He told the
Times he is particularly interested in work that encourages regional
tourism and economic development."
Less than two months after leaving Congress in 2011 Delahunt set up shop as a lobbyist on behalf of the Wampanoag people in Massachusetts to help them secure Indian gaming rights with the state legislature. Delahunt filled a gap left by the Wampanoag's previous lobbyist Jack Abramoff
following his conviction associated with the renowned Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal
. Delahunt received over $15,000 in campaign contributions from the Wampanoag and Abramoff prior to leaving office sparking criticisms from good government advocates and casino opponents. While Delahunt is precluded by law from lobbying the Congress for at least one year, rules do not preclude him from lobbying state legislatures. Delahunt formally announced his retirement from Congress in March of 2010, between March and December 2010 he made over $10,000 in campaign contributions to Massachusetts state legislators from his federal congressional PAC - a 500 percent increase from previous years' contributions.
Delahunt has also established a lobbying partnership with the Washington, DC-based Prime Policy Group on ways American companies can establish themselves in foreign countries while helping foreign businesses with connections to in United States markets. Prime Policy Group's clients include companies like Accenture
, which have been criticized for moving offshore to avoid paying U.S. taxes. This partnership dove tales with Delahunt's work on behalf of the Wampanoag as their primary backers are the Malaysian gambling giant Genting Group
. Genting is seeking to establish a foothold in the United States with ventures in New York, Miami and Massachusetts. The Wampanoag venture, if approved, would give Genting a tax-free foot hold in Indian gaming in the United States.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for , serving from 1997 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party
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...
. Delahunt did not seek re-election in 2010, and left Congress in January 2011. He was replaced by Norfolk County District Attorney Bill Keating
William R. Keating
William Richard "Bill" Keating is the U.S. Representative for . From 1999 to 2011 he was District Attorney of Norfolk County. He is a member of the Democratic Party and a former Massachusetts state representative and state senator....
. He is currently an attorney with the firm of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott.
Early life, education, and early career
Born in Quincy, MassachusettsQuincy, Massachusetts
Quincy is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Its nicknames are "City of Presidents", "City of Legends", and "Birthplace of the American Dream". As a major part of Metropolitan Boston, Quincy is a member of Boston's Inner Core Committee for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council...
, Delahunt was educated at Thayer Academy
Thayer Academy
Thayer Academy is a private, co-educational, college-preparatory day school located in Braintree, Massachusetts. The academy, conceived in 1871 at the bequest of General Sylvanus Thayer, the father of the United States Military Academy, was founded in 1877...
, Middlebury College
Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont, USA. Founded in 1800, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the United States. Drawing 2,400 undergraduates from all 50 United States and over 70 countries, Middlebury offers 44 majors in the arts,...
and Boston College Law School
Boston College Law School
Boston College Law School is one of the six professional graduate schools at Boston College. Located approximately 1.5 miles from the main Boston College campus in Chestnut Hill, Boston College Law School is situated on a wooded campus in Newton, Massachusetts.With approximately 800 students and...
and later served in the United States Coast Guard Reserve
United States Coast Guard Reserve
The United States Coast Guard Reserve is the reserve component of the United States Coast Guard. It is organized, trained, administered, and supplied under the direction of the Commandant of the Coast Guard through the Director of Reserve and Leadership....
. He served a term in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
(1973–75) before serving as district attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
of Norfolk County
Norfolk County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Adams National Historical Park* Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area * Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site* John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site-Demographics:...
for more than 20 years.
Elections
Delahunt was first elected after a primaryPrimary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
battle against Philip W Johnston
Philip W Johnston
Philip W. Johnston is an American businessman, politician, and former Secretary of Human Services in Massachusetts and Regional Administrator of Health and Human Services for New England....
of Marshfield
Marshfield, Massachusetts
Marshfield is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, on Massachusetts's South Shore. The population was 25,132 at the 2010 census.See also: Green Harbor, Marshfield , Rexhame, Marshfield Hills, and Ocean Bluff and Brant Rock....
and Ian Bowles
Ian Bowles
Ian A. Bowles is an American environmentalist, politician, and political aide who served as Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs from 2007 to 2011....
of Woods Hole
Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Woods Hole is a census-designated place in the town of Falmouth in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. It lies at the extreme southwest corner of Cape Cod, near Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands...
. Johnston was initially declared the winner. A recount conducted in a handful of contested towns preserved Johnston's victory though by a narrower margin. Following the recount, Delahunt sought judicial review in the Massachusetts Superior Court
Massachusetts Superior Court
The Massachusetts Superior Court has original jurisdiction in civil actions over $25,000, and in matters where equitable relief is sought. It also has original jurisdiction in actions involving labor disputes where injunctive relief is sought, and has exclusive authority to convene medical...
and Judge Elizabeth Donvan conducted a de novo review of the contested ballots and declared Delahunt the victor by a 108-vote margin. The case appealed to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The SJC has the distinction of being the oldest continuously functioning appellate court in the Western Hemisphere.-History:...
, which upheld the lower court ruling. The case is also noteworthy for the issue of "hanging chads" in punch-card voting machines.
In February 2010, Delahunt announced that was considering retirement from Congress at the end of his present term. His retirement was confirmed on March 4, 2010, by the Boston Globe.
Tenure
As one of his first initiatives in Congress, he created the bipartisan caucus on the United States Coast GuardUnited States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
, which he co-chaired with two other Coast Guard
Coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...
veterans, Reps. Howard Coble
Howard Coble
John Howard Coble is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1985. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and pre-political career:Coble was born in Greensboro, North Carolina...
(R
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...
-NC
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
) and Gene Taylor (D
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...
-MS
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
). This benefited his district through getting the problems of outpaced resources and security recognized at the ports of Massachusetts.
In November 2005, he met with Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n President Hugo Chavez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
and engineered a deal in which Venezuela would supply winter home heating oil at a 40 percent price reduction to thousands of low-income Massachusetts residents. The deal was carried out via the Venezuelan owned Citgo
Citgo
CITGO Petroleum Corporation is a United States-incorporated, Venezuela-owned refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by PDV America, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petróleos de...
, and brought accusations that Delahunt was assisting an anti-American leader. Delahunt, however, has sometimes criticized Chavez, such as in a September 2006 letter expressing "profound disgust" at a speech given by Chavez to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, in which he personally attacked President 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....
. In the letter he urged that Chavez express disagreements "in a more constructive manner," and work with the US to solve problems such as drug trafficking.
In the 110th Congress, Delahunt served as Chairman of the United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight.
He was a consistent opponent of the war in Iraq. However, on March 10, 2010 he voted against a measure to bring troops home from Afghanistan.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Foreign Affairs
- Subcommittee on Europe(Chairman 111th Congress)
- Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight (Chairman 110th Congress)
- Committee on the JudiciaryUnited States House Committee on the JudiciaryThe U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, also called the House Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. It is charged with overseeing the administration of justice within the federal courts, administrative agencies and Federal law enforcement...
- Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative LawUnited States House Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative LawThe Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law is a former subcommittees of the United States House Committee on the Judiciary. It was incorporated into the Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial and Administrative Law during the 112th Congress....
- Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland SecurityUnited States House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland SecurityThe House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security is a subcommittee within the House Judiciary Committee.-Jurisdiction:From the House Rules:...
- Task Force on Judicial Impeachment
- Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law
Caucus memberships
- Co-chair of the bipartisan Coast Guard Caucus
- Co-chair of the House Older Americans Caucus
- Co-chair of the Congressional Working Group on Cuba
Delahunt was a member of the United States House Foreign Affairs Committee; Judiciary Committee
United States House Committee on the Judiciary
The U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, also called the House Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. It is charged with overseeing the administration of justice within the federal courts, administrative agencies and Federal law enforcement...
; and also served as co-chair of the bipartisan Coast Guard Caucus, House Older Americans Caucus, and the Congressional Working Group on Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
.
Personal life
While Congress was in session, Delahunt lived in a rented house with fellow Democratic politicians George MillerGeorge Miller (politician)
George Miller III is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1975. He is a member of the Democratic Party. From 2007 through 2010, Miller served as chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, formerly known as the Education and the Workforce Committee.-Early life, education, and early...
, Chuck Schumer, and Richard Durbin.
Delahunt and his wife, Katharina E. Delahunt, divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
d in 1986. They have one daughter, Kristin, and adopted another, Kara Mai (née Nguyen Mai Tai Trang), from Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
in 1975.
Post Congressional Career
At the end of the 111th Congress and after 14 years serving thepeople of the South Shore and the Cape and Islands Delahunt retired
from the United States Congress. Embarking on a new chapter in life,
Delahunt continues to serve the same people and communities he
represented with the recent formation of the Delahunt Group. The Delahunt Group is a multi-service
consulting firm focused on Government Affairs, International Market
Entry Strategies, Corporate and Development Advisory, Federal and
State Funding, and Appropriations, Regulatory and Permitting
Assistance, Public Policy Strategies and Public Relations. Delahunt
recently told the Cape Cod Times that his goal is to continue to work
on issues he was involved in during his time in Congress. As a
legislator, he explained, he set policy at a macro level. Now, he
said: "we're taking that and bringing it down here to the communities,
to encourage implementation. We're working with the private sector and
the public sector in a way that's a win-win for everyone." He told the
Times he is particularly interested in work that encourages regional
tourism and economic development."
Lobbying
Less than two months after leaving Congress in 2011 Delahunt set up shop as a lobbyist on behalf of the Wampanoag people in Massachusetts to help them secure Indian gaming rights with the state legislature. Delahunt filled a gap left by the Wampanoag's previous lobbyist Jack Abramoff
Jack Abramoff
Jack Abramoff is an American former lobbyist and businessman. Convicted in 2006 of mail fraud and conspiracy, he was at the heart of an extensive corruption investigation that led to the conviction of White House officials J. Steven Griles and David Safavian, U.S. Representative Bob Ney, and nine...
following his conviction associated with the renowned Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal
Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal
The Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal is a United States political scandal relating to the work performed by political lobbyists Jack Abramoff, Ralph E. Reed, Jr., Grover Norquist and Michael Scanlon on Indian casino gambling interests for an estimated $85 million in fees. Abramoff and Scanlon...
. Delahunt received over $15,000 in campaign contributions from the Wampanoag and Abramoff prior to leaving office sparking criticisms from good government advocates and casino opponents. While Delahunt is precluded by law from lobbying the Congress for at least one year, rules do not preclude him from lobbying state legislatures. Delahunt formally announced his retirement from Congress in March of 2010, between March and December 2010 he made over $10,000 in campaign contributions to Massachusetts state legislators from his federal congressional PAC - a 500 percent increase from previous years' contributions.
Delahunt has also established a lobbying partnership with the Washington, DC-based Prime Policy Group on ways American companies can establish themselves in foreign countries while helping foreign businesses with connections to in United States markets. Prime Policy Group's clients include companies like Accenture
Accenture
Accenture plc is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company headquartered in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. It is the largest consulting firm in the world and is a Fortune Global 500 company. As of September 2011, the company had more than 236,000 employees across...
, which have been criticized for moving offshore to avoid paying U.S. taxes. This partnership dove tales with Delahunt's work on behalf of the Wampanoag as their primary backers are the Malaysian gambling giant Genting Group
Genting Group
Genting Group is an Asian conglomerate. It comprises four listed entities Genting Group is an Asian conglomerate. It comprises four listed entities Genting Group is an Asian conglomerate. It comprises four listed entities (namely holding company Genting Berhad (MYX:3182) and its member companies...
. Genting is seeking to establish a foothold in the United States with ventures in New York, Miami and Massachusetts. The Wampanoag venture, if approved, would give Genting a tax-free foot hold in Indian gaming in the United States.