Bill McCollum
Encyclopedia
Ira William "Bill" McCollum, Jr. (born July 12, 1944 in Brooksville, Florida
) is a former Florida Attorney General
. A Republican
, he was Florida's 36th attorney general, taking office in 2007. He was a member of the United State House of Representatives from 1981 to 2001, representing Florida's 5th congressional district
, which was later redistricted to the 8th congressional district
in 1993. As a member of the House, McCollum voted to impeach President Bill Clinton and subsequently took a leadership role in managing Clinton's trial in the Senate, which ended in acquittal. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the United States Senate
in 2000
and 2004
and was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination against businessman Rick Scott in the 2010 Florida gubernatorial election
.
, McCollum graduated from Hernando High School
and earned his bachelor's degree and law degree from the University of Florida
. While at the University of Florida
, he was inducted into the University of Florida Hall of Fame, the most prestigious honor a student leader could receive, and served as president of Florida Blue Key
.
McCollum's professional career began in 1969 with the United States Navy
's Judge Advocate General Corps where he served on active duty until 1972. McCollum was an officer for more than 23 years before retiring from the United States Naval Reserve as a Commander
(O-5) in the JAG Corps in 1992. In 1973, he entered private practice in Orlando
and became involved in local politics, serving as Chairman of the Seminole County Republican Party from 1976 to 1980.
In 1980 McCollum was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives
from a district including Walt Disney World and most of Orlando. He defeated incumbent Representative Richard Kelly
in the Republican primary.
While in Congress, McCollum founded the House Republican Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare, chairing it for six years. He also served three terms on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, two of which as Chairman of its Subcommittee on Human Intelligence, Analysis and Counterintelligence. Additionally, McCollum served as Vice Chairman of the House Banking Committee and served on the Judiciary Committee, where he was Chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime.
While serving the House, McCollum was also selected for a variety of Republican leadership positions, including three terms as Vice Chairman of the House Republican Conference. McCollum voted eight times to cut Medicare, voted to raise the eligibility age for Medicare and Social Security. McCollum gained national attention as one of 15 members selected to serve on the House Committee to Investigate the Iran-Contra Affair, and, in 1998–1999, as one of the House
Managers of President
Bill Clinton
's impeachment
trial. Rather than seek reelection to the House in 2000, McCollum ran unsuccessfully for an open United States Senate seat, bringing to an end his 20-year Congressional career.
McCollum ran again in 2004, seeking the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Senator Bob Graham
. He was defeated in the Republican primary by HUD
Secretary Mel Martinez
, who went on to win the seat.
McCollum served as a partner with the Baker & Hostetler LLP law firm, practicing in the federal policy area. In addition to his duties as the state's chief legal officer
, he serves as President and Chairman of the Healthy Florida Foundation, chartered in 2002 to find consensus on long-term solutions to the nation's health care system. He is a member of the North Florida Committee on Foreign Relations. He is also a board member of the James Madison Institute
.
McCollum was the lead attorney general in the lawsuit seeking to overturn Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
(PPACA), Florida et al v. United States Department of Health and Human Services
. McCollum has argued that the individual mandate provision of the PPACA violates the Constitution
. The State of Florida position is supported by 26 states.
He was also the Florida Chairman for Rudy Giuliani
presidential campaign in 2008.
who later lost his bid for a seat in the U.S. Senate.
McCollum opposed federal health care mandates in Florida, decrying them as an unconstitutional "tax on living," and joining with 13 other state attorney generals in filing a federal lawsuit. The majority of polled Florida voters oppose such a lawsuit. He has advocated a state constitutional amendment that would opt Florida out of Washington mandates on health care, although questions about whether such an amendment would be constitutional have been raised. On Sept 8, 2009 McCollum said he supported Medicare and Medicaid programs but opposed a government run 'public option' for health insurance.
Democratic opponent Alex Sink accused McCollum of awarding no bid contracts for a state advertisement to a former campaign ad man at an elevated cost. Democrats have criticized McCollum's as making too many public announcements.
On August 24, 2010, McCollum lost the Republican primary election to Rick Scott.
In her ruling on the case Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman struck down the law, stating that the testimony of George Rekers “was far from a neutral and unbiased recitation of the relevant scientific evidence,” and that “Dr. Rekers’ beliefs are motivated by his strong ideological and theological convictions. … The court cannot consider his testimony to be credible nor worthy of forming the basis of public policy.” Controversy over the case reemerged in May 2010, while Bill McCollum was running for governor, when it was discovered that Rekers hired a homosexual prostitute for a 10 day vacation in Europe, again raising questions about Bill McCollum's connections to Rekers and his conduct as Attorney General in the homosexual adoption case.
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Brooksville, Florida
Brooksville is an incorporated city in Hernando County, Florida, in the United States. It is the county seat of Hernando County. It is a suburban city included in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
) is a former Florida Attorney General
Florida Attorney General
The Florida Attorney General is an elected cabinet official in the U.S. state of Florida. The attorney general serves as the chief legal officer of the state....
. A Republican
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...
, he was Florida's 36th attorney general, taking office in 2007. He was a member of the United State House of Representatives from 1981 to 2001, representing Florida's 5th congressional district
Florida's 5th congressional district
Florida's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Florida that comprises all of Citrus, Hernando, and Sumter counties and most of Lake, Levy, and Pasco counties and portions of Marion and Polk counties...
, which was later redistricted to the 8th congressional district
Florida's 8th congressional district
Florida's 8th congressional district lies in central Florida. The district takes in parts of Orange County, Lake County, Marion County and Osceola County. Most of Orlando is in the district, including Walt Disney World...
in 1993. As a member of the House, McCollum voted to impeach President Bill Clinton and subsequently took a leadership role in managing Clinton's trial in the Senate, which ended in acquittal. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 2000
United States Senate election in Florida, 2000
The 2000 United States Senate election in Florida was held on November 7, 2000. Incumbent U.S. Senator Connie Mack III decided to retire instead of seeking a fourth term. Democrat Bill Nelson won the open seat.-Candidates:...
and 2004
United States Senate election in Florida, 2004
The 2004 United States Senate election in Florida took place on November 2, 2004 alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Bob...
and was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination against businessman Rick Scott in the 2010 Florida gubernatorial election
Florida gubernatorial election, 2010
The 2010 Florida gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Governor Charlie Crist chose not to run for a second term and instead ran for the Senate seat vacated by Mel Martinez. This resulted in an open race for Governor of Florida...
.
Early life
Born and raised in Brooksville, FloridaBrooksville, Florida
Brooksville is an incorporated city in Hernando County, Florida, in the United States. It is the county seat of Hernando County. It is a suburban city included in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, McCollum graduated from Hernando High School
Hernando High School (Florida)
Hernando High School is a public high school located in Brooksville, Florida. It is part of the Hernando County School District. It has been in operation since 1889, which makes it one of the oldest, continuously operating public high schools in the United States. HHS has a large network of alumni...
and earned his bachelor's degree and law degree from the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
. While at the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, he was inducted into the University of Florida Hall of Fame, the most prestigious honor a student leader could receive, and served as president of Florida Blue Key
Florida Blue Key
Florida Blue Key is a student honor and service society at the University of Florida. It is often written and referred to by the initialism "FBK."This organization was started at the University of Florida in 1923 under the presidency of Albert Murphree...
.
McCollum's professional career began in 1969 with the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
's Judge Advocate General Corps where he served on active duty until 1972. McCollum was an officer for more than 23 years before retiring from the United States Naval Reserve as a Commander
Commander (United States)
In the United States, commander is a military rank that is also sometimes used as a military title, depending on the branch of service. It is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the military, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Naval rank:In the United States...
(O-5) in the JAG Corps in 1992. In 1973, he entered private practice in Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
and became involved in local politics, serving as Chairman of the Seminole County Republican Party from 1976 to 1980.
Congressional career
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...
from a district including Walt Disney World and most of Orlando. He defeated incumbent Representative Richard Kelly
Richard Kelly (politician)
Richard Kelly was an American politician from Florida. He was the only Republican convicted of taking bribes in the 1980 Abscam scandal.-Early life and career:...
in the Republican primary.
While in Congress, McCollum founded the House Republican Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare, chairing it for six years. He also served three terms on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, two of which as Chairman of its Subcommittee on Human Intelligence, Analysis and Counterintelligence. Additionally, McCollum served as Vice Chairman of the House Banking Committee and served on the Judiciary Committee, where he was Chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime.
While serving the House, McCollum was also selected for a variety of Republican leadership positions, including three terms as Vice Chairman of the House Republican Conference. McCollum voted eight times to cut Medicare, voted to raise the eligibility age for Medicare and Social Security. McCollum gained national attention as one of 15 members selected to serve on the House Committee to Investigate the Iran-Contra Affair, and, in 1998–1999, as one of the House
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...
Managers of President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
's impeachment
Impeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
trial. Rather than seek reelection to the House in 2000, McCollum ran unsuccessfully for an open United States Senate seat, bringing to an end his 20-year Congressional career.
McCollum ran again in 2004, seeking the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Senator Bob Graham
Bob Graham
Daniel Robert "Bob" Graham is an American politician. He was the 38th Governor of Florida from 1979 to 1987 and a United States Senator from that state from 1987 to 2005...
. He was defeated in the Republican primary by HUD
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, also known as HUD, is a Cabinet department in the Executive branch of the United States federal government...
Secretary Mel Martinez
Mel Martinez
Melquíades Rafael Martínez Ruiz, usually known as Mel Martinez , is a former United States Senator from Florida and served as Chairman of the Republican Party from November 2006 until October 19, 2007, the first Latino to serve as chairman of a major party...
, who went on to win the seat.
McCollum served as a partner with the Baker & Hostetler LLP law firm, practicing in the federal policy area. In addition to his duties as the state's chief legal officer
Chief Legal Officer
A chief legal officer is the highest-ranking corporate officer concerning legal affairs of a corporation or agency. Chief legal officers typically hold the title of general counsel.- Skill requirements :...
, he serves as President and Chairman of the Healthy Florida Foundation, chartered in 2002 to find consensus on long-term solutions to the nation's health care system. He is a member of the North Florida Committee on Foreign Relations. He is also a board member of the James Madison Institute
James Madison Institute
The James Madison Institute is a free-market think tank headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida in the United States. It is a member of the State Policy Network.Their views are that "the Institute's ideas are rooted in a belief in the U.S...
.
Florida Attorney General
In 2006, McCollum ran for the office of Attorney General of the State of Florida, defeating State Senator Skip Campbell in the general election.McCollum was the lead attorney general in the lawsuit seeking to overturn Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. The law is the principal health care reform legislation of the 111th United States Congress...
(PPACA), Florida et al v. United States Department of Health and Human Services
Florida et al v. United States Department of Health and Human Services
Florida et al v. United States Department of Health and Human Services is a lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida by the State of Florida against the United States Department of Health and Human Services seeking to nullify the Patient Protection and...
. McCollum has argued that the individual mandate provision of the PPACA violates the Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
. The State of Florida position is supported by 26 states.
He was also the Florida Chairman for Rudy Giuliani
Rudy Giuliani
Rudolph William Louis "Rudy" Giuliani KBE is an American lawyer, businessman, and politician from New York. He served as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001....
presidential campaign in 2008.
2010 gubernatorial candidate
On May 18, 2009 McCollum announced his candidacy for Governor of Florida. The election determined the successor of Charlie CristCharlie Crist
Charles Joseph "Charlie" Crist, Jr. is an American politician who was the 44th Governor of Florida. Prior to his election as governor, Crist previously served as Florida State Senator, Education Commissioner, and Attorney General...
who later lost his bid for a seat in the U.S. Senate.
McCollum opposed federal health care mandates in Florida, decrying them as an unconstitutional "tax on living," and joining with 13 other state attorney generals in filing a federal lawsuit. The majority of polled Florida voters oppose such a lawsuit. He has advocated a state constitutional amendment that would opt Florida out of Washington mandates on health care, although questions about whether such an amendment would be constitutional have been raised. On Sept 8, 2009 McCollum said he supported Medicare and Medicaid programs but opposed a government run 'public option' for health insurance.
Democratic opponent Alex Sink accused McCollum of awarding no bid contracts for a state advertisement to a former campaign ad man at an elevated cost. Democrats have criticized McCollum's as making too many public announcements.
On August 24, 2010, McCollum lost the Republican primary election to Rick Scott.
State plane usage
McCollum was the subject of reports questioning his 2009 use of state planes, resulting in ongoing ethics complaints filed against him by citizens.Controversy over spending related to opposing gay adoption
In December 2009, Bill McCollum came under fire with the revelation that as the Florida Attorney General he used over $120,000 in state funds to hire a psychologist, George Rekers, to testify as the star expert witness and one of only two to testify in defense of the state's homosexual-adoption ban. Rekers testified that homosexual parents are as undesirable as "Fifteen-year-old couples, 90-year-old couples, Thai-language-only speaking couples, blind and deaf parents, households with a pedophilic-behaving adult, households with practicing criminals, households with drug dealers and drug abusers, households with unemployed adults, households that advocate the overthrow of the U.S. government, households with an active terrorist, households with sexually promiscuous unmarried men and women co-habitating and households" and questioned the fitness of Native-Americans as parents.In her ruling on the case Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman struck down the law, stating that the testimony of George Rekers “was far from a neutral and unbiased recitation of the relevant scientific evidence,” and that “Dr. Rekers’ beliefs are motivated by his strong ideological and theological convictions. … The court cannot consider his testimony to be credible nor worthy of forming the basis of public policy.” Controversy over the case reemerged in May 2010, while Bill McCollum was running for governor, when it was discovered that Rekers hired a homosexual prostitute for a 10 day vacation in Europe, again raising questions about Bill McCollum's connections to Rekers and his conduct as Attorney General in the homosexual adoption case.
Personal life
McCollum is married to Ingrid Seebohm McCollum. They have three sons: Douglas, Justin and Andrew, three daughters-in-law and two grandsons and one granddaughter.External links
- Bill McCollum, official profile, Office of the Attorney General of Florida
- Bill McCollum, official campaign site
- Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org (2004 Senate race)
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