Carl C. Perkins
Encyclopedia
Carl Christopher "Chris" Perkins (born August 6, 1954), son of Carl D. Perkins
, is a U.S. lawyer
and politician
who was United States Representative from the 7th district
of Kentucky
from 1984 to 1993. Perkins served as a Democrat
.
and graduated from Fort Hunt High School
, Alexandria
, Virginia
, in 1972. He earned his B.A. from Davidson College
in 1976. In 1978, he earned a J.D. degree from the University of Louisville
. He worked for some time as a lawyer in private practice.
From 1981 to 1984, he was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
.
Perkins was elected simultaneously as a Democrat to the 98th
and the 99th Congress
by special election, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of his father, Representative Carl Dewey Perkins, and reelected to the three succeeding Congresses (November 6, 1984 – January 3, 1993). He was not a candidate for re-election to Congress in 1992. The seat that he held, Kentucky's 7th district, was eliminated by redistricting that year. He did not seek office from his new district, in part due to the House banking scandal
.
In 1994 Perkins agreed to plead guilty on three felony
charges in connection with the House banking scandal. The following year he was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison
for misusing hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions and improperly obtaining bank loans. He was also placed on three years' supervised probation
, ordered to perform 250 hours of community service
, and told to complete any treatment for alcoholism
deemed necessary by his probation officer.
After his release from prison, Perkins attended Louisville Seminary and became an ordained Presbyterian minister, serving a church in Ezel, Kentucky
.
Carl D. Perkins
Carl Dewey Perkins , a Democrat, was a politician and member of the United States House of Representatives from the state of Kentucky.-Early years:Perkins was born in Hindman, Kentucky...
, is a U.S. lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who was United States Representative from the 7th district
Kentucky's 7th congressional district
United States House of Representatives, Kentucky District 7 was a district of the United States Congress in Kentucky.It was eliminated in 1993 when reapportionment reduced Kentucky's House representation from seven seats to six. The eastern Kentucky region formerly in the 7th District is now...
of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
from 1984 to 1993. Perkins served as a Democrat
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...
.
Biography
Chris Perkins was born in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and graduated from Fort Hunt High School
Fort Hunt High School
Fort Hunt High School was a public secondary school in Alexandria, Virginia located at 8428 Fort Hunt Road and was part of Fairfax County Public Schools. It opened its doors in 1963...
, Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, in 1972. He earned his B.A. from Davidson College
Davidson College
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. The college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently ranked in the top ten liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News and World Report magazine, although it has recently dropped to 11th in U.S. News...
in 1976. In 1978, he earned a J.D. degree from the University of Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
. He worked for some time as a lawyer in private practice.
From 1981 to 1984, he was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
Kentucky House of Representatives
The Kentucky House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kentucky General Assembly. It is composed of 100 Representatives elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. Not more than two counties can be joined to form a House district, except when necessary to preserve...
.
Perkins was elected simultaneously as a Democrat to the 98th
98th United States Congress
The Ninety-eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1983 to January 3, 1985, during the third and...
and the 99th Congress
99th United States Congress
The Ninety-ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1985 to January 3, 1987, during the fifth and sixth...
by special election, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of his father, Representative Carl Dewey Perkins, and reelected to the three succeeding Congresses (November 6, 1984 – January 3, 1993). He was not a candidate for re-election to Congress in 1992. The seat that he held, Kentucky's 7th district, was eliminated by redistricting that year. He did not seek office from his new district, in part due to the House banking scandal
House banking scandal
The House banking scandal broke in early 1992, when it was revealed that the United States House of Representatives allowed members to overdraw their House checking accounts without risk of being penalized by the House bank ....
.
In 1994 Perkins agreed to plead guilty on three felony
Felony
A felony is a serious crime in the common law countries. The term originates from English common law where felonies were originally crimes which involved the confiscation of a convicted person's land and goods; other crimes were called misdemeanors...
charges in connection with the House banking scandal. The following year he was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
for misusing hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions and improperly obtaining bank loans. He was also placed on three years' supervised probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
, ordered to perform 250 hours of community service
Community service
Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....
, and told to complete any treatment for alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
deemed necessary by his probation officer.
After his release from prison, Perkins attended Louisville Seminary and became an ordained Presbyterian minister, serving a church in Ezel, Kentucky
Ezel, Kentucky
Ezel is an incorporated community in Morgan County, Kentucky, United States. It lies along U.S. Route 460 west of the city of West Liberty, the county seat of Morgan County. Its elevation is 945 feet...
.