Dan Burton
Encyclopedia
Danny "Dan" Lee Burton is the U.S. Representative
for , and previously the , serving since 1983. He is a member of the Republican Party
.
The district includes most of the northern suburbs of Indianapolis
as well as the southern fringe of the Fort Wayne area: Tipton
, Grant
, Miami
, Wabash
, Huntington
, Hamilton
, and Hancock
counties, and parts of Marion
, Shelby
, Howard
and Johnson
counties.
, the son of Charles and Bonnie (née Hardesty) Burton. His father, a former policeman was abusive to his mother and never held a job for very long. The family moved constantly, living in trailer parks, cabins, and motels. In June 1950, some years after the couple divorced, his mother went to the police and got a restraining order against his father. He responded by kidnapping Burton's mother. Burton and his younger brother and sister were briefly sent to the Marion County
Children's Guardian Home. After his mother escaped, Burton's father went to jail for two years. Burton's mother remarried, and Burton and his younger brother and sister had happier teenage years.
Burton worked as a caddy at a local country club in order to make ends meet, where he learned the golf skills that lead to his winning a statewide golf championship in high school. He graduated from Shortridge High School
in 1957, and attended Indiana University
(1958–59) and the Cincinnati Bible Seminary (now known as Cincinnati Christian University
) (1959–60). He served in the United States Army
from 1956 to 1957, before leaving active duty to return to college but remained in the Army Reserves from 1957 to 1962. After school, Burton became a real estate broker and he founded the Dan Burton Insurance Agency in 1968.
from 1967 to 1968 and again from 1977 to 1980 and the Indiana State Senate from 1969 to 1970 and again from 1981 to 1982.
incumbent Andrew Jacobs, Jr.
in Indiana's 11th congressional district
. Burton ran again in 1972, losing in the Republican primary to William Hudnut
.
After the 1980 census
, the Republican-controlled state legislature reconfigured the 6th District
into a heavily Republican district focused on the suburbs north of Indianapolis. In 1982, Burton ran for Indiana's 6th congressional district
and defeated Democrat George Grabianowski in the general election 65%-35%. Burton has never won re-election in a general election with less than 62%. His district was renumbered as the 5th District after the 2000 census.
2008
In 2008, he faced a challenger in the Republican primary, former Marion County
Coroner Dr. John McGoff. Burton defeated McGoff 52% to 45% in the closest Republican primary election of his career.
2010
In the 2010 primary, he faced six challengers in the Republican primary. He won the primary with a plurality of 30%. He defeated State Representative Luke Messer (28%), Dr. John McGoff (19%), State Representative Mike Murphy
(9%), Brose McVey (8%), Andy Lyons (4%), and Ann Adcock (3%). Burton only carried a majority in one county (55%): Huntington
.
2012
In 2012, Burton again faces a number of challengers in the Republican primary including McGoff, former U.S. Attorney
Susan Brooks, former U.S. Congressman David McIntosh
, and attorney Jack Lugar. On the Democratic side, State Representative Scott Reske
and labor activist Tony Long have entered the race. Redistricting is said to have made the 5th district slightly more Democratic, but still heavily Republican.
In 1995, Burton authored legislation targeting foreign companies that did business with Cuba. The bill allowed foreign companies to be sued in American courts if, in dealings with the government of Fidel Castro
, they acquired assets formerly owned by Americans. In February 1996, Cuba shot down two small Brothers to the Rescue
planes piloted by anti-Castro Cuban-Americans. As part of the White House response to crack down on Cuba, President Clinton signed the Helms–Burton Act into law.
Conservative voting record
Burton is a consistent Conservative vote in the US House. In the 109th Congress, he had a 100% rating from the National Right to Life Committee. He also has an A rating with the Gun Owners of America.
Burton has received a number of awards from conservative groups, including a Friend of the Farm Bureau award in 2004 from the American Farm Bureau Federation
, a True Blue award in 2006 the Family Research Council
, eight Guardian of Small Business Awards from the National Federation of Independent Business
and twenty-two Spirit of Enterprise awards from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Government Performance and Results Act
Burton was the primary sponsor for a 1998 effort, opposed by the Clinton administration, to require federal government agencies to do more strategic planning, establish more accountability measurements, and do more reporting on their performance. H.R. 2883, the "Government Performance and Results Act Amendments", was not enacted into law.
Exposing the Winter Hill Gang/FBI Corruption
In his role as Chairman of the House Government Oversight Committee, Burton helped expose FBI corruption that led to the wrongful conviction of Joseph Salvati, Peter Limone, Henry Tameleo and Louis Greco for the murder of Edward "Teddy" Deegan. The three year investigation that Burton spearheaded helped exonerate the four, who were eventually awarded $102 million by Boston Federal Judge Nancy Gertner.
Republican Study Committee
Burton served as chairman of the Republican Study Committee
, a caucus of conservative House Republicans, during the 101st Congress. After Newt Gingrich
yanked funding for the group in 1995, Burton joined fellow congressmen John Doolittle
of California
, Ernest Istook
of Oklahoma
and Sam Johnson
of Texas
in refounding it as the Conservative Action Team. The three men shared the chairmanship from 1994 to 1999. In 2001, the CAT regained its original name, the RSC.
Autism
Burton has been an outspoken critic of what he terms the failure of government to determine the cause of an alleged autism
epidemic. When his grandson began to show the signs of autism shortly after receiving inoculation
s, Burton inferred the relationship to be causal: "My only grandson became autistic right before my eyes – shortly after receiving his federally recommended and state-mandated vaccines."
Burton was instrumental in pressuring the National Institutes of Health
to launch a five-year, $30 million study of chelation therapy
for cardiovascular disease."
In an October 25, 2000, letter to the Department of Health and Human Services
, acting in his role as Chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform, Burton asked the agency's director to get the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) to recall all vaccines containing the preservative Thimerosal. "We all know and accept that mercury
is a neurotoxin
, and yet the FDA has failed to recall the 50 vaccines that contain Thimerosal," Burton wrote, adding "Every day that mercury-containing vaccines remain on the market is another day HHS is putting 8,000 children at risk."
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
did not agree that vaccines containing mercury caused autism, and the US FDA refused to ban the vaccines. Most manufacturers removed the preservatives from their vaccines anyway, with no resulting decrease in autism rates.
Burton continues to maintain a page on his Congressional website called House.gov "Autism" which includes his speeches, transcripts from hearings, and newspaper articles on the relationship of autism and vaccines.
Pro-Pakistan and Anti-India
Congressman Burton is a founding member and Co-Chair of Pakistan caucus in House of Congress. His consistent support for Pakistan and his voting record has prompted the Indian media to describe him as "anti-India" in the past.
Burton has received at least $10,000 in campaign donations from Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai
, who runs the Kashmir Center, a pro-Pakistan advocacy group. Burton was the chief supporter in Congress of the Kashmiri American Council, until it was revealed to be a front of Inter-Services Intelligence
Directorate, the Pakistan
i secret police
, engaging in illegal lobbying activities on US soil.
. In 1998, he said, "If I could prove 10 percent of what I believe happened, he'd [Clinton] be gone. This guy's a scumbag. That's why I'm after him." Rep. Burton led the House inquiry into the death of Vincent Foster; he was convinced that Foster was murdered and urged extensive investigation into the possible involvement of the Clintons. Burton gained attention for re-enacting the alleged crime in his backyard with his own pistol and a pumpkin
standing in for Foster's head. After hearings into Democratic fundraising (see section below) began, a Democratic National Committee
staffer appeared in a pumpkin suit with a button that read, "Don't shoot." Burton's information during the Whitewater controversy
was based on opposition research conducted by Floyd Brown
, who founded Citizens United
in 1988, which created the well-known Willie Horton
attack ad against Michael Dukakis
. Because of the problems with the quality of Brown's research and testimony, the investigation was closed.
In November 1995, the House voted to prohibit members and their staffs from receiving gifts, including free meals and free travel to charity sports events. Burton, who led the effort to exempt charity trips, said that he played in two golf tournaments each year, and, "We get more of these lobbyists in our office than we do on the golf course."
In January 1997, Burton played in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, at the invitation of AT&T
, the tournament sponsor. The day before the tournament, he played a practice round with Robert E. Allen, AT&T's chairman and chief executive, at a nearby country club. AT&T also hosted a campaign fund-raising dinner for Burton at a local restaurant. Three weeks earlier, Burton had become the chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, which had jurisdiction over the legislative agency scheduled to soon award at least $5 billion in long-distance and local telephone and telecommunications contracts with the federal government. Burton defended his participation in the tournament, saying it would not affect his objectivity when dealing with telecommunications issues. He said that he had partially paid for the trip, with his re-election campaign funds paying as well because he attended three fund-raising events while in California.
In December 2004, Burton and two aides flew to the island of Guam
. The trip was paid for by the Guam government and tourism industry. In addition to some official events, including touring a military facility, Burton played in a charity golf tournament. After he returned, he tried to help Guam's tourism industry get a sought-after change in visa rules.
In January 2007, the House passed a measure by a vote 430-1 that banned members from accepting gifts and free trips from lobbyists and discounted trips on private planes. Burton cast the sole nay vote.
In February 2007, a review by the Indianapolis Star of votes in the House of Representatives for the past decade showed that Burton had missed all votes during the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic
golf tournament for five years between 2001 and 2007. The tournament, the third event each season on the PGA Tour
, pairs celebrities with golf professionals for four of the five days of play. Since 2004, Burton has played in a guest spot of the Eisenhower Medical Center, the primary charitable beneficiary of the event. The slot carries with it a commitment to donate $10,000 to the event; Burton has made arrangements with the hospital to do this over a period of time. Burton's campaign committee reported donating $1,500 to the medical center in December 2004 and $6,353 in January 2006.
The Indianapolis Star review also found that in 2006, Burton ranked last in voting among members of Congress from Indiana, missing 11 percent of the 541 recorded votes. In 2007, the Indianapolis star rated his voting record as "one of the strongest in the House, with an attendance record consistently above 95%."
, Burton proclaimed that the US military "should place an aircraft carrier
off the coast of Bolivia
and crop dust the coca
fields." It was later pointed out to him that a) Bolivia is landlocked
and has no coast (Burton was chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee
); b) the Bolivian coca fields (in the yungas
and Amazon
lowlands) are beyond the reach of any carrier-borne crop-duster, being separated from the nearest coastline (the Pacific coast of Peru
and Chile
) by the 20,000+ feet high peaks of the Andes
; and c) F-18s cannot crop-dust. While criticism of this mis-statement was muted in Washington, it sparked a major anti-American backlash in Bolivia, derailing the same War on Drugs
that Burton purported to be speaking for.
s of Clinton administration officials and cost over $7 million. The committee, and Burton's leadership, were labeled a "farce", a "travesty", a "parody", and "its own cartoon, a joke, and a deserved embarrassment".
In March 1997, as the investigation began, Burton was accused of demanding a $5,000 contribution from a Pakistani lobbyist
. The lobbyist said that when he was unable to raise the funds, Burton complained to the Pakistani ambassador and threatened to make sure "none of his friends or colleagues" would meet with the lobbyist or his associates.
In May 1998, Burton apologized for releasing edited transcripts of prison audiotapes of Webster Hubbell
, a former associate of President Bill Clinton
. The edited transcripts omitted substantial information and differed significantly from the original recordings. Burton was harshly criticized by members of his own party, including Speaker of the House
Newt Gingrich
, who called the investigation a "circus" and chided Burton for initially refusing to admit any error.
David Bossie
, the staff member who arranged the editing and release of the tapes, resigned on Burton's request. Noting that Burton had personally released the tapes and had supported Bossie's plans over the objections of other committee staffers and attorneys, Democrats urged Burton to step down as well. Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt
said, "A committee staff member should not be made the scapegoat for Chairman Burton's mistakes, missteps, and misdeeds." Burton said, "I take responsibility for those mistakes," but never resigned nor faced any consequences for his actions.
In President Clinton's final year in office, Burton was mentioned in a short film for the White House Correspondent's Dinner
. President Clinton: Final Days, which depicted Clinton as a lonely man closing down a nearly-deserted White House
. Clinton is shown hitting golf balls from the South Lawn, and gets excited when he hits a car parked in a spot near the U.S. Capitol
that says "Reserved for Chairman Burton."
reported that during the 2001-2006 period, Burton's campaign fund had paid $143,900 to his daughter Danielle Sarkins, who manages his campaign office. It is not illegal for federal candidates to pay family members for political work, as long as they are paid fair market value, the Federal Election Commission
has ruled.
in 1993 at the age of 56. She died in 2002 after battling breast and colon cancer. They had three children together: Kelly, Danielle and Danny.
In 1995 speaking of the then recent affairs of Republican Robert Packwood and the unfolding affair of Democrat Bill Clinton
Burton stated "No one, regardless of what party they serve, no one, regardless of what branch of government they serve, should be allowed to get away with these alleged sexual improprieties..." In 1998 the magazine Vanity Fair was to print an article detailing an affair which Burton himself had in 1983 which produced a child. Before publication Burton admitted to fathering a son with a former state employee.
In August 2006, Burton married Dr. Samia Tawil in Park City, Utah. She was the internist who cared for Burton's wife, Barbara, during her battle with cancer. Tawil and her first husband had divorced in 2005.
Burton's brother, Woody Burton, is a Republican member of the Indiana House of Representatives, representing District 58.
Burton is a member of the Board of Advisors of THE INSTITUTE on Religion and Public Policy. Burton is a 33° Scottish Rite Freemason, and a member of Evergreen-Oriental Lodge No. 500 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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 , and previously the , serving since 1983. He is a member of the Republican Party
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...
.
The district includes most of the northern suburbs of Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
as well as the southern fringe of the Fort Wayne area: Tipton
Tipton County, Indiana
Tipton County is located in central Indiana, north of the state capital of Indianapolis. Before the arrival of non-indigenous settlers in the early 19th century, the area was inhabited by several Native American tribes. The county was officially established in 1844 and was one of the last Indiana...
, Grant
Grant County, Indiana
Grant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 70,061. The county seat is Marion. Important paleontological discoveries dating from the Pliocene epoch have been made at Pipe Creek Sinkhole in Grant County.-Geography:According to the 2010...
, Miami
Miami County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 36,082 people, 13,716 households, and 9,806 families residing in the county. The population density was 96 people per square mile . There were 15,299 housing units at an average density of 41 per square mile...
, Wabash
Wabash County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 34,960 people, 13,215 households, and 9,395 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 14,034 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile...
, Huntington
Huntington County, Indiana
Huntington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. The county seat and lone city is Huntington. According to Census 2010, the population was 37,124.-Geography:...
, Hamilton
Hamilton County, Indiana
Hamilton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. Census 2010 recorded a population of 274,569. The county seat is Noblesville....
, and Hancock
Hancock County, Indiana
Hancock County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 70,002. The county seat is Greenfield.-Geography:...
counties, and parts of Marion
Marion County, Indiana
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. Census 2010 recorded a population of 903,393, making it the largest county in the state and 55th most populated county in the country, greater than the population of six states. The county seat is Indianapolis, the state capital and...
, Shelby
Shelby County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 43,445 people, 16,561 households, and 12,056 families residing in the county. The population density was 105 people per square mile . There were 17,633 housing units at an average density of 43 per square mile...
, Howard
Howard County, Indiana
Howard County is one of 92 counties in the U.S. state of Indiana. It is part of the Kokomo, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of Howard and Tipton counties. Originally named Richardville County, it was rechristened in 1844 to commemorate General Tilghman Ashurst Howard. As of...
and Johnson
Johnson County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 115,209 people, 42,434 households, and 31,613 families residing in the county. The population density was 360 people per square mile . There were 45,095 housing units at an average density of 141 per square mile...
counties.
Early life, education, and early career
Burton was born in IndianapolisIndianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, the son of Charles and Bonnie (née Hardesty) Burton. His father, a former policeman was abusive to his mother and never held a job for very long. The family moved constantly, living in trailer parks, cabins, and motels. In June 1950, some years after the couple divorced, his mother went to the police and got a restraining order against his father. He responded by kidnapping Burton's mother. Burton and his younger brother and sister were briefly sent to the Marion County
Marion County, Indiana
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. Census 2010 recorded a population of 903,393, making it the largest county in the state and 55th most populated county in the country, greater than the population of six states. The county seat is Indianapolis, the state capital and...
Children's Guardian Home. After his mother escaped, Burton's father went to jail for two years. Burton's mother remarried, and Burton and his younger brother and sister had happier teenage years.
Burton worked as a caddy at a local country club in order to make ends meet, where he learned the golf skills that lead to his winning a statewide golf championship in high school. He graduated from Shortridge High School
Shortridge High School
Shortridge High School is a public high school located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Opened in 1864, it is the oldest free, public high school in the state...
in 1957, and attended Indiana University
Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington is a public research university located in Bloomington, Indiana, in the United States. IU Bloomington is the flagship campus of the Indiana University system. Being the flagship campus, IU Bloomington is often referred to simply as IU or Indiana...
(1958–59) and the Cincinnati Bible Seminary (now known as Cincinnati Christian University
Cincinnati Christian University
Cincinnati Christian University is a private Christian University in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is supported by the Christian churches and churches of Christ, which are part of the Restoration Movement....
) (1959–60). He served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
from 1956 to 1957, before leaving active duty to return to college but remained in the Army Reserves from 1957 to 1962. After school, Burton became a real estate broker and he founded the Dan Burton Insurance Agency in 1968.
Indiana legislature
Burton was a member of the Indiana House of RepresentativesIndiana House of Representatives
The Indiana House of Representatives is the lower house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The House is composed of 100 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. House members serve two-year terms without term limits...
from 1967 to 1968 and again from 1977 to 1980 and the Indiana State Senate from 1969 to 1970 and again from 1981 to 1982.
Elections
Burton first ran for Congress in 1970, losing to DemocraticDemocratic 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 Andrew Jacobs, Jr.
Andrew Jacobs, Jr.
Andrew Jacobs, Jr. usually known as Andy Jacobs is a lawyer and a former Indiana state legislator and Congressman who served for thirty years. His father, Andrew Jacobs, was also a congressman for one term. He was married to one time House colleague Martha Keys of Kansas...
in Indiana's 11th congressional district
Indiana's 11th congressional district
Indiana's 11th congressional district was a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in Indiana. It was eliminated as a result of the 1980 Census. It was last represented by Andrew Jacobs, Jr. who was redistricted into the 10th District.-List of representatives:-...
. Burton ran again in 1972, losing in the Republican primary to William Hudnut
William H. Hudnut III
William Herbert Hudnut III was the mayor of Indianapolis from 1976 to 1992. A Republican, his four terms made him the city's longest serving mayor. He previously represented the Indianapolis area in Congress from 1973 to 1975 but was defeated in his race for a second term.-Early life and...
.
After the 1980 census
United States Census, 1980
The Twentieth United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States to be 226,545,805, an increase of 11.4 percent over the 203,184,772 persons enumerated during the 1970 Census.-Census questions:...
, the Republican-controlled state legislature reconfigured the 6th District
Indiana's 6th congressional district
Indiana's 6th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Indiana. The district takes in a large portion of eastern Indiana, including Muncie, Anderson, and Richmond, as well as the suburbs of Fort Wayne, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis.The district is currently represented...
into a heavily Republican district focused on the suburbs north of Indianapolis. In 1982, Burton ran for Indiana's 6th congressional district
Indiana's 6th congressional district
Indiana's 6th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Indiana. The district takes in a large portion of eastern Indiana, including Muncie, Anderson, and Richmond, as well as the suburbs of Fort Wayne, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis.The district is currently represented...
and defeated Democrat George Grabianowski in the general election 65%-35%. Burton has never won re-election in a general election with less than 62%. His district was renumbered as the 5th District after the 2000 census.
2008
In 2008, he faced a challenger in the Republican primary, former Marion County
Marion County, Indiana
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. Census 2010 recorded a population of 903,393, making it the largest county in the state and 55th most populated county in the country, greater than the population of six states. The county seat is Indianapolis, the state capital and...
Coroner Dr. John McGoff. Burton defeated McGoff 52% to 45% in the closest Republican primary election of his career.
2010
In the 2010 primary, he faced six challengers in the Republican primary. He won the primary with a plurality of 30%. He defeated State Representative Luke Messer (28%), Dr. John McGoff (19%), State Representative Mike Murphy
Michael Murphy (Indiana politician)
Michael B. "Mike" Murphy is a Republican member of the Indiana House of Representatives, representing the 90th District since 1994.In 2010, Mike Murphy ran for the 2010 Republican nomination to seat currently held by Dan Burton. He released several detailed policy position papers to the public...
(9%), Brose McVey (8%), Andy Lyons (4%), and Ann Adcock (3%). Burton only carried a majority in one county (55%): Huntington
Huntington County, Indiana
Huntington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. The county seat and lone city is Huntington. According to Census 2010, the population was 37,124.-Geography:...
.
2012
In 2012, Burton again faces a number of challengers in the Republican primary including McGoff, former U.S. Attorney
United States Attorney
United States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
Susan Brooks, former U.S. Congressman David McIntosh
David M. McIntosh
David Martin McIntosh is a lawyer who served as a Republican representative from Indiana from January 3, 1995, to January 3, 2001. McIntosh was the Republican candidate for Governor of Indiana in 2000, losing to incumbent Democrat Frank O'Bannon He is currently a candidate in Indiana's 5th...
, and attorney Jack Lugar. On the Democratic side, State Representative Scott Reske
Scott Reske
Scott E. Reske is a Democratic member of the Indiana House of Representatives, representing the 37th District since 2001. He is chair of the Midwestern Legislative Conference, the Midwestern office of The Council of State Governments...
and labor activist Tony Long have entered the race. Redistricting is said to have made the 5th district slightly more Democratic, but still heavily Republican.
Tenure
Helms–Burton billIn 1995, Burton authored legislation targeting foreign companies that did business with Cuba. The bill allowed foreign companies to be sued in American courts if, in dealings with the government of Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
, they acquired assets formerly owned by Americans. In February 1996, Cuba shot down two small Brothers to the Rescue
Brothers to the Rescue
Brothers to the Rescue is a Miami-based activist organization headed by José Basulto. Formed by Cuban exiles, the group is widely known for its opposition to the Cuban government and, then President, Fidel Castro...
planes piloted by anti-Castro Cuban-Americans. As part of the White House response to crack down on Cuba, President Clinton signed the Helms–Burton Act into law.
Conservative voting record
Burton is a consistent Conservative vote in the US House. In the 109th Congress, he had a 100% rating from the National Right to Life Committee. He also has an A rating with the Gun Owners of America.
Burton has received a number of awards from conservative groups, including a Friend of the Farm Bureau award in 2004 from the American Farm Bureau Federation
American Farm Bureau Federation
The American Farm Bureau Federation , commonly referred to as the Farm Bureau, is a nonprofit organization and the largest general farm organization in the United States...
, a True Blue award in 2006 the Family Research Council
Family Research Council
The Family Research Council is a conservative or right-wing Christian group and lobbying organization formed in the United States in 1981 by James Dobson. It was fully incorporated in 1983...
, eight Guardian of Small Business Awards from the National Federation of Independent Business
National Federation of Independent Business
The National Federation of Independent Business is a lobbying organization with its headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee and offices in Washington, D.C. USA, and in all 50 state capitals...
and twenty-two Spirit of Enterprise awards from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Government Performance and Results Act
Burton was the primary sponsor for a 1998 effort, opposed by the Clinton administration, to require federal government agencies to do more strategic planning, establish more accountability measurements, and do more reporting on their performance. H.R. 2883, the "Government Performance and Results Act Amendments", was not enacted into law.
Exposing the Winter Hill Gang/FBI Corruption
In his role as Chairman of the House Government Oversight Committee, Burton helped expose FBI corruption that led to the wrongful conviction of Joseph Salvati, Peter Limone, Henry Tameleo and Louis Greco for the murder of Edward "Teddy" Deegan. The three year investigation that Burton spearheaded helped exonerate the four, who were eventually awarded $102 million by Boston Federal Judge Nancy Gertner.
Republican Study Committee
Burton served as chairman of the Republican Study Committee
Republican Study Committee
The Republican Study Committee [RSC] is a caucus of over 170 conservative members of the Republican Party in the United States House of Representatives...
, a caucus of conservative House Republicans, during the 101st Congress. After Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich
Newton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is a U.S. Republican Party politician who served as the House Minority Whip from 1989 to 1995 and as the 58th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999....
yanked funding for the group in 1995, Burton joined fellow congressmen John Doolittle
John Doolittle
John Taylor Doolittle , American politician, was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1991 to 2009, representing . In the 109th Congress, he held a leadership role as the Deputy Whip for the Republican party in the House...
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Ernest Istook
Ernest Istook
Ernest James Istook Jr. is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Oklahoma's 5th congressional district. He held his congressional seat for 14 years, completing seven terms in the House...
of Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and Sam Johnson
Sam Johnson
Samuel Robert "Sam" Johnson is an American politician and a retired career U.S. Air Force officer and fighter pilot. He currently is a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the 3rd District of Texas...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in refounding it as the Conservative Action Team. The three men shared the chairmanship from 1994 to 1999. In 2001, the CAT regained its original name, the RSC.
Autism
Burton has been an outspoken critic of what he terms the failure of government to determine the cause of an alleged autism
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
epidemic. When his grandson began to show the signs of autism shortly after receiving inoculation
Inoculation
Inoculation is the placement of something that will grow or reproduce, and is most commonly used in respect of the introduction of a serum, vaccine, or antigenic substance into the body of a human or animal, especially to produce or boost immunity to a specific disease...
s, Burton inferred the relationship to be causal: "My only grandson became autistic right before my eyes – shortly after receiving his federally recommended and state-mandated vaccines."
Burton was instrumental in pressuring the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
to launch a five-year, $30 million study of chelation therapy
Chelation therapy
Chelation therapy is the administration of chelating agents to remove heavy metals from the body. For the most common forms of heavy metal intoxication—those involving lead, arsenic or mercury—the standard of care in the United States dictates the use of dimercaptosuccinic acid...
for cardiovascular disease."
In an October 25, 2000, letter to the Department of Health and Human Services
United States Department of Health and Human Services
The United States Department of Health and Human Services is a Cabinet department of the United States government with the goal of protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. Its motto is "Improving the health, safety, and well-being of America"...
, acting in his role as Chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform, Burton asked the agency's director to get the Food and Drug Administration
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
(FDA) to recall all vaccines containing the preservative Thimerosal. "We all know and accept that mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
is a neurotoxin
Neurotoxin
A neurotoxin is a toxin that acts specifically on nerve cells , usually by interacting with membrane proteins such as ion channels. Some sources are more general, and define the effect of neurotoxins as occurring at nerve tissue...
, and yet the FDA has failed to recall the 50 vaccines that contain Thimerosal," Burton wrote, adding "Every day that mercury-containing vaccines remain on the market is another day HHS is putting 8,000 children at risk."
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...
did not agree that vaccines containing mercury caused autism, and the US FDA refused to ban the vaccines. Most manufacturers removed the preservatives from their vaccines anyway, with no resulting decrease in autism rates.
Burton continues to maintain a page on his Congressional website called House.gov "Autism" which includes his speeches, transcripts from hearings, and newspaper articles on the relationship of autism and vaccines.
Pro-Pakistan and Anti-India
Congressman Burton is a founding member and Co-Chair of Pakistan caucus in House of Congress. His consistent support for Pakistan and his voting record has prompted the Indian media to describe him as "anti-India" in the past.
Burton has received at least $10,000 in campaign donations from Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai
Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai
Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai is an American citizen of Kashmiri origin, from Indian-administered Kashmir, who was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on July 19, 2011 for allegedly working secretly for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence to lobby and influence the U.S. government on the...
, who runs the Kashmir Center, a pro-Pakistan advocacy group. Burton was the chief supporter in Congress of the Kashmiri American Council, until it was revealed to be a front of Inter-Services Intelligence
Inter-Services Intelligence
The Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence , is Pakistan's premier intelligence agency, responsible for providing critical national security intelligence assessment to the Government of Pakistan...
Directorate, the Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i secret police
Secret police
Secret police are a police agency which operates in secrecy and beyond the law to protect the political power of an individual dictator or an authoritarian political regime....
, engaging in illegal lobbying activities on US soil.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Foreign Affairs
- Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific
- Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia (Chairman)
- Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
- Subcommittee on Health Care, District of Columbia, Census and the National Archives
- Subcommittee on National Security, Homeland Defense and Foreign Operations
Vincent Foster
Burton was one of the most ardent opponents of President Bill ClintonBill 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...
. In 1998, he said, "If I could prove 10 percent of what I believe happened, he'd [Clinton] be gone. This guy's a scumbag. That's why I'm after him." Rep. Burton led the House inquiry into the death of Vincent Foster; he was convinced that Foster was murdered and urged extensive investigation into the possible involvement of the Clintons. Burton gained attention for re-enacting the alleged crime in his backyard with his own pistol and a pumpkin
Pumpkin
A pumpkin is a gourd-like squash of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae . It commonly refers to cultivars of any one of the species Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita mixta, Cucurbita maxima, and Cucurbita moschata, and is native to North America...
standing in for Foster's head. After hearings into Democratic fundraising (see section below) began, a Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
staffer appeared in a pumpkin suit with a button that read, "Don't shoot." Burton's information during the Whitewater controversy
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...
was based on opposition research conducted by Floyd Brown
Floyd Brown
Floyd Gregory Brown is an American author, speaker and media commentator. He is president of Excellentia Inc., a consulting company specializing in non-profit organizational strategy, development and marketing. Brown has also worked as a political consultant and conducted opposition research for...
, who founded Citizens United
Citizens United
Citizens United is a conservative non-profit organization in the United States. Its president and chairman is David Bossie.-Overview:Citizens United describes its mission as being dedicated to restoring the United States government to "citizens' control" and to "assert American values of limited...
in 1988, which created the well-known Willie Horton
Willie Horton
William R. "Willie" Horton is an American convicted felon who, while serving a life sentence for murder, without the possibility of parole, was the beneficiary of a Massachusetts weekend furlough program...
attack ad against Michael Dukakis
Michael Dukakis
Michael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving...
. Because of the problems with the quality of Brown's research and testimony, the investigation was closed.
Golfing
In 1990, the New York Times reported that in 1989, Burton had been a "celebrity player" at the Bob Hope Classic in Palm Springs, Calif., the Kemper Open in Potomac, Md., the Larry Bird Golf Classic in Indianapolis, the Danny Thompson Memorial tournament in Sun Valley, Idaho, the Sugarloaf Invitational tournament in Maine and the Arte Johnson tournament in Chicago. Such players received free airline flights, free meals, and free lodging from tournament sponsors and, often, free merchandise.In November 1995, the House voted to prohibit members and their staffs from receiving gifts, including free meals and free travel to charity sports events. Burton, who led the effort to exempt charity trips, said that he played in two golf tournaments each year, and, "We get more of these lobbyists in our office than we do on the golf course."
In January 1997, Burton played in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, at the invitation of AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
, the tournament sponsor. The day before the tournament, he played a practice round with Robert E. Allen, AT&T's chairman and chief executive, at a nearby country club. AT&T also hosted a campaign fund-raising dinner for Burton at a local restaurant. Three weeks earlier, Burton had become the chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, which had jurisdiction over the legislative agency scheduled to soon award at least $5 billion in long-distance and local telephone and telecommunications contracts with the federal government. Burton defended his participation in the tournament, saying it would not affect his objectivity when dealing with telecommunications issues. He said that he had partially paid for the trip, with his re-election campaign funds paying as well because he attended three fund-raising events while in California.
In December 2004, Burton and two aides flew to the island of Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. The trip was paid for by the Guam government and tourism industry. In addition to some official events, including touring a military facility, Burton played in a charity golf tournament. After he returned, he tried to help Guam's tourism industry get a sought-after change in visa rules.
In January 2007, the House passed a measure by a vote 430-1 that banned members from accepting gifts and free trips from lobbyists and discounted trips on private planes. Burton cast the sole nay vote.
In February 2007, a review by the Indianapolis Star of votes in the House of Representatives for the past decade showed that Burton had missed all votes during the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic
Bob Hope Chrysler Classic
The Bob Hope Classic is a professional golf tournament played each January in California's Coachella Valley. Part of the PGA Tour's early season West Coast Swing, this tournament is well known for its celebrity pro-am, as well as having five daily 18-hole rounds of competition vs. the Tour standard...
golf tournament for five years between 2001 and 2007. The tournament, the third event each season on the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
, pairs celebrities with golf professionals for four of the five days of play. Since 2004, Burton has played in a guest spot of the Eisenhower Medical Center, the primary charitable beneficiary of the event. The slot carries with it a commitment to donate $10,000 to the event; Burton has made arrangements with the hospital to do this over a period of time. Burton's campaign committee reported donating $1,500 to the medical center in December 2004 and $6,353 in January 2006.
The Indianapolis Star review also found that in 2006, Burton ranked last in voting among members of Congress from Indiana, missing 11 percent of the 541 recorded votes. In 2007, the Indianapolis star rated his voting record as "one of the strongest in the House, with an attendance record consistently above 95%."
"... off the coast of Bolivia"
On March 29, 1995, during congressional hearings on the US War on DrugsWar on Drugs
The War on Drugs is a campaign of prohibition and foreign military aid and military intervention being undertaken by the United States government, with the assistance of participating countries, intended to both define and reduce the illegal drug trade...
, Burton proclaimed that the US military "should place an aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
off the coast of Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
and crop dust the coca
Coca
Coca, Erythroxylum coca, is a plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. The plant plays a significant role in many traditional Andean cultures...
fields." It was later pointed out to him that a) Bolivia is landlocked
Landlocked
A landlocked country is a country entirely enclosed by land, or whose only coastlines lie on closed seas. There are 48 landlocked countries in the world, including partially recognized states...
and has no coast (Burton was chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee
United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere
The House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere is a subcommittee within the House Foreign Affairs Committee.-Jurisdiction:The subcommittee is one of five with what the committees calls "regional jurisdiction" over a specific area of the globe...
); b) the Bolivian coca fields (in the yungas
Yungas
The Yungas is a stretch of forest along the eastern slope of the Andes Mountains from southeastern Peru through central Bolivia. It is a transitional zone between the Andean highlands and the eastern forests. Like the surrounding areas, it has characteristics of the Neotropic ecozone...
and Amazon
Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
lowlands) are beyond the reach of any carrier-borne crop-duster, being separated from the nearest coastline (the Pacific coast of Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
) by the 20,000+ feet high peaks of the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
; and c) F-18s cannot crop-dust. While criticism of this mis-statement was muted in Washington, it sparked a major anti-American backlash in Bolivia, derailing the same War on Drugs
War on Drugs
The War on Drugs is a campaign of prohibition and foreign military aid and military intervention being undertaken by the United States government, with the assistance of participating countries, intended to both define and reduce the illegal drug trade...
that Burton purported to be speaking for.
Investigation of Democratic Party fund-raising
In 1997, Burton headed an investigation into possible Democratic Party campaign finance abuse, focusing on the 1996 Presidential election. The committee investigation ran for several years and issued over 1,000 subpoenaSubpoena
A subpoena is a writ by a government agency, most often a court, that has authority to compel testimony by a witness or production of evidence under a penalty for failure. There are two common types of subpoena:...
s of Clinton administration officials and cost over $7 million. The committee, and Burton's leadership, were labeled a "farce", a "travesty", a "parody", and "its own cartoon, a joke, and a deserved embarrassment".
In March 1997, as the investigation began, Burton was accused of demanding a $5,000 contribution from a Pakistani lobbyist
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
. The lobbyist said that when he was unable to raise the funds, Burton complained to the Pakistani ambassador and threatened to make sure "none of his friends or colleagues" would meet with the lobbyist or his associates.
In May 1998, Burton apologized for releasing edited transcripts of prison audiotapes of Webster Hubbell
Webster Hubbell
Webster Lee "Web" Hubbell , is a former Arkansas lawyer and politician. He was a lawyer in Pulaski County before serving as Mayor of Little Rock from 1979 until he resigned in 1981. He was appointed by Bill Clinton as chief justice of Arkansas State Supreme Court in 1983...
, a former associate of President 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...
. The edited transcripts omitted substantial information and differed significantly from the original recordings. Burton was harshly criticized by members of his own party, including Speaker of the House
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich
Newton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is a U.S. Republican Party politician who served as the House Minority Whip from 1989 to 1995 and as the 58th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999....
, who called the investigation a "circus" and chided Burton for initially refusing to admit any error.
David Bossie
David Bossie
David N. Bossie is an American political activist. Since 2000 he has been President and Chairman of conservative advocacy organization Citizens United.-Early life:...
, the staff member who arranged the editing and release of the tapes, resigned on Burton's request. Noting that Burton had personally released the tapes and had supported Bossie's plans over the objections of other committee staffers and attorneys, Democrats urged Burton to step down as well. Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt
Dick Gephardt
Richard Andrew "Dick" Gephardt is a lobbyist and former prominent American politician of the Democratic Party. Gephardt served as a U.S. Representative from Missouri from January 3, 1977, until January 3, 2005, serving as House Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995, and as Minority Leader from 1995 to...
said, "A committee staff member should not be made the scapegoat for Chairman Burton's mistakes, missteps, and misdeeds." Burton said, "I take responsibility for those mistakes," but never resigned nor faced any consequences for his actions.
In President Clinton's final year in office, Burton was mentioned in a short film for the White House Correspondent's Dinner
White House Correspondents' Association
The White House Correspondents' Association is an organization of journalists who cover the White House and the President of the United States. The WHCA was founded in 1914 by journalists in response to an unfounded rumor that a Congressional committee would select which journalists could attend...
. President Clinton: Final Days, which depicted Clinton as a lonely man closing down a nearly-deserted White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
. Clinton is shown hitting golf balls from the South Lawn, and gets excited when he hits a car parked in a spot near the U.S. Capitol
United States Capitol
The United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall...
that says "Reserved for Chairman Burton."
Constituent mailings
An Arizona newspaper study ranked Burton as the fifth-biggest user of free congressional mail, sending constituents more than $190,000 worth of mail in 2007.Daughter
In June 2007, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in WashingtonCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington is a nonprofit 501 organization that describes itself as "dedicated to promoting ethics and accountability in government and public life by targeting government officials – regardless of party affiliation – who sacrifice the common good to...
reported that during the 2001-2006 period, Burton's campaign fund had paid $143,900 to his daughter Danielle Sarkins, who manages his campaign office. It is not illegal for federal candidates to pay family members for political work, as long as they are paid fair market value, the Federal Election Commission
Federal Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act...
has ruled.
Personal life
Burton's first wife, Barbara (Logan) Burton, was diagnosed with breast cancerBreast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
in 1993 at the age of 56. She died in 2002 after battling breast and colon cancer. They had three children together: Kelly, Danielle and Danny.
In 1995 speaking of the then recent affairs of Republican Robert Packwood and the unfolding affair of Democrat 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...
Burton stated "No one, regardless of what party they serve, no one, regardless of what branch of government they serve, should be allowed to get away with these alleged sexual improprieties..." In 1998 the magazine Vanity Fair was to print an article detailing an affair which Burton himself had in 1983 which produced a child. Before publication Burton admitted to fathering a son with a former state employee.
In August 2006, Burton married Dr. Samia Tawil in Park City, Utah. She was the internist who cared for Burton's wife, Barbara, during her battle with cancer. Tawil and her first husband had divorced in 2005.
Burton's brother, Woody Burton, is a Republican member of the Indiana House of Representatives, representing District 58.
Burton is a member of the Board of Advisors of THE INSTITUTE on Religion and Public Policy. Burton is a 33° Scottish Rite Freemason, and a member of Evergreen-Oriental Lodge No. 500 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
External links
- U.S. Congressman Dan Burton official U.S. House site
- Dan Burton for Congress official campaign site