Donald J. Albosta
Encyclopedia
Donald Joseph Albosta is a politician
from the U.S. state
of Michigan
.
Albosta was born in Saginaw, Michigan
and attended Saginaw and Chesaning
public schools. He graduated from Chesaning Agricultural School, and attended Delta College
in Bay City
.
He served in the United States Navy
, was a farmer
, owner, and developer of Misteguay Creek Farms. He served as Albee Township
Trustee and was associate director of the Saginaw County
Soil Conservation District. He was Saginaw County Commissioner from 1970 to 1974 and served in the Michigan State House of Representatives
from 1974 to 1976, representing the 86th District. In 1976, he first ran for the United States House of Representatives
, losing to incumbent Elford Cederberg.
In 1978, Albosta unseated the incumbent Cederberg and was elected as a Democrat from Michigan's 10th congressional district
to the Ninety-sixth Congress and to the two succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1979 to January 3, 1985. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Ninety-ninth Congress, losing to Bill Schuette
. He also ran unsuccessfully against Schuette in 1986. Albosta is a resident of St. Charles, Michigan
.
Albosta was chair of the House Subcommittee on Human Resources which conducted an investigation into the so-called October Surprise
, in which the presidential campaign of Ronald Reagan
was alleged to have orchestrated delaying the release of U.S. hostages held by Iran
until after the election as well as allegations that the Reagan campaign stole President Carter's
briefing materials, a controversy known as Debategate
. The subcommittee's final report in 1984 excoriated Reagan's campaign staff for employing unethical, if not illegal tactics. Albosta's committee spent over $500,000 on the investigation, but never identified a culprit. This did not play well with voters in his district and he was defeated in November 1984. It was later revealed that the person behind the leaked briefing books was Paul Corbin, a former aide to Robert Kennedy and a disgruntled Ted Kennedy
supporter.
His daughter, Christine C. White, was appointed in March 2003 as the Director of Agriculture Policy for the Michigan Department of Agriculture.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Albosta was born in Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
and attended Saginaw and Chesaning
Chesaning, Michigan
Chesaning is a village in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,548 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Chesaning Township.-History:...
public schools. He graduated from Chesaning Agricultural School, and attended Delta College
Delta College (Michigan)
Delta College is a two-year community college located southwest of Bay City, Michigan. Delta College's district had its beginning in 1955 with Saginaw, Midland, and Bay counties making up the district. In 1957, the voters of the tri-counties approved the construction of the college, and it opened...
in Bay City
Bay City, Michigan
Bay City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 34,932, and is the principal city of the Bay City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Saginaw-Bay City-Saginaw Township North...
.
He served in 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...
, was a farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
, owner, and developer of Misteguay Creek Farms. He served as Albee Township
Albee Township, Michigan
Albee Township is a civil township of Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 2,338. Albee Township was established in 1863.-Communities:*Albee was settled in 1855....
Trustee and was associate director of the Saginaw County
Saginaw County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 210,039 people, 80,430 households, and 55,818 families residing in the county. The population density was 260 people per square mile . There were 85,505 housing units at an average density of 106 per square mile...
Soil Conservation District. He was Saginaw County Commissioner from 1970 to 1974 and served in the Michigan State House of Representatives
Michigan State House of Representatives
The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower house of the Michigan Legislature. There are 110 members, each of whom is elected from constituencies having approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents, based on population figures from the 2000 federal U.S. Census.Members are elected in...
from 1974 to 1976, representing the 86th District. In 1976, he first ran for the United States House of Representatives
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...
, losing to incumbent Elford Cederberg.
In 1978, Albosta unseated the incumbent Cederberg and was elected as a Democrat from Michigan's 10th congressional district
Michigan's 10th congressional district
Michigan's 10th congressional district is a United States congressional district in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, covering a region known as the Thumb. It consists of all of Huron, Lapeer, St...
to the Ninety-sixth Congress and to the two succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1979 to January 3, 1985. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Ninety-ninth Congress, losing to Bill Schuette
Bill Schuette
William Duncan "Bill" Schuette is an American Republican politician and the current Attorney General of the U.S. state of Michigan.-Early life:...
. He also ran unsuccessfully against Schuette in 1986. Albosta is a resident of St. Charles, Michigan
St. Charles, Michigan
St. Charles is a village in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The village is located in the northwest corner of St. Charles Township with portions of the village located within Brant Township and Swan Creek Township...
.
Albosta was chair of the House Subcommittee on Human Resources which conducted an investigation into the so-called October Surprise
October surprise
In American political jargon, an October surprise is a news event with the potential to influence the outcome of an election, particularly one for the U.S. presidency...
, in which the presidential campaign of Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
was alleged to have orchestrated delaying the release of U.S. hostages held by Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
until after the election as well as allegations that the Reagan campaign stole President Carter's
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
briefing materials, a controversy known as Debategate
Debategate
Debategate was a scandal affecting the administration of Ronald Reagan; it took place in the final days of the 1980 presidential election. Briefing papers that were to have been used by President Jimmy Carter in preparation for the October 28, 1980, debate with Reagan had somehow been acquired by...
. The subcommittee's final report in 1984 excoriated Reagan's campaign staff for employing unethical, if not illegal tactics. Albosta's committee spent over $500,000 on the investigation, but never identified a culprit. This did not play well with voters in his district and he was defeated in November 1984. It was later revealed that the person behind the leaked briefing books was Paul Corbin, a former aide to Robert Kennedy and a disgruntled Ted Kennedy
Ted Kennedy
Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history...
supporter.
His daughter, Christine C. White, was appointed in March 2003 as the Director of Agriculture Policy for the Michigan Department of Agriculture.