Gwen Moore
Encyclopedia
Gwendolynne Sophia Moore (born April 18, 1951) is the U.S. Representative
for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Democratic Party
.
The district is based in Milwaukee and also includes South Milwaukee
, Cudahy
and St. Francis
, and part of West Allis
. She is the first woman to represent the district. She is also the second woman and the first African-American elected to Congress from Wisconsin.
, but has spent most of her life in Milwaukee. She is the eighth of nine children; her father was a factory worker and her mother a public school teacher. Moore attended North Division High School
and served as student council president. She later attended Marquette University
and became a single mother and was for a while a welfare recipient
. Nonetheless, she was able to earn a Bachelor of Arts
degree in political science
, graduating in 1973.
She worked as an organizer with Volunteers In Service to America
. Through the program, she worked to establish the Cream City Community Development Credit Union to offer grants and loans to low-income residents to start businesses. For her work, she was awarded the national “VISTA Volunteer of the Decade” award from 1976-1986. From 1985 to 1989, she worked for the City of Milwaukee as a neighborhood development strategist and for the state Department of Employment Relations and Health and Social Services. Moore also worked for the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) as a housing officer.
In 2000, she received a Certificate for Senior Executives in State and Local Government from Harvard University
.
, who lived two blocks away from Moore.
In the election of 1992, Gwen Moore was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate
, in which she served the 4th District
from 1993 to 2004. Moore was the first African-American woman to be elected to the upper chamber of the Wisconsin legislature. She became a prominent voice against mandatory ID security measures to enter the state capitol. She said "I am too often reminded [9/11 hijacker] Mohammed Atta had a photo ID. This will not tell people whether I am a terrorist. This disenfranchises people who come to their Capitol."
Moore was elected to the United States House of Representatives
in 2004, earning 69.6 percent of the vote and defeating Republican
attorney
Gerald Boyle in the general election. Moore was one of a handful of African-Americans to have been elected to Congress as freshmen in 2004, and she was the first African-American and second woman (after Tammy Baldwin
) to represent Wisconsin in Congress.
In the House, Moore has earned, over the first session of the 109th Congress, 90% and higher legislative agenda approval scores from Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin
, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
, the Sierra Club of Wisconsin
, and the Service Employees International Union
. Moore has focused herself legislatively on traditional Democratic and progressive
issues, believing that the federal government
should play a significant role in the amelioration of poverty and the resolution of difficult local problems.
During her first term, Moore introduced legislation to provide certain economic incentives and tax cuts to small businesses to promote job creation, and also cosponsored legislation in support of community block grants, continued and expanded Medicaid
funding, the amendment of the Truth in Lending Act
to prevent so-called "predatory lending
", and the removal of troops from Iraq
; Moore is also a cosponsor of two prospective amendments to the US Constitution
, providing for uniform national election standards and prohibiting gender discrimination under law.
Moore publicizes that, “her number one priority is to create jobs” through her position in The House. She has fought for tax reforms in favor of lower-income citizens, stating that “one week of Bush tax cuts for millionaires could help 350,00 hungry mothers and babies for an entire year.” Citing previous legislation and cuts to programs in favor of low-income children, Moore has recently proclaimed that “[Government has] already cut the entitlement and snatched the safety net from up underneath kids.”
http://gwenmoore.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=457:economy&catid=7&Itemid=49
http://www.votesmart.org/public-statement/620915/moore-one-week-of-bush-tax-cuts-for-millionaires-could-help-350000-hungry-mothers-babies-for-an-entire-year
Moore has received support from Interest Groups ranging from the American Civil Liberties Union
(93%), The Human Rights Campaign
(100%), and The National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL) (100%), to The National Farmer’s Union (100%) and Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund (100%). Moore lacks support from Interest Groups regarding hunting and sportsmen rights (0% support from Sportsmen and Animal Owner’s Voting Alliance), pro-life issues (0% support from National Right to Life), and conservative tax reform stances (0% support from Americans for Tax Reform.)
http://www.votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/3457/gwen-moore
Moore has become a prominent advocate for women’s rights, who releases frequent statements on topics ranging from domestic abuse awareness to abortion rights. She voted “nay” on Amends Federal Health Care Law to Prohibit Abortion Coverage on October 13, 2011, and publicly opposed the launched investigation into the financial accounting of Planned Parenthood
, stating that the investigation “is an unfortunate waste of taxpayer dollars.”
http://www.votesmart.org/bill/13922/36927/3457/amends-federal-health-care-law-to-prohibit-abortion-coverage
http://www.votesmart.org/public-statement/642709/dem-leaders-to-stearns-stop-pointless-political-attack-on-planned-parenthood
Moore has sponsored seven bills since Jan 4, 2005, two which have made it out of committee (Average) and zero which have been successfully enacted (Average, relative to peers). Moore has cosponsored 343 bills during the same time period (Many, relative to peers). http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/04/26/goptiresslashed.ap/index.html
On May 6, 2006, Moore and eight fellow members of the Congressional Black Caucus
were arrested and ticketed for unlawful assembly
and disorderly conduct
after they stepped onto the grounds of the Embassy of the Sudan
to call attention to the ongoing Darfur conflict
in Sudan. Moore said that the group expected ex ante to be arrested but that they were pleased to participate in a "peaceful act of civil disobedience
".
In January 2011, Moore was elected Democratic co-chair of the Congressional Women's Caucus to become a leader on health insurance reform and the protection of reproductive rights.
Top contributors: Credit Union National Assn with $11,750, Finmeccanica Spa with $10,250, American Assn for Justice with $10,000, Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers with $10,000, Machinists/Aerospace Workers Union with $10,000, Northwestern Mutual with $10,000, Painters & Allied Trades Union with $10,000, Plumbers/Pipefitters Union with $10,000, Assurant Inc with $9,000 and American Bankers Assn with $8,000.
Top sectors: Finance/Insur/RealEst with $162,015, Labor with $123,750, Lawyers & Lobbyists with $35,236, Health with $27,500, Misc Business with $16,280, Other with $15,125, Defense with $11,750, Transportation with $10,500, Ideology/Single-Issue with $7,233, and Energy/Nat Resource with $6,450.
Top industries:Insurance with $79,750, Building Trade Unions with $42,500, Industrial Unions with $29,750, Public Sector Unions with $26,000, Commercial Banks with $26,000, Lawyers/Law Firms with $25,405, Health Professionals with $16,750, Real Estate with $15,600, with Transportation Unions with $15,000.
, she attended Marquette University
as an expectant mother, receiving welfare benefits to aid her in her pursuit of a degree. On her campaign website, Moore recalled, "I was on welfare and just shy of 19 when my first daughter was born, but I was encouraged to take advantage of my ability and drive and remained in school." http://www.gwenmooreforcongress.com Moore graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
degree in political science
.
During the congressional debate in February 2011 on the Pence Amendment proposing to defund the health services organization Planned Parenthood, in response to comments from Paul Broun
suggesting that Planned Parenthood promoted racist eugenics because more black women than white women have abortions, Moore spoke about her experience raising children on little money, and why "planned parenthood is healthy for women, it’s healthy for children and it’s healthy for our society" .
vehicles in Milwaukee
; he was charged with a felony
in connection with the event on January 24, 2005, but agreed, on January 20, 2006, to plead no contest
in exchange for a sentencing recommendation of restitution
and probation
. However, on April 26, 2006, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Michael Brennan threw out the plea deal and sentenced Omokunde to serve four months in prison and to pay $2,305 in fines and restitution. In response, Moore said, "I love my son very much. I'm very proud of him. He's accepted responsibility."
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
.
The district is based in Milwaukee and also includes South Milwaukee
South Milwaukee, Wisconsin
South Milwaukee is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 21,256 at the 2000 census.-Geography:South Milwaukee is located at ....
, Cudahy
Cudahy, Wisconsin
Cudahy is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 18,429 at the 2000 census.-History:Originally known as the Buckhorn Settlement, it was renamed in the late 1800s when Patrick Cudahy purchased 700 acres of land in the Town of Lake, two miles from the Milwaukee city...
and St. Francis
St. Francis, Wisconsin
St. Francis is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2000 census, its population was 8,662. It is the smallest incorporated city in Milwaukee County.-Geography:St. Francis is located at ....
, and part of West Allis
West Allis, Wisconsin
West Allis is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area. The population was 61,254 at the 2000 census. Its name derives from Edward P. Allis, who started the Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company in the 19th century. The site of the town was...
. She is the first woman to represent the district. She is also the second woman and the first African-American elected to Congress from Wisconsin.
Early life, education and career
Moore was born in Racine, WisconsinRacine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
, but has spent most of her life in Milwaukee. She is the eighth of nine children; her father was a factory worker and her mother a public school teacher. Moore attended North Division High School
North Division High School
North Division High School may refer to:*North Division High School *North Division High School...
and served as student council president. She later attended Marquette University
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
and became a single mother and was for a while a welfare recipient
Aid to Families with Dependent Children
Aid to Families with Dependent Children was a federal assistance program in effect from 1935 to 1996, which was administered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services...
. Nonetheless, she was able to earn a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
, graduating in 1973.
She worked as an organizer with Volunteers In Service to America
Volunteers in Service to America
VISTA or Volunteers in Service to America is an anti-poverty program created by Lyndon Johnson's Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 as the domestic version of the Peace Corps. Initially, the program increased employment opportunities for conscientious people who felt they could contribute tangibly to...
. Through the program, she worked to establish the Cream City Community Development Credit Union to offer grants and loans to low-income residents to start businesses. For her work, she was awarded the national “VISTA Volunteer of the Decade” award from 1976-1986. From 1985 to 1989, she worked for the City of Milwaukee as a neighborhood development strategist and for the state Department of Employment Relations and Health and Social Services. Moore also worked for the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) as a housing officer.
In 2000, she received a Certificate for Senior Executives in State and Local Government from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
Wisconsin Legislature
Moore was elected to the Wisconsin Assembly in 1989 and served two terms. She was a prominent voice calling into an investigation into the case of sexual assault and serial killer Jeffrey DahmerJeffrey Dahmer
Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer was an American serial killer and sex offender. Dahmer murdered 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991, with the majority of the murders occurring between 1987 and 1991. His murders involved rape, dismemberment, necrophilia and cannibalism...
, who lived two blocks away from Moore.
In the election of 1992, Gwen Moore was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate
Wisconsin State Senate
The Wisconsin Senate, the powers of which are modeled after those of the U.S. Senate, is the upper house of the Wisconsin State Legislature, smaller than the Wisconsin State Assembly...
, in which she served the 4th District
Wisconsin Senate, District 4
The 4th District of the Wisconsin Senate is located in Southern Wisconsin, and is composed of parts of Milwaukee County.-Current elected officials:...
from 1993 to 2004. Moore was the first African-American woman to be elected to the upper chamber of the Wisconsin legislature. She became a prominent voice against mandatory ID security measures to enter the state capitol. She said "I am too often reminded [9/11 hijacker] Mohammed Atta had a photo ID. This will not tell people whether I am a terrorist. This disenfranchises people who come to their Capitol."
Committee assignments
- Committee on the BudgetUnited States House Committee on the BudgetThe U.S. House Committee on the Budget, commonly known as the House Budget Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress...
- Committee on Financial ServicesUnited States House Committee on Financial ServicesThe United States House Committee on Financial Services is the committee of the United States House of Representatives that oversees the entire financial services industry, including the securities, insurance, banking, and housing industries...
- Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored Enterprises
- Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and TradeUnited States House Financial Services Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and TradeThe United States House Financial Services Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade is a subcommittee of the House Committee on Financial Services...
- Subcommittee on Oversight and InvestigationsUnited States House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and InvestigationsThe U.S. House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations is a subcommittee of the House Committee on Financial Services.-Jurisdiction:The Subcommittee conducts oversight of the agencies, departments, and programs under the Committee’s jurisdiction...
Moore was elected to 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...
in 2004, earning 69.6 percent of the vote and defeating 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...
attorney
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...
Gerald Boyle in the general election. Moore was one of a handful of African-Americans to have been elected to Congress as freshmen in 2004, and she was the first African-American and second woman (after Tammy Baldwin
Tammy Baldwin
Tammy Suzanne Green Baldwin is the U.S. Representative for Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district, serving since 1999. She is a member of the Democratic Party. In September 2011, Baldwin announced she would be a candidate in the 2012 U.S...
) to represent Wisconsin in Congress.
In the House, Moore has earned, over the first session of the 109th Congress, 90% and higher legislative agenda approval scores from Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood Federation of America , commonly shortened to Planned Parenthood, is the U.S. affiliate of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and one of its larger members. PPFA is a non-profit organization providing reproductive health and maternal and child health services. The...
, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP, is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Its mission is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to...
, the Sierra Club of Wisconsin
Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
, and the Service Employees International Union
Service Employees International Union
Service Employees International Union is a labor union representing about 1.8 million workers in over 100 occupations in the United States , and Canada...
. Moore has focused herself legislatively on traditional Democratic and progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
issues, believing that the federal government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
should play a significant role in the amelioration of poverty and the resolution of difficult local problems.
During her first term, Moore introduced legislation to provide certain economic incentives and tax cuts to small businesses to promote job creation, and also cosponsored legislation in support of community block grants, continued and expanded Medicaid
Medicaid
Medicaid is the United States health program for certain people and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the state and federal governments, and is managed by the states. People served by Medicaid are U.S. citizens or legal permanent...
funding, the amendment of the Truth in Lending Act
Truth in Lending Act
The Truth in Lending Act of 1968 is United States federal law designed to promote the informed use of consumer credit, by requiring disclosures about its terms and cost to standardize the manner in which costs associated with borrowing are calculated and disclosed...
to prevent so-called "predatory lending
Predatory lending
Predatory lending describes unfair, deceptive, or fraudulent practices of some lenders during the loan origination process. While there are no legal definitions in the United States for predatory lending, an audit report on predatory lending from the office of inspector general of the FDIC broadly...
", and the removal of troops from Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
; Moore is also a cosponsor of two prospective amendments to the US 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...
, providing for uniform national election standards and prohibiting gender discrimination under law.
Moore publicizes that, “her number one priority is to create jobs” through her position in The House. She has fought for tax reforms in favor of lower-income citizens, stating that “one week of Bush tax cuts for millionaires could help 350,00 hungry mothers and babies for an entire year.” Citing previous legislation and cuts to programs in favor of low-income children, Moore has recently proclaimed that “[Government has] already cut the entitlement and snatched the safety net from up underneath kids.”
http://gwenmoore.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=457:economy&catid=7&Itemid=49
http://www.votesmart.org/public-statement/620915/moore-one-week-of-bush-tax-cuts-for-millionaires-could-help-350000-hungry-mothers-babies-for-an-entire-year
Moore has received support from Interest Groups ranging from the American Civil Liberties Union
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
(93%), The Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest LGBT advocacy group and lobbying organization; according to the HRC, it has more than one million members and supporters...
(100%), and The National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL) (100%), to The National Farmer’s Union (100%) and Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund (100%). Moore lacks support from Interest Groups regarding hunting and sportsmen rights (0% support from Sportsmen and Animal Owner’s Voting Alliance), pro-life issues (0% support from National Right to Life), and conservative tax reform stances (0% support from Americans for Tax Reform.)
http://www.votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/3457/gwen-moore
Moore has become a prominent advocate for women’s rights, who releases frequent statements on topics ranging from domestic abuse awareness to abortion rights. She voted “nay” on Amends Federal Health Care Law to Prohibit Abortion Coverage on October 13, 2011, and publicly opposed the launched investigation into the financial accounting of Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood Federation of America , commonly shortened to Planned Parenthood, is the U.S. affiliate of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and one of its larger members. PPFA is a non-profit organization providing reproductive health and maternal and child health services. The...
, stating that the investigation “is an unfortunate waste of taxpayer dollars.”
http://www.votesmart.org/bill/13922/36927/3457/amends-federal-health-care-law-to-prohibit-abortion-coverage
http://www.votesmart.org/public-statement/642709/dem-leaders-to-stearns-stop-pointless-political-attack-on-planned-parenthood
Moore has sponsored seven bills since Jan 4, 2005, two which have made it out of committee (Average) and zero which have been successfully enacted (Average, relative to peers). Moore has cosponsored 343 bills during the same time period (Many, relative to peers). http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/04/26/goptiresslashed.ap/index.html
On May 6, 2006, Moore and eight fellow members of the Congressional Black Caucus
Congressional Black Caucus
The Congressional Black Caucus is an organization representing the black members of the United States Congress. Membership is exclusive to blacks, and its chair in the 112th Congress is Representative Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri.-Aims:...
were arrested and ticketed for unlawful assembly
Unlawful assembly
Unlawful assembly is a legal term to describe a group of people with the mutual intent of deliberate disturbance of the peace. If the group are about to start the act of disturbance, it is termed a rout; if the disturbance is commenced, it is then termed a riot.- Section 144 :Section 144 is a...
and disorderly conduct
Disorderly conduct
Disorderly conduct is a criminal charge in most jurisdictions in the United States. Typically, disorderly conduct makes it a crime to be drunk in public, to "disturb the peace", or to loiter in certain areas. Many types of unruly conduct may fit the definition of disorderly conduct, as such...
after they stepped onto the grounds of the Embassy of the Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
to call attention to the ongoing Darfur conflict
Darfur conflict
The Darfur Conflict was a guerrilla conflict or civil war centered on the Darfur region of Sudan. It began in February 2003 when the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army and Justice and Equality Movement groups in Darfur took up arms, accusing the Sudanese government of oppressing non-Arab Sudanese in...
in Sudan. Moore said that the group expected ex ante to be arrested but that they were pleased to participate in a "peaceful act of civil disobedience
Civil disobedience
Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal to obey certain laws, demands, and commands of a government, or of an occupying international power. Civil disobedience is commonly, though not always, defined as being nonviolent resistance. It is one form of civil resistance...
".
In January 2011, Moore was elected Democratic co-chair of the Congressional Women's Caucus to become a leader on health insurance reform and the protection of reproductive rights.
2010
In the 2010 election cycle, her total income was $571,546. She spent a total of $543,826.Top contributors: Credit Union National Assn with $11,750, Finmeccanica Spa with $10,250, American Assn for Justice with $10,000, Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers with $10,000, Machinists/Aerospace Workers Union with $10,000, Northwestern Mutual with $10,000, Painters & Allied Trades Union with $10,000, Plumbers/Pipefitters Union with $10,000, Assurant Inc with $9,000 and American Bankers Assn with $8,000.
Top sectors: Finance/Insur/RealEst with $162,015, Labor with $123,750, Lawyers & Lobbyists with $35,236, Health with $27,500, Misc Business with $16,280, Other with $15,125, Defense with $11,750, Transportation with $10,500, Ideology/Single-Issue with $7,233, and Energy/Nat Resource with $6,450.
Top industries:Insurance with $79,750, Building Trade Unions with $42,500, Industrial Unions with $29,750, Public Sector Unions with $26,000, Commercial Banks with $26,000, Lawyers/Law Firms with $25,405, Health Professionals with $16,750, Real Estate with $15,600, with Transportation Unions with $15,000.
Electoral history
- 2010 Race for U.S. House of Representatives — 4th District
- Gwen Moore (D), 69%
- Dan Sebring (R), 30%
- 2008 Race for U.S. House of Representatives — 4th District
- Gwen Moore (D), 88%
- Michael LaForest (I), 12%
- 2006 Race for U.S. House of Representatives — 4th District
- Gwen Moore (D), 72%
- Perfecto Rivera (R), 28%
- 2004 Race for U.S. House of Representatives — 4th District
- Gwen Moore (D), 70%
- Gerald Boyle (R), 30%
- 2004 Race for U.S. House of Representatives — Democratic Primary
- Gwen Moore (D), 64%
- Matt Flynn (D), 25%
- Tim CarpenterTim CarpenterTimothy W. "Tim" Carpenter is a Democratic member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 3rd District since 2003. He earlier served in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the 20th District from 1985 through 2003.-Early life, education and career:...
(D), 10%
Personal life
Moore was the eighth of nine children born to a factory worker father and public school teacher mother. After graduating from North Division High SchoolNorth Division High School (Milwaukee)
North Division High School was one of the major public high schools in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, part of the Milwaukee Public Schools...
, she attended Marquette University
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
as an expectant mother, receiving welfare benefits to aid her in her pursuit of a degree. On her campaign website, Moore recalled, "I was on welfare and just shy of 19 when my first daughter was born, but I was encouraged to take advantage of my ability and drive and remained in school." http://www.gwenmooreforcongress.com Moore graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
.
During the congressional debate in February 2011 on the Pence Amendment proposing to defund the health services organization Planned Parenthood, in response to comments from Paul Broun
Paul Broun
Paul Collins Broun, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party and the Tea Party Caucus.-Early life, education and career:...
suggesting that Planned Parenthood promoted racist eugenics because more black women than white women have abortions, Moore spoke about her experience raising children on little money, and why "planned parenthood is healthy for women, it’s healthy for children and it’s healthy for our society" .
Arrest of her son
Moore's son, Sowande Ajumoke Omokunde, aged 26, was arrested in connection with the November 2, 2004, (election day), tire-slashing of Republican partyRepublican 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...
vehicles in Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
; he was charged with a 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...
in connection with the event on January 24, 2005, but agreed, on January 20, 2006, to plead no contest
Nolo contendere
is a legal term that comes from the Latin for "I do not wish to contend." It is also referred to as a plea of no contest.In criminal trials, and in some common law jurisdictions, it is a plea where the defendant neither admits nor disputes a charge, serving as an alternative to a pleading of...
in exchange for a sentencing recommendation of restitution
Restitution
The law of restitution is the law of gains-based recovery. It is to be contrasted with the law of compensation, which is the law of loss-based recovery. Obligations to make restitution and obligations to pay compensation are each a type of legal response to events in the real world. When a court...
and 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...
. However, on April 26, 2006, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Michael Brennan threw out the plea deal and sentenced Omokunde to serve four months in prison and to pay $2,305 in fines and restitution. In response, Moore said, "I love my son very much. I'm very proud of him. He's accepted responsibility."
Other Activities
Representative Moore has become a U.S. delegate to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.External links
- Congresswoman Gwen Moore official U.S. House website
- Gwen Moore for U.S. Congress official campaign website
- Profile at the Democratic Party of Wisconsin
- 4th Senate District, Senator Moore in the Wisconsin Blue BookWisconsin Blue BookThe Wisconsin Blue Book is a biannual publication of the Wisconsin's Legislative Reference Bureau. The Blue Book is an almanac containing information on the government, economics, demographics, geography and history of the state of Wisconsin. The book was first published in 1853...
(2003–2004)