Michael D. Barnes
Encyclopedia
Michael Darr Barnes represented the eighth district of Maryland
in the United States House of Representatives
from 1979 to 1987 and was the president of the Brady Campaign
gun control organization from 2000 through 2006.
After serving in the Marine Corps
(1967 to 1969), being discharged with the rank of corporal, Michael Barnes attended George Washington University
and obtained a Juris Doctor
degree in 1972. Barnes served in both private and government practice until his election to the House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1978.
As a member of Congress, Barnes was an outspoken critic of Ronald Reagan
's Central America policy. Oliver North
and Robert McFarlane
were reluctant to share information with Barnes' staff during the Iran-Contra Affair
because they believed one of them was relaying information to the Sandinista government.
In 1986, Barnes lost the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senator
from Maryland to Barbara Mikulski
and retired to private legal practice. From 2000 through 2006, he served as president of the Brady Campaign. Currently Barnes is Senior Of Counsel
in the Washington, D.C., law firm of Covington & Burling
.
in Bethesda, MD. He graduated from Principia High School in St. Louis, Missouri
, in 1962. He earned his B.A. from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 1965, where he was a member of the Delta Upsilon Fraternity. He attended the Graduate Institute of International Studies
in Geneva, Switzerland from 1965 to 1966. He attained his J.D. from George Washington University
in 1972.
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
in 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...
from 1979 to 1987 and was the president of the Brady Campaign
Brady Campaign
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence are affiliated non-profit organizations in the United States. They are named after James Brady who was permanently disabled as a result of an assassination attempt on U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1981...
gun control organization from 2000 through 2006.
After serving in the Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
(1967 to 1969), being discharged with the rank of corporal, Michael Barnes attended George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
and obtained a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree in 1972. Barnes served in both private and government practice until his election to the House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1978.
As a member of Congress, Barnes was an outspoken critic 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....
's Central America policy. Oliver North
Oliver North
Oliver Laurence North is a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer, political commentator, host of War Stories with Oliver North on Fox News Channel, a military historian, and a New York Times best-selling author....
and Robert McFarlane
Robert McFarlane
Robert Carl "Bud" McFarlane was a National Security Advisor to President Ronald Reagan, serving from 1983 through 1985.After a career in the Marines, he became part of the Reagan administration, and was a leading architect of the Strategic Defense Initiative for defending the United States...
were reluctant to share information with Barnes' staff during the Iran-Contra Affair
Iran-Contra Affair
The Iran–Contra affair , also referred to as Irangate, Contragate or Iran-Contra-Gate, was a political scandal in the United States that came to light in November 1986. During the Reagan administration, senior Reagan administration officials and President Reagan secretly facilitated the sale of...
because they believed one of them was relaying information to the Sandinista government.
In 1986, Barnes lost the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Maryland to Barbara Mikulski
Barbara Mikulski
Barbara Ann Mikulski is the senior United States Senator from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. Mikulski, a former U.S. Representative, is the longest-serving female senator in U.S...
and retired to private legal practice. From 2000 through 2006, he served as president of the Brady Campaign. Currently Barnes is Senior Of Counsel
Of counsel
Of counsel is often the title of an attorney who is employed by a law firm or an organization, but is not an associate or a partner. Some firms use titles like "counsel," "special counsel," and "senior counsel" for the same concept...
in the Washington, D.C., law firm of Covington & Burling
Covington & Burling
Covington & Burling LLP is an international law firm with offices in Beijing, Brussels, London, New York, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, San Diego, and Washington, DC. The firm advises multinational corporations on significant transactional, litigation, regulatory, and public policy matters...
.
Education
Barnes attended the Landon SchoolLandon School
The Landon School is a private, nonsectarian, college preparatory school for boys in grades 3-12, with an enrollment of approximately 675 students. The school sits on in Bethesda, Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C.-Background:...
in Bethesda, MD. He graduated from Principia High School in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, in 1962. He earned his B.A. from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 1965, where he was a member of the Delta Upsilon Fraternity. He attended the Graduate Institute of International Studies
Graduate Institute of International Studies
The Graduate Institute of International Studies, best known as HEI , was founded in 1927 as one of the first institutions in the world dedicated to the study of international relations...
in Geneva, Switzerland from 1965 to 1966. He attained his J.D. from George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
in 1972.