Joe Wilson (American politician): Difference between revisions
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Wilson was elected to the [[South Carolina Senate]] in 1984 as a Republican from [[Lexington County, South Carolina|Lexington County]], and never missed a statutory session in 17 years.{{fact}} After the Republicans gained control of the chamber in 1996, he became the first Republican to serve as Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. Wilson was a member of the [[Columbia College (Columbia, South Carolina)|Columbia College]] Board of Visitors and [[Coker College]] Board of Trustees. |
Wilson was elected to the [[South Carolina Senate]] in 1984 as a Republican from [[Lexington County, South Carolina|Lexington County]], and never missed a statutory session in 17 years.{{fact}} After the Republicans gained control of the chamber in 1996, he became the first Republican to serve as Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. Wilson was a member of the [[Columbia College (Columbia, South Carolina)|Columbia College]] Board of Visitors and [[Coker College]] Board of Trustees. |
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WAS SHRIEKING "LIAR" TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, WHEN THE PRESIDENT WAS NOT LYING. |
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==U.S. House of Representatives== |
==U.S. House of Representatives== |
Revision as of 05:15, 10 September 2009
Joe Wilson | |
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Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's 2nd district | |
Assumed office December 18, 2001 | |
Preceded by | Floyd Spence |
Personal details | |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Roxanne Wilson |
Children | Alan McCrory Wilson Addison Graves Wilson, Jr. Julian Dusenbury Wilson Hunter Taylor Wilson |
Residence | West Columbia, South Carolina |
Alma mater | Washington and Lee University, University of South Carolina |
Occupation | attorney |
Military service | |
Branch/service | United States Army United States Army National Guard |
Rank | Colonel |
Unit | Reserves South Carolina |
Addison Graves Wilson, Sr., usually known as Joe Wilson (born July 31, 1947) is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of South Carolina, currently representing the state's 2nd congressional district (map), in the U.S. House of Representatives. The district is based in the state capital, Columbia, and stretches to the resort towns of Beaufort and Hilton Head Island.
Political, legal, military, and state senate career
Wilson was born in Charleston, South Carolina to Hugh de Veaux Wilson and Wray Graves Wilson.
He was active in South Carolina Republican politics from a young age, participating in his first Republican campaign in 1962. As a teenager he joined the campaign of Congressman Floyd Spence, later working as an aide to Senator Strom Thurmond.
Wilson obtained bachelor's degree from Washington and Lee University in 1969, obtained a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1972, worked as a real estate attorney, and co-founded the law firm Kirkland, Wilson, Moore, Taylor & Thomas[1] in West Columbia, where he practiced for over 25 years. Wilson was also a Judge in Springdale.
From 1972 to 1975, Wilson served in the United States Army Reserve, and then as a Staff Judge Advocate in the South Carolina Army National Guard assigned to the 218th Mechanized Infantry Brigade until retiring from military service as a Colonel in 2003.
In 1981 and 1982, during the Reagan Administration, Wilson served as Deputy General Counsel for former Governor Jim Edwards at the U.S. Department of Energy.
Wilson was elected to the South Carolina Senate in 1984 as a Republican from Lexington County, and never missed a statutory session in 17 years.[citation needed] After the Republicans gained control of the chamber in 1996, he became the first Republican to serve as Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. Wilson was a member of the Columbia College Board of Visitors and Coker College Board of Trustees.
WAS SHRIEKING "LIAR" TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, WHEN THE PRESIDENT WAS NOT LYING.
U.S. House of Representatives
After Congressman Spence died in 2001, Wilson ran for his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He won the December 18 special election with 73 % of the vote.[2][3] He was sworn in the next day.
Wilson has continued Spence's pattern of conservative voting and strong support for the military. Unlike Spence however, he has attracted attention for controversial remarks. In September 2002, during a debate on the possibility of going to war in Iraq, Wilson called Congressman Bob Filner "viscerally anti-American" and claimed that he had a "hatred of America" after Filner suggested the United States supplied chemical and biological weapons to Saddam Hussein. Wilson said later that he didn't intend to insult Filner.[4]
Wilson won election to a full term in 2002 with 84 % of the vote.[2][5]
Wilson was mentioned as a possible candidate for retiring Senator Fritz Hollings' seat in 2004,[citation needed] but he decided to run for a second full term and beat his opponents, Democrat Michael Ray Ellisor and Constitution Party nominee Steve Lefemine, with 65 % of the vote[2][6]
In the 2006 elections, he defeated Ellisor again, gaining 62.7 % of the vote, and kept his House seat.[7]
In the 2008 general election, he faced his stiffest competition to date: Rob Miller won 46 % of the vote to Wilson's 54 %, the closest race in the district in 20 years.
Bills
Wilson has sponsored dozens and cosponsored hundreds of bills,[citation needed] issuing press releases regarding seven of them, concerning teacher recruitment and retention, college campus fire safety, National Guard troop levels, arming airline pilots, tax credits for adoption and living organ donors, and state defense forces, most of which are still in committee. As of January 2006, eight bills cosponsored by Wilson have been signed by the president, including H.R.1973, the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005, making safe water and sanitation an objective of U.S. assistance to developing countries.[citation needed]
Wilson is a staunch advocate of a federal prohibition of online poker. In 2006, he cosponsored H.R. 4411, the Goodlatte-Leach Internet Gambling Prohibition Act[8] and H.R. 4777, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act.[9]
Presidential address
During the September 9, 2009 speech to a joint session of Congress by President Obama, Wilson pointed and shouted "You lie!" as the President said there was no coverage for illegal immigrants in his healthcare plan.[10][11][12] Wilson left the House chamber immediately after the end of the speech.[13]
After the session, appearing on Larry King Live, Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) said, "Totally disrespectful. No place for it in that setting or any other and he should apologize immediately."[14][15]
Wilson later apologized, saying "This evening I let my emotions get the best of me when listening to the President’s remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants in the health care bill. While I disagree with the President’s statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the President for this lack of civility.”[16] He also called the White House to apologize personally. [17]
Committee assignments
Party leadership
House Republican Policy Committee.
Family
![]() | This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (April 2008) |
Joe and his wife Roxanne Dusenbury McCrory Wilson have four sons, all Eagle Scouts and four grandchildren. His oldest son Alan McCrory Wilson is also a lawyer, working as an Assistant Attorney General for South Carolina[18], and a Major in the Army National Guard, having served a year as an intelligence officer in southern Iraq. He is currently running of the Republican nomination for the South Carolina State Attorney General in 2010.[19] Addison G. "Add" Wilson, Jr. is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and is now an Lieutenant and graduate of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences medical school. Julian Dusenbury Wilson is a graduate of Clemson University and is a Captain in the Army National Guard. Hunter Taylor Wilson currently attends Clemson University, where he is a member of the Army ROTC, Army National Guard and the Sigma Chi Fraternity.
Joe's second oldest son Addison has two sons, Addison and Houston. In October 2007, Add and his wife Lauren had Emily Ruth Wilson. Joe's oldest son Alan and his wife Jennifer had their first son Michael McCrory Wilson on April 11, 2008. Joe's third son Julian was recently married to Joy Kimberly Strickland of Nichols.
Joe's father Hugh was a member of the Flying Tigers in World War II.[citation needed] The Wilson family attend First Presbyterian Church in Columbia.[citation needed] [20]
Electoral history
Year | Democrat | Votes | Pct | Republican | Votes | Pct | 3rd Party | Party | Votes | Pct | 3rd Party | Party | Votes | Pct | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | Jane Frederick | 110,672 | 41% | Floyd Spence * | 154,338 | 57% | Timothy Moultrie | Libertarian | 3,622 | 1% | George C. Taylor | Natural Law | 2,273 | 1% | |||||
2001 | Brent Weaver | 14,034 | 25% | Joe Wilson | 40,355 | 73% | Warren Eilertson | Libertarian | 420 | 1% | Steve Lefemine | Constitution | 404 | 1% | |||||
2002 | (no candidate) | Joe Wilson | 144,149 | 84% | Mark Whittington | United Citizens | 17,189 | 10% | James R. Legg | Libertarian | 9,650 | 6% | |||||||
2004 | Michael Ray Ellisor | 93,249 | 33% | Joe Wilson | 181,862 | 65% | Steve Lefemine | Constitution | 4,447 | 2% | |||||||||
2006 | Michael Ray Ellisor | 76,090 | 37% | Joe Wilson | 127,811 | 63% | |||||||||||||
2008 | Rob Miller | 158,627 | 46% | Joe Wilson | 184,583 | 54% |
* Floyd Spence died in office, causing the 2001 special election to be held. Wilson served the remainder of the term.
See also
References
- ^ Project Vote Smart - Representative Addison Graves 'Joe' Wilson Sr. - Biography
- ^ a b c AP.org web site. Accessed April 10, 2008.
- ^ a b Special election vote totals are at South Carolina Election Commission official web site; go to the page for December 18, 2001 special election. Accessed April 10, 2008].
- ^ Washington Post article
- ^ He received 144,149 votes to 17,189 and 9,650 minor party candidates with 371 write-in votes. See South Carolina Election Commission official web site, go to the page for November 5, 2002 general election. Accessed April 10, 2008].
- ^ Wilson got 181,862 votes to 93,249 for Democrat Ellisor, and 4,447 for minor party candidate Lefemine, with 312 write-ins. See South Carolina Election Commission official web site, go to the page for November 2, 2004 general election. Accessed April 10, 2008].
- ^ Wilson received 127,811 votes to Ellisor's 76,090 votes, with 151 write-ins. See South Carolina Election Commission official web site, go to the page for November 7, 2006 general election. Accessed April 10, 2008].
- ^ Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 4411
- ^ Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 4777
- ^ "Obama heckled by GOP during speech to Congress". Associated Press. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
{{cite news}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameters:|trans_title=
and|coauthors=
(help) - ^ Politico:"A voice from the floor on illegal immigrants: 'Lie'"Retrieved September 9, 2009
- ^ "The Huffington Post: "GOP Rep Joe Wilson Yells Out "Lie" During Obama Health Care Speech To Congress (VIDEO)" Retrieved September 9, 2009
- ^ Spillius, Alex (2009-09-10). "Barack Obama health care speech: Republican calls president a liar". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
- ^ CNN.com - Transcripts
- ^ The Daily Voice: "South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson calls the President a liar during speech" Retrieved September 9,2009
- ^ "Wilson apologizes: 'I let my emotions get the best of me'" Retrieved September 9, 2009
- ^ "South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson shouts, 'You lie' at Obama" Retrieved September 9, 2009
- ^ Biographical note on Alan Wilson, Attorney at Willoughby & Hoefer, P. A. Retrieved September 9, 2009
- ^ O'Connor, John (August 25, 2008). "Wilson to run for attorney general". The State. Retrieved September 9, 2009.
- ^ Insert footnote text here
- ^ "Election Statistics". Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
External links
- U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson, U.S. House site
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Profile at Vote Smart
- SourceWatch Congresspedia — Joe Wilson profile
- Joe Wilson for U.S. Congress, Campaign site
- Congressman with military ties backs Iraq war Darran Simon, Medill News Service, February 18, 2004
- Don’t Turn Back the Page on Border Security Op-Ed by Joe Wilson, February 3, 2008