Dirk Kempthorne

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Dirk Kempthorne
49th United States Secretary of the Interior
Incumbent
Assumed office  May 26, 2006
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Gale Norton
30th Governor of Idaho
In office January 8, 1999 – May 26, 2006
Preceded by	Phil Batt
Succeeded by	Jim Risch
United States Senator from Idaho
In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1999
Preceded by	Steve Symms
Succeeded by	Mike Crapo
Born	October 29, 1951 (1951-10-29) (age 56) San Diego, California
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Patricia Kempthorne
Residence	Boise
Profession	United States Cabinet
Religion	Methodist

Dirk Arthur Kempthorne (born October 29, 1951 in San Diego, California), is the current U.S. Secretary of the Interior, serving since May 2006. A Republican, Kempthorne previously served as Governor and as a U.S. Senator from Idaho.

Kempthorne was first elected to public office as mayor of Boise in 1985, where he served for seven years. According to the New York Times, over the course of his career in public service, Kempthorne established a reputation as "a personable leader with a strong understanding of issues."^[1]

Kempthorne is notable for his conservative views, particularly on economic issues.

[edit] Early life, education, and early career

Kempthorne was raised in San Bernardino, California. Kempthorne attended and graduated from San Gorgonio High School in San Bernardino, California. He graduated from the University of Idaho in 1975 with a degree in political science, serving a term as student body president. Upon graduation Kempthorne served as an assistant to the director of the Idaho Department of Lands and then as executive vice president of the Idaho Home Builders Association.

In 1982, Kempthorne managed the gubernatorial campaign for Lt. Gov. Phil Batt, who lost to the incumbent Democrat, Governor John V. Evans.^[2] In 1983 Kempthorne became state public affairs manager for FMC Corporation.

Kempthorne and his wife, Patricia Kempthorne who are both University of Idaho graduates, have two adult children, Heather and Jeff.

Kempthorne is of Cornish ancestry[1].

[edit] Political career

[edit] Service for Idaho

Senator Kempthorne

Kempthorne's first major political victory was in 1985 when he was elected mayor of Boise. As mayor Kempthorne became very popular and was unopposed for reelection in 1989.

In 1992, U.S. Senator Steve Symms decided not to seek a third term and Kempthorne pursued the Republican nomination for the seat. In the general election, Kempthorne defeated Democratic Congressman Richard H. Stallings. In the Senate, Kempthorne sponsored and helped pass a bill meant to prohibit Congress from imposing unfunded federal mandates on states.

During his six years in the Senate, Kempthorne scored a "0" on the League of Conservation Voters' legislative scorecards every year except 1993, when he scored 6 percent on the basis of one vote against funding a rocket booster for the space program that environmentalists judged harmful to the environment. His overall LCV score for that period was less than 1%.^[3]

Kempthorne was expected to run for reelection in 1998, but instead decided to run for the open seat for governor. The incumbent, Phil Batt, finally elected in 1994, shocked the state by announcing his retirement after only one term in office. Kempthorne's Senate seat would be won by Republican Mike Crapo.

Kempthorne won the gubernatorial election in a landslide, receiving 68 percent of the vote while his Democratic opponent, Robert C. Huntley, received only 29 percent. He was reelected in 2002 with 56 percent of the vote, compared to his Democratic opponent, Jerry Brady, who polled 42 percent. Kempthorne's campaign spent nearly $200,000 more than it had received in contributions prior to the election; he spent the next two years raising funds to pay off the campaign debt. ^[4]

[edit] Secretary of the Interior

Kempthorne is sworn in as Secretary of the Interior on June 7, 2006.

On March 16, 2006, Kempthorne was nominated by President George W. Bush to replace Gale Norton as the 49th Secretary of the Interior. On May 10, 2006, Kempthorne's nomination was approved by voice vote by the United States Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. He was confirmed by the full Senate on May 26 and resigned as governor to accept the position the same day. Lieutenant Governor Jim Risch succeeded Kempthorne as governor, filling out remaining months of the term.

Kempthorne is the second Idahoan to hold the Cabinet post. Former Governor Cecil Andrus was the Secretary of the Interior under President Jimmy Carter, serving from 1977 to 1981.

Upon Kempthorne's appointment as Secretary of the Interior, environmental groups characterized him as someone who has "almost always favored changing laws like the Endangered Species Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act to make them more favorable to commercial interests."^[1]

As Secretary of the Interior, Kempthorne has come under criticism for not placing any plants or animals on the federal endangered species list since his confirmation on May 26, 2006. As of September 2007, Kempthorne holds the record for protecting fewer species over his tenure than any Interior Secretary in United States history, a record previously held by James G. Watt for over 20 years.^[5]

In late 2007, Kempthorne was sued for not taking action to approve or disapprove the St. Regis Mohawks' planned casino in Monticello, NY. In January 2008 Kempthorne's office denied an application for the Mohawks' opening of a casino in Monticello (Catskill areas of New York State). His move essentially kills the St. Regis Mohawks' plan to build a major casino at the Monticello Raceway. The department ruled that the site, some 350 miles south of the Akwesasne reservation that straddles the Canadian border, is too far to offer job opportunities to tribal residents. And if the residents moved away to be closer to the casino, that would have "negative impacts on tribal life." News Story Some press reports criticized the reasoning behind this decision because Kempthorne's office made statements in its rejection letter that implied it knew what was best for the St. Regis Mohawks-- instead of allowing them to decide their own futures.

[edit] See also

• Wise Use Movement

[edit] Notes

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Dirk Kempthorne

[edit] External links

• Department of the Interior website Sec. Kempthorne's biography
• The White House.gov Cabinet - Interior: Dirk Kempthorne

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v • d • e United States Secretaries of the Interior Ewing • McKennan • Stuart • McClelland • Thompson • C Smith • Usher • Harlan • Browning • Cox • Delano • Chandler • Schurz • Kirkwood • Teller • Lamar • Vilas • Noble • M Smith • Francis • Bliss • Hitchcock • Garfield • Ballinger • Fisher • Lane • Payne • Fall • Work • West • Wilbur • Ickes • Krug • Chapman • McKay • Seaton • Udall • Hickel • Morton • Hathaway • Kleppe • Andrus • Watt • Clark • Hodel • Lujan • Babbitt • Norton • Kempthorne

v • d • e Governors of Idaho Shoup • Willey • McConnell • Steunenberg • Hunt • Morrison • Gooding • Brady • Hawley • Haines • Alexander • Davis • Moore • Baldridge • Ross • B. Clark • Bottolfsen • C. Clark • Bottolfsen • Gossett • Williams • Robins • Jordan • Smylie • Samuelson • Andrus • Evans • Andrus • Batt • Kempthorne • Risch • Otter

v • d • e United States Senators from Idaho Class 2: Shoup • Dubois • Borah • Thomas • Gossett • Dworshak • Miller • Dworshak • Jordan • McClure • Craig Class 3: McConnell • Dubois • Heitfeld • Heyburn • Perky • Brady • Nugent • Gooding • Thomas • Pope • Clark • Taylor • Welker • Church • Symms • Kempthorne • Crapo

v • d • e Cabinet of President George W. Bush (2001 – 2009) Secretary of State Colin Powell (2001 – 2005) • Condoleezza Rice (2005 – present) Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neill (2001 – 2002) • John Snow (2002 – 2006) • Henry Paulson (2006 – present) Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld (2001 – 2006) • Robert Gates (2006 – present) Attorney General John Ashcroft (2001 – 2005) • Alberto Gonzales (2005 – 2007) • Michael Mukasey (2007 – present) Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton (2001 – 2006) • Dirk Kempthorne (2006 – present) Secretary of the Agriculture Ann Veneman (2001 – 2005) • Mike Johanns (2005 – 2007) • Ed Schafer (2008 – present) Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans (2001 – 2005) • Carlos Gutierrez (2005 – present) Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao (2001 – present) Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson (2001 – 2005) • Mike Leavitt (2005 – present) Secretary of Education Rod Paige (2001 – 2005) • Margaret Spellings (2005 – Present) Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Mel Martinez (2001 – 2003) • Alphonso Jackson (2003 – 2008) • Steve Preston (2008 – present) Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta (2001 – 2006) • Mary Peters (2006 – present) Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham (2001 – 2005) • Samuel Bodman (2005 – present) Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi (2001 – 2005) • Jim Nicholson (2005 – 2007) • James Peake (2007 – present) Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge (2003 – 2005) • Michael Chertoff (2005 – present) Chief of Staff Andrew Card (2001 – 2006) • Joshua Bolten (2006 – present) Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Christine Todd Whitman (2001 – 2003) • Mike Leavitt (2003 – 2005) • Stephen Johnson (2005 – present) Trade Representative Robert Zoellick (2001 – 2005) • Rob Portman (2005 – 2006) • Susan Schwab (2006 - present)