Donald W. Riegle, Jr.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Donald Riegle
United States Senator from Michigan
In office December 30, 1976 – January 3, 1995
Preceded by	Philip A. Hart
Succeeded by	Spencer Abraham
Born	February 4, 1938 (1938-02-04) (age 70) Flint, Michigan
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Religion	Methodist

Donald Wayne Riegle Jr. (born February 4, 1938) is an American politician from Michigan, who served as both a Congressman and a Senator. He was one of the "Keating Five", senators who were investigated as part of a Savings and Loan scandal in the 1980s. His father, Donald W. Riegle, was mayor of Flint, Michigan.

[edit] Early life

He was born in Flint, Michigan and attended Flint Central High School. He then attended Flint Junior College and Western University before graduating from the University of Michigan in 1960. He received a graduate degree from Michigan State University in 1961 and attended the Harvard Business School. He was a businessman and faculty member at Michigan State University, Boston University, and Harvard University.

[edit] Political life

In 1966, Riegle defeated incumbent Democrat (United States) U.S. Representative John C. Mackie to be elected from Michigan's 7th congressional district to the 90th Congress. He was subsequently re-elected as a Republican in the next three elections. In 1973, he changed party affiliation to become a Democrat and was re-elected to the 94th Congress. He did not run for reelection to the House in 1976, but was elected to the U.S. Senate for the term commencing January 3, 1977. On December 30, 1976, before the new term began, he resigned from the House and was appointed by the Governor to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Senator Philip A. Hart for the term ending January 3, 1977. He was reelected to the Senate in 1982 and 1988, but did not seek re-election in 1994, after his involvement with Lincoln Savings and the Keating Five scandal was revealed to the public.

He was chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, 1989–1995. He was a member of the Senate Committee on Budget from 1979 to 1994. In 1994, he delivered what is commonly referred to as the Riegle Report to the U.S. Senate, asking for further investigation and recourse for war veterans suffering from Gulf War syndrome.

In 1995, he joined Weber Shandwick Public Affairs in Washington, D.C., serving as executive committee chair. He has been an adjunct professor at Michigan State University School of Business since 1995. He also serves as a senior strategist for business and finance with APCO Worldwide. In 1972, he published a light-hearted but idealistic reminiscence of his early years in public office, "O Congress."

[edit] References

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• The Political Graveyard

v • d • e United States Senators from Michigan Class 1: Lyon • Porter • Cass • Fitzgerald • Cass • Chandler • Christiancy • Chandler • Baldwin • Conger • Stockbridge • Patton • Burrows • Townsend • Ferris • Vandenberg • Moody • Potter • Hart • Riegle • Abraham • Stabenow Class 2: Norvell • Woodbridge • Felch • Stuart • Bingham • Howard • Ferry • Palmer • McMillan • Alger • Smith • Newberry • Couzens • Brown • Ferguson • McNamara • Griffin • Levin