Heather Wilson

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Heather Wilson
Heather Wilson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Mexico's 1st district
Incumbent
Assumed office 
June 23, 1998
Preceded by Steven Schiff
Born December 30, 1960 (1960-12-30) (age 47)
Keene, New Hampshire
Political party Republican
Spouse Jay Hone
Religion Methodist

Heather A. Wilson (born December 30, 1960), is a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives representing New Mexico's 1st congressional district for an entire decade 1998-2008. She is the second female veteran to be elected to Congress.[1] Much of Wilson's legislative focus has been on national security issues. She opted not to run for reelection in 2008 and sought the U.S. Senate seat of retiring senator Pete Domenici but lost in the Republican primary.

Currently, she is under a preliminary investigation by the House Ethics Committee over an alleged inappropriate contact with the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico by inquiring, shortly before an election in which she faced a stiff challenge, on the status of a corruption investigation involving a Democratic politician.

Contents

[edit] Early life and career

Born in Keene, New Hampshire, Wilson joined the United States Air Force at the age of seventeen, graduating four years later as a Distinguished Graduate (magna cum laude equivalent) from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1982.[2] A Rhodes Scholar, she continued her education at Jesus College, Oxford University, earning a D.Phil.. in International Relations.[2]

Upon leaving the Air Force in 1989, Wilson became Director for European Defense Policy and Arms Control on the National Security Council. After leaving government, she founded Keystone International, Inc. in 1991 to promote business development in the United States and Russia. She was the Secretary of the New Mexico Children, Youth and Family Department.

Wilson is the first woman to represent New Mexico since Georgia Lusk in the 1940s, and is the second female veteran to be elected to Congress, the first being the Louisianan Democrat Catherine S. Long in 1985.[3][1]. In the House, she serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Select Committee on Intelligence.

From 1999 to 2000 she won several awards including the "Hero of the Taxpayer Award"(1999).[2]

As of September 2007, Wilson is a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership, a coalition of centrist Republican leaders.[4] Wilson has appeared on HBO's Real Time With Bill Maher.[5]

Since 2001, Congresswoman Wilson has been a member of the House Page Board, and is currently a member of the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's caucus.

[edit] House of Representatives

[edit] 1998 election

Wilson was elected as a Republican member of the House of Representatives in 1998 to represent New Mexico's first district.

[edit] 2004 election

In her campaign for congress, the Republican National Committee provided a great deal of Wilson's campaign funds because of her perceived strong credentials on national security.

Wilson was the number-four recipient of money from then-U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's ARMPAC campaign contributions. ARMPAC was subsequently dismantled due to its fraudulent distribution of funds. Wilson returned $10,000 of the $46,959 she received from ARMPAC, though Democrats called on her to return all of the money.[6][7]

During Wilson's reelection campaign in 2004, her political opponent, Richard Romero, ran advertisements that made the suggestion that her votes in Congress aided Osama bin Laden because she had voted against a bill to require the screening of cargo holds. Wilson's campaign countered with a policy ad stating "Richard Romero opposes death penalty for child molesters who kill their victims."

Following a debate with Romero, former New Mexico Republican Governor David Cargo said, "She is essentially a fairly conservative Republican."[8] That year, the Albuquerque Tribune also wrote, "In reality, Wilson's six-year record of voting in Congress reveals a loyal, dependable vote for the official Republican Party position on the overwhelming majority of issues. Much more so than either of the Republican congressmen who represented Albuquerque before her. During the last three years of [Steve] Schiff's tenure in Congress (1995–1997), he voted the Republican Party line 78 percent of the time. During the last three years of [Manny] Lujan's service (1986–1988), he voted with the House Republican leadership 65 percent of the time."[8]

Wilson won the election by a 10% margin over Romero, the same margin of victory she had against Romero in the 2002 election.

[edit] 2006 election

In the 2006 elections, Heather Wilson faced an election day challenge from New Mexico Attorney General Patricia A. Madrid. The race was Wilson's toughest challenge since taking office. Since early September 2006, Wilson had been behind in all polls. For example, a poll taken from October 24-29 by Reuters/Zogby showed Madrid leading Wilson 53-44.[9] Nevertheless, the election day results were far more favorable to Wilson. According to the Albuquerque Journal on Thursday, November 9, 2006, Wilson possessed a 1,300-plus-vote lead with 99% of the votes counted. Nevertheless, the final results and a formal certification of a winner needed to be delayed until additional hand-tallying of paper ballots and provisional ballots were completed. (Historically many provisional ballots are thrown out because of lack of signatures or many are not registered voters, according to County Clerk Mary Herrera.) Later that same day (November 9th), Wilson declared victory in the congressional race, although Madrid refused to concede. Finally, on Tuesday, November 21, 2006, two weeks after the election, Madrid conceded to Heather Wilson. Wilson won the election by 875 (out of 211,000) votes, or 0.4% [10]

[edit] Committee Assignments

  • Committee on Energy and Commerce
    • Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials
    • Subcommittee on Health
    • Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet
  • Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
    • Subcommittee on Technical and Tactical Intelligence (Ranking Member)
    • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
  • Honorary Board Member of the Society for the Advancement of Women's Health Research
  • Honorary Board Member of the UNM ROTC Alumni Association
  • Honorary Board Member of the UNM Naval ROTC Alumni Association
  • Honorary Board Member of the NM Women's Summit 2000
  • Honorary Board Member of the Scouting Leadership Council
  • Honorary Board Member of the Congressional Youth Leadership Council
  • Honorary Board Member of the Greater Albuquerque's Promise (The Alliance for Youth)
  • Honorary Board Member of Quality New Mexico

[edit] Political actions and positions

[edit] Super Bowl halftime show controversy

In 2004, Wilson denounced CBS and Viacom at a House FCC Hearing following Janet Jackson's halftime performance at Super Bowl XXXVIII in which Jackson revealed her nipple. She said to the president of Viacom, "You knew what you were doing. You knew what kind of entertainment you're selling, and you wanted us all to be abuzz, here in this room and on the playground in my kids' school, because it improves your ratings. It improves your market share, and it lines your pockets." Gail Shister, television columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, characterized the reaction as "a tempest in a teacup" and "a great election year issue". Frank Rich, columnist for the New York Times, called it "congressional grandstanding".[11]

[edit] NSA warrantless domestic surveillance

On February 7, 2006, Heather Wilson called for a full congressional inquiry into the NSA warrantless surveillance. Eric Lichtblau of The New York Times said that "the congresswoman's discomfort with the operation appears to reflect deepening fissures among Republicans over the program's legal basis and political liabilities"[12]

[edit] Federal government negotiating with drug companies

In 2003, Wilson voted against allowing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower drug prices with pharmaceutical companies. The Secretary would have the authority to use the purchasing power of the federal government to negotiate contracts with manufacturers in order to ensure that enrollees in the new Medicare prescription drug benefit paid the lowest possible price. Drug manufacturers lobbied heavily against drug re-importation and price negotiations in part because of the lower consumer costs it would bring.[13]

[edit] Environmental record

Wilson has voted in favor of legislation to make the EPA a cabinet department, to expedite forest thinning projects, and to deauthorize critical habitat designated by the Endangered Species Act.[14] The League of Conservation Voters recently named her to its “Dirty Dozen” list of environmentally irresponsible federal officeholders, citing her support for uranium industry practices that contaminate groundwater, for policies that would allow “unlimited mining waste dumping on public lands,” and for reduced accountablility for mining companies implicated in pollution.[15] Wilson has also been criticized by New Mexico farmers for what they see as her anti-environment stance: she voted against a $58 million dollar fund for voluntary conservation measures in the state.[16] The League of Conservation Voters gave Wilson an “abysmal” rating on its 2003 National Scorecard, rebuking her for taking more than $100,000 in campaign contributions from the Energy Lobby.[17]

[edit] Voting patterns

Wilson often describes herself as an "independent". According to the Congressional Quarterly, from 2001 to 2003, Wilson voted in agreement with the Republican Party at least 90 percent of the time. This dropped to roughly 80 percent in 2004 and 2005. From 2001 to 2004, she voted in support of president George W. Bush nearly 90 percent of the time, falling to 70 percent in 2005.[18] The Albuquerque Journal reported several instances in 2004 when Wilson acted in opposition to Republican interests: requiring the Bush administration to release cost figures for his prescription drug plan, lecturing the Republican Defense Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, about the importance of the Geneva Conventions during an Abu Ghraib hearing and opposing a move by House Republicans to protect Tom Delay from his fundraising scandal. Critics said these were calculated moves to moderate her image for her upcoming election. Later, she lost her seat on the House Armed Services Committee due to the actions of Republican Joe Barton, an ally of Delay.[19][20][21]

[edit] United States Senate campaign, 2008

Main article: United States Senate election in New Mexico, 2008

On October 5, 2007, she announced she will run for the U.S. Senate to replace retiring senator Pete Domenici in 2008.[22] In November she raised $110,000 at a Washington fundraiser with Vice President Dick Cheney.[23]

In March 2008, Wilson's Senate opponent Congressman Steve Pearce received 54.51 % of the delegate vote in a pre-primary nominating convention.[24]

Wilson was defeated by Pearce in the June 3, 2008 primary by a margin of 51% to 49%.[25]

[edit] Controversy and criticism

[edit] Fired US attorneys

Main article: Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy
Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy

Prior to the 2006 midterm election Rep. Heather Wilson called and allegedly pressured New Mexico U.S. attorney David Iglesias "to speed up indictments in a federal corruption investigation that involved at least one former Democratic state Senator."[26]

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) issued subpoenas to require Iglesias, among other recently ousted U.S. attorneys, to testify before Congress about their firings.[27][28] Iglesias testified that Wilson asked him whether the Senator would be indicted prior to the November election — information he was not permitted to divulge.[29] He said Wilson was curt after Iglesias was non-responsive to her questions. Iglesias was fired one week afterward by the Bush Administration.[29]

In a March 2007 statement, Wilson admitted making such a call, but stated "My call was not about any particular case or person, nor was it motivated by politics or partisanship."[30]

Ex. Gov. David Cargo (R-NM) accused Wilson of "essentially taking the Fifth [Amendment]" defense thus far.[31] Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez, a Democrat, called Wilson’s actions “reprehensible," and predicted that "Heather Wilson will no longer be elected in New Mexico.”[32]

In January 2008, The Hill reported that both Congressional and Justice Department investigations into the incident were on-going with results expected before Wilson's November 2008 Senate election.[33]

[edit] Department of Children, Youth and Families file

In 1996, while working as the Secretary of the State of New Mexico's Department of Children, Youth and Families, Wilson moved a confidential file whose contents involved her husband from the Department's central location. When a local news station reported this, Wilson stated that she didn't "remove" the file. In a 1998 campaign ad, Wilson's Democratic opponent charged that Wilson lied with that statement and that her act was an abuse of power, allegations she vehemently denied. Wilson's spokesman said her intent was to safeguard, not remove, its contents from illegal access.[34][35][36]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Stone, Andrea (2006-08-30). Race tests value, or cost, of loyalty. USA Today. Retrieved on 2008-05-27.
  2. ^ a b c Wilson, Heather. "Official Biography of Congresswoman Heather Wilson", Congressional Biography, 2007. Retrieved on 2006-03-16. 
  3. ^ Long, Catherine Small, Biographical information. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved on 2008-05-27.
  4. ^ Republican Main Street Partnership Website. Retrieved on 2007-10-05.
  5. ^ Broadcast Transcript. Bill Maher (September 19, 2003). Retrieved on 2007-09-29.
  6. ^ ourfuture.org
  7. ^ Trenkle, Jason. "DeLay's PAC gave money to NM reps; Wilson returned it", New Mexico Business Weekly, September 30, 2005. Retrieved on 2007-03-25. 
  8. ^ a b Albuquerque Tribune, 9/19/04
  9. ^ Breaking Elections News, Latest Headlines & More | US Elections 2006 | Reuters.com
  10. ^ CNN 2004 election results. Retrieved on 2008-02-06.
  11. ^ Congress Discovers Sex. CNN (February 15, 2004). Retrieved on 2007-10-05.
  12. ^ Lichtblau, Eric; Scott Shane. "Republican Who Oversees N.S.A. Calls for Wiretap Inquiry", New York Times, February 8, 2006, Wednesday. 
  13. ^ H.R. 1, Vote # 668, 11/21/03
  14. ^ ontheissues.org
  15. ^ LCV Press Release
  16. ^ LCV Press Release
  17. ^ LCV Press Release
  18. ^ Coleman, Michael (March 12, 2006). Wilson Record a Maverick Streak, Not GOP Buckin'. Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved on 2007-10-06.
  19. ^ Coleman, Michael (December 17, 2004). Wilson Scrambling To Keep Energy Seat. Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved on 2007-10-06.
  20. ^ Fleck, John (January 27, 2005). Wilson Will Return to Intelligence Panel. Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved on 2007-10-06.
  21. ^ Coleman, Michael (January 30, 2005). N.M. Delegation Heads to Capitol With High Hopes. Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved on 2007-10-06.
  22. ^ Wilson announces Senate run. The Associated Press (October 5, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-10-05.
  23. ^ Blake, Aaron (November 16, 2007). Wilson pulls $110,000 at Cheney fundraiser. The Hill. Retrieved on 2007-11-18.
  24. ^ State Republican Pre-Primary Convention Results. Republican Party of New Mexico (2008-03-17). Retrieved on 2008-05-27.
  25. ^ N.M., N.J. voters pick Senate nominees. The Associated Press (2008-06-04). Retrieved on 2008-06-04.
  26. ^ Taylor, Marisa. "Sources: GOP lawmakers tried to influence federal investigation", McClatchy Newspapers, March 1, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-03-16. 
  27. ^ realcities.com
  28. ^ "Fired U.S. attorney alleges political pressure", Dallas Morning News, Washington Post, February 28, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-03-25. 
  29. ^ a b Upton, Reed. "Iglesias says he felt pressure from Domenici, Wilson", KOB-TV, March 7, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-03-16. 
  30. ^ Wilson, Heather. "Statement from Congresswoman Heather Wilson", Washington Post, March 5, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-03-16. 
  31. ^ Gisick, Michael. "Statement GOP VIPs ponder David Iglesias fallout", Albuquerque Tribune, March 3, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-03-16. 
  32. ^ Horrigan, Marie. "New Mexico Measures Impact of Domenici’s, Wilson’s Calls to Prosecutors", New York Times, March 7, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-03-16. 
  33. ^ Raju, Manu (January 22, 2008). Attorneys probe deepens. The Hill. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  34. ^ Eichstaedt, Peter (August 9, 1996). DA Plans Check on Wilson Records. Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved on 2007-04-12.
  35. ^ Lumpkin, John J. (June 17, 1998). Former DA Says Wilson Broke No Law Over File. Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved on 2007-04-10.
  36. ^ Linthicum, Leslie (July 19, 1998). Friends Say Wilson's Husband Content on Sidelines. Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved on 2007-04-10.

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Preceded by
Steven Schiff		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Mexico's 1st congressional district
1998–current		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
v • d • e
New Mexico's current delegation to the United States Congress
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Heather Wilson (R), Steve Pearce (R), Tom Udall (D)
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