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  Frank, Barney
CANDIDATE DETAILS
AffiliationDemocratic  
<-  2011-01-03  
 
NameBarney Frank
Address274 Grove Street
Newton, Massachusetts , United States
EmailNone
Website [Link]
Born March 31, 1940 (83 years)
ContributorBarack O-blame-a
Last ModifedCraverguy
Jul 07, 2012 09:49pm
Tags Caucasian - Jewish - Married - Reprimanded - Judaism - Gay -
InfoBarnett "Barney" Frank is an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives. He is a Democrat and has represented Massachusetts's 4th congressional district since 1981. Following the Democratic takeover of the House of Representatives in the 2006 midterm elections, Frank assumed the chairmanship of the House Financial Services Committee.

Frank was born in Bayonne, New Jersey and was educated at Harvard College, where he resided in Winthrop House, graduating in 1962. He taught undergraduates at Harvard while studying for a PhD, but left in 1968, before completing that degree, to become the Chief Assistant to Mayor Kevin White of Boston, a position he held for three years. He then served for one year as Administrative Assistant to Congressman Michael J. Harrington.

In 1972, Frank was elected to the Massachusetts Legislature, where he served for eight years. During that time, he entered Harvard Law School and graduated in 1977.

While in state and local government, Frank taught part time at the University of Massachusetts Boston, the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and at Boston University. He published numerous articles on politics and public affairs, and in 1992 he published Speaking Frankly, an essay on the role the Democratic Party should play in the 1990s.

In 1979, Frank became a member of the Massachusetts Bar, before being elected to Congress in 1980. He was elected to fill the seat of Father Robert Drinan, who had been ordered to leave politics by Pope John Paul II. In 1982, redistricting forced him to run against Republican Margaret Heckler. An underdog, he focused on Heckler's support for President Reagan — and won by 20 percentage points. Since then, he has been re-elected consistently and easily. Frank is the current chairman on the Financial Services Committee.

Frank is a prominent figure in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party and has been outspoken on many civil rights issues, including gay rights. In 1987, he spoke publicly about his homosexuality for the first time. He said in a 1996 interview: "I'm used to being in the minority. I'm a left-handed gay Jew. I've never felt, automatically, a member of any majority."

In 1990, the House voted to reprimand Frank when it was revealed that Steve Gobie, a male prostitute that Rep. Frank had befriended after hiring him through a personal advertisement, claimed to have conducted a prostitution ring from Frank's apartment when he was not at home. Frank had dismissed Gobie earlier that year and reported the incident to the House Ethics Committee after learning of Gobie's activities. After an investigation, the House Ethics Committee found no evidence that Frank had known of or been involved in the alleged illegal activity. Gobie disputes Frank's account.

The New York Times reported on July 20, 1990 that The House Ethics Committee recommended "that Representative Barney Frank receive a formal reprimand from the House for his relationship with a male prostitute" Attempts to expel or censure Frank failed; instead the House voted 408-18 to reprimand him. This condemnation was not reflected in Frank's district, where he won re-election in 1990 with 66 percent of the vote, and has won by larger margins ever since.

In 1995, former Republican House Majority Leader Dick Armey bashed Frank when he referred to Frank as "Barney Fag" in a press interview. Armey apologized and claimed it was "a slip of the tongue". Frank did not accept the "slip of the tongue" excuse and famously responded, "My mother says that in 59 years since being married to my father, no one had ever called her Elsie Fag."

In 1998, he founded the National Stonewall Democrats, the national gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Democratic organization.

In 2004 and again in 2006, a survey of Capitol Hill staffers published in Washingtonian magazine gave Frank the title of the "brainiest," "funniest," and "most eloquent" member of the House.

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EVENTS
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NEWS
Date Category Headline Article Contributor
Aug 03, 2013 10:00pm Blog Entry Former Congressman Barney Frank Finally Comes Out as an Atheist  Article Sesel 
Jul 07, 2012 12:00pm News Barney Frank Weds Jim Ready  Article Craverguy 
Jan 26, 2012 10:40am Announcement US Rep. Barney Frank to marry longtime partner  Article RP 
Nov 28, 2011 09:00am News Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Barney Frank to Retire  Article particleman 
Jan 20, 2010 05:00pm General Frank walks back his health bill compromise is 'dead' comment  Article Brandonius Maximus 
Oct 16, 2009 12:00pm Op-Ed by Candidate Barney Frank and the Planet of the Banks  Article Craverguy 

DISCUSSION
Importance? 8.25000 Average

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INFORMATION LINKS
Barney Frank For Congress  Discuss
RACES
  11/02/2010 MA - District 04 Won 53.90% (+10.54%)
  09/14/2010 MA District 4 - D Primary Won 79.40% (+58.96%)
  11/04/2008 MA - District 04 Won 67.95% (+42.66%)
  11/07/2006 MA - District 04 Won 98.48% (+96.95%)
  11/02/2004 MA - District 04 Won 77.88% (+55.75%)
  11/05/2002 MA District 4 Won 98.99% (+97.98%)
  11/07/2000 MA DIstrict 4 Won 74.90% (+53.79%)
  11/03/1998 MA District 4 Won 98.42% (+96.84%)
  11/05/1996 MA District 4 Won 71.64% (+43.31%)
  11/08/1994 MA District 4 Won 99.50% (+99.00%)
  09/20/1994 MA District 4 - D Primary Won 85.75% (+71.52%)
  11/03/1992 MA District 4 Won 67.69% (+41.50%)
  11/06/1990 MA District 4 Won 65.52% (+31.06%)
  11/08/1988 MA District 4 Won 68.61% (+37.22%)
  11/04/1986 MA District 4 Won 88.84% (+77.70%)
  09/16/1986 MA District 4 - D Primary Won 89.58% (+79.18%)
  11/06/1984 MA District 4 Won 74.20% (+48.40%)
  11/02/1982 MA District 4 Won 59.53% (+19.06%)
  11/04/1980 MA District 4 Won 51.89% (+3.80%)
  09/16/1980 MA District 4 - D Primary Won 52.06% (+5.52%)
  11/07/1978 MA State House - Eighth Suffolk Won 82.54% (+65.09%)
  09/19/1978 MA State House - Eighth Suffolk - D Primary Won 92.09% (+84.17%)
  11/02/1976 MA State House - Fifth Suffolk Won 79.16% (+58.32%)
  11/05/1974 MA State House - Fifth Suffolk Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/07/1972 MA State House - Fifth Suffolk Won 60.64% (+25.66%)
  09/19/1972 MA State House - Fifth Suffolk - D Primary Won 79.29% (+68.52%)
ENDORSEMENTS
CA District 30 - Open Primary - Mar 05, 2024 D Jirair Ratevosian
MA District 01 - D Primary - Sep 01, 2020 D Richard E. Neal
CA State Senate 11 - Nov 08, 2016 D Scott Wiener
MA US President - D Primary - Mar 01, 2016 D Hillary Clinton
MA US Senate - Special D Primary - Apr 30, 2013 D Edward J. Markey
MA District 4 - D Primary - Sep 06, 2012 D Joseph P. Kennedy, III
OH District 9 - D Primary - Mar 06, 2012 D Dennis J. Kucinich
US House Minority Whip - Nov 16, 2010 D Steny H. Hoyer
CA District 36 - D Primary - Jun 08, 2010 D Jane L. Harman
MA US Senate - Special D Primary - Dec 08, 2009 D Mike Capuano
MA US President - D Primary - Feb 05, 2008 D Hillary Clinton
US President - D Primaries - Jun 03, 2008 D Hillary Clinton
MA District 5 - Special D Primary - Sep 04, 2007 D Niki Tsongas
US House Majority Leader - Nov 16, 2006 D Steny H. Hoyer
DNC Party Chair - Feb 12, 2005 D Martin Frost
MA Governor - Nov 06, 1990 D John Silber
Boston Mayor - Nov 15, 1983 G-R Melvin H. "Mel" King
Boston Mayor - Primary - Oct 11, 1983 D Dennis J. Kearney
Boston Mayor - Nov 06, 1979 D Joseph F. Timilty, Jr.
Boston Mayor - Primary - Sep 25, 1979 G-R Melvin H. "Mel" King
MA Governor - Nov 07, 1978 R Francis W. Hatch, Jr.
MA US Senate - Nov 07, 1978 R Edward W. Brooke III
MA Governor - D Primary - Sep 19, 1978 D Barbara Ackermann
MA US Senate- D Primary - Sep 19, 1978 D Elaine Noble
MA US President - D Primary - Mar 02, 1976 D Morris K. "Mo" Udall
Boston Mayor - Nov 04, 1975 D Kevin H. White
MA US Senate - Nov 07, 1972 R Edward W. Brooke III
FEC COMMITTEES
C00128868 Barney Frank for Congress Committee $ 0.00