Joe Lieberman
Prior offices
Connecticut State Senate
Attorney General of Connecticut
U.S. Senate Connecticut
Personal
Joe Lieberman (b. February 24, 1942) was an independent member of the U.S. Senate from the state of Connecticut. However, Lieberman aligned himself with the Democratic party, and was a member of the Senate Democratic Caucus, having been officially listed as an Independent Democrat.[1] Lieberman served in the U.S. Senate from 1989 to 2013.
Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Lieberman was a "centrist Independent."[2]
Lieberman did not seek re-election in 2012. Eleven candidates ran for Lieberman's Senate seat in the primary election on August 14, 2012.[3] Democrat Chris Murphy won the general election on November 6, 2012, to succeed Lieberman.
Lieberman passed away on March 27, 2024.[4]
Biography
Lieberman was born in Stamford, Connecticut, on February 24, 1942, and attended public schools there. He received his bachelor's degree from Yale College in 1964 and his law degree from Yale Law School in 1967.[5]
Career
- 1970-1980:Connecticut State Senate, Majority Leader 1974-1980
- 1980-1982: Returned to private legal practice
- 1983-1988: Connecticut's 21st Attorney General.[6]
- 1989-2013: U.S. Senate
- 2013-2024: Senior counsel at Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman LLP; Co-chairman of the American Enterprise Institute's American Internationalism Project; Chairman of the executive board of Victory Park Capital[7]
Committee assignments
U.S. Senate
2011-2012
Issues
Political positions
During his re-election bid in 2006, Lieberman lost the Democratic Party primary election but won re-election in the general election as a minor party candidate under the party label "Connecticut for Lieberman." Lieberman himself was not a member of the Connecticut for Lieberman party; he was a registered Democrat.[8]
Lieberman was officially listed in Senate records for the 110th, 111th, and 112th Congresses as an "Independent Democrat" and sat as part of the Senate Democratic Caucus.[9]
Fiscal Cliff
Lieberman voted for the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. The bill was passed in the Senate by an 89 - 8 vote on January 1, 2013.[10]
Lobbying position after leaving office
Lieberman was listed in March 2013 by USA Today as one of 16 former lawmakers who had taken on a lobbying related position after leaving office since January 2011. Former lawmakers may take positions with either lobbying firms or trade associations. Former U.S. House members are barred from lobbying their former colleagues for one year, and former U.S. Senate members are barred for two years. There are no restrictions, however, on providing advice to those who seek to shape federal legislation. Former legislators can also immediately lobby the executive branch and officials in state and local governments.[11]
Elections
2012
- See also: United States Senate elections in Connecticut, 2012
Lieberman did not run for re-election in 2012.[12] Chris Murphy (D) defeated Linda McMahon (R) in the general election on November 6, 2012.
2006
On November 7, 2006, Lieberman won re-election to the United States Senate. He defeated Ned Lamont (D), Alan Schlesinger (R), Ralph A. Ferrucci (G), Timothy A. Knibbs (I), and Carl E. Vassar (I)in the general election.[13]
| United States Senate, Connecticut General Election, 2006 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Ct. for Lieberman |
 Joe Lieberman Incumbent |
49.7% |
564,095 |
| |
Democratic |
Ned Lamont |
39.7% |
450,844 |
| |
Republican |
Alan Schlesinger |
9.6% |
109,198 |
| |
Green |
Ralph A. Ferrucci |
0.5% |
5,922 |
| |
Independent |
Timothy A. Knibbs |
0.4% |
4,638 |
| |
Independent |
Carl E. Vasar |
0% |
80 |
| Total Votes |
1,134,777 |
Campaign donors
2006
Breakdown of the source of Lieberman's campaign funds before the 2006 election.
Lieberman won re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2006. During that re-election cycle, Lieberman's campaign committee raised a total of $20,219,460 and spent $19,099,162.[14]
| U.S. Senate, Connecticut, 2006 - Joe Lieberman (Connecticut) Campaign Contributions |
| Total Raised |
$20,219,460 |
| Total Spent |
$19,099,162 |
| Total Raised by General Election Opponent |
$20,580,603 |
| Total Spent by General Election Opponent |
$20,557,117 |
| Top contributors to Joe Lieberman (Connecticut)'s campaign committee |
| United Technologies | $143,850 |
| Sempra Energy | $119,600 |
| Purdue Pharma | $108,100 |
| International Specialty Products | $94,000 |
| Lehman Brothers | $92,000 |
| Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee |
| Securities & Investment | $2,327,500 |
| Real Estate | $1,714,322 |
| Pro-Israel | $1,216,016 |
| Lawyers/Law Firms | $1,168,206 |
| Retired | $962,418 |
Analysis
Congressional staff salaries
- See also: Staff salaries of United States Senators and Representatives
The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Lieberman paid his congressional staff a total of $2,780,865 in 2011. He ranked first on the list of the highest paid Independent senatorial staff salaries and ranked 76th overall of the lowest paid senatorial staff salaries in 2011. Overall, Connecticut ranked 14th in average salary for senatorial staff. The average U.S. Senate congressional staff was paid $2,529,141.70 in fiscal year 2011.[15]
Net worth
- See also: Changes in Net Worth of U.S. Senators and Representatives (Personal Gain Index) and Net worth of United States Senators and Representatives
Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Lieberman's net worth as of 2010 was estimated between $907,082 and $3,056,000. That averages to $1,981,541, which was lower than the average net worth of Independent Senators in 2010 of $1,205,273.[16]
National Journal vote ratings
- See also: National Journal vote ratings
2012
Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year. Lieberman ranked 50th in the liberal rankings among U.S. senators in 2012.[17]
2011
Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year. Lieberman ranked 51st in the liberal rankings among U.S. senators.[18]
Voting with party
Joe Lieberman voted with the Democratic Party 0 of the time, which ranked 0 among the 51 House Democratic members as of November 2011.[19]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term Joe + Lieberman + Connecticut + Senate
Personal
Lieberman lived in Stamford and Washington with his wife Hadassah. He had four children and 11 grandchildren.[20] The Liebermans keep a kosher home and observe Shabbat.[21] Lieberman was previously married to Betty Haas. The couple divorced in 1981.[22]
External links
- Social media:
- Biographies:
- Political profiles:
- Financial (federal level):
- Interest group ratings:
- Issue positions:
- Public statements:
- Voting record:
- Works by or about:
- Media appearances:
- Media coverage:
- ↑ U.S. Senate:Senate Home, "Senators of the 112th Congress" accessed October 13, 2011
- ↑ GovTrack, "Joe Lieberman," accessed March 3, 2012
- ↑ News Times, "Shays Officially Announces Senate Bid," accessed February 18, 2012
- ↑ CNN, "Former Sen. Joe Lieberman dies at 82," accessed March 27, 2024
- ↑ Senator Joseph Lieberman (CT) "Biography" Access October 12, 2011
- ↑ Senator Joseph Lieberman (CT) "Biography" Access October 12, 2011
- ↑ Politico, "Joe Lieberman to Victory Park Capital," accessed January 2, 2014
- ↑ Senator Joseph Lieberman (CT) "Biography" Access October 12, 2011|Lieberman
- ↑ Senator Joseph Lieberman (CT) "Biography" Access October 12, 2011|Lieberman
- ↑ U.S. Senate, "Roll Call Vote on the Fiscal Cliff," accessed January 4, 2013
- ↑ USA Today, "Ex-lawmakers go to lobbying-related jobs," March 26, 2013
- ↑ Politico, "Joe Lieberman won't seek re-election in 2012," January 18, 2011
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2006"
- ↑ Open Secrets, "Joe Lieberman 2006 Election Cycle," accessed November 6, 2011
- ↑ LegiStorm, "Joe Lieberman"
- ↑ OpenSecrets, "Lieberman, (I-CT), 2010"
- ↑ National Journal, "2012 Congressional Vote Ratings," February 21, 2013
- ↑ National Journal, "Searchable Vote Ratings Tables: Senate," accessed February 23, 2012
- ↑ OpenCongress, "Voting With Party," accessed July 2014
- ↑ Senator Joseph Lieberman (CT) "Biography" accessed October 12, 2011
- ↑ Joe Lieberman, "Personal Life" accessed October 12, 2011
- ↑ Joe Lieberman, "Personal Life" Access October 12, 2011
| Political offices
|
Preceded by
Lowell P. Weicker, Jr.
|
U.S. Senate - Connecticut
1989-2013
|
Succeeded by
Chris Murphy (D)
|
