Robert Torricelli

Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox officeholder Robert Guy Torricelli<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> (born August 27, 1951) is an American attorney and former politician. A Democrat, Torricelli served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 9th district from 1983 to 1997 and as a United States senator from New Jersey from 1997 to 2003.

He is notable for his tenure as chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. In September 2002, Torricelli ended his Senate re-election campaign after having been formally admonished by the U.S. Senate in connection with a campaign finance scandal. He later founded Rosemont Associates and Woodrose Properties. Rosemont is an international consulting firm and Woodrose has developed and managed commercial and multi family real estate in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida.

Early life and education

Torricelli was born in Paterson, New Jersey, the son of Betty (Lotz), a school librarian, and Salvatore Torricelli, a lawyer.<ref name="ref a">Template:Cite web</ref> He attended boarding school at Storm King School in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York,<ref>Alumnus and Former US Senator Robert G. Torricelli Will Speak at Commencement, Storm King School, April 18, 2019</ref> where he earned the nickname "the Torch" for his aggressive campaigning style,<ref name="ref c"/> by which he would be referred to throughout his later political career.<ref>ON POLITICS; 'They Don't Call Him The Torch for Nothing', New York Times, Jan. 13, 2002</ref> After graduation from Storm King School, Torricelli attended Rutgers University, New Brunswick where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1974. He then earned his J.D. degree in 1977 from Rutgers Law School in Newark. He was admitted to the New Jersey bar in 1978 and later attended Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, earning a master's in public administration in 1980.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Career

Torricelli was an assistant to the Governor of New Jersey, Brendan Byrne, from 1975 to 1977. In 1978, he served as associate counsel to Vice President Walter Mondale,<ref name="ref a"/> and managed the Carter-Mondale campaign in the Illinois primary.<ref name="ref b"/> At the 1980 Democratic National Convention, he served as the director of the Rules Committee.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

U.S. Representative

In 1982, Torricelli ran for U.S. Congress, defeating incumbent Republican Harold Hollenbeck.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Torricelli served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983 until 1997 representing New Jersey's 9th congressional district.<ref name="ref c"/>

Torricelli was a resident of New Milford, New Jersey during his first term in Congress.<ref>Parisi, Albert J. "Return of Body Expected", The New York Times, January 30, 1983. Accessed June 2, 2017. "A body that may be that of a missing New Jersey freelance journalist is expected to be shipped to the United States this week at the request of Representative Robert Torricelli, a freshman Democrat from New Milford."</ref><ref>Barone, Michael; and Ujifusa, Grant. The Almanac of American Politics 1988, p. 755. National Journal, 1987.</ref>

Torricelli was Democratic floor leader in the Persian Gulf War discussion regarding the adoption of the "Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution" in 1991 and gave the closing speech.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

In 1988, Torricelli visited Cuba and stated, "Living standards are not high, but the homelessness, hunger and disease that is witnessed in much of Latin America does not appear evident."<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> He sponsored the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 which prohibits U.S. trade with Cuba.<ref name="ref b" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Torricelli stated that the act would "wreak havoc on that island. He defended the legislation as necessary to force democratic refirm on the island and halt Castro’s export of violent revolution in Latin America. After candidate Bill Clinton endorsed the legislation, President Bush signed it."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Academic Helen Yaffe writes that between Toricelli's 1988 visit and the 1992 Act, he received significant campaign contributions from the Cuban American National Foundation.<ref name=":0" />

He was chairman of the House subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

U.S. Senator

Torricelli was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996, defeating Republican Congressman Dick Zimmer by 291,511 votes to obtain the seat vacated by the retirement of Democratic Senator Bill Bradley.<ref name="ref c"/> It was later found that six donors had made illegal contributions to Torricelli's campaign.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2000, he headed the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee<ref name="ref c"/> which regained the Democratic majority in the Senate.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Torricelli was responsible for recruiting Senate candidates including Hillary Clinton.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> As a member of the Senate Finance Committee Torricelli amended the tax code to permit the partial deduction of college tuition for the first time. After 9/11, he amended legislation to authorize a new rail tunnel to NYC.

A federal criminal investigation into Torricelli was dropped in early 2002.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the summer of 2002, however, Torricelli received a formal letter of admonishment from the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics following an investigation into his alleged receipt of improper gifts from campaign donor David Chang, who had pleaded guilty to violating federal election laws.<ref name="auto">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>http://www.ethics.senate.gov/downloads/pdffiles/torricelli.pdf Senate.gov: Letter of Admonishment</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Torricelli apologized to voters for his behavior and delivered a speech in which he promised to take "'full personal responsibility'" for his actions. On September 30, 2002, Torricelli ended his 2002 re-election campaign after Republicans "successfully made the incumbent's ethics troubles -- stemming from illegal 1996 campaign donations and questionable gifts -- a campaign issue..."<ref name="auto"/> Shortly thereafter, the New Jersey Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Democratic Party could legally replace Torricelli's name on the ballot with that of former U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2007, Torricelli drew public criticism despite federal rules allowing retired officials to give leftover campaign funds to political parties, candidates and charities when his leftover campaign funds, given to the Rosemont Foundation, were not funneled back to his political party.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Rosemont Foundation donates funds to animal welfare charities with particular emphasis on dog shelters.

During his time in the Senate, Torricelli was a member of the Governmental Affairs Committee, the Finance Committee, and the Rules Committee.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Post-congressional career

In 2003, Torricelli was appointed by the U.S. Federal District Court as special master overseeing the environmental cleanup project of the Mutual Chemical site in Jersey City, New Jersey, owned by the Honeywell Corporation.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Torricelli founded business and government affairs consulting firm Rosemont Associates.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="HernandezReporting.">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He is a partner in real estate firm Woodrose Properties, which is invested in over 50 multi family or commercial properties in 10 states.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Torricelli has represented the Iranian opposition group, the MEK.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Torricelli was married to Susan Holloway<ref name="ref b">Template:Cite news</ref> and has dated Bianca Jagger.<ref name="ref c">Template:Cite web</ref>

Bibliography

• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book

See also

• List of federal political scandals in the United States

External links

• CNN report on Torricelli dropping out of Senate race.
• Template:C-SPAN

Template:S-start Template:S-par Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft |- Template:S-ppo Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft |- Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft |- Template:S-par Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft |- Template:S-prec Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-end