View source for Pete Domenici

{{Short description|American politician (1932–2017)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Pete Domenici
| image               = Pete Domenici official portrait 2.jpg
| office              = Chair of the [[United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources|Senate Energy Committee]]
| term_start          = January 3, 2003
| term_end            = January 3, 2007
| predecessor         = [[Jeff Bingaman]]
| successor           = [[Jeff Bingaman]]
| office1             = Chair of the [[United States Senate Committee on the Budget|Senate Budget Committee]]
| term_start1         = January 3, 1995
| term_end1           = June 6, 2001
| predecessor1        = [[Jim Sasser]]
| successor1          = [[Kent Conrad]]
| term_start2         = January 3, 1981
| term_end2           = January 3, 1987
| predecessor2        = [[Fritz Hollings]]
| successor2          = [[Lawton Chiles]]
| jr/sr3              = United States Senator
| state3              = [[New Mexico]]
| term_start3         = January 3, 1973
| term_end3           = January 3, 2009
| predecessor3        = [[Clinton P. Anderson]]
| successor3          = [[Tom Udall]]
| office4             = [[List of mayors of Albuquerque|Chairman of the Albuquerque City Commission]]
| term_start4         = October 16, 1967
| term_end4           = March 3, 1970
| predecessor4        = Ralph Trigg
| successor4          = [[Charles E. Barnhart]]
| birth_name          = Pietro Vichi Domenici
| birth_date          = {{birth date|1932|5|7}}
| birth_place         = [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]], U.S.
| death_date          = {{nowrap|{{death date and age|2017|9|13|1932|5|7}}}}
| death_place         = Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
| party               = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| spouse              = Nancy Burk
| children            = 9, including [[Adam Laxalt|Adam]]
| education           = [[University of Albuquerque]]<br>[[University of New Mexico]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[University of Denver]] ([[Bachelor of Laws|LLB]])
| website             = {{url|web.archive.org/web/20090429203240/http://domenici.senate.gov|Senate website}} (archived)
| signature           = Pete Domenici Signature.svg
| module              = {{Listen |pos=center |embed=yes |filename=Sen. Pete Domenici Introduces S.2062, the Juvenile Justice Modernization Act of 1996.ogg|title=Domenici's voice |type=speech |description=Domenici introducing a bill to modernize the [[American juvenile justice system|juvenile justice system]].<br>Recorded September 10, 1996}}
}}
'''Pietro Vichi "Pete" Domenici''' ({{IPAc-en|d|oʊ|'|m|ɛ|n|ɪ|tʃ|i}} {{respell|doh|MEN|ih|chee}}; May 7, 1932&nbsp;– September 13, 2017) was an American attorney and politician who served as a [[United States Senate|United States Senator]] from [[New Mexico]] from 1973 to 2009. A member of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]], he served six terms in the Senate, making him the longest-tenured U.S. Senator in the state's history. To date, Domenici is the last Republican to be elected to the Senate from New Mexico. He was succeeded by [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] U.S. Representative [[Tom Udall]].

During Domenici's tenure in the Senate, he advocated waterway usage fees, [[nuclear power]] and related causes. He received criticism for his environmental record and extramarital affair. Domenici chaired several key committees including the [[United States Senate Committee on the Budget|Senate Budget Committee]] and [[United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources|Senate Energy Committee]].

==Early years==
Domenici was born in [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]], to Alda (née Vichi)<ref>Kiely, Kathy (June 4, 2007) [https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-06-03-immigration-roots_N.htm "Personal histories shape immigration views"], USAToday.com; accessed April 17, 2018.</ref> and Cherubino Domenici,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.johnpirelliosia.org/osia/History/famous_italian-americans.htm|title=Famous Italian Americans|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061216101404/http://johnpirelliosia.org/osia/History/famous_italian-americans.htm|archive-date=December 16, 2006|url-status=dead}}</ref> both of whom were born in [[Province of Modena|Modena, Italy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~battle/senators/domenici.htm|title=1|website=freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com|access-date=2017-09-14|archive-date=September 8, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908015901/http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~battle/senators/domenici.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Growing up, Domenici worked in his father's grocery business after school.<ref>[http://domenici.nmsu.edu/pete-v-domenici-bio New Mexico State University-Biographical Sketch of Pete V. Domenici], domenici.nmsu.edu; accessed April 17, 2018.</ref> In 1950, he graduated from St. Mary's High School in Albuquerque. He spent two years at the [[College of St. Joseph on the Rio Grande]] (now the [[University of Albuquerque]]) before earning a degree in education at the [[University of New Mexico|University of New Mexico, Albuquerque]] in 1954, where he was a member of [[Sigma Alpha Epsilon]] fraternity.<ref>[http://www.golobos.com/sports/2015/5/12/GEN_20140101148.aspx Pete Domenici] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180607055235/http://www.golobos.com/sports/2015/5/12/GEN_20140101148.aspx |date=June 7, 2018 }}, golobos.com; accessed April 17, 2018.</ref><ref>[https://www.scribd.com/document/358810689/Sen-Pete-Domenici-Special-Section Sen. Pete Domenici Special Section], scribd.com; accessed April 17, 2018.</ref>

After graduating, Domenici pitched one season for the [[Albuquerque Dukes]], then a Class C [[Minor league baseball]] team.<ref name="AP 2017">{{cite web | agency=Associated Press | title=Pete Domenici, former GOP senator from New Mexico, dies at 85 | website=Los Angeles Times | date=2017-09-13 | url=https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-pete-domenici-20170913-story.html | access-date=2023-02-09}}</ref> He also taught [[mathematics]] at Garfield Junior High in Albuquerque. Domenici earned his law degree at the [[University of Denver]] [[Sturm College of Law|law school]] in 1958 and returned to practice law in Albuquerque.<ref>[http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=77 Pete Domenici], ourcampaigns.com; accessed April 17, 2018.</ref>

==Political career==
In 1966, Domenici successfully ran for a position on the Albuquerque City Commission and in 1968 was elected Commission Chairman (a post equivalent to that of mayor).<ref name="NPR">{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2017/09/13/550733213/pete-domenici-former-senator-and-balanced-budget-advocate-dies|title=Pete Domenici, Former Senator And Balanced-Budget Advocate, Dies|first=Brian|last=Naylor|website=[[NPR]]|access-date=September 13, 2017|date=September 13, 2017}}</ref>

Domenici was the Republican nominee for governor in the [[1970 New Mexico gubernatorial election|1970 New Mexico gubernatorial race]], which he lost to Democrat and former state House Speaker [[Bruce King]]. King won the election with 148,835 votes (51 percent) to Domenici's 134,640 (46 percent).<ref name="NPR" />

===Senate career===
In 1972, Domenici successfully ran for a position in the [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]] and became the first New Mexico Republican to be elected to the position in 38 years.<ref name="NPR" /> He was aided by [[Richard Nixon]]'s landslide win over Democratic U.S. Senator [[George McGovern]] at the top of the ticket.<ref name="LAT">{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-pete-domenici-20170913-story.html|title=Pete Domenici, former GOP senator from New Mexico, dies at 85|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=September 13, 2017}}</ref> Domenici polled 204,253 votes (54 percent) to 173,815 (46 percent) for Democratic state Representative [[Jack Daniels (New Mexico politician)|Jack Daniels]], a Hobbs realtor.<ref name="NYTobit" />

Domenici was subsequently re-elected in 1978, 1984, 1990, 1996, and 2002 and is to date the longest-serving senator in his state's history, having served in the legislative body for 36 years.<ref name="LAT" /> At the time of his retirement, he was the ranking member of the [[United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources]] and the [[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development]].<ref name="Congbio" /> He was also a member of the U.S. Senate Committees on [[United States Senate Committee on Appropriations|Appropriations]] and [[United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs|Indian Affairs]], and served as Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the [[United States Senate Committee on the Budget|Budget Committee]].<ref name="Congbio">{{cite web|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=D000407|title=DOMENICI, Pete Vichi - Biographical Information|website=Bioguide.congress.gov|access-date=April 17, 2018}}</ref> He advocated for the mentally ill, having pushed the [[Mental Health Parity Act]] of 1996.<ref name=NAMI-TMHPAof1996>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nami.org/Content/ContentGroups/E-News/1996/The_Mental_Health_Parity_Act_of_1996.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081026114700/http://www.nami.org/Content/ContentGroups/E-News/1996/The_Mental_Health_Parity_Act_of_1996.htm|url-status=dead|title="Mental Health Parity Act of 1996"|archivedate=October 26, 2008}}</ref>

Domenici voted in favor of the [[Passage of Martin Luther King Jr. Day|bill]] establishing [[Martin Luther King Jr. Day]] as a [[Federal holidays in the United States|federal holiday]] and the [[Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987]] (as well as to override [[Ronald Reagan|President Reagan]]'s veto).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/98-1983/s293|title=TO PASS H.R. 3706. (MOTION PASSED) SEE NOTE(S) 19. -- Senate Vote #293 -- Oct 19, 1983|website=GovTrack.us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/100-1988/s432|title=TO PASS S 557, CIVIL RIGHTS RESTORATION ACT, A BILL ... -- Senate Vote #432 -- Jan 28, 1988|website=GovTrack.us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/100-1988/s487|title=TO ADOPT, OVER THE PRESIDENT'S VETO OF S 557, CIVIL ... -- Senate Vote #487 -- Mar 22, 1988|website=GovTrack.us}}</ref> Domenici voted in favor of the nominations of [[Robert Bork Supreme Court nomination|Robert Bork]] and [[Clarence Thomas Supreme Court nomination|Clarence Thomas]] to the [[Supreme Court of the United States|U.S. Supreme Court]].{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}

In 1998, Domenici voted to convict President [[Bill Clinton]] for perjury and obstruction of justice during his [[Impeachment of Bill Clinton|impeachment trial]].<ref name="LAT" /> He explained his vote: {{blockquote|What standard of conduct should we insist our President live up to? ...&nbsp;Do not underestimate, my friends, the corrupting and cynical signal we will send if we fail to enforce the highest standards of conduct on the most powerful man in the nation.<ref>{{cite news|title=Senators Talk About Their Votes in the Impeachment Trial|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/13/us/clinton-s-acquittal-excerpts-senators-talk-about-their-votes-impeachment-trial.html|access-date=February 28, 2013|newspaper=New York Times|date=February 13, 1999}}</ref>}}

This was despite Domenici’s own adulterous affair at age 55 with 24-year-old Michelle Laxalt, daughter of his Senate colleague, [[Paul Laxalt]]. The affair, resulting in the birth of a son, would remain secret for decades.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Reeve |first1=Elspeth |title=Senator Had a Secret Son With Pundit Who Praised Him as a Great Dad |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/02/senator-had-secret-son-pundit-who-praised-him-great-dad/318155/ |website=The Atlantic |date=February 20, 2013 |access-date=28 September 2020}}</ref>

====Water fees====
One of the first issues that Domenici concerned himself with was waterway usage fees, in spite of his state lacking any waterway capable of commercial traffic - although it did have a prominent railway industry.<ref name="LAT" /> The idea behind a waterway usage fee was that the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers|Army Corps of Engineers]] built dams and other expensive waterway projects, which the barge industry was able to use for free.<ref name="UPI">{{cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2017/09/13/Ex-New-Mexico-Sen-Pete-Domenici-dies/2321505331240/|title=Ex-New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenici Dies at 85|publisher=UPI|access-date=September 13, 2017}}</ref> In 1977, Domenici set himself to the task of enacting a waterway usage fee.<ref name="MSN" /> After a long two-year battle with stiff lobbying on both sides,<ref>Reid, T. R., & Writer, W. P. S. (June 23, 1977). – "U.S. waterway tolls approved by senate". – ''[[The Washington Post]]''.</ref> the waterway fee was finally passed along with a new lock and dam project (the rebuilding of [[Melvin Price Locks and Dam|Lock and Dam 26]] at [[Alton, Illinois]]). Reporters attributed the passage of this fee in no small part to Domenici's legislative skill.<ref name="MSN">[https://web.archive.org/web/20150109090157/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/15922365/ "Pete Domenici: Nuclear Renaissance Man – Power Play"]. – NBC News.</ref> The legislation was signed into law in 1978.<ref name="MSN" />

The issue greatly assisted Domenici in his home state, where the railroad industry was a significant player (railroads competed with barges, and they had long wanted to end the "free ride" issue).<ref name="reid_book" /> The railroads donated $40,000 to Domenici's campaign, and the barge industry gave a small sum to his opponent.<ref name = "reid_book">T.R.Reid, (1980). ''Congressional Odyssey: The Saga of a Senate Bill.'' W.H. Freeman & Company.</ref> He was reelected in 1978 with 53.4% of the vote over Democratic nominee [[Toney Anaya]], a former New Mexico Attorney General who later became Governor.<ref name="NPR" /> The 6.8% victory margin would be Domenici's closest election in his Senate career.<ref name="LAT" />

====Environmental record====

The organization [[ConservAmerica|Republicans for Environmental Protection]] singled out Domenici as "Worst in the Senate in 2006" on environmental issues.<ref name="autogenerated2">[http://www.rep.org/2006_scorecard.pdf Republicans for Environmental Protection 2006 Scorecard] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070615183627/http://www.rep.org/2006_scorecard.pdf |date=June 15, 2007 }}</ref> In addition to assigning Domenici a score of zero for his environmental voting record, the group issued him "environmental harm demerits" for what they saw as two particularly irresponsible acts: first, for spearheading efforts to include in federal budget legislation provisions for "speculative revenues from [[Oil well|oil drilling]] in the [[Arctic National Wildlife Refuge]]; second, "for sponsoring and securing passage of S. 3711, the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, which would perpetuate America's dangerous oil dependence, set a precedent for drilling in sensitive marine waters, and direct a disproportionate share of federal royalty revenues from a public resource to four states."<ref name="autogenerated2" />
	 
Domenici also received an exceptionally low environmental rating from the [[League of Conservation Voters]], who claimed in 2003 that "[d]uring the last decade his voting record has become even more strikingly anti-environmental."<ref name="autogenerated1">[http://www.lcv.org/president-and-congress/senate/senate-energy-natural-resources-committee.html League of Conservation Voters] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010054733/http://www.lcv.org/president-and-congress/senate/senate-energy-natural-resources-committee.html |date=October 10, 2007 }}</ref> The LCV went on to criticize Domenici for voting in 1995 "to allow mining companies to 'patent' (purchase) public lands in order to extract minerals from them, without environmental standards, for the ridiculously low 'price' of $5 an acre or less."<ref name="autogenerated1" />

====Nuclear power====
[[File:President Meets with Seniors at Senior Center in New Mexico.jpg|thumb|250px|Domenici and [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush]] visit with breakfast guests at Bear Canyon Senior Center in Albuquerque, March 2005]]
[[File:Sen. Pete Domenici (2524930433).jpg|thumb|250px|Domenici speaking at an Albuquerque Memorial Day event, May 2008]]
Domenici was an avid proponent of [[nuclear power]] and published two books on the subject: ''A Brighter Tomorrow: Fulfilling the Promise of Nuclear Energy'' (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2004), which he wrote; and ''Advanced Nuclear Technologies — Hearing Before the Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate'' (Collingdale, Pennsylvania: Diane Publishing Company, 1999), which he edited.<ref name="UPI" />

;Committee Assignments
* Committee on Appropriations<ref name="Congbio" />
** Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies<ref name="Congbio" />
** Subcommittee on Defense<ref name="Congbio" />
** Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development (Ranking Member)<ref name="Congbio" />
** Subcommittee on Homeland Security<ref name="Congbio" />
** Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies<ref name="Congbio" />
** Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies<ref name="Congbio" />
* Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (Ranking Member)<ref name="Congbio" />
** Subcommittee on Energy (Ex Officio)<ref name="Congbio" />
** Subcommittee on National Parks (Ex Officio)<ref name="Congbio" />
** Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests (Ex Officio)<ref name="Congbio" />
** Subcommittee on Water and Power (Ex Officio)<ref name="Congbio" />
* Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs<ref name="Congbio" />
** Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery<ref name="Congbio" />
** Ad Hoc Subcommittee on State, Local, and Private Sector Preparedness and Integration<ref name="Congbio" />
** Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations<ref name="Congbio" />
** Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security<ref name="Congbio" />
* Committee on the Budget<ref name="Congbio" />
* Committee on Indian Affairs<ref name="Congbio" />

===Department of Justice controversy===
{{main|2006 dismissal of U.S. attorneys{{!}}Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy}}
{{2006 dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy small}}
Prior to the [[2006 midterm election]] Domenici called and allegedly pressured then-[[United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico]] [[David Iglesias (attorney)|David Iglesias]] to speed up indictments in a federal corruption investigation that involved at least one former Democratic state senator.<ref name="NYTobit">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/13/us/politics/pete-domenici-dead.html|title=Pete Domenici, Long a Powerful Senate Voice on Fiscal Policy, Dies at 85|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=September 13, 2017|date=September 13, 2017}}</ref> When Iglesias said an indictment would not be handed down until at least December, Domenici said "I'm very sorry to hear that" — and the line went dead. Domenici's telephone manners were the subject of a later article in ''The [[Albuquerque Journal]]'', which quoted numerous other sources whom Domenici had treated rudely by hanging up after making a point or receiving an unsatisfactory answer.<ref name="NYTobit" /> Iglesias was fired a little over one month later by the Bush Administration.<ref name=EggenD-WP-2007-03-05 /> In a March 2007 statement, Domenici admitted making such a call.<ref name=EggenD-WP-2007-03-05>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/04/AR2007030400507.html |title=Senator Admits Calling U.S. Attorney |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=March 5, 2007 |first=Dan |last=Eggen | access-date = March 16, 2006}}</ref> House Judiciary Committee Chairman [[John Conyers]], D-Mich., issued subpoenas to require Iglesias and three other ousted U.S. attorneys to testify before Congress.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/news/nation/16813951.htm?source=rss&channel=krwashington_nation | title=Sources: GOP lawmakers tried to influence federal investigation| publisher=[[The McClatchy Company]] | date= March 1, 2007| first=Marisa | last=Taylor | access-date = March 16, 2006}}</ref>

Domenici later admitted calling Iglesias, though Domenici claimed he never used the word "November" when he called Iglesias about an ongoing Albuquerque courthouse corruption case.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2007/mar/07/domenici-denies-mentioning-november-iglesias-call/ | title=Domenici denies mentioning 'November' in Iglesias call | publisher=[[The Albuquerque Tribune]] | date=March 7, 2007 | first=James | last=Brosnan | access-date=March 16, 2006 |url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070315232944/http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2007/mar/07/domenici-denies-mentioning-november-iglesias-call/ |archive-date=March 15, 2007}}</ref> Domenici denied trying to influence Iglesias, and hired lawyer K. Lee Blalack II to represent him.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/08/washington/08attorneys.html |title=Inquiry Into Ouster of U.S. Attorneys Moves Toward Subpoenas at Justice Department |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=March 8, 2007 |first=David |last=Johnston |access-date=March 16, 2006}}</ref>

According to the Justice Department, Domenici called the Department and demanded Iglesias be replaced on four occasions.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://washingtontimes.com/national/20070305-113014-6598r.htm |title=Justice stymieing probe of 6 firings, Democrats say |publisher=[[The Washington Times]] |date=March 6, 2007 |first=Eric |last=Pfeiffer |access-date=March 16, 2006}}</ref>

According to ''[[The Washington Post]]'', on the day of the firing (December 7, 2006) William Kelley, a deputy to then [[White House Counsel]] [[Harriet Miers]], said in an email that Domenici's chief of staff was "happy as a clam" about the Iglesias firing.<ref name="NYTobit" /> A week later, a Justice Department email to the White House counsel stated: "Domenici is going to send over names tomorrow (not even waiting for Iglesias's body to cool)."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/12/AR2007031201818_3.html | title=Firings Had Genesis in White House (page 3) |work=[[The New York Times]] | date= March 12, 2007|access-date = March 16, 2006 | first1=Dan | last1=Eggen | first2=John | last2=Solomon}}</ref>
[[File:Pete Domenici official portrait 2.jpg|thumb|Domenici's last official Senate portrait]]
On April 24, 2008, Domenici was admonished by the Senate Ethics Committee for "inappropriately" contacting in 2006 one of the nine U.S. attorneys later fired by President Bush.<ref name=NAMI-TMHPAof1996 />

The committee found "no substantial evidence" that Domenici tried to influence attorney David Iglesias when he contacted him to inquire about the status of a 2006 investigation into corruption charges on a state Democratic official.<ref name=EggenD-WP-2007-03-05 /> A possible indictment could have buoyed the re-election hopes of Rep. [[Heather Wilson]] (R-N.M.), who was seeking to replace Domenici when the senator retired. Iglesias charged that Domenici and Wilson were pressuring him to wrap up the investigation before that November's elections, a violation of ethics rules.<ref name=EggenD-WP-2007-03-05 /> The Ethics Committee said that Domenici's phone call to Iglesias, in advance of an upcoming election, "created an appearance of impropriety that reflected unfavorably on the Senate".<ref name=EggenD-WP-2007-03-05 />

In July 2010, Department of Justice prosecutors closed the two-year investigation without filing charges after determining that the firing was not criminal, saying "Evidence did not demonstrate that any prosecutable criminal offense was committed with regard to the removal of David Iglesias.<ref name=EggenD-WP-2007-03-05 />  The investigative team also determined that the evidence did not warrant expanding the scope of the investigation beyond the removal of Iglesias."<ref name="news.yahoo.com">{{cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100721/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_us_attorney_probe|title=DOJ: Prosecutor firing was politics, not crime.|website=News.yahoo.com|access-date=April 17, 2018}}</ref>  Domenici said of the closed investigation, "The Justice Department has now confirmed what I have always said and believed: I never attempted to interfere with any government investigation.  I am glad that this matter has concluded."<ref name="news.yahoo.com" />

==Electoral history==
{{Election box open primary begin no change
  | title = [[1972 United States Senate election in New Mexico|1972 U.S. Senate election in New Mexico]]}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Pete Domenici
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 37,337
| percentage = 63.25
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = [[David Cargo]]
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 12,522
| percentage = 21.21
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = ''Others''
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 9,171
| percentage = 15.54
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 59,030
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
  | party = Republican Party (United States)
  | candidate = Pete Domenici
  | votes = 204,253
  | percentage = 54.03
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
  | party = Democratic Party (United States)
  | candidate = [[Jack Daniels (New Mexico politician)|Jack Daniels]]
  | votes = 173,815
  | percentage = 45.97
}}
{{Election box total no change
  | votes = 378,068
  | percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box gain with party link no change
  | winner =  Republican Party (United States)
  | loser = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
  | title = [[1978 United States Senate election in New Mexico|1978 U.S. Senate election in New Mexico]]}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
  | party = Republican Party (United States)
  | candidate = Pete Domenici ([[incumbent]])
  | votes = 183,442
  | percentage = 53.41
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
  | party = Democratic Party (United States)
  | candidate = [[Toney Anaya]]
  | votes = 160,045
  | percentage = 46.59
}}
{{Election box total no change
  | votes = 343,487
  | percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
  | winner = Republican Party (United States)
  | loser = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
  | title = [[1984 United States Senate election in New Mexico|1984 U.S. Senate election in New Mexico]]}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
  | party = Republican Party (United States)
  | candidate = Pete Domenici ([[incumbent]])
  | votes = 361,371
  | percentage = 71.9
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
  | party = Democratic Party (United States)
  | candidate = Judith Pratt
  | votes = 141,253
  | percentage = 28.1
}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 10
| percentage = 0.00
}}
{{Election box total no change
  | votes = 502,634
  | percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
  | winner = Republican Party (United States)
  | loser = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
  | title = [[1990 United States Senate election in New Mexico|1990 U.S. Senate election in New Mexico]]}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
  | party = Republican Party (United States)
  | candidate = Pete Domenici ([[incumbent]])
  | votes = 296,712
  | percentage = 72.95
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
  | party = Democratic Party (United States)
  | candidate = Tom Benavidez
  | votes = 110,033
  | percentage = 27.05
}} 
{{Election box total no change
  | votes = 406,745
  | percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
  | winner = Republican Party (United States)
  | loser = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box open primary begin no change
  | title = [[1996 United States Senate election in New Mexico|1996 U.S. Senate election in New Mexico]]}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Pete Domenici ([[incumbent]])
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 69,394
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 69,394
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
  | party = Republican Party (United States)
  | candidate = Pete Domenici ([[incumbent]])
  | votes = 357,171
  | percentage = 64.73
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
  | party = Democratic Party (United States)
  | candidate = Art Trujillo
  | votes = 164,356
  | percentage = 29.78
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
 | party = Green Party (United States)
 | candidate = Abraham J. Gutmann
 | votes = 24,230
 | percentage = 4.39
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
 | party = Libertarian Party (United States)
 | candidate = Bruce M. Bush
 | votes = 6,064
 | percentage = 1.10
}}
{{Election box total no change
  | votes = 551,821
  | percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
  | winner = Republican Party (United States)
  | loser = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box open primary begin no change
  | title = [[2002 United States Senate election in New Mexico|2002 U.S. Senate election in New Mexico]]}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Pete Domenici ([[incumbent]])
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 91,898
| percentage = 99.93
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Orlin G. Cole (write-in)
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 62
| percentage = 0.07
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 91,960
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
  | party = Republican Party (United States)
  | candidate = Pete Domenici ([[incumbent]])
  | votes = 314,193
  | percentage = 65.04
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
  | party = Democratic Party (United States)
  | candidate = [[Gloria Tristani]]
  | votes = 168,863
  | percentage = 34.96
}}
{{Election box total no change
  | votes = 483,056
  | percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
  | winner =  Republican Party (United States)
  | loser = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}

==Life after politics==
On October 4, 2007, Domenici announced his decision not to seek re-election to the [[United States Senate election in New Mexico, 2008|Senate in 2008]] for health reasons (specifically, [[frontotemporal lobar degeneration]]).<ref>Cillizza, Chris. [http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/10/sen_pete_domenici_expected_to.html "Sen. Pete Domenici Expected to Retire"]. – "The Fix". – ''[[The Washington Post]]''. – October 3, 2007.</ref><ref>[http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gNgpZPbjWe5tazjIrOFqLYG0j00AD8S2G4000 "N.M. Senator Quitting for Health Reasons"]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. – [[Associated Press]]. – (c/o Google). – October 4, 2007.{{dead link|date=December 2011}}</ref> His seat was won by [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Tom Udall]].<ref name="NPR" />

After leaving the Senate, Domenici served as a senior fellow for the [[Bipartisan Policy Center]].<ref name="taskforce" /> Domenici and former OMB director and CBO director Dr. [[Alice Rivlin]] chaired a Debt Reduction Task Force sponsored by the Bipartisan Policy Center.<ref name="Debt Reduction">{{cite web|url=http://blog.heritage.org/2010/01/26/the-domenicirivlin-debt-reduction-task-force/ |title=The Domenici-Rivilin Debt|access-date=January 27, 2010 |date=January 26, 2010 |work=The Foundry |publisher=The Heritage Foundation |archive-date=January 28, 2010|url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128150819/http://blog.heritage.org/2010/01/26/the-domenicirivlin-debt-reduction-task-force/ }}</ref> The task force was announced at a joint press conference on January 26, 2010, in Washington. The task force began its work in February 2010<ref name="taskforce">{{Cite web|url=http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org/news/press-releases/2010/02/bipartisan-policy-center-domenici-rivlin-task-force-begins-exploring-sol |work=Bipartisan Policy Center |title=Bipartisan Policy Center Domenici-Rivlin Task Force Begins Exploring Solutions to Debt Crisis |date=February 26, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101121173517/http://bipartisanpolicy.org/news/press-releases/2010/02/bipartisan-policy-center-domenici-rivlin-task-force-begins-exploring-sol |archive-date=November 21, 2010 }}</ref> and, led by Domenici, released a report on November 17, 2010 on ways to address and reduce the national debt and deficit.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.nmpolitics.net/index/2010/11/domenici-led-group-recommends-new-national-sales-tax/ |work=NM Politics |first=Heath |last=Haussamen |title=Domenici-led group pushes new national sales tax|date=November 18, 2010}}</ref>

The Domenici Institute, which aims to continue "Domenici's legacy of service to the state of New Mexico", bears his name.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bradford|first1=Amanda|title=Domenici conference probes top issues|url=http://www.abqjournal.com/443990/biz/domenici-conference-probes-top-issues.html|access-date=October 7, 2014|publisher=Albuquerque Journal|date=August 11, 2014}}</ref>

==Personal life==
After graduating from law school in 1958, Domenici married Nancy Burk.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Congressional Record: Senate|date=September 7, 2006 |volume=152 |issue=13 |page=17411|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EOrxc10axUMC&pg=PA225|title=Pete Domenici: Profile|isbn=9780160924200 |author1=Congress }}</ref> Together, the Domenicis had two sons and six daughters (Lisa, Peter, Nella, Clare, David, Nanette, and twins Paula and Helen). One of his daughters has [[schizophrenia]]; this reportedly influenced his decision to become a strong supporter of legislation providing for parity in insurance coverage for mental illness.<ref>{{cite news|title=The New York Times biographical note on Pete V. Domenici |url=http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/d/pete_v_domenici/index.html | first=Carl | last=Hulse |work=The New York Times | access-date=May 22, 2010}}</ref> Helen ran for the [[Maryland House of Delegates]] in 2018 as a Republican nominee in District 19, but did not win the general election. Nella, a hedge fund manager, was the Republican Party nominee in the [[2024 United States Senate election in New Mexico]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chacón |first=Daniel J. |date=2024-02-19 |title=Nella Domenici, sole GOP contender for Senate seat, staying quiet so far |url=https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/nella-domenici-sole-gop-contender-for-senate-seat-staying-quiet-so-far/article_30a18b60-cf73-11ee-bfb0-e32bc95f1e31.html |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=Santa Fe New Mexican |language=en}}</ref>

During the 1970s, Domenici fathered a child, [[Adam Laxalt]], with Michelle Laxalt (1954–2023), a young Republican staffer and lobbyist and the daughter of Domenici's then-Senate colleague, Nevada Republican [[Paul Laxalt]]; this fact was kept secret until 2013.<ref name=autogenerated3>{{cite news |url=http://www.abqjournal.com/domenici.htm |title=Domenici Discloses Son Born in secrecy |last=Robertson |first=John |access-date=February 21, 2013 |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal|date=February 20, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Walshe|first=Shushannah|title=Former Senator Admits To Fathering Child With Other Senator's Daughter|url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/02/former-senator-admits-to-fathering-child-with-other-senators-daughter/ |access-date=February 28, 2013|newspaper=ABC News|date=February 20, 2013}}</ref> In 2013, Domenici, then 80, acknowledged the affair and his son, saying he was "very sorry" for his behavior.<ref name="Laxalt">{{cite news| url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/20/pete-domenici-son_n_2725181.html | work=Huffington Post | title=Pete Domenici Acknowledges Son From Extramarital Affair 30 Years Ago | date=February 20, 2013}}</ref> Adam Laxalt ran for [[Nevada Attorney General|Attorney General of Nevada]] in the [[2014 Nevada Attorney General election|2014 election]] and defeated [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Ross Miller]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/politics/elections/nevada-joins-big-red-wave|title=Las Vegas Review-Journal|website=Las Vegas Review-Journal|access-date=April 17, 2018}}</ref> Laxalt was the Republican nominee for [[Governor of Nevada]] in the [[Nevada gubernatorial election, 2018|2018 election]], losing to [[Steve Sisolak]], and the Republican nominee for Senator in the [[2022 United States Senate election in Nevada|2022 midterms]], losing to [[Catherine Cortez Masto]].

===Death===
Domenici died on September 13, 2017, at the age of 85, at the [[University of New Mexico Hospital]] in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from complications that resulted from [[abdominal surgery]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/13/pete-domenici-dies-obituary-242660|title=Longtime GOP senator Pete Domenici dies|website=Politico.com|date=September 13, 2017 |access-date=April 17, 2018}}</ref><ref name="NYTobit" /> His funeral was held on the morning of September 16 in Albuquerque.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abqjournal.com/1063630/funeral-services-set-for-former-us-senator.html|title=Funeral services set for Pete Domenici, former U.S. senator|author=Dan Boyd|work=Albuquerque Journal |date=September 14, 2017|access-date=September 15, 2017}}</ref>

==Bibliography==
* "A Brighter Tomorrow: Fulfilling the Promise of Nuclear Energy" (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2004. {{ISBN|978-0742541894}})
* "Advanced Nuclear Technologies — Hearing Before the Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate" (Collingdale, Pennsylvania: D&nbsp;I&nbsp;A&nbsp;N&nbsp;E Publishing Company, 1999. {{ISBN|978-0756702601}}), which he edited.

==See also==
* [[Energy Policy Act of 2005]], sponsored by Senator Domenici and Representative [[Joe Barton]].
* [[New Mexico State University]]'s [[Domenici Institute]].
* [[List of federal political sex scandals in the United States]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Fenno, Richard. ''The emergence of a Senate leader: Pete Domenici and the Reagan budget'' (1991)  [https://archive.org/details/emergenceofsenat00fenn online free to borrow]

==External links==
{{Sister project links}}
* {{C-SPAN|113}}
* [http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/d/pete_v_domenici/index.html Pete V. Domenici news]. – ''[[The New York Times]]''. – collected news and commentary
* {{webarchive |url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20080814131033/http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Pete_Domenici |title=Profile at SourceWatch.org |date=2008-08-14}}

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{{s-ttl|title=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] nominee for [[United States Senator|U.S. Senator]] from [[New Mexico]]<br>([[Classes of United States Senators|Class 2]])|years=[[1972 United States Senate election in New Mexico|1972]], [[1978 United States Senate election in New Mexico|1978]], [[1984 United States Senate election in New Mexico|1984]], [[1990 United States Senate election in New Mexico|1990]], [[1996 United States Senate election in New Mexico|1996]], [[2002 United States Senate election in New Mexico|2002]]}}
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