After over 30 years of public service, Virginia Congressman Gerry Connolly dies at 75
U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., speaks to members of the media in 2019. ()
U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., has died, after an extended battle with cancer that weeks ago prompted him to not seek reelection to Congress. He was 75 and 'passed away peacefully at his home' Wednesday morning, according to a statement from his family.
Connolly was elected to Congress in 2008, representing Virginia's 11th District, anchored in Fairfax County. He had previously served on the Fairfax Board of Supervisors from 1995 to 2008, spending the last five years of his term as chairman. He leaves a 30-plus-year legacy as an advocate of progressive legislation, and served as ranking member of the U.S. House Oversight Committee until weeks before his death.
Longtime NoVa congressman Gerry Connolly will not seek reelection after cancer resurgence
Democratic Party of Virginia Chairman Lamont Bagby joined a chorus of state and federal lawmakers expressing condolences over Connolly's death Wednesday morning.
'Congressman Gerry Connolly embodied what it means to be a public servant. Over decades of leadership — first as Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and then as a Congressman for 16 years — he demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the people of Fairfax County, Northern Virginia, and beyond,' Bagby wrote.
U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., said in a statement he was 'heartbroken' over Connolly's death.
'I've known Gerry for more than 35 years. To me, he exemplified the very best of public service. Just this past Sunday, I was honored to join his wife Smitty, daughter Caitlin, and the Fairfax community in celebrating his decades of service. While Gerry couldn't be there in person, his presence was felt throughout the room. He was there in spirit, as he always is when people come together in the name of service and progress.'
Despite his declining health, in his last months Connolly pushed to maximize public access to information that impacts the average American's life.
Less than a month ago, Connolly sharply questioned the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after thousands of the public health agency's staff was terminated, including the entirety of personnel responsible for responding to Freedom of Information Act requests. The layoffs were part of President Donald Trump's administration's massive slate of federal spending cuts, facilitated by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.
'The elimination of staff responsible for facilitating FOIA strongly implies an effort by the Administration to prevent the public from obtaining information about their government that they are entitled to request. I urge you to provide detailed information responsive to the requests included in this letter to bring transparency to the FOIA operations within the CDC,' Connolly wrote.
U.S. Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-Va., who represents the state's 4th District, called Connolly a 'servant leader' who 'fought for pragmatic policies that would improve the lives of his constituents.'
'Throughout my time in elected office, Gerry has been a defining and passionate voice in Virginia politics. I am grateful to have been able to call him a friend, mentor, and colleague. I will always treasure our talks on the House floor and will miss him greatly,' McClellan wrote in a statement.
Connolly's time in federal office was defined by his focus on government reform, technology and international affairs. He served as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation in previous years, helping to craft legislation on cyber security, digital privacy and government-wide federal information technology management and innovation.
Many of the political leaders commenting on Connolly's death Wednesday said although his federal service and policies helped improve public life nationwide, his service to the state of Virginia remains preeminent in his legacy.
'From transforming Northern Virginia's transportation infrastructure – making transit more accessible for all – to shaping America's role on the global stage, Gerry's legacy reaches from local neighborhoods to the halls of Congress and across the world,' Virginia House Speaker Don Scott wrote in a statement. 'It is with profound sadness that I mourn the passing of one of Virginia's most dedicated public servants.'
Connolly, who lived in Fairfax, is survived by his wife Smitty and daughter Caitlin.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
28 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Mike Johnson downplays Musk's influence and says Republicans will pass Trump's tax and budget bill
With an uncharacteristically feistiness, Speaker Mike Johnson took clear sides Sunday in President Donald Trump's breakup with mega-billionaire Elon Musk. The Republican House leader and staunch Trump ally said Musk's criticism of the GOP's massive tax and budget policy bill will not derail the measure, and he downplayed Musk's influence over the GOP-controlled Congress. 'I didn't go out to craft a piece of legislation to please the richest man in the world,' Johnson said on ABC's 'This Week.' 'What we're trying to do is help hardworking Americans who are trying to provide for their families and make ends meet,' Johnson insisted. Johnson said he has exchanged text messages with Musk since the former chief of Trump's Department of Government Efficiency came out against the GOP bill. Musk called it an 'abomination' that would add to U.S. debts and threaten economic stability. He urged voters to flood Capitol Hill with calls to vote against the measure, which is pending in the Senate after clearing the House. His criticism sparked an angry social media back-and-forth with Trump, who told reporters over the weekend that he has no desire to repair his relationship with Musk. The speaker was dismissive of Musk's threats to finance opponents — even Democrats — of Republican members who back Trump's bill. 'We've got almost no calls to the offices, any Republican member of Congress,' Johnson said. 'And I think that indicates that people are taking a wait and see attitude. Some who may be convinced by some of his arguments, but the rest understand: this is a very exciting piece of legislation.' Johnson argued that Musk still believes 'that our policies are better for human flourishing. They're better for the US economy. They're better for everything that he's involved in with his innovation and job creation and entrepreneurship.' The speaker and other Republicans, including Trump's White House budget chief, continued their push back Sunday against forecasts that their tax and budget plans will add to annual deficits and thus balloon a national debt already climbing toward $40 trillion. Johnson insisted that Musk has bad information, and the speaker disputed the forecasts of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office that scores budget legislation. The bill would extend the 2017 Trump tax cuts, cut spending and reduce some other levies but also leave some 10.9 million more people without health insurance and spike deficits by $2.4 trillion over the decade , according to the CBO's analysis. The speaker countered with arguments Republicans have made for decades : That lower taxes and spending cuts would spur economic growth that ensure deficits fall. Annual deficits and the overall debt actually climbed during the administrations of Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, and during Trump's first presidency , even after sweeping tax cuts. Russell Vought, who leads the White House Office of Budget and Management, said on Fox News Sunday that CBO analysts base their models of 'artificial baselines.' Because the 2017 tax law set the lower rates to expire, CBO's cost estimates, Vought argued, presuming a return to the higher rates before that law went into effect. Vought acknowledged CBO's charge from Congress is to analyze legislation and current law as it is written. But he said the office could issue additional analyses, implying it would be friendlier to GOP goals. Asked whether the White House would ask for alternative estimates, Vought again put the burden on CBO, repeating that congressional rules allow the office to publish more analysis. Other Republicans, meanwhile, approached the Trump-Musk battle cautiously. 'As a former professional fighter, I learned a long time ago, don't get between two fighters,' said Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin on CNN's 'State of the Union.' He even compared the two billionaire businessmen to a married couple. 'President Trump is a friend of mine but I don't need to get, I can have friends that have disagreements,' Mullin said. 'My wife and I dearly love each other and every now and then, well actually quite often, sometimes she disagrees with me, but that doesn't mean that we can't stay focused on what's best for our family. Right now, there may be a disagreement but we're laser focused on what is best for the American people.' —- Associated Press journalist Gary Fields contributed from Washington. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Washington Post
39 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Mike Johnson downplays Musk's influence and says Republicans will pass Trump's tax and budget bill
With an uncharacteristically feistiness, Speaker Mike Johnson took clear sides Sunday in President Donald Trump's breakup with mega-billionaire Elon Musk. The Republican House leader and staunch Trump ally said Musk's criticism of the GOP's massive tax and budget policy bill will not derail the measure, and he downplayed Musk's influence over the GOP-controlled Congress.
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Mike Johnson downplays Musk's influence and says Republicans will pass Trump's tax and budget bill
With an uncharacteristically feistiness, Speaker Mike Johnson took clear sides Sunday in President Donald Trump's breakup with mega-billionaire Elon Musk. The Republican House leader and staunch Trump ally said Musk's criticism of the GOP's massive tax and budget policy bill will not derail the measure, and he downplayed Musk's influence over the GOP-controlled Congress. 'I didn't go out to craft a piece of legislation to please the richest man in the world,' Johnson said on ABC's 'This Week.' 'What we're trying to do is help hardworking Americans who are trying to provide for their families and make ends meet,' Johnson insisted. Johnson said he has exchanged text messages with Musk since the former chief of Trump's Department of Government Efficiency came out against the GOP bill. Musk called it an 'abomination' that would add to U.S. debts and threaten economic stability. He urged voters to flood Capitol Hill with calls to vote against the measure, which is pending in the Senate after clearing the House. His criticism sparked an angry social media back-and-forth with Trump, who told reporters over the weekend that he has no desire to repair his relationship with Musk. The speaker was dismissive of Musk's threats to finance opponents — even Democrats — of Republican members who back Trump's bill. 'We've got almost no calls to the offices, any Republican member of Congress,' Johnson said. 'And I think that indicates that people are taking a wait and see attitude. Some who may be convinced by some of his arguments, but the rest understand: this is a very exciting piece of legislation.' Johnson argued that Musk still believes 'that our policies are better for human flourishing. They're better for the US economy. They're better for everything that he's involved in with his innovation and job creation and entrepreneurship.' The speaker and other Republicans, including Trump's White House budget chief, continued their push back Sunday against forecasts that their tax and budget plans will add to annual deficits and thus balloon a national debt already climbing toward $40 trillion. Johnson insisted that Musk has bad information, and the speaker disputed the forecasts of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office that scores budget legislation. The bill would extend the 2017 Trump tax cuts, cut spending and reduce some other levies but also leave some 10.9 million more people without health insurance and spike deficits by $2.4 trillion over the decade, according to the CBO's analysis. The speaker countered with arguments Republicans have made for decades: That lower taxes and spending cuts would spur economic growth that ensure deficits fall. Russell Vought, who leads the White House Office of Budget and Management, said on Fox News Sunday that CBO analysts base their models of 'artificial baselines.' Because the 2017 tax law set the lower rates to expire, CBO's cost estimates, Vought argued, presuming a return to the higher rates before that law went into effect. Vought acknowledged CBO's charge from Congress is to analyze legislation and current law as it is written. But he said the office could issue additional analyses, implying it would be friendlier to GOP goals. Asked whether the White House would ask for alternative estimates, Vought again put the burden on CBO, repeating that congressional rules allow the office to publish more analysis. Other Republicans, meanwhile, approached the Trump-Musk battle cautiously. 'As a former professional fighter, I learned a long time ago, don't get between two fighters,' said Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin on CNN's 'State of the Union.' He even compared the two billionaire businessmen to a married couple. 'President Trump is a friend of mine but I don't need to get, I can have friends that have disagreements,' Mullin said. 'My wife and I dearly love each other and every now and then, well actually quite often, sometimes she disagrees with me, but that doesn't mean that we can't stay focused on what's best for our family. Right now, there may be a disagreement but we're laser focused on what is best for the American people.' —-
