Latest news with #GerryConnolly
Forbes
2 days ago
- General
- Forbes
A Successful Politician's Secret Sauce
Gerald E. 'Gerry' Connolly | March 30, 1950 – May 21, 2025 I was honored and humbled this week to eulogize a lifelong friend who led a very distinguished life as a towering political figure on the local, regional and national level, Congressman Gerry Connolly of Northern Virginia. Gerry was an uncommon politician, especially in these days of rancor and division. He was uncommon not because of his extraordinary contributions to the Washington, DC, region which undoubtedly prompted the voters of Virginia's 11th Congressional District to return him to office with large popular margins for 16 years of uninterrupted service. Surely, his legacy of accomplishments has left indelible marks on the community he served. But the incredible outpouring of love and support on display at services for Gerry this week were surely more about the 'ordinary' marks he has left on those of us fortunate to have known him and experienced the way he cared for people and his passionate pursuit of meeting their needs. The red thread that ran throughout all of Gerry's life was his commitment to purpose and principle. Gerry appreciated that his mission, his calling, his vocation was to meet the needs of all his constituents, not least those underserved. He never sought the spotlight for himself. Rather, he used his position of power and influence for others. As he told the Washington Post in 2007, 'When you get power, you have an obligation to exercise it responsibly. But exercise it. Otherwise, why seek it?' Gerry was a fighter, until the very end of his life, but he didn't fight out of gratuitous belligerence. Rather, he was prepared to fight, the right fight, even against insurmountable odds, to achieve what most considered impossible for the benefit of the many. His fierce determination was always driven by purpose and principle. But Gerry's pragmatism and his meticulous preparation for every task he undertook helped yield his accomplishments as a public figure in his many local, county and national leadership roles, leading to his being named the Most Effective Lawmaker of the US House of Representatives by the Center for Effective Lawmaking with a Legislative Effectiveness score for the 117th Congress more than seven times higher than the average member of the House. His passionate pursuit of public service, driven by principle and purpose and not self-aggrandizement, was Gerry's secret sauce. Gerry always carried in his wallet the words of Teddy Roosevelt which pretty much summed up how he approached everything he did in public life: "It is not the critic who counts…. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, who face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly….to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasm…who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." Today's political arena needs more Gerry Connolly's, more men and women of high purpose and deep principle passionately working to deliver for the people. We need more leaders who can meet the challenge Gerry would assert that we should all be proud of the work we do, the person we are, and the difference we make.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Opinion - Remembering Gerry Connolly: Can one member make a difference in Congress?
An online newsletter recently carried a headline that read, quite simply, 'The missing branch.' I didn't have to read further to know it was about the lowly state into which Congress has fallen, particularly with its failure to respond to the administration's ongoing encroachments on its constitutional prerogatives. Missing in action is not an enviable position for a major institution of the federal government. Through it all I have wondered how the institution's decline has affected average House members and their expectations of what their job should be. Tarring Congress with a broad brush has been a popular sport for decades now, especially by columnists and commentators (present company included). But do we neglect the trees for the forest? Have we been giving short shrift to the dozens of members who labor quietly in the vineyards, serving their districts, their party, and the country with little thought of how they are portrayed in the media? I'm talking here about the workhorses versus the showhorses. This thought slammed home to me last week in reading in the Washington Post last week about the passing of Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) who died of esophageal cancer. I made a list of all the characteristics we would want in our ideal representative in Congress. These include conscientious service to the district (bringing home the bacon); fairly reflecting the views of constituents in voting; working closely with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to enact effective laws; promoting the national interest through committee and chamber actions; and protecting the prerogatives of Congress as an institution by standing up to the executive. Connolly checked all of the boxes. What distinguished Connolly from others was that he was not a lifelong pol who lived and breathed politics from the beginning, always with an eye to the cameras and getting elected and reelected. Instead, he eventually became involved in politics as a way to advance the many interests he had developed in other positions prior to elective office. Connolly had originally studied for the priesthood for five years but abandoned that when the church did not take a stand against the Vietnam War. He went on to graduate with a B.A. in literature and a master's in public administration. Along the way, he was associate director of the Freedom from Hunger Foundation, then executive director of the U.S. Committee for Refugees. He spent a decade on the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he specialized in foreign assistance, drafting its annual foreign aid bills. By then, he was living in Fairfax County, Va., where he was drawn into local politics when an environmental disaster — a toxic chemical spill — occurred in his backyard. This in turn eventually led to his election to the Fairfax County board and ultimately to his election as its chairman, focusing on transportation and infrastructure issues. In 2008 he successfully ran as a Democrat for the U.S. House seat vacated by moderate Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.). Connolly became an influential member of both the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and the Foreign Affairs Committee, pursuing his interests in the environment, high tech development and human rights. His district became a hub for attracting IT businesses and grew exponentially thanks to his efforts to bring the requisite infrastructure to sustain such growth, including the extension of Metro's Silver Line to Dulles Airport. Although he twice failed to be elected chair of the House Oversight Committee, before being elected its ranking Democrat this year, he made his mark as a very effective chair of its subcommittee on government operations where he held the Trump administration to account through his oversight investigations and hearings. Despite the rough and tumble party battles for committee leadership, Connolly distinguished himself by his bipartisan outreach to Republicans to co-sponsor bills that had a good chance to become law. One notable example of this was enactment of the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act in 2014, co-sponsored with Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.). It was the first major overhaul of federal IT management and oversight since 1996. Connolly once noted the similarity between religious commitment and public service: they both involved a ministerial function to help people, especially those underserved both at home and abroad. That commitment shone through in all his endeavors both prior to and after entering electoral politics. The key to success, I concluded, lies in having diverse interests and background experiences that take priority over political ambitions alone. Members today would do well to reflect on Connolly's legacy and what public service should be all about. It just might help allay some of the petty partisan bloviating and restore what the word 'Congress' really means: a coming together. Don Wolfensberger is a 28-year congressional staff veteran culminating as chief of staff of the House Rules Committee in 1995. He is author of 'Congress and the People: Deliberative Democracy on Trial' (2000), and, 'Changing Cultures in Congress: From Fair Play to Power Plays' (2018). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Remembering Gerry Connolly: Can one member make a difference in Congress?
An online newsletter recently carried a headline that read, quite simply, 'The missing branch.' I didn't have to read further to know it was about the lowly state into which Congress has fallen, particularly with its failure to respond to the administration's ongoing encroachments on its constitutional prerogatives. Missing in action is not an enviable position for a major institution of the federal government. Through it all I have wondered how the institution's decline has affected average House members and their expectations of what their job should be. Tarring Congress with a broad brush has been a popular sport for decades now, especially by columnists and commentators (present company included). But do we neglect the trees for the forest? Have we been giving short shrift to the dozens of members who labor quietly in the vineyards, serving their districts, their party, and the country with little thought of how they are portrayed in the media? I'm talking here about the workhorses versus the showhorses. This thought slammed home to me last week in reading in the Washington Post last week about the passing of Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) who died of esophageal cancer. I made a list of all the characteristics we would want in our ideal representative in Congress. These include conscientious service to the district (bringing home the bacon); fairly reflecting the views of constituents in voting; working closely with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to enact effective laws; promoting the national interest through committee and chamber actions; and protecting the prerogatives of Congress as an institution by standing up to the executive. Connolly checked all of the boxes. What distinguished Connolly from others was that he was not a lifelong pol who lived and breathed politics from the beginning, always with an eye to the cameras and getting elected and reelected. Instead, he eventually became involved in politics as a way to advance the many interests he had developed in other positions prior to elective office. Connolly had originally studied for the priesthood for five years but abandoned that when the church did not take a stand against the Vietnam War. He went on to graduate with a B.A. in literature and a master's in public administration. Along the way, he was associate director of the Freedom from Hunger Foundation, then executive director of the U.S. Committee for Refugees. He spent a decade on the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he specialized in foreign assistance, drafting its annual foreign aid bills. By then, he was living in Fairfax County, Va., where he was drawn into local politics when an environmental disaster — a toxic chemical spill — occurred in his backyard. This in turn eventually led to his election to the Fairfax County board and ultimately to his election as its chairman, focusing on transportation and infrastructure issues. In 2008 he successfully ran as a Democrat for the U.S. House seat vacated by moderate Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.). Connolly became an influential member of both the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and the Foreign Affairs Committee, pursuing his interests in the environment, high tech development and human rights. His district became a hub for attracting IT businesses and grew exponentially thanks to his efforts to bring the requisite infrastructure to sustain such growth, including the extension of Metro's Silver Line to Dulles Airport. Although he twice failed to be elected chair of the House Oversight Committee, before being elected its ranking Democrat this year, he made his mark as a very effective chair of its subcommittee on government operations where he held the Trump administration to account through his oversight investigations and hearings. Despite the rough and tumble party battles for committee leadership, Connolly distinguished himself by his bipartisan outreach to Republicans to co-sponsor bills that had a good chance to become law. One notable example of this was enactment of the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act in 2014, co-sponsored with Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.). It was the first major overhaul of federal IT management and oversight since 1996. Connolly once noted the similarity between religious commitment and public service: they both involved a ministerial function to help people, especially those underserved both at home and abroad. That commitment shone through in all his endeavors both prior to and after entering electoral politics. The key to success, I concluded, lies in having diverse interests and background experiences that take priority over political ambitions alone. Members today would do well to reflect on Connolly's legacy and what public service should be all about. It just might help allay some of the petty partisan bloviating and restore what the word 'Congress' really means: a coming together. Don Wolfensberger is a 28-year congressional staff veteran culminating as chief of staff of the House Rules Committee in 1995. He is author of 'Congress and the People: Deliberative Democracy on Trial' (2000), and, 'Changing Cultures in Congress: From Fair Play to Power Plays' (2018).
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- General
- Bloomberg
Democrats Are Getting (Another) Chance to Fix Their Brand
Just days after the funeral of Virginia Congressman Gerry Connolly, who died of esophageal cancer, House Democrats are set to have another battle over who becomes the ranking member on the all-important Oversight Committee, the chamber's main investigative body. Like the last one, this race will be a snapshot of the larger debate within the party over age, leadership style, experience and political ideology. Unlike the last one, this race won't feature New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, 35, who was bypassed in favor of Connolly, and has declined to run after canvassing members and concluding that a more senior member would win. Again. In December, I wrote about how in skipping over AOC, an authentic young progressive who understands the working class and the evolving media landscape, Democrats proved that they hadn't learned much from November. A similar scenario seems likely as Democrats decide who should be the face of a powerful committee tasked with holding the federal government accountable and exposing waste, fraud and abuse. In the Trump 2.0 era, that essentially means being a check on the excesses of the White House. Whoever wins would likely become one of President Donald Trump's main foils.
Malay Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Power over progress? Critics say ageing Democrats hurting party's future
WASHINGTON, May 28 — As a damning expose on Joe Biden's cognitive decline scandalises Washington, Democrats in Congress are facing their own reckoning over a seniority system that critics say is holding back younger talent. Six Democratic lawmakers have died in a little over a year — dispiriting bereaved colleagues but also leaving the rank-and-file critically under-resourced when it comes to opposing President Donald Trump. House Republicans passed Trump's sprawling tax relief and spending cuts by a solitary vote last week, approving a package that Democrats say will deprive more than eight million Americans of health care. Democrats did not have the numbers to cause problems for the bill because of three empty seats on their side — all recently vacated by lawmakers in their 70s who had died after battling cancer. 'Imagine if one of the older and sicker Dems would've retired instead of died in office and what that would've meant for millions of people,' political consultant Rebecca Katz posted on X. The complicated math means that even a full Democratic contingent would likely only have been able to delay rather than torpedo the bill. But it is being seen as a lost opportunity that has laid bare the party's problems with ageing members clinging to office despite ailing health — in a party desperate for new blood. One of the vacancies was the Virginia seat formerly held by Gerry Connolly, 75, who had been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer and died just a day earlier. Oldest president Democrats had just picked Connolly to be their leader on the powerful oversight committee, choosing his experience over the energy and social media savvy of Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, 40 years his junior. 'By elevating someone who was more of a standard politician, they sort of lost out on getting into the culture,' left-leaning political commentator Molly Jong-Fast told MSNBC. 'And ultimately that was, I think, a miss for Democrats.' Age is a touchy subject among Democrats, with 82-year-old Biden's inner circle denying accusations in a new book by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson of covering up his glaring infirmity. In the Senate the party is led by 74-year-old Chuck Schumer and in the House former speaker Nancy Pelosi, 85, still holds enormous sway two years after giving up the gavel. Democrats do not have a monopoly on ageing issues. Mitch McConnell, 83, was clearly ailing when he stepped down after 18 years as Republican leader in the Senate in January and Trump, 78, is set to become the oldest US president in history. But the so-called 'gerontocracy' has been more harmful to Washington's minority party, frustrating the agenda of Democratic White Houses and allowing Republicans in Congress to absorb more defections. At the heart of the problem is the Democrats' long-honoured seniority system, which prioritizes lawmakers based on experience when allocating plum committee assignments, leadership posts and office space. 'Contemptible little twerp' As a result, top Democrats on more than half of the House committees are aged 70 or over. The mean age of these 20 party grandees is 69, compared with a more youthful 62 for Republicans. And the problem is not confined to Congress. Mourning gave way to frustration over liberal Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who clung on until her death in 2020 at age 87 instead of retiring with Barack Obama in office, allowing Trump to fill the vacancy. There have been baby steps to address the gerontocracy but progress has been halting. Gun safety campaigner David Hogg, 25, was elected as vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee in February and promptly called for primary challenges to 'out-of-touch, ineffective Democrats.' This did not go down well among the party's old guard, with 80-year-old strategist James Carville calling Hogg a 'contemptible little twerp.' But the revelations about Biden's deteriorating health, including a newly announced prostate cancer diagnosis, are an illustration for activists and analysts that the party needs to change course. 'If you are saying that democracy is on the ballot, if you are saying this the most important election of our lifetime, which they did say to the base, then the base expects you to act like it,' Jong-Fast added. 'They expect you to elevate the people who can speak better than the people who are your friends... And I think this is a sea change for the Democratic Party.' — AFP
