Jim Moran

Jim Moran
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 8th district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 1991
Preceded by	Stanford Parris
Born	May 16, 1945 (1945-05-16) (age 64) Buffalo, New York
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	1st wife Mary Moran, divorced c:a 2000 LuAnn L. Bennett
Children	Mary Moran, Dorothy (born ~1991), Patrick (born ~1989), & al.
Residence	Arlington, Virginia
Alma mater	College of the Holy Cross, University of Pittsburgh
Occupation	stockbroker
Religion	Roman Catholic
[1][2]

James Patrick "Jim" Moran Jr. (born May 16, 1945 in Buffalo, New York) has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1991, representing Virginia's 8th congressional district.

Early life

Moran was born in Buffalo, New York and grew up in Natick, Massachusetts, a western suburb of Boston. He was a boxer.^[3] His brother, Brian Moran, is a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates and was an unsuccessful primary candidate for Governor of Virginia in the 2009 election.

He attended Marian High School in Framingham, Massachusetts before earning a B.A. in economics (1967) at the College of the Holy Cross, and a Master of Public Administration (1970) at the University of Pittsburgh.

Young Moran secured an internship in financial management at the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and spent five years there as a budget officer. He was a senior specialist for budgetary and fiscal policy at the Library of Congress, and then on the staff of U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations (1976–1979) under Warren Magnuson's sponsorship.

Voters elected him to the Alexandria, Virginia, City Council in 1979. He was deputy mayor 1982–1984, when he resigned as part of a Nolo contendere plea bargain to a misdemeanor conflict of interest charge, which courts later erased.^{[citation needed]} In 1985 Moran was elected Mayor of Alexandria.

Congress

In 1990, Moran won the Democratic nomination for the 8th District. Due to his popularity as mayor of Alexandria, he defeated 10-year incumbent Republican Stanford Parris by seven points. Mary "Mame" Reiley was instrumental in persuading (then) Mayor Moran to run for Congress in 1989^[4] later serving as his communications director during the campaign, and eventually serving as his chief of staff from 1991 to 1996. After the 1990 Census gave Virginia one more House seat, most of the 8th's Republican areas were drawn into the new 11th District, and Moran hasn't faced serious opposition since. The 2000 Census gave Virginia no new House seats, but shifted districts westward, giving Moran heavily Democratic Reston and an oddly shaped 8th district.^[5]

He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

In 1998, during the Monica Lewinsky scandal, Moran was one of 31 House Democrats who voted with Republicans to launch a formal impeachment inquiry into President Bill Clinton.

On October 10, 2002, Jim Moran was among the 133 members of the House voting against authorizing the invasion of Iraq.

Politically, Moran is a New Democrat, and is affiliated with the Democratic Leadership Council. On economic issues he often breaks with his party, supporting Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and other free trade agreements, harsher bankruptcy laws, and increased restrictions on the right to bring class action suits. However, he strongly supports gay rights and gun control, and voted against the Defense of Marriage Act. At different times he has voted to ban flag-burning and partial-birth abortions, though he has reversed his positions on both issues.

He cosponsored failed bills in 2005 to provide the District of Columbia with a House seat and to prohibit slaughter of horses.^[6][7]

Moran appeared on The Colbert Report as part of the series "Better Know a District". During the appearance he described himself as "gentle," but later jokingly punched Colbert in the face after Colbert called Moran a "coward."^[8]

Congressman Moran has publicly expressed enthusiasm for policies to redistribute wealth and income.

Now in the last seven years we have had the highest corporate profit ever in American history. Highest corporate profit! We’ve had the highest productivity! The American worker has produced more per person at any time, but it hasn’t been shared, and that’s the problem because we have been guided by a Republican administration who believes in this simplistic notion that people who have wealth are entitled to keep it and they have an antipathy towards the means of redistributing wealth.^[9]

In May 2009, Moran introduced a bill that would restrict broadcast advertisements for erectile dysfunction or male enhancement medication. He claimed that such ads were indecent and should be prohibited on radio and television between the hours of 6 am and 10 pm, in accordance with Federal Communications Commission policy.^[10]

Darfur

On April 28, 2006, Moran, along with four other members of Congress and six other activists, was arrested for disorderly conduct in front of the Sudanese embassy in Washington. They were protesting the alleged role of Sudan's government in ethnic cleansing in Darfur. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, "Their protest and civil disobedience was designed to embarrass the military dictatorship's ongoing genocide of its non-Arab citizens."^[11]

Controversies

This article's Criticism or Controversy section(s) may mean the article does not present a neutral point of view of the subject. It may be better to integrate the material in those sections into the article as a whole.

Assaults and threats

After then-Congressman Stan Parris, during the 1990 campaign, called him soft on Saddam Hussein, Moran threatened to assault Parris.^[3]

In the run up to the first Persian Gulf War in 1991, Moran had declared his support for President George H. W. Bush. When the vote came, he changed his mind and voted with the Democrats against the U.S. troop commitment. Afterwards, when he passed journalist J. Michael Waller on the street, Waller made a wisecrack about Moran's flip flop. Moran shouted at him repeatedly, grabbed him, and shouted some more - demanding to know his name and employer. When Moran later gave his version of the confrontation on a radio talk show. When Waller called in to complain of defamation, Moran left.^[12]

In 1995, on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, he threatened to slug Rep. Dan Burton, R-Indiana, then chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Government Reform. "You pull that again and I'll break your nose!"^[3]

His 1998 opponent (and also 2000 opponent), Demaris Miller (Mrs. James C. Miller III) reported that Moran began to lunge at her during a 1998 campaign forum, but stopped himself.^[3]

Later in 1995 he attacked fellow Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-California. Once outside the House chamber, Moran threw a punch that Cunningham blocked. Colleagues and U.S. Capitol Police restrained them.^[3]

In about 2000 he got into a scuffle with an eight year old boy in Alexandria, whom he accused of attempting to carjack him.^[3]

Also in about 2000 Mary Moran, his wife, called Alexandria police accusing him of assaulting her. No charges were filed, but she filed for divorce the following day.^[3]

Comments regarding Jews

Prior to the 2003 invasion of Iraq he told an antiwar audience in Reston, Virginia on March 3, 2003, that "If it were not for the strong support of the Jewish community for this war with Iraq, we would not be doing this. The leaders of the Jewish community are influential enough that they could change the direction of where this is going, and I think they should."^[13][14]

Moran said his comments were taken out of context, and he had said the same about the Catholic Church and Southern Baptist Convention at three antiwar forums.^[15][16]

The National Jewish Democratic Council criticized Moran's comments.^[17] Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle said Moran's comments were "unfounded, baseless, and way out of line." House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said Moran's comments have "no place in the Democratic Party." Joe Lieberman called the comments "deeply offensive and morally wrong."^[13]

Writing in the December 22, 2003 edition of The Nation, Letty Cottin Pogrebin charged that "Representative James Moran of Virginia stirred up another incendiary canard — Jewish influence — by attributing America's war with Iraq to 'the strong support of the Jewish community.'"^[18] According to a Gallup Poll, the vast majority of Jewish Americans oppose the war, even the minority of Republican Jews.^[19]

According to an article about Moran by Alexander Cockburn in The Nation,^[20] reporters like Robert Kaiser in the Washington Post have described the neoconservative lobby that supported the Iraq war, which includes such prominent Jewish neocons as Richard Perle, Paul Wolfowitz, and Douglas Feith; The Forward reported that Jewish groups, such as Workmen's Circle, were angry at the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations for supporting the war; and the American Jewish Congress supported the war.

In the House elections of 2004 Moran for the first time faced a Democratic primary challenger, Andy Rosenberg. 58.5 percent of the district voted for Moran versus 41.5 percent for Rosenberg. Moran went on to be reelected to the U.S. Congress in the general election for his eighth term.

In September 2007, Moran again angered Jewish organizations. In an interview with Tikkun,^[21] Moran said, "Jewish Americans, as a voting bloc and as an influence on American foreign policy, are overwhelmingly opposed to the war," more than any other ethnic group. "But AIPAC is the most powerful lobby and has pushed this war from the beginning. I don’t think they represent the mainstream of American Jewish thinking at all, but because they are so well organized, and their members are extraordinarily powerful — most of them are quite wealthy — they have been able to exert power. The reason I don’t hesitate to speak out about AIPAC’s influence — notwithstanding the fact that I’ll be accused of being anti-Semitic every time I suggest it — is that I don’t think AIPAC represents the mainstream of American Jewish thinking.^[22][23] The National Jewish Democratic Council responded "Rep. Moran’s comments are not only incorrect and irresponsible – they are downright dangerous.”</ref>^[24] The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington complained that "[Moran] uses clearly anti-Semitic images such as Jewish control of the media and wealthy Jews using their wealth to control policy."^[23]

Earmarks

The June 10, 2006, edition of the Arlington Sun reported that the previous evening Moran had told a crowd of 450 at the Arlington County Democratic Committee's annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner that if Democrats regained control of the House of Representatives in the 2006 midterm elections, he would use his seniority to secure more money for his congressional district. He stated, "When I become chairman [of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies], I'm going to earmark the shit out of it."^[5] This assertion resulted in nationwide negative publicity for Moran after conservative columnist Robert Novak repeated the story in his syndicated column. Moran's office issued a statement asserting that he had made his remark in jest and that he remains committed to fiscal responsibility.^{[citation needed]} (Moran is the 10th most senior of 37 Democrats on the committee, but did not become an Appropriations subcommittee chairman after the Democrats took control of the House in 2007.)^[25] This assertion resulted in nationwide negative publicity for Moran after conservative columnist Robert Novak repeated the story in his syndicated column. Moran's office issued a statement asserting that he had made his remark in jest and that he remains committed to fiscal responsibility. (Moran did not become chairman of any subcommittees of the Appropriations Committee as a result of the Democrats taking control of the House in 2007.)

On June 19, 2006, The Washington Post reported that Moran supports earmarks for "Project M", a technology involving magnetic levitation. To date, the project has received $37 million in earmarks. This project was designed to keep submarine machinery quieter, keep Navy SEALs safer in their boats, and protect Marines from roadside bombs. The Pentagon, however, has said that it has no use for the project. The owner of Project M's prime contractor, Vibration & Sound Solutions Ltd., has given $17,000 to Moran's campaign.^{[citation needed]}

Comments regarding House Majority Leader election

Moran and newly elected Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi both supported John Murtha, D-Pennsylvania, for House Majority leader, but Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland was elected. Moran said, "Some of the freshmen who came in with some naïvete are understanding the meaning [of Pelosi’s endorsement]...They'll screw themselves for the rest of their lives."^[26] He subsequently alleged that some members had told both candidates that they would support them, saying, "We know who they are."^[27]

Incident with U.S. Capitol Police

On Inauguration Day, January 20, 2009, Moran got into an argument with a U.S. Capitol Policeman when Moran's wife tried to enter the Capitol unescorted during a lockdown situation just after President Barack Obama had entered the Capitol.^[28]

PMA Group

The FBI was investigating the PMA Group in 2009. Over ten years, the lobbying firm's clients had made $997,348 in campaign donations to Congressman Moran. In 2007 and 2008, PMA's clients were awarded $137 million in federal government contracts edearmarks in the House Appropriations Committee, of which Moran is a senior member.^[29] The House Ethics Committee is investigating three members of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Moran, Peter J. Visclosky (D-Indiana), and Chairman John Murtha (D-Pennsylvania) who steered business to PMA's clients and whose campaign coffers benefited from the generosity of PMA and its clients. But members of the ethics committee themselves depend on Murtha's subcommittee for $59 million in proposed earmarks for FY2010, including $9.5 million for Chairman Zoe Lofgren (D-California)^[30]

Financial conflicts of interest

During his time in the House, Moran has been involved in a few controversies related to personal financial dealings with lobbyists and business interests. He was the chief Democratic sponsor of the bankruptcy reform bill (that made it more difficult for a bankrupt person to escape his debts), after a major credit card issuer gave him a large home equity loan under unusually favorable terms. Moran contended in press accounts that his support for the bankruptcy bill had nothing to do with this loan.

Personal

The Moran family endured daughter Dorothy's struggle with brain cancer (1994–1996), until her recovery.^[31]

Elections to the House of Representatives

2006

In 2006, Moran was re-elected with 66 percent of the vote, defeating Republican Thomas O'Donoghue, (31 percent) and Independent candidate Jim Hurysz (3 percent). 221,802 of 413,013 registered voters turned out, or 53.70%.^[39]

2008

Candidates for this District in 2008 include Ron Fisher (Independent Green), Ellmore (R), and Jim Moran (D). Moran beat a primary challenger with 86% of the vote. In the November 4 General Election, Moran beat Mark Ellmore 67.94 percent to 29.68 percent. He received 222,986 votes, while Ellmore and Fisher received 97,425 and 6,829 votes, respectively. 957 write-in votes were cast.^[40]

Committee assignments

• Committee on Appropriations
  • Subcommittee on Defense
  • Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
  • Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies

References

External links

• Congressman Jim Moran official U.S. House website
• Jim Moran for Congress official campaign website

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Profile at SourceWatch Congresspedia
• Moran Wins Va Primary Washington Post, June 8, 2004, controversies analyzed
• Jim Moran as featured in the film, FINDING OUR VOICES Moran's views on the Iraq war
• Jim Moran on Facebook