Mel Watt
| Mel Watt | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 5, 1993 |
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| Preceded by | None (District Created After 1990 Census) |
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| Succeeded by | Incumbent |
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| Born | August 26 1945 Steele Creek, North Carolina |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Eulada Watt |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
Melvin Luther (Mel) Watt (born August 26, 1945), American politician, has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing the Twelfth District of North Carolina (map).
Born in Steele Creek, North Carolina, a community in the southwest corner of Charlotte, Watt attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Yale University Law School. He served a single term in the North Carolina Senate (1985–1986), before returning to his law practice and running private business. He was elected to the House in 1992 by defeating Barbara Gore Washington (R) and Curtis Wade Krumel(L). He serves on the Financial Services Committee and the Judiciary Committee. He previously served on the Joint Economic Committee. In the 109th Congress, he chaired the Congressional Black Caucus. He is a member of the NAACP.
One of the most liberal Southern Democrats, Watt was elected to his seventh consecutive term in the 2004 Congressional elections, earning 67 percent of the popular vote and defeating Republican Ada Fisher.
Controversies
Gerrymandered district
The "infamous" 12th district is widely known to be one of the most blatant cases of gerrymandering in the nation.[1] The Wall Street Journal called the district "political pornography," and some have said that it is the most famous district in the nation for its odd shape. It is very long and so thin at some points that it is no wider than a freeway lane, as it follows Interstate 85 closely.[2] The District was created by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1992, the same year Watt was first elected.[3]
Ralph Nader incident
In 2004, Ralph Nader attended a meeting with the Congressional Black Caucus, where he says that Congressman Watt twice uttered an "obscene racial epithet" towards him; Watt subsequently did not offer an apology. Nader wrote:
"Instead, exclamations at the meeting... end[ed] with the obscene racist epithet repeated twice by Yale Law School alumnus Congressman Melvin Watt of North Carolina. One member of your Caucus called to apologize for the crudity of some of the members. I had expected an expression of regret or apology from Congressman Watt in the subsequent days after he had cooled down. After all there was absolutely no vocal or verbal provocation from me or from my associates, including Peter Miguel Camejo, to warrant such an outburst. In all my years of struggling for justice, especially for the deprived and downtrodden, has any legislator--white or black--used such language? I do not like double standards, especially since our premise for interactions must be equality of respect that has no room, as I responded to Mr. Watt, for playing the race card. Therefore, just as African-Americans demanded an apology from Agriculture Secretary Earl Butts and Senator Trent Lott--prior to their resignation and demotion respectively--for their racist remarks, I expect that you and others in the Caucus will exert your moral persuasion and request an apology from Congressman Watt. Please consider this also my request for such an expression--a copy of which is being forwarded directly to Mr. Watt's office."[4]
References
External links
- U.S. Congressman Mel Watt official House site
- Mel Watt at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Federal Election Commission — Melvin L Watt campaign finance reports and data
- On the Issues — Mel Watt issue positions and quotes
- OpenSecrets.org — Melvin L. Watt campaign contributions
- Project Vote Smart — Representative Melvin Luther 'Mel' Watt (NC) profile
- SourceWatch Congresspedia — Mel Watt profile
- Washington Post — Congress Votes Database: Mel Watt voting record
- Congressman Watt Elected to Be Chair of the CBC
- North Carolina Democratic Party
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by None (District Created After 1990 Census) |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 12th congressional district 1993–Present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Preceded by Elijah Cummings Maryland |
Chairman of Congressional
Black Caucus 2005–2007 |
Succeeded by Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick Michigan |
| Chairs of the Congressional Black Caucus | |
|---|---|
| Diggs • Stokes • Rangel • Burke • Mitchell • Collins • Fauntroy • Dixon • Leland • Dymally • Dellums • Towns • Mfume • Payne • Waters • Clyburn • Johnson • Cummings • Watt • Kilpatrick |  |
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