Frank Wolf (politician)

Frank Wolf
Member of the U.S.HouseofRepresentatives from Virginia's 10th district
In office January 3, 1981 –January 3, 2015

Frank Rudolph Wolf (born January 30, 1939) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for Virginia's 10th congressional district from 1981 to 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he announced in December 2013 that he would not run for reelection in 2014. Wolf retired at the conclusion of his 17th term in office, in January 2015. ^[3] At the time of his retirement, he was the dean of the state's congressional delegation, having served for 34 consecutive years. ^[4]

Early life, education and early political career

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Wolf overcame an early speech impediment which caused him to stutter. ^[5] Attending Pennsylvania State University, he was a member of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity, received a degree in political science and subsequently earned a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. He then joined the United States Army as a reservist and became a lawyer for the military.

Wolf entered politics in 1968, at the age of 29, when he became a legislative assistant to Edward Biester, the Republican congressman from Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district. From 1971 to 1975, Wolf served as an assistant to Secretary of the Interior Rogers Morton.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

1981, Congressional Pictorial Directory , Wolf as a first term Congressman

During the 1976 presidential election year, Wolf's first campaign for Virginia's 10th congressional district ended with his loss in the Republican primary to Vince Callahan by 45%–42%. ^[6] Two years later, amidst the 1978 midterm elections, he won the Republican nomination unopposed, but lost the general election to the incumbent Democrat, Joseph L. Fisher, 53%–47%. ^[6]

Wolf and Senator Dan Coats visit the 212th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital at Camp Bedrock in Bosnia-Herzegovina during Operation Joint Endeavor in 1996

Wolf gives remarks during the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom at the U.S. Department of State in 2018

In the 1980 House election, when Ronald Reagan's decisive victory in the presidential election brought with it a 34-seat swing in the House, Wolf's third run proved to be successful; he won the Republican primary with 75% of the vote and then defeated Fisher in a rematch, 51%–49%. ^[6] In the 1982 midterms, Wolf won re-election with 53% of the vote. ^[6] He would never face another contest anywhere near that close.

Wolf did not face a Democratic opponent in 1994 and 2000, winning both with over 80% of the votes against third-party candidates. After 1982, his closest races were in the Democratic wave elections of 2006 and 2008. On both occasions he defeated professor Judy Feder, by 57%–41% and 59%–39%, respectively. ^{[6] [7]} Those were the only occasions after 1982 that he received below 60 percent of the vote.

In the 2012 election, as Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney carried the district by 1%, Wolf was re-elected by 20%. ^[8] In September 2013, it was announced that Wolf was to be challenged in the 2014 election by Democrat Richard Bolger, a Fairfax attorney and small business owner. ^{[9] [10]} In December 2013, Wolf announced his intention to retire from politics, leaving office in January 2015 –just days before his 76th birthday. ^[4] He was succeeded by his former aide, Republican State Delegate Barbara Comstock.

Wolf's district was significantly redrawn several times during his 34 years in office. For his first six terms, he represented a compact Northern Virginia-based district covering Fairfax, Arlington, and Loudoun Counties. The 1990 redistricting by a Democratic Virginia General Assembly drew heavily Democratic Arlington County into the neighboring 8th District, while drawing the more Democratic portions of Fairfax County into the new 11th district. To make up for the loss of population, the 10th was pushed to the west and south to encompass parts of the congressional district held by U.S. Rep. George Allen, which was eliminated to create a black-majority district in accordance with the Voting Rights Act. Allen chose not to challenge Wolf, instead running for Governor of Virginia in 1993. The district kept approximately the same complexion after the 2000 apportionment by a Republican Virginia General Assembly, but lost territory in the outlying areas of the district to allow for population growth in Fairfax and Loudoun. In 2013, the Fairfax portion of the district held about 40 percent of the population, Loudoun County held 30 percent, and the remainder of the district at 30 percent.

During his final three terms, Wolf was the only Republican representing a district based in the Washington suburbs on either side of the Potomac River. The neighboring 11th district was taken by Democrat Gerry Connolly in 2008, while the last Republican representing a district on the Maryland side, Connie Morella, had been defeated in 2002.

Family and Relatives

In 2022 Wolf's grandson, Caleb Max, ran for his seat in the Republican Firehouse Primary for Virginia's then redistricted 10th Congressional District. Max was unable to take back his grandfather’s congressional seat due to the GOP committee’s tampering of the election by replacing an open primary to a closed door convention held under wraps. Also another roadblock in that race was the GOP committee’s tendency to support far right candidates affiliated with movements such as Steve Bannon and MTG, this committee led by now Delegate Geary Higgins has become a let down of the honorable Republican committee that existed during the time of Congressman Frank Wolf.

Advocacy group ratings ^[11]

Year	Group	Ratings
2010	ACLU	13
2011	ACLU	—
2010	ACU	92
2011	ACU	80
2010	ADA	10
2011	ADA	10
2010	CFG	69
2011	CFG	72
2010	AFSCME	0
2011	AFS	44
2010	FRC	100
2011	FRC	—
2010	LCV	10
2011	LCV	21
2010	ITIC	33
2011	ITIC	—
2010	NTU	75
2011	NTU	67
2010	COC	88
2011	COC	93

Tenure

Wolf has been especially prominent in three areas: transportation, human rights, and gambling. Before he retired, he was the co-chair of the US Congress Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, formerly the Human Rights Caucus. ^[12]

In 2010, the NRA Political Victory Fund gave him a B+ and the American Civil Liberties Union gave him 13%, dropping to 0% in 2011. ^[13] Some other pre-2009 rankings include 0% from Clean Air Flow Energy,^{[ citation needed ]} 100% from National Right to Life, ^[13] 0% from the Human Rights Campaign, 17% from the National Educational Association, 5% from the League of Conservation Voters, 92% from the United States Border Control and 10% by the Alliance for Retired Americans. ^[13]

Human rights

Wolf has traveled extensively to places around the world where people are suffering, including five times to the Sudan since 1989. He has advocated for relief of the Darfur genocide. ^[14] He has also convened conferences in his district to address human rights issues around the world.

After the trial of the leadership of the Baháʼí Faith of Iran was announced on February 11, 2009, ^[15] Wolf voiced his deep concern over the "systematic persecution" of the Baháʼís. ^[16] On February 13, Wolf offered a resolution on the subject of the Iranian trial, co-sponsored by seven others, in H. RES. 175 – "Condemning the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of its Baháʼí minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights"; the resolution was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. ^[17] The situation in Iran gathered international attention, including defense of Iranian Nobel Laureate attorney Shirin Ebadi in June, ^[18] after she received threats in April warning her against making speeches abroad, including her defending Iran's minority Baháʼí community. ^[19]

On September 30, 2010,^{[ citation needed ]} Wolf spoke against human trafficking during a Black Women United for Action conference at Mount Vernon, George Washington's historic home.

On February 28, 2014, along with the Democrat Jackie Speier, Wolf became the co-chair of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Caucus, a group created in response to the ongoing persecution of Ahmadis. On May 9, 2014, Wolf introduced the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2014 (H.R. 4653; 113th Congress), a bill that would amend the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to reauthorize the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) as an independent federal government advisory body through FY2019. ^[20]

China

Wolf has vocally criticized the human rights record of China. ^[21] Around the time of the 1995 International Women's Conference in Beijing, Wolf called for the Most Favored Nation status of China to be revoked, repeating the blood libel that human fetuses were considered a delicacy in China. ^[22] He was one of the leading congressman trying to stop the grant of permanent MFN status to China in 1999. ^[23] When Wolf and Congressman Chris Smith were in Beijing shortly before the 2008 Summer Olympics, the Chinese security service prevented them from participating in a dinner meeting with local human rights lawyers. ^[24]

In the 2011 United States federal budget, Wolf inserted a clause prohibiting NASA and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy from any joint scientific activity with China for the remainder of the 2011 fiscal year. Wolf remarked, "We don't want to give them the opportunity to take advantage of our technology, and we have nothing to gain from dealing with them. And frankly, it boils down to a moral issue. ... Would you have a bilateral program with Stalin?" ^[25] This prohibition resulted in Chinese journalists being denied access to the launching of Space Shuttle Endeavour on the mission STS-134, that was carrying the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer which was built in part by Chinese scientists. ^[26]

In June 2014, Wolf got House support for an amendment that would rename the street holding the Chinese embassy; the amendment would change International Place to Liu Xiaobo Plaza, in honor of Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo. ^[27]

Iraq War

During the Bush administration, Wolf voted consistently with the President's positions. For example, Wolf voted in favor of military action in Iraq in 2002. He also voted to make the Patriot Act permanent, opposed requiring Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrants for wiretaps within the United States, and supported the president in restricting congressional oversight for CIA interrogations. ^[14]

However, in March 2006, Congress, at Wolf's suggestion by inserting an earmark into a supplemental appropriation bill, and in a breach with the Bush administration, announced the creation of the Iraq Study Group to reassess the U.S. strategy in Iraq. ^{[28] [29]}

Social issues

Wolf opposes abortion and subsidized birth control for federal employees. As congressman, Wolf also voted to deny funding to Planned Parenthood. He also opposes the funding for international family planning in developing countries. Wolf also previously asserted that marriage should only be between one man and one woman. ^[30] As such, he signed a letter supporting the "one man one woman" issue in the Manhattan Declaration. ^[30] Wolf sponsored the bill that became the District of Columbia Civil Contempt Imprisonment Limitation Act, H.R. 2136, in 1989 and supported the bill that became the Elizabeth Morgan Act in 1996.

Gambling

A 2005 Washington Post article cited "opposition to the spread of gambling" as one of Wolf's "central causes". ^[31] Wolf sought to revise the regulation process for gambling on Native American reservations. ^[31]

Committee assignments

• Committee on Appropriations
  • Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (chairman)
  • Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies

Caucus memberships

• Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (Co-chair)
• International Conservation Caucus
• Sportsmen's Caucus

In the 109th Congress, Wolf was chairman of Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs, and its ranking minority member in the 110th. He was co-chairman of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus with Jim McGovern, who replaced the late Tom Lantos. ^[32] Wolf is a member of the Moderate Republican Main Street Partnership.

Electoral history

Virginia's 10th congressional district : Results 1978–2012 ^{[33] [34] [35]}

Year		Republican	Votes	Pct		Democratic	Votes	Pct		3rd Party	Party	Votes	Pct		3rd Party	Party	Votes	Pct
1978		Frank Wolf	61,981	47%		Joseph Fisher	70,892	53%
1980		Frank Wolf	110,840	51%		Joseph Fisher	105,883	49%
1982		Frank Wolf	86,506	53%		Ira Lechner	75,361	46%		Scott Bowden	Independent	2,162	1%
1984		Frank Wolf	158,528	63%		John Flannery	95,074	37%
1986		Frank Wolf	95,724	60%		John Milliken	63,292	40%
1988		Frank Wolf	188,550	68%		Robert Weinberg	88,284	32%
1990		Frank Wolf	103,761	61%		N. MacKenzie Canter	57,249	34%		Barbara Minnich	Independent	5,273	3%		Lyndon LaRouche	Independent	2,293	1%
1992		Frank Wolf	144,471	64%		Ray Vickery	75,775	33%		Alan Ogden	Independent	6,874	3%
1994		Frank Wolf	153,311	87%		(no candidate)				Bob Rilee	Libertarian	8,267	5%		Alan Ogden	Independent	13,687	8%
1996		Frank Wolf	169,266	72%		Robert Weinberg	59,145	25%		Gary Reams	Libertarian	59,145	3%
1998		Frank Wolf	103,648	72%		Cornell Brooks	36,476	25%		Robert Barnett	Independent	4,506	3%
2000		Frank Wolf	238,817	84%		(no candidate)				Brian Brown	Libertarian	28,107	10%		Marc Rossi	Independent	3,226	6%
2002		Frank Wolf	115,917	72%		John Stevens	45,464	28%
2004		Frank Wolf	205,982	64%		James Socas	116,654	36%
2006		Frank Wolf	138,213	57%		Judy Feder	98,769	41%		Wilbur Wood	Libertarian	2,107	1%		Neeraj Nigam	Independent	1,851	1%
2008		Frank Wolf	223,140	59%		Judy Feder	147,357	39%		Neeraj Nigam	Independent	8,457	2%
2010		Frank Wolf	131,116	63%		Jeff Barnett	72,604	35%		William Redpath	Libertarian	4,607	2%
2012		Frank Wolf	214,038	58%		Kristin Cabral	142,024	39%		J. Kevin Chisholm	Independent	9,855	3%

References

1. 1981 Official Congressional Directory: 97th Congress
2. Press, CQ (June 2003). Congressional Staff Directory, Summer 2003: 108th Congress, Second Session: Members, Committees, Staffs, Biographies. CQ Press. ISBN   9780872892033.
3. Blake, Aaron (December 17, 2013). "Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) won't seek reelection" . The Washington Post . Retrieved October 8, 2020.
4. Reilly, Mollie (December 17, 2013). "Frank Wolf, GOP Congressman, Won't Seek Reelection In 2014". The Huffington Post. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
5. "Telepractice – Frank Wolf Interview". PresenceTelecare.com. 11 November 2009. Retrieved 2014-06-26.
6. "Rep. Frank Wolf (R)". National Journal Almanac. National Journal Group Inc. 2011. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
7. "November 2008 Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 2013-10-05. Retrieved 2013-01-28.
8. Trifone, Nicole (November 7, 2012). "Frank Wolf Wins Re-Election". patch.com. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved 2014-06-26.
9. Cahn, Emily (6 September 2013). "Frank Wolf Receives Democratic Challenger". RollCall.com. Retrieved 2014-06-26.
10. "GogoBook PDF Magazine". Archived from the original on 2018-11-16. Retrieved 2019-02-20.
11. Barone, Michael; Chuck McCutcheon (2011). "Virginia / Tenth District". The Almanac of American Politics 2012 . Washington, D.C.: National Journal Group and Atlantic Media Company. pp. 1685–1688. ISBN   978-0-226-03808-7. LCCN   2011929193.
12. "About the Committee". Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. Archived from the original on 2 July 2011. Retrieved 21 May 2011.
13. "Vote Smart - Candidate Ratings". Vote Smart.
14. "Frank Wolf on the Issues". OnTheIssues.Org. Retrieved 2008-11-05.
15. "Iran to try Bahais for spying for Israel". AFP . 2009-02-11.
16. "Iran Continues Systematic Persecution of Baha'is" (Press release). House of Representatives, Congressional Record. 2009-02-11. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
17. "Condemning the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of its Baha'i minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights. (Introduced in House)" (Press release). House of Representatives, Congressional Record. 2009-02-13. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
18. "Local Baha'is worry about their fellow believers in Iran" (Press release). The Chatham News. 2009-02-24. Archived from the original on 2009-07-03. Retrieved 2009-03-02.
19. "Top Iranian dissident threatened". BBC News. 14 April 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-04-20. Retrieved 2014-06-26.
20. "H.R. 4653 – Summary". United States Congress. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
21. "China". wolf.house.gov. Archived from the original on 2010-04-28. Retrieved 2014-06-26.
22. "Cannibalism and the Chinese Body Politic: Hermeneutics and Violence in Cross-Cultural Perception". Virginia.edu. Retrieved 2014-06-26.
23. Wolf, Frank (March 24, 2004). "U.S.– China trade debate filled with questions". Association for Asian Research. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved 2008-11-05.
24. Yardley, Jim (2008-07-02). "China Blocks U.S. Legislators' Meeting". The New York Times . Retrieved 2008-01-22.
25. Mervis, Jeffrey (21 April 2011). "Spending Bill Prohibits U.S.-China Collaborations". ScienceInsider. American Association for the Advancement of Science. Archived from the original on 27 April 2011. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
26. Hao, Cindy (20 May 2011). "Chinese Journalists Barred From Shuttle Launch". ScienceInsider. American Association for the Advancement of Science. Archived from the original on 24 May 2011. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
27. "US push to rename Chinese embassy street after dissident". BBC News. 25 June 2014. Retrieved 2014-06-26.
28. Barone, Michael; Richard E. Cohen (2008). The Almanac of American Politics 2008 . Washington, D.C.: National Journal Group and Atlantic Media Company. pp.  1688–1692. ISBN   978-0-89234-117-7.
29. Kirkpatrick, David D. (2006-12-05). "An Earmark With an Impact". The New York Times . Retrieved 2008-01-22.
30. Roach, Erin (Jan 5, 2010). "Congressmen write letter opposing Uganda anti-gay bill". Baptist Press. Archived from the original on April 13, 2010. Retrieved March 12, 2013.
31. E.J. Dionne Jr. (March 15, 2005). "Rolling the Dice on a GOP Rift" . The Washington Post . Retrieved June 26, 2018.
32. Barr, Andy. "McGovern Replaces Lantos as Human Rights Co-Chair" (The Hill, June 12, 2008)
33. "Election Statistics". Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Archived from the original on 2007-07-25. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
34. "Election results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 2010-06-17. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
35. "November 6, 2012 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on May 12, 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2012.

External links

• Frank Wolf at Curlie
• Appearances on C-SPAN
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
• Profile at Vote Smart

Videos

• Appearance on YouTube at Ethnic Community Campaign Rally, VA, September 9, 2006
• Appearance on YouTube at GOP Civic Picnic at Vint Hill, September 16, 2006
  • Part 2 on YouTube

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Joe Fisher	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 10th congressional district 1981–2015	Succeeded by Barbara Comstock
Preceded by John Porter	Chair of the House Human Rights Commission 2001–2007	Succeeded by Tom Lantos
Preceded by Tom Lantos	Ranking Member of the House Human Rights Commission 2007–2011	Succeeded by Jim McGovern
Preceded by Jim McGovern	Chair of the House Human Rights Commission 2011–2015	Succeeded by Joe Pitts
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by Norm Dicks as Former US Representative	Order of precedence of the United States as Former US Representative	Succeeded by David Price as Former US Representative