J. Bennett Johnston

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Johnston's closest re-election race was in 1990 against State Representative David Duke, a former Ku Klux Klansman and Republican candidate, who was not endorsed by his party's leadership. Louisiana State Senator Ben Bagert of New Orleans dropped out of the primary race in a bid to try to prevent a runoff battle between Johnston and Duke. Eight Republican U.S. senators endorsed Johnston over Duke. [28] These included Ted Stevens and Frank Murkowski of Alaska, David Durenberger and Rudy Boschwitz of Minnesota, John Danforth of Missouri, William Cohen of Maine, Warren Rudman of New Hampshire, and Nancy Landon Kassebaum of Kansas. [29] [30]

The HUD Secretary at the time, Jack Kemp, also endorsed Johnston. [31]

Johnston defeated Duke in the primary, 752,902 votes (53.9 percent), to 607,391 votes (43.5 percent), far less than expected. Other candidates took the remaining 35,820 votes (2.5 percent). [27] Johnston retired after his fourth term ended in 1997; he was succeeded by his choice for the seat, fellow Democrat Mary Landrieu of New Orleans, daughter of Jimmy Carter's HUD Secretary and former New Orleans Mayor Moon Landrieu.

Notable achievements

Johnston broke with his party in 1991 to authorize the use of military force in Operation Desert Storm in Iraq. [32] [33] He also broke ranks to support the narrowly achieved confirmation of Clarence Thomas as associate justice of the United States Supreme Court. [34] In 1987, Johnston had voted with his Democratic majority against President Ronald W. Reagan's choice of Robert Bork, former D.C. Appeals Court Judge, for elevation to the Supreme Court. [35]

Johnston was one of the few Senate Democrats to vote against the Budget Act of 1993, which was strongly supported by President Bill Clinton. He repeatedly voted against the Balanced Budget Amendment and giving the President the line-item veto, both of which were measures strongly favored by fiscal conservatives in both parties. On foreign policy issues, he frequently voted with more liberal Democrats to terminate restrictions on travel to communist Cuba, and in support of the United Nations and foreign aid. Johnston was the only member of either house of Congress to vote against a 1995 resolution to allow Taiwan's president Lee Teng-hui to visit the United States. [36]

During his tenure as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, he was recognized as the nation's pre-eminent legislator on energy policy. [37] One of his major concerns was the threat of anthropegenic climate change. [38]

Johnston was a firm advocate of the Flag Desecration Amendment. [39] He opposed abortion and most gun control measures. [40] [41]

In 1988, Johnston sought the position of Senate Majority Leader but lost to George J. Mitchell of Maine. [42] From 1972 to 1987, Johnston served alongside fellow Democratic Senator Russell Long, with whom he worked closely to deliver federal spending to Louisiana. Johnston and Long gained authorization[ clarification needed ] of the Cane River National Heritage Area in Natchitoches Parish in 1994, which stimulated tourism in the region. Johnston delivered a eulogy at Long's funeral in 2003.

Later life

Since leaving the Senate, Johnston formed Johnston & Associates LLC, a lobbying group. [43] [8] In 2008, Steptoe & Johnson, a major international law firm, formed a "strategic alliance" with Johnston. Steptoe added three members from Johnston & Associates to the firm. [44]

Johnston and former Senator Howard Baker of Tennessee co-chaired the National Parks Second Century Commission. [45]

In 1997, Johnston was elected to Chevron's board of directors. [46] He had left the board by 2011. [47]

Currently, Johnston is one of the advisory directors at Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold [48] and Angeleno Group, an energy-based investment group. [49] [50]

Legacy and honors

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References

  1. ↑ "About CAMD". came.lsu.edu. CAMD. Archived from the original on April 8, 2009. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
  2. ↑ "Mother of retiring senator dead at 92". The Advocate. December 2, 1996. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Southfield Hall of Fame". southfield-school.org. Archived from the original on December 7, 2013. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
  4. ↑ "C. E. Byrd High School Collection". scripts.lsus.edu. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 "JOHNSTON, John Bennett Jr., (1932 - )". bioguide.congress.gov. United States Congress. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
  6. ↑ "J. Bennett Johnston". Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Libraries. 2002. p. 4. Archived from the original on June 15, 2010. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  7. ↑ Bartley, Numan; Hugh Davis Graham (1975). Southern politics and the second reconstruction. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 155. ISBN   9780801816673 . Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  8. 1 2 3 "Senator J. Bennett Johnson" . Retrieved September 3, 2011.
  9. ↑ Bill Adair (April 30, 2001). "The House is not a home". The St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, FL: Times Publishing Company. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  10. ↑ "National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States" . Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  11. ↑ Emily Robison & Wendy Rogers, co-compilers & Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections Special Collections, Hill Memorial Library, Louisiana State University Libraries, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Spring 2002). "Johnston (J. Bennett) Collection (#4473) Inventory". p. 4. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved September 3, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ↑ David R. Poynter. "MEMBERSHIP IN THE LOUISIANA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1812 - 2012" (PDF). Legislative Research Library, Louisiana House of Representatives. pp. 43–44. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 29, 2009. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
  13. ↑ Emily Robison & Wendy Rogers, co-compilers & Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections Special Collections, Hill Memorial Library, Louisiana State University Libraries, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Spring 2002). "Johnston (J. Bennett) Collection (#4473) Inventory". p. 4. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ↑ "Ralph Perlman". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate . Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  15. ↑ "MEMBERSHIP IN THE LOUISIANA SENATE 1880 - 2008" (PDF). p. 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 20, 2011. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
  16. ↑ "Johnston Outlines Toll Road Proposal," Minden Press-Herald , April 24, 1970, p. 1.
  17. ↑ "Harmon Drew Jr., to Head Johnston College Campaign," Minden Press-Herald, p. 1.
  18. ↑ "Close Louisiana Race Settled". St. Petersburg Times. December 20, 1971. p. 18–A. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
  19. 1 2 Press Dispatches (July 28, 1972). "Ellender Dies at 81; Was Dean Of Senate". The Milwaukee Journal. Retrieved September 6, 2011.
  20. ↑ Milburn E. Calhoun; Jeanne Frois (2006). Louisiana Almanac: 2006-2007. Pelican Publishing. p. 542. ISBN   978-1-58980-306-0 . Retrieved September 5, 2011.
  21. ↑ Benjamin J. Guthrie; W. Pat Jennings (1973). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 7, 1972" (PDF). p. 18. Retrieved September 5, 2011.
  22. ↑ Kurtz, Michael L. (1998). Louisiana since the Longs: 1960 to Century's End. Lafayette, LA: Center for Louisiana Studies, University of Southwestern Louisiana. p. 81. ISBN   978-1-887366-26-7.,
  23. 1 2 "James Reeder". Shreveport Times . Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  24. ↑ "Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame". cityofwinnfield.com. Archived from the original on July 3, 2009. Retrieved August 22, 2009.
  25. ↑ Milburn E. Calhoun; Jeanne Frois (2006). Louisiana Almanac: 2006-2007. Pelican Publishing. p. 544. ISBN   978-1-58980-306-0 . Retrieved September 5, 2011.
  26. ↑ "Ouachita-Richland County Louisiana Archives Obituaries.....ROSS, ROBERT MAX September 15, 2009". September 15, 2009. Retrieved September 6, 2011.
  27. 1 2 Charles Bruce Brownson; Anna L. Brownson (1991). Congressional staff directory: Advance locator for Capitol Hill, Part 1. Congressional Staff Directory. p. 49. ISBN   978-0-87289-089-3 . Retrieved September 6, 2011.
  28. ↑ Kevin McGill (October 5, 1990). "Republican quits to help Democrat". The Hour. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  29. ↑ "Johnston Is Endorsed By 8 Republican Senators". The Washington Post. October 4, 1990. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  30. ↑ "GOP senators shun Duke, endorse Democrat". The Washington Times. October 4, 1990. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  31. ↑ "Johnston Takes Lead Over Duke in Louisiana". Los Angeles Times. October 7, 1990. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  32. ↑ "U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 102nd Congress - 1st Session". January 12, 1991. Retrieved November 1, 2010.
  33. ↑ "Johnston's anti-busing bill wins bout in the Senate", Minden Press-Herald, September 17, 1981, p. 1.
  34. ↑ "Congressional Record-Senate" (PDF). Library of Congress . October 15, 1991. Retrieved November 1, 2010.
  35. ↑ "Congressional Record-Senate" (PDF). October 23, 1987. Retrieved November 1, 2010.
  36. ↑ "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 104th Congress - 1st Session".
  37. ↑ "Senator J. Bennett Johnston". Bipartisan Policy Center. Archived from the original on October 14, 2014. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  38. ↑ Greenhouse effect and global climate change : hearings before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, One Hundredth Congress, first session. S. HRG. ;100-461. GPO. June 23, 1988. "We have only one planet. If we screw it up, we have no place else to go. The possibility, indeed, the fact of our mistreating this planet by burning too much fossil fuels and putting too much CO2 in the atmosphere and thereby causing this greenhouse effect is now a major concern of Members of the Congress and of people everywhere in this country."
  39. ↑ "U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 104th Congress - 1st Session" . Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  40. ↑ "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 103rd Congress - 1st Session".
  41. ↑ "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 103rd Congress - 1st Session".
  42. ↑ Susan F. Rasky (November 30, 1988). "Mitchell of Maine is chosen to lead Senate Democrats". New York Times. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  43. ↑ "Lobbying Report". 2010. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
  44. ↑ "Steptoe Forms Strategic Alliance with Former Senator J. Bennett Johnston". January 23, 2008. Archived from the original on May 17, 2011. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
  45. ↑ "National Parks Second Century Commission Members". Archived from the original on August 20, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
  46. ↑ "Former U.S. Senator J. Bennett Johnston Is Elected To Chevron Board Of Directors". January 27, 1997. Archived from the original on March 18, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
  47. ↑ "Board Of Directors". Archived from the original on December 29, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
  48. ↑ "Advisory Directors". Archived from the original on October 24, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
  49. ↑ "The Honorable Bennett Johnston" . Retrieved June 2, 2012.
  50. ↑ "Focus" . Retrieved June 2, 2012.
  51. ↑ "Jesse N. Stone Lecture hall". susla.edu. Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  52. ↑ "J. Bennett Johnston Receives the National Parks Conservation Association Centennial Leadership Award". March 24, 2010. Archived from the original on May 17, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
J. Bennett Johnston
John Bennett Johnston.jpg
Johnston in 1980
United States Senator
from Louisiana
In office
November 14, 1972 –January 3, 1997
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Louisiana
(Class 2)
1972, 1978, 1984, 1990 		Succeeded by
New office Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
1975–1976		Succeeded by
Vacant
Title last held by
Ted Stevens
John Rhodes 		Response to the State of the Union address
1982
Served alongside: Robert Byrd, Alan Cranston, Al Gore, Gary Hart, Ted Kennedy, Tip O'Neill, Don Riegle, Paul Sarbanes, Jim Sasser 		Succeeded by
U.S. Senate
Preceded by U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Louisiana
1972–1997
Served alongside: Russell B. Long, John Breaux 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chair of the Senate Energy Committee
1987–1995		Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former US Senator Order of precedence of the United States
as Former US Senator 		Succeeded byas Former US Senator
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