Jack Buechner
Encyclopedia
John William "Jack" Buechner (born June 4, 1940) is an American
lawyer
and politician
from the U.S. state
of Missouri
. A Republican
, Buechner served in the United States House of Representatives
for Missouri's 2nd congressional district
from 1987 to 1991. After serving in Congress, Buechner became president of the International Republican Institute
and a lawyer at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips
. From 2001 until his retirement in 2005 he was the President of The Presidential Classroom for Young Americans.
Currently he serves as Senior Counsel to The Hawthorn Group of Alexandria, VA. and is on the Advisory Board of Bloomberg.Government.
and attended parochial schools. He graduated from Benedictine College
in Atchison, Kansas
and graduated with an BA
in political science
. He received his JD
from Saint Louis University School of Law
. Buechner's first marriage was to Marietta Caiarelli, a nurse; they had a son, Terrence, in 1969, and another son, Patrick. In 1990, Buechner married Nancy Chanitz and had another son with her, Charles. They lived in McLean, Virginia
after losing re-election to the House. Nancy died in 2006.
in 1972 and served until 1982. For the 1964
, 1980
, and 1988
Republican National Conventions
, Buechner was a delegate. In 1984 he ran for the US House of Representatives in Missouri's 2nd congressional district
, challenging incumbent
Democrat
Robert A. Young
. Buechner received 47.5% of the vote, losing narrowly to Young.
At the House, Buechner served in the Budget Committee
and the Committee on Science, Space and Technology. The American Conservative Union
gave Buechner an 86% conservative rating for his 1987 votes on certain bills; subsequent ratings were 88% in 1988, 73% in 1989, and 67% in 1990.
In 1986, Buechner again challenged Young, and this time he was elected, winning 52.7% of the vote. In 1987, Buechner was among 26 House Republicans who voted against overriding President Ronald Reagan
's veto of a clean water bill that Reagan believed was "loaded with waste and larded with pork."
Buechner was re-elected in 1988, but in 1990 he was defeated by Democrat Joan Kelly Horn
by only 54 votes. In that election, 102 of the 406 House members who won re-election did so with 60 percent of the vote or less, and R.W. Apple Jr. of The New York Times
blamed "taxes
and the budget battle" for Buechner's loss. Tim Graham, director of media analysis for the Media Research Center
, once served as press secretary for Buechner. Buechner was the first Congressional guest on Late Night with David Letterman
. For around five times until 1992, Buechner was among participants in weekly Thursday night poker games that Senator Alfonse D'Amato hosted in D'Amato's Washington office. Those poker games helped lobbyists connect to members of Congress.
. After Senator John McCain
became chairman of the Institute, the board fired Buechner, who later described his dismissal as "less than gracious." He also became a partner at the Washington, D.C.
office of law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips
and later Anderson Kill & Olick, P.C. In academia, Buechner was a visiting professor of political thought
at Webster University Vienna
and adjunct professor of political science
at Saint Louis University
and Stephens College
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. A Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, Buechner served in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for Missouri's 2nd congressional district
Missouri's 2nd congressional district
Missouri's second congressional district is in the eastern portion of the state, primarily consisting of the suburbs north and west of St. Louis.Its current representative is Republican Todd Akin of Town and Country.-List of representatives:...
from 1987 to 1991. After serving in Congress, Buechner became president of the International Republican Institute
International Republican Institute
Founded in 1983, the International Republican Institute is an organization, funded by the United States government, that conducts international political programs, sometimes labeled 'democratization programs'....
and a lawyer at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP is a Los Angeles-based law firm of more than 400 attorneys and other professionals founded in 1965. The firm earned revenues of nearly $260 million in 2010...
. From 2001 until his retirement in 2005 he was the President of The Presidential Classroom for Young Americans.
Currently he serves as Senior Counsel to The Hawthorn Group of Alexandria, VA. and is on the Advisory Board of Bloomberg.Government.
Early life, education, and family
Buechner was raised in Kirkwood, MissouriKirkwood, Missouri
Kirkwood is an inner-ring suburb of St. Louis, located in St. Louis County, Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,540. Founded in 1853, the city is named for James Pugh Kirkwood, builder of the Pacific Railroad through that town. It was the first planned suburb located west...
and attended parochial schools. He graduated from Benedictine College
Benedictine College
Benedictine College is a co-educational university in Atchison, Kansas, founded in 1971 by the merger of St. Benedict's College for men and Mount St. Scholastica College for women. It is a Roman Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts, and residential college located on bluffs overlooking the...
in Atchison, Kansas
Atchison, Kansas
Atchison is a city situated along the Missouri River in the eastern part of Atchison County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,021. It is the county seat and most populous city of Atchison County...
and graduated with an BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
. He received his JD
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Saint Louis University School of Law
Saint Louis University School of Law
Saint Louis University School of Law , also known as SLU LAW, is a private American law school located in St. Louis, Missouri. It is one of the professional graduate schools of Saint Louis University. Opened in 1843, it is the first law school west of the Mississippi River. The school has been ABA...
. Buechner's first marriage was to Marietta Caiarelli, a nurse; they had a son, Terrence, in 1969, and another son, Patrick. In 1990, Buechner married Nancy Chanitz and had another son with her, Charles. They lived in McLean, Virginia
McLean, Virginia
McLean is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Fairfax County in Northern Virginia. The community had a total population of 48,115 as of the 2010 census....
after losing re-election to the House. Nancy died in 2006.
Political career
He was elected to the Missouri House of RepresentativesMissouri House of Representatives
The Missouri House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 163 members, representing districts with an average size of 31,000 residents. House members are elected for two-year terms during general elections held in even-numbered years.In 1992 Missouri...
in 1972 and served until 1982. For the 1964
1964 Republican National Convention
The 1964 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States took place in the Cow Palace, San Francisco, California, on July 13 to July 16, 1964. Before 1964, there had only been one national Republican convention on the West Coast...
, 1980
1980 Republican National Convention
The 1980 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States convened at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan, from July 14 to July 17, 1980. The 32nd Republican National Convention nominated former Governor Ronald W. Reagan of California for President of the United States and former...
, and 1988
1988 Republican National Convention
The 1988 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States was held in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana from August 15 to August 18, 1988. It was the second time that a major party held its conclave in one of the five states known as the Deep South, coming on the...
Republican National Conventions
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
, Buechner was a delegate. In 1984 he ran for the US House of Representatives in Missouri's 2nd congressional district
Missouri's 2nd congressional district
Missouri's second congressional district is in the eastern portion of the state, primarily consisting of the suburbs north and west of St. Louis.Its current representative is Republican Todd Akin of Town and Country.-List of representatives:...
, challenging incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Robert A. Young
Robert A. Young
Robert A. Young III was a Democratic politician from the state of Missouri who served five terms in the US House of Representatives.-Education and family background:...
. Buechner received 47.5% of the vote, losing narrowly to Young.
At the House, Buechner served in the Budget Committee
United States House Committee on the Budget
The U.S. House Committee on the Budget, commonly known as the House Budget Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress...
and the Committee on Science, Space and Technology. The American Conservative Union
American Conservative Union
The American Conservative Union is an American political organization advocating conservative policies, and is the oldest such conservative lobbying organization in the country.-Organization:...
gave Buechner an 86% conservative rating for his 1987 votes on certain bills; subsequent ratings were 88% in 1988, 73% in 1989, and 67% in 1990.
In 1986, Buechner again challenged Young, and this time he was elected, winning 52.7% of the vote. In 1987, Buechner was among 26 House Republicans who voted against overriding President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
's veto of a clean water bill that Reagan believed was "loaded with waste and larded with pork."
Buechner was re-elected in 1988, but in 1990 he was defeated by Democrat Joan Kelly Horn
Joan Kelly Horn
Joan Kelly Horn is an American politician from Missouri. She served one term in the United States House of Representatives representing Missouri's 2nd congressional district in suburban St. Louis. She is a Democrat....
by only 54 votes. In that election, 102 of the 406 House members who won re-election did so with 60 percent of the vote or less, and R.W. Apple Jr. of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
blamed "taxes
Read my lips: no new taxes
"Read my lips: no new taxes" is a now-famous phrase spoken by then presidential candidate George H. W. Bush at the 1988 Republican National Convention as he accepted the nomination on August 18. Written by speechwriter Peggy Noonan, the line was the most prominent sound bite from the speech...
and the budget battle" for Buechner's loss. Tim Graham, director of media analysis for the Media Research Center
Media Research Center
The Media Research Center is a content analysis organization based in Alexandria, Virginia, founded in 1987 by conservative activist L. Brent Bozell III...
, once served as press secretary for Buechner. Buechner was the first Congressional guest on Late Night with David Letterman
Late Night with David Letterman
Late Night with David Letterman is a nightly hour-long comedy talk show on NBC that was created and hosted by David Letterman. It premiered in 1982 as the first incarnation of the Late Night franchise and went off the air in 1993, after Letterman left NBC and moved to Late Show on CBS. Late Night...
. For around five times until 1992, Buechner was among participants in weekly Thursday night poker games that Senator Alfonse D'Amato hosted in D'Amato's Washington office. Those poker games helped lobbyists connect to members of Congress.
Post-political career
After Congress, Buechner became president of the International Republican InstituteInternational Republican Institute
Founded in 1983, the International Republican Institute is an organization, funded by the United States government, that conducts international political programs, sometimes labeled 'democratization programs'....
. After Senator John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
became chairman of the Institute, the board fired Buechner, who later described his dismissal as "less than gracious." He also became a partner at the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
office of law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP is a Los Angeles-based law firm of more than 400 attorneys and other professionals founded in 1965. The firm earned revenues of nearly $260 million in 2010...
and later Anderson Kill & Olick, P.C. In academia, Buechner was a visiting professor of political thought
Political philosophy
Political philosophy is the study of such topics as liberty, justice, property, rights, law, and the enforcement of a legal code by authority: what they are, why they are needed, what, if anything, makes a government legitimate, what rights and freedoms it should protect and why, what form it...
at Webster University Vienna
Webster University Vienna
Webster University Vienna is the Austrian branch of Webster University, and Webster's biggest campus outside the US. It was founded in 1981, since 9 January 2001 it is accredited as Austria's third private university...
and adjunct professor of political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
at Saint Louis University
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis University is a private, co-educational Jesuit university located in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Founded in 1818 by the Most Reverend Louis Guillaume Valentin Dubourg SLU is the oldest university west of the Mississippi River. It is one of 28 member institutions of the...
and Stephens College
Stephens College
Stephens College is a women's college located in Columbia, Missouri. It is the second oldest female educational establishment that is still a women's college in the United States. It was founded on August 24, 1833 as the Columbia Female Academy. In 1856, David H. Hickman turned it into a college,...
.