Michael Leavitt
Encyclopedia
Michael Okerlund Leavitt (born February 11, 1951) is an American
Republican
politician
. He served as the the 14th Governor of Utah from 1993 to 2003, as Administrator
of the Environmental Protection Agency from 2003 to 2005 and as Secretary of Health and Human Services
from 2005 to 2009.
Leavitt serves as a co-leader of the Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiative at the Bipartisan Policy Center
.
.
Leavitt graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics and business from Southern Utah University
and married Jacalyn Smith. They have five children.
Leavitt is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Leavitt is a descendant of an old Massachusetts
Puritan
family, and a direct descendant of Dudley Leavitt
, a Mormon pioneer named for his ancestor Thomas Dudley
, the second colonial governor of Massachusetts.
In 1976, Leavitt assisted his father, then a state senator, in an unsuccessful campaign for governor. He worked on a number of U.S. Senate campaigns through the 1980s for Jake Garn and Orrin Hatch.
primary from Richard Eyre
who had more delegates vote for him at the state Republican convention. He defeated Democratic nominee Stewart Hanson in the general election, becoming the 14th Governor of the State of Utah
.
A holiday fire shortly before noon on December 15, 1993, destroyed much of the Utah Governor's Mansion
, but spared the lives of the first family and staff (Jacalyn Leavitt and some members of the family and staff were in the home at the time of the fire).
Leavitt was re-elected in 1996 with the largest vote total in state history.
While Governor, Leavitt and Roy Romer of Colorado were the two key founders of Western Governors University
in 1997, one of the first exclusively online schools in the nation. In addition to Leavitt and Romer, 17 other governors signed legislation creating the school as a non-profit private university
.
Leavitt came under strong criticism in 1998, while Governor, when asked why polygamy is not often prosecuted, he stated he was not sure, however "it may fall under religious freedoms." He was later forced to backpedal and claimed that polygamy should be against the law.
In 2000, Leavitt became only the second Governor in Utah history to be re-elected to a third term. As Governor, he held leadership positions in national and regional organizations, such as the Council of State Governments
, over which he presided for a year.
nominated Leavitt as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency at a press conference
in Aurora, Colorado
. He was confirmed on October 28, 2003 by a vote of 88–8 in the United States Senate
. On November 5, having resigned the governorship, Leavitt was sworn in as the 10th Administrator of the EPA.
At the Environmental Protection Agency he implemented higher standards for ozone, diesel fuels and other air pollutants. He organized and managed a collaboration to develop a federal plan to clean up the Great Lakes
.
as Secretary of Health and Human Services, and was confirmed by the Senate
by voice vote
on January 26, 2005.
Leavitt was commonly known for his advocating that Medicare was drifting toward disaster. He claimed Congress neglected his notions.
In June 2006, Leavitt came under criticism for using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
’s (CDC) Gulfstream III Emergency Response aircraft to, primarily, promote the newly reformed Medicare
plan.
Critics argue that Leavitt irresponsibly used the aircraft beginning in January 2006, logging over $700,000 worth of flight time in the 14-seat private jet. Leavitt’s office maintains that the use of the aircraft was necessary and legal since the Senate Appropriations Committee
approved his use of the aircraft, and commercial services could not meet the deadlines required by his engagements.
Leavitt has described the avian influenza virus
as the most serious threat to American security. Secretary Leavitt cited the work of the World Health Organization
's Dr. Michael McCoy as the most compelling scientific work into the avian flu threat. This encouraged Secretary Leavitt to mobilize the nation’s pandemic preparedness and led to the reconfiguring of the nation’s medical emergency plans.
Leavitt also served on the Homeland Security Advisory Council
.
In August 2007, Leavitt became the first cabinet-level blog
ger in U.S. history.
, the Dixie and Anne Leavitt Foundation, was established by the Leavitt family in 2000, and the family has donated nearly $9 million of assets to it since. It has provided them with tax write-offs for the donated assets. About a third of the foundation's assets have been loaned back to family businesses, such as a $332,000 loan to Leavitt Land and Investment Inc., in which Mike Leavitt has a substantial interest. According to a 2006 National Public Radio report, these loans were legal because they were made at market rates. A month following the NPR report, Congress made such transactions illegal.
The same NPR report also revealed that nearly $500,000 in charitable contributions provided to the Southern Utah Foundation were used for housing scholarships to Southern Utah University
. The scholarships were subsequently used to place students in the Cedar Development Co., a Leavitt family business, with the money used to pay the students' rent. NPR's investigation found that the arrangement was legal and that the Leavitts did not profit from the arrangement. Although legal, the procedure, called "round-tripping" in philanthropic circles, has garnered criticism as lacking in the spirit of philanthropy. The report also stated that Mike Leavitt was not directly involved in the foundation's operations.
Total charitable grants from the foundation during its first six years were $1,468,055. The foundation's principal beneficiaries have been Southern Utah University and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Other beneficiaries have included arts, educational and humanitarian organizations, including the Leavitt family genealogical society.
, pejoratively known as "ObamaCare
."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He served as the the 14th Governor of Utah from 1993 to 2003, as Administrator
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency is the head of the United States federal government's Environmental Protection Agency, and is thus responsible for enforcing the nation's Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, as well as numerous other environmental statutes. The Administrator is...
of the Environmental Protection Agency from 2003 to 2005 and as Secretary of Health and Human Services
United States Secretary of Health and Human Services
The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, concerned with health matters. The Secretary is a member of the President's Cabinet...
from 2005 to 2009.
Leavitt serves as a co-leader of the Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiative at the Bipartisan Policy Center
Bipartisan Policy Center
The is a non-profit organization that "drives principled solutions through rigorous analysis, reasoned negotiation, and respectful dialogue." Founded in 2007 by former Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell, "BPC combines politically-balanced policymaking...
.
Early life and family
Leavitt was born in Cedar City, UtahCedar City, Utah
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,527 people, 6,486 households, and 4,682 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,021.8 people per square mile . There were 7,109 housing units at an average density of 353.9 per square mile...
.
Leavitt graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics and business from Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University, or SUU, is located in Cedar City, Utah. It was founded in 1897 as an extension of the Agricultural College of Utah, by the citizens of Cedar City.During its history, the school has been known as:...
and married Jacalyn Smith. They have five children.
Leavitt is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Leavitt is a descendant of an old Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
family, and a direct descendant of Dudley Leavitt
Dudley Leavitt
Dudley Leavitt was an early patriarch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a Mormon pioneer and an early settler in southern Utah.-Biography:Leavitt was born in Stanstead, Lower Canada....
, a Mormon pioneer named for his ancestor Thomas Dudley
Thomas Dudley
Thomas Dudley was a colonial magistrate who served several terms as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Dudley was the chief founder of Newtowne, later Cambridge, Massachusetts, and built the town's first home...
, the second colonial governor of Massachusetts.
Early career
Leavitt's business career started with his joining The Leavitt Group, a regional insurance company founded by his father. He rose to become the company's president and CEO and presided over a period of expansion. He was subsequently appointed to the boards of directors of numerous local and regional companies, including Utah Power and Light, as well as a member of the Utah State Board of Regents. As a regent, he helped oversee Utah's nine public colleges and universities. For four years, he was chair of Southern Utah University's board of trustees.In 1976, Leavitt assisted his father, then a state senator, in an unsuccessful campaign for governor. He worked on a number of U.S. Senate campaigns through the 1980s for Jake Garn and Orrin Hatch.
Governor of Utah
Leavitt first ran for governor in 1992. He had tough competition in the Republican PartyRepublican 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...
primary from Richard Eyre
Richard Eyre (author)
Richard M. Eyre is a consultant, speaker, and author of many books. He was also a candidate for the Republican nomination for Utah Governor in 1992....
who had more delegates vote for him at the state Republican convention. He defeated Democratic nominee Stewart Hanson in the general election, becoming the 14th Governor of the State of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
.
A holiday fire shortly before noon on December 15, 1993, destroyed much of the Utah Governor's Mansion
Utah Governor's Mansion
The Utah Governor's Mansion is the official residence of the Governor of Utah and family. It is located at 603 E. South Temple St., Salt Lake City, Utah....
, but spared the lives of the first family and staff (Jacalyn Leavitt and some members of the family and staff were in the home at the time of the fire).
Leavitt was re-elected in 1996 with the largest vote total in state history.
While Governor, Leavitt and Roy Romer of Colorado were the two key founders of Western Governors University
Western Governors University
Western Governors University is a private, nonprofit, American online university with nearly 30,000 students across the United States and in military bases overseas, as of December 2011. It is a competency-based university...
in 1997, one of the first exclusively online schools in the nation. In addition to Leavitt and Romer, 17 other governors signed legislation creating the school as a non-profit private university
Private university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
.
Leavitt came under strong criticism in 1998, while Governor, when asked why polygamy is not often prosecuted, he stated he was not sure, however "it may fall under religious freedoms." He was later forced to backpedal and claimed that polygamy should be against the law.
In 2000, Leavitt became only the second Governor in Utah history to be re-elected to a third term. As Governor, he held leadership positions in national and regional organizations, such as the Council of State Governments
Council of State Governments
The Council of State Governments is a nonpartisan non-profit organization in the United States serving the state governments. It serves state legislatures, state courts, and executive branch officials and agencies, and is the only multi-branch organization of state governments in the United...
, over which he presided for a year.
EPA Administrator
On August 11, 2003, President George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
nominated Leavitt as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency at a press conference
News conference
A news conference or press conference is a media event in which newsmakers invite journalists to hear them speak and, most often, ask questions. A joint press conference instead is held between two or more talking sides.-Practice:...
in Aurora, Colorado
Aurora, Colorado
City of Aurora is a Home Rule Municipality spanning Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties in Colorado. Aurora is an eastern suburb of the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area . The city is the third most populous city in the Colorado and the 56th most populous city in the...
. He was confirmed on October 28, 2003 by a vote of 88–8 in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. On November 5, having resigned the governorship, Leavitt was sworn in as the 10th Administrator of the EPA.
At the Environmental Protection Agency he implemented higher standards for ozone, diesel fuels and other air pollutants. He organized and managed a collaboration to develop a federal plan to clean up the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
.
Secretary of Health and Human Services
On December 13, 2004, Leavitt was nominated by Bush to succeed Tommy ThompsonTommy Thompson
Thomas George "Tommy" Thompson , a United States Republican politician, was the 42nd Governor of Wisconsin, after which he served as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Thompson was a candidate for the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, but dropped out early after a poor performance in polls...
as Secretary of Health and Human Services, and was confirmed by the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
by voice vote
Voice vote
A voice vote is a voting method used by deliberative assemblies in which a vote is taken on a topic or motion by responding verbally....
on January 26, 2005.
Leavitt was commonly known for his advocating that Medicare was drifting toward disaster. He claimed Congress neglected his notions.
In June 2006, Leavitt came under criticism for using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...
’s (CDC) Gulfstream III Emergency Response aircraft to, primarily, promote the newly reformed Medicare
Medicare (United States)
Medicare is a social insurance program administered by the United States government, providing health insurance coverage to people who are aged 65 and over; to those who are under 65 and are permanently physically disabled or who have a congenital physical disability; or to those who meet other...
plan.
Critics argue that Leavitt irresponsibly used the aircraft beginning in January 2006, logging over $700,000 worth of flight time in the 14-seat private jet. Leavitt’s office maintains that the use of the aircraft was necessary and legal since the Senate Appropriations Committee
United States Senate Committee on Appropriations
The United States Senate Committee on Appropriations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over all discretionary spending legislation in the Senate....
approved his use of the aircraft, and commercial services could not meet the deadlines required by his engagements.
Leavitt has described the avian influenza virus
Virus
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...
as the most serious threat to American security. Secretary Leavitt cited the work of the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
's Dr. Michael McCoy as the most compelling scientific work into the avian flu threat. This encouraged Secretary Leavitt to mobilize the nation’s pandemic preparedness and led to the reconfiguring of the nation’s medical emergency plans.
Leavitt also served on the Homeland Security Advisory Council
Homeland Security Advisory Council
The Homeland Security Advisory Council is part of the Executive Office of the President. It was created by an Executive Order on March 19, 2002.-Council Members:* William H. Webster , Partner, Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, LLP...
.
In August 2007, Leavitt became the first cabinet-level blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
ger in U.S. history.
Leavitt Foundation
Leavitt's family charitable foundationFoundation (charity)
A foundation is a legal categorization of nonprofit organizations that will typically either donate funds and support to other organizations, or provide the source of funding for its own charitable purposes....
, the Dixie and Anne Leavitt Foundation, was established by the Leavitt family in 2000, and the family has donated nearly $9 million of assets to it since. It has provided them with tax write-offs for the donated assets. About a third of the foundation's assets have been loaned back to family businesses, such as a $332,000 loan to Leavitt Land and Investment Inc., in which Mike Leavitt has a substantial interest. According to a 2006 National Public Radio report, these loans were legal because they were made at market rates. A month following the NPR report, Congress made such transactions illegal.
The same NPR report also revealed that nearly $500,000 in charitable contributions provided to the Southern Utah Foundation were used for housing scholarships to Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University, or SUU, is located in Cedar City, Utah. It was founded in 1897 as an extension of the Agricultural College of Utah, by the citizens of Cedar City.During its history, the school has been known as:...
. The scholarships were subsequently used to place students in the Cedar Development Co., a Leavitt family business, with the money used to pay the students' rent. NPR's investigation found that the arrangement was legal and that the Leavitts did not profit from the arrangement. Although legal, the procedure, called "round-tripping" in philanthropic circles, has garnered criticism as lacking in the spirit of philanthropy. The report also stated that Mike Leavitt was not directly involved in the foundation's operations.
Total charitable grants from the foundation during its first six years were $1,468,055. The foundation's principal beneficiaries have been Southern Utah University and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Other beneficiaries have included arts, educational and humanitarian organizations, including the Leavitt family genealogical society.
Leavitt Partners
Leavitt Partners is a consulting firm created by Michael O. Leavitt to advise clients in the health care and food safety sectors. The firm is also involved in helping the states implement the Patient Protection and Affordable Care ActPatient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. The law is the principal health care reform legislation of the 111th United States Congress...
, pejoratively known as "ObamaCare
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. The law is the principal health care reform legislation of the 111th United States Congress...
."
Electoral history
- 1992 Race for Governor
- Michael Leavitt (R), 42%
- Merrill CookMerrill CookMerrill Cook was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Utah.Cook, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. He graduated from East High School in 1964 and the University...
(I), 34% - Stewart Hanson (D), 23%
- 1996 Race for Governor
- Michael Leavitt (R) (inc.), 75%
- Jim BradleyE. James BradleyE. James "Jim" Bradley is currently serving as a councilman of Salt Lake County, Utah. He is a member of the Democratic Party.Bradley is a 1984 graduate of the University of Utah....
(D), 23%
- 2000 Race for Governor
- Michael Leavitt (R) (inc.), 56%
- Bill OrtonBill OrtonWilliam "Bill" Orton was an American Democratic Congressman. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Utah from 1991 to 1997.-Early life and education:...
(D), 42%