Richard Swett
Encyclopedia
Richard "Dick" Swett is an American politician
from the U.S. state
of New Hampshire
.
and moved to New Hampshire with his family as a child. He attended Yale University
and became an architect - working in Skidmore Owings and Merrill's San Francisco office.
and eventually began a political career. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives
in 1990 from the second district of New Hampshire. He was re-elected in 1992 but lost his re-election bid in 1994 to Republican Charles Bass. Swett was the last Democrat to represent New Hampshire in U.S. Congress until 2007.
In 1994, Swett voted for a bill to ban assault weapons that narrowly passed by two votes in the United States House of Representatives. His stand resulted in numerous threats against his life. The Federal Assault Weapons Ban
made it illegal to manufacture certain types of semi-automatic firearm
for non-military and law enforcement use in the United States for a period of 10 years. The law expired in 2004 and despite numerous attempts to have it renewed nothing has reached the floor for a vote.
In 1996, Swett ran as the Democratic Party candidate for a seat in the United States Senate
from New Hampshire, against incumbent Republican Robert C. Smith
, but was narrowly defeated by a margin of approximately 242,000 votes for Smith to 227,000 votes for Swett. On the night of the election many American media networks incorrectly projected that Swett had won.
In 1998, Swett was appointed by Bill Clinton
to be the United States Ambassador to Denmark
. He served in that position until 2001, and then moved back to New Hampshire. Swett and Larry Coben wrote the national energy policy for Senator Joseph Lieberman's 2004 presidential campaign.
, daughter of Congressman Tom Lantos
, who had previously converted to the LDS church while a student at Yale.
Swett has recently returned to the field of architecture, assuming the position of Managing Principal for the Washington
office of Leo A. Daly. He also owns and co-manages Swett Associates in New Hampshire.
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
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 New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
.
Early life, education and career
Swett was born in Bryn Mawr, PennsylvaniaBryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Bryn Mawr from Welsh for "big hill") is a census-designated place in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, just west of Philadelphia along Lancaster Avenue and the border with Delaware County...
and moved to New Hampshire with his family as a child. He attended Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
and became an architect - working in Skidmore Owings and Merrill's San Francisco office.
Political career
Swett became active in the Democratic PartyDemocratic 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...
and eventually began a political career. He was elected to 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...
in 1990 from the second district of New Hampshire. He was re-elected in 1992 but lost his re-election bid in 1994 to Republican Charles Bass. Swett was the last Democrat to represent New Hampshire in U.S. Congress until 2007.
In 1994, Swett voted for a bill to ban assault weapons that narrowly passed by two votes in the United States House of Representatives. His stand resulted in numerous threats against his life. The Federal Assault Weapons Ban
Federal assault weapons ban
The Federal Assault Weapons Ban was a subtitle of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, a federal law in the United States that included a prohibition on the manufacture for civilian use of certain semi-automatic firearms, so called "assault weapons"...
made it illegal to manufacture certain types of semi-automatic firearm
Semi-automatic firearm
A semi-automatic, or self-loading firearm is a weapon which performs all steps necessary to prepare the weapon to fire again after firing—assuming cartridges remain in the weapon's feed device or magazine...
for non-military and law enforcement use in the United States for a period of 10 years. The law expired in 2004 and despite numerous attempts to have it renewed nothing has reached the floor for a vote.
In 1996, Swett ran as the Democratic Party candidate for a seat 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...
from New Hampshire, against incumbent Republican Robert C. Smith
Robert C. Smith
Robert C. "Bob" Smith is an American politician who has served in both the United States House of Representatives and the Senate. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life:Smith was born in Trenton, New Jersey...
, but was narrowly defeated by a margin of approximately 242,000 votes for Smith to 227,000 votes for Swett. On the night of the election many American media networks incorrectly projected that Swett had won.
In 1998, Swett was appointed by Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
to be the United States Ambassador to Denmark
United States Ambassador to Denmark
The first representative from the United States to Denmark was appointed in 1827 as a Chargé d'Affaires. There followed a series of chargés and ministers until 1890 when the first full ambassador was appointed...
. He served in that position until 2001, and then moved back to New Hampshire. Swett and Larry Coben wrote the national energy policy for Senator Joseph Lieberman's 2004 presidential campaign.
Personal life
Swett is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). In 1980 he married Katrina LantosKatrina Swett
Katrina Swett is a professor and politician, who ran unsuccessfully in the Democratic primary for Congress in New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district during the 2010 United States midterm elections.-Early life, education and career:...
, daughter of Congressman Tom Lantos
Tom Lantos
Thomas Peter "Tom" Lantos was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from 1981 until his death, representing the northern two-thirds of San Mateo County and a portion of southwest San Francisco...
, who had previously converted to the LDS church while a student at Yale.
Swett has recently returned to the field of architecture, assuming the position of Managing Principal for the Washington
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 Leo A. Daly. He also owns and co-manages Swett Associates in New Hampshire.
External links
- Swett Associates
- Richard N. Swett at APCO WorldwideAPCO WorldwideAPCO Worldwide is an independent communications consultancy. With more than 600 employees in 29 worldwide locations, it is the second largest independently-owned PR firm in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., APCO was founded in 1984 by Margery Kraus, who is now the firm’s global...
- Richard Swett, Consulting Principal at the Greenway firm