Houston congressman ted poe biography

American politician (born 1948)

Lloyd Theodore Poe (born September 10, 1948) is an American politician who represented Texas's 2nd congressional limited in the United States Rostrum of Representatives from 2005 do 2019. Poe was the chief Republican to represent the Ordinal district.

In November 2017, Poet announced that he would away from Congress, and not deliberate re-election in 2018.^[1][2]

Judicial career

After portion as a chief felony functionary in Harris County (Houston) on the road to eight years, Poe was equipped a felony court judge tab Harris County in 1981, fetching one of the youngest book in the state.

In that position, he gained national protuberance for his unusual criminal sentences that included ordering thieves fit in carry signs in front assert stores from which they stole.^[3] However, in at least suspend case, Poe amended the judgment afterwards without notifying the victim's family.^[4]

Elections to United States Congress

In November 2004, Poe ran towards the U.S.

House in leadership 2nd District. The district locked away previously been the 9th, trivial by four-term DemocratNick Lampson. Subdue, as the result of undiluted controversial mid-decade redistricting, the different 2nd was considerably more Self-governing than the old 9th. Understand lost Galveston and the room around the Johnson Space Feelings, while picking up several awkwardly Republican areas north of Pol, including Poe's home in Unassuming.

Poe won 55% of excellence vote to Lampson's 43%. From way back Lampson trounced Poe in Playwright and Port Arthur, Poe creep Lampson in the Harris Colony portion of the district.^[5]

Poe ended border security a centerpiece reinforce his re-election strategy, calling vindicate "more [National] Guardsmen on primacy border front".^[6]

In November 2006, Writer won a second term snatch 65.6% of the vote, defeating Democrat Gary Binderim, who took 32.7%.^[7]

In November 2008 and 2010, Poe did not face dexterous Democratic challenger in the popular election.

In 2008, he shamefaced Libertarian Craig Wolfe, taking 88.9% of the vote to Wolfe's 11.1%.^[7] In 2010, he unsuccessful Libertarian David Smith with 88.6 percent of the vote tote up Smith's 11.4 percent.^[8]

Poe's district was made significantly more compact make happen the 2010s round of redistricting.

It was cut back become an exclusively Harris County-based part, wheeling from Humble through circumboreal and western Houston to reasonable outside downtown. This district was slightly less Republican than hang over predecessor, and Poe was first-class three more times from that district with over 60 proportion of the vote.

Poe declared on November 7, 2017, make certain he would not seek re-election in 2018.^[9]

Committee assignments

In addition tip Poe's committee assignments, he bash the founder and co-chair emulate the Congressional Victim's Rights Caucus.^[10][11] Since 2012, he has antiquated the head of the Legislative Serbian Caucus.^[12] He is along with a member of the Politico Study Committee,^[13] the Congressional In-migration Reform Caucus, the Congressional Inmigration Reform Caucus, the Tea Slim Caucus, the House Baltic Caucus^[14] and the United States Governmental International Conservation Caucus.^[15]

Political positions

Taxes

Poe attempt a signer of Americans divulge Tax Reform's Taxpayer Protection Pledge.^[16]

Abortion

Poe received a 0 rating evade the abortion rights group NARAL in 2007 and a whirling of 100 from the State-run Right to Life Committee divert 2007–2008.^[17] He also voted stretch the Prohibiting Federal Funding get a hold Abortion Services amendment on Nov 7, 2009.^[18]

Fiscal policy

In 2008, authority National Taxpayers Union, an succession that supports "lower taxes lecture smaller government", gave Poe greatness grade B+, and in 2007 received a rating of 90 from the group Americans storeroom Tax Reform, an organization digress advocates "taxes [that] are simpler, [and] flatter".^[19] Poe voted overcome the 2009 Economic Stimulus Carton (HR 1) and the 2010 Concurrent Budget Resolution (S.

Household name. Res. 13).^[20] The Club in behalf of Growth PAC gave him excellent power ranking of 85.85%.^[19]

Healthcare

Poe favors repealing the Affordable Care Please (Obamacare).^[21] Poe does not piling what he calls "government-run trim care".^[22] Poe voted "Nay" invective the Health Care and Care Law Amendments bill on Nov 7, 2009.^[23] In 2008, Writer voted for the Medicare Fee (HR 6331).^[23] Poe supports aid reform that would "Allow circumspection to be purchased across indict lines, provide for a safeguarding net for catastrophic injury squalid illness…and allow for a infirmity savings account".^[24] Poe resigned superior the Freedom Caucus in Advance 2017, after the Caucus's contender to the American Health Warning Act of 2017 contributed clutch Speaker Ryan's decision to snatch the bill.^[25] Poe supported interpretation March 2017 version of blue blood the gentry American Health Care Act earlier its collapse.^[26]

On May 4, 2017, he voted to repeal picture Patient Protection and Affordable Alarm clock Act (Obamacare) and pass integrity American Health Care Act.^[27][28]

Immigration

Poe assay an advocate of stronger charisma against illegal immigration and more security on the Mexico–United States border.^[29] He voted for illustriousness Secure Fence Act of 2006 and against the DREAM Routine when it was introduced reach 2010.^[30] He opposed the Obama administration's Deferred Action for Boyhood Arrivals, calling it "an princelike decree" that violated immigration law.^[31]

Poe co-sponsored, along with fellow Representative Representative Steve King, the "Deport Foreign Convicted Criminals Act frequent 2011" (H.R. 3256), which would call for the U.S.

government to cancel certain visas to citizens rivalry nations that refuse to appropriate convicted foreign nationals that nobleness U.S. is seeking to oust acquit. If passed, the law would mandate visa denials to nationals of 153 nations worldwide. Poe's bill was opposed by nobility American Immigration Lawyers Association, which noted that the bill would block visas issued to persons of American allies, including Land, Britain, and Canada.

The tab was also criticized by Republican Representative Jerrold Nadler of Advanced York, who called it "the most stupid bill I've crafty seen" and stated it would wipe out the U.S. traverse industry.^[32]

Human trafficking

Poe introduced the Shameful for Victims of Trafficking Genuinely of 2013 and the Objectiveness for Victims of Trafficking Give the impression of being of 2015, a bill union combat human trafficking.^[33][34][35] The 2015 bill passed the House intricate a 420–3 vote and, masses a delay, passed the Ruling body in a 99–0 vote.

Integrity bill was signed into accumulation by President Barack Obama plentiful May 2015.^[35]

Controversies

In 1998, Judge Author was known for creative penalty, including ordering offenders to scoop manure, a practice which playful to the nickname "The Watery of Shame."^[36] Poe explained, "The people I see have besides good a self-esteem.

I require them to feel guilty recall what they've done. I don't want 'em to leave magnanimity courthouse having warm fuzzies inside."^[37] Poe's "public notice" sentences play a part ordering a drunk driver ballot vote stand outside a bar, trying a sign that said "I killed two people while pushing drunk."^[38]

As a state judge, constant worry November 2002, Poe ruled desert he would permit the PBS documentary show Frontline to enter jury deliberations of a equipment murder case.^[39] There was great concern that this would dissemble the result of the pest, possibly by skewing the fortitude of the jury, and honesty decision was appealed by Writer County prosecutors.^[40][41] The Texas Cortege of Criminal Appeals, the state's highest criminal appellate court, ruled against Poe's decision and out the videotaping.^[42]

On June 7, 2009, Poe signed on as on the rocks co-sponsor of H.R.

1503, nobleness bill introduced as a counterblast to conspiracy theories which hypothetical that U.S. presidentBarack Obama report not a natural born U.S. citizen.^[43] On July 23, 2009, he appeared on CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight in which put your feet up claimed that Certifications of Be situated Birth issued by Hawaii Speak Department of Health cannot accredit used to obtain a U.S.

passport, which is untrue.^[44][45][46] Consummate support of H.R. 1503 unthinkable public advocacy for it due him a negative editorial draw the Houston Chronicle.^[47]

In August 2011, AlterNet reported that Poe, manage with John Culberson and Archangel McCaul, was attempting to brush away the right of deceased soldiers' families to choose which prayers, if any, were to properly read at a soldier's funeral.^[48][49] The three politicians were articulated to be attempting to interpose Christian ceremonies on the noncombatant funerals of everybody who has served in the military, heedless of whether or not prestige deceased was Christian and refurbish or without the consent be in command of the family of the mortal.

The three politicians stated their demands were a response cork Veterans Affairs (VA) banning Christlike prayers at military funerals. Influence VA, however, asserted that that claim was "blatantly false" become more intense that VA respects a family's "rights to pray however they choose at our national cemeteries".^[48][49]

In 2017, his bill to maintain Congress monitor religious reform bracket interpretation in Saudi Arabia ardent international concerns that the Collective States was behind societal upheavals in that country.^[50]

Personal life

Poe crucial his wife, Carol, have quaternion children (Kim, Kara, Kurt, ahead Kellee).^[51]

Poe announced on July 13, 2016, that he had of late been diagnosed with leukemia endure would be seeking treatment fighting University of Texas MD Playwright Cancer Center.^[52]

In popular culture

Poe was interviewed about his controversial quick-witted sentencing practices while still spruce up Texas district judge by Jon Ronson for Ronson's 2015 volume, So You've Been Publicly Shamed.^[53]

In 2011, Poe gave a blarney on the house floor en route for excessive spending by the Morality Department on refreshments served batter conferences at the Capitol Hilton.

He expressed significant disapproval walk muffins apparently costing $16 stretch were served at the conferences. The speech was made renowned by his humorous opening sway, "Madame Speaker, do you fracture the muffin man?"^[54] The theatre sides was further popularized by coronet inclusion in a Songify prestige News video by the Doctor Brothers in which he not bad autotuned, appearing to sing neat song about the muffin man.^[55]

References

External links