David Durenberger
Encyclopedia
David Ferdinand Durenberger (born August 19, 1934) is an American politician
and a former Republican
member of the U.S. Senate
from Minnesota
.
. He attended Saint John's University
and graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School
in 1959. He served in the United States Army Reserve
from 1956 to 1963.
, whose position had temporarily been filled by Humphrey's wife Muriel
. He was reelected in 1982 and again in 1988, serving from November 8, 1978, to January 3, 1995, in the 96th
, 97th
, 98th
, 99th
, 100th
, 101st
, 102nd
and 103rd Congresses
. He served as the chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence
during the 99th Congress. Durenberger was unanimously denounced by the Senate on July 25, 1990, for unethical conduct relating to outside income. He was also disbarred
for his actions.
. In 1995 he pleaded guilty to charges of misuse of public funds while in office, and was sentenced to one year of probation
.
Durenberger gave an interview in 2005 on the Inside Minnesota Politics Podcast, stating that he is no longer a supporter of the Republican Party but is not a supporter of the Democratic Party
either. He said in an interview with Peter Idusogie that Democrats are better equipped to handle health care and that President
George W. Bush
was wrong about the Iraq War. In 2010, Durenberger endorsed his former chief of staff, Independence Party
member Tom Horner
, for governor.
Durenberger currently sits on the Advisory Board for the Energy Literacy Advocates.
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...
and a former 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...
member of the U.S. 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 Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
.
Early life
Durenberger was born in St. Cloud, MinnesotaSt. Cloud, Minnesota
St. Cloud is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the largest population center in the state's central region. The population was 65,842 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Stearns County...
. He attended Saint John's University
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University
The College of Saint Benedict , for women, and Saint John's University , for men, are partnered liberal arts colleges respectively located in St. Joseph and Collegeville, Minnesota, USA. Students attend classes and activities together, and have access to the resources of both campuses...
and graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School
University of Minnesota Law School
The University of Minnesota Law School, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, is a professional school of the University of Minnesota. The school offers a Juris Doctor , Masters of Law for Foreign Lawyers, and joint degrees with J.D./M.B.A., J.D./M.P.A, J.D./M.A., J.D./M.S., J.D./Ph.D.,...
in 1959. He served in the United States Army Reserve
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
from 1956 to 1963.
U.S. Senate
On November 7, 1978, Durenberger was elected in a special election to complete the unexpired term of Senator Hubert HumphreyHubert Humphrey
Hubert Horatio Humphrey, Jr. , served under President Lyndon B. Johnson as the 38th Vice President of the United States. Humphrey twice served as a United States Senator from Minnesota, and served as Democratic Majority Whip. He was a founder of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and...
, whose position had temporarily been filled by Humphrey's wife Muriel
Muriel Humphrey
Muriel Fay Buck Humphrey Brown was the widow of former Vice President Hubert Humphrey. Following her husband's death, she was appointed to his seat in the United States Senate, thus being the first wife of a Vice President to hold public office...
. He was reelected in 1982 and again in 1988, serving from November 8, 1978, to January 3, 1995, in the 96th
96th United States Congress
The Ninety-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1979 to January 3, 1981, during the last two years...
, 97th
97th United States Congress
The Ninety-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1981 to January 3, 1983, during the final weeks of...
, 98th
98th United States Congress
The Ninety-eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1983 to January 3, 1985, during the third and...
, 99th
99th United States Congress
The Ninety-ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1985 to January 3, 1987, during the fifth and sixth...
, 100th
100th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:- Senate :* President: George H.W. Bush * President pro tempore: John Stennis - Majority leadership :* Majority Leader, Democratic Conference Chairman, and Democratic Policy Committee Chairman: Robert Byrd...
, 101st
101st United States Congress
The One Hundred First United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1989 to January 3, 1991, during the first two...
, 102nd
102nd United States Congress
-House of Representatives:- Senate :* President:Dan Quayle * President pro tempore: Robert Byrd - Majority leadership :* Majority Leader: George Mitchell* Majority Whip: Wendell Ford- Minority leadership :...
and 103rd Congresses
103rd United States Congress
- House of Representatives :- Leadership :- Senate :* President: Dan Quayle , until January 20, 1993** Al Gore , from January 20, 1993* President pro tempore: Robert Byrd - Majority leadership :* Majority Leader: George Mitchell...
. He served as the chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence
United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
The United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence is dedicated to overseeing the United States Intelligence Community—the agencies and bureaus of the federal government of the United States who provide information and analysis for leaders of the executive and legislative branches. The...
during the 99th Congress. Durenberger was unanimously denounced by the Senate on July 25, 1990, for unethical conduct relating to outside income. He was also disbarred
Disbarment
Disbarment is the removal of a lawyer from a bar association or the practice of law, thus revoking his or her law license or admission to practice law...
for his actions.
Post senate life
He did not run for reelection in 1994 and was succeeded by Rod GramsRod Grams
Rodney Dwight "Rod" Grams served the state of Minnesota in both the United States House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.- Early life :...
. In 1995 he pleaded guilty to charges of misuse of public funds while in office, and was sentenced to one year of probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
.
Durenberger gave an interview in 2005 on the Inside Minnesota Politics Podcast, stating that he is no longer a supporter of the Republican Party but is not a supporter of the Democratic Party
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...
either. He said in an interview with Peter Idusogie that Democrats are better equipped to handle health care and that President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George W. Bush
George 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....
was wrong about the Iraq War. In 2010, Durenberger endorsed his former chief of staff, Independence Party
Independence Party of Minnesota
The Independence Party of Minnesota , formerly the Reform Party of Minnesota, is the third largest political party in Minnesota, behind the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and Republican Party . It is the political party of former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura , and endorsed former U.S...
member Tom Horner
Tom Horner
Tom Horner is a Minnesota politician and a member of the Independence Party of Minnesota. He was a candidate in the 2010 election for Governor of Minnesota....
, for governor.
Durenberger currently sits on the Advisory Board for the Energy Literacy Advocates.
Personal papers
A collection of Durenberger's senatorial files documents Durenberger's three terms in the United States Senate, and is strongest in its documentation of the final term (1989–1995). The papers are perhaps most significant for the information they contain about his interest in, and legislative activities regarding, health policy and health care reform issues.Electoral history
- 1978 race for U.S. Senate (special election)
- David Durenberger (R), 62%
- Bob ShortBob ShortRobert Earl Short was an American sport teams owner and politician.-Biography:A native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Short bought the Minneapolis Lakers of the National Basketball Association in the late 1950s and moved the team to Los Angeles in 1960...
(DFL), 35%
- 1982 race for U.S. Senate
- David Durenberger (R) (inc.), 53%
- Mark DaytonMark DaytonMark Brandt Dayton is an American politician, the 40th and current Governor of the state of Minnesota. Dayton previously served as United States Senator from Minnesota from 2001 to 2007 in the 107th, 108th, and 109th Congresses...
(DFL), 47%
- 1988 race for U.S. Senate
- David Durenberger (R) (inc.), 56%
- Skip HumphreySkip HumphreyHubert Horatio "Skip" Humphrey III is a former Minnesota politician who served as attorney general of the state from 1983 to 1999. Prior to that, he was a state senator from 1973 to 1983...
(DFL), 41%