Elizabeth M. Tamposi
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth M. Tamposi was United States
Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs
from October 18, 1989 until November 10, 1992 when she was forced to resign in the midst of a scandal related to her improperly ordering a search of the passport records of presidential candidates Bill Clinton
and Ross Perot
.
on February 13, 1955, the daughter of Nashua real estate
developer Samuel A. Tamposi
. She attended the University of New Hampshire
, receiving a B.A.
in 1978, and Harvard University
, receiving an M.P.A. in 1984.
After college, Tamposi worked for Tamposi Company, her father's real estate company, eventually becoming vice president and partner of Tamposi Company. She later became president and sole shareholder of Hollis Crossing Realty, Inc., a real estate marketing and sales company. Tamposi served for a number of years in the New Hampshire state legislature, serving on the powerful Ways and Means Committee, and implementing a rainy day fund for the state.
During the 1988 congressional election, Tamposi sought election to the United States House of Representatives
from New Hampshire
, but lost out during the Republican
primary
, largely due to her opponent's assertions that it would be inappropriate for a mother of young children to leave the home and hold political office. On August 4, 1989, President of the United States
George H. W. Bush
nominated Tamposi as Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs
; after Senate confirmation, she held this office from October 18, 1989 until November 10, 1992. As Assistant Secretary, Tamposi travelled to 70 countries to assist Americans in need, and implemented measures to make the visa and passport application process more efficient.
Tamposi resigned a week after the 1992 U.S. presidential election of November 3, 1992, amidst allegations that she had abused her position as head of the Bureau of Consular Affairs
, the bureau responsible for issuing United States passports. According to Tamposi, on September 28, 1992, she was contacted by Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs
Stephen K. Berry contacted her on behalf of the White House
, asking her to search the consular records for a purported letter in which Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton
renounced
his U.S. citizenship -- or sought information about how to go about renouncing it—during his Vietnam War protest days in the late 1960s. Tamposi directed her subordinates to make such a search. She also later ordered a search of the passport records of third party
candidate Ross Perot
. When these searches were made public, Acting United States Secretary of State
Lawrence Eagleburger
fired Tamposi as Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs on November 10, 1992. Tamposi argued that her superiors in the United States Department of State
were aware of these requests and that she was being unfairly singled out for her role in the scandal. Tamposi's name was later cleared of any wrongdoing.
From 2005 to 2011, Tamposi was a member of the Board of Governors of her alma mater
, the University of New Hampshire
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs
Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs
The Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs is the head of the Bureau of Consular Affairs within the United States Department of State. The Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs reports to the Under Secretary of State for Management...
from October 18, 1989 until November 10, 1992 when she was forced to resign in the midst of a scandal related to her improperly ordering a search of the passport records of presidential candidates 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...
and Ross Perot
Ross Perot
Henry Ross Perot is a U.S. businessman best known for running for President of the United States in 1992 and 1996. Perot founded Electronic Data Systems in 1962, sold the company to General Motors in 1984, and founded Perot Systems in 1988...
.
Biography
Elizabeth M. Tamposi was born in Nashua, New HampshireNashua, New Hampshire
-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 86,494 people, 35,044 households, and 21,876 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,719.9 people per square mile . There were 37,168 housing units at an average density of 1,202.8 per square mile...
on February 13, 1955, the daughter of Nashua real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
developer Samuel A. Tamposi
Samuel A. Tamposi
Samuel A. Tamposi was a prominent real estate developer, entrepreneur, and Republican Party activist from New Hampshire...
. She attended the University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire is a public university in the University System of New Hampshire , United States. The main campus is in Durham, New Hampshire. An additional campus is located in Manchester. With over 15,000 students, UNH is the largest university in New Hampshire. The university is...
, receiving a B.A.
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 1978, and Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, receiving an M.P.A. in 1984.
After college, Tamposi worked for Tamposi Company, her father's real estate company, eventually becoming vice president and partner of Tamposi Company. She later became president and sole shareholder of Hollis Crossing Realty, Inc., a real estate marketing and sales company. Tamposi served for a number of years in the New Hampshire state legislature, serving on the powerful Ways and Means Committee, and implementing a rainy day fund for the state.
During the 1988 congressional election, Tamposi sought election 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...
from 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...
, but lost out during the 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...
primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
, largely due to her opponent's assertions that it would be inappropriate for a mother of young children to leave the home and hold political office. On August 4, 1989, President of the United States
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 H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
nominated Tamposi as Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs
Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs
The Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs is the head of the Bureau of Consular Affairs within the United States Department of State. The Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs reports to the Under Secretary of State for Management...
; after Senate confirmation, she held this office from October 18, 1989 until November 10, 1992. As Assistant Secretary, Tamposi travelled to 70 countries to assist Americans in need, and implemented measures to make the visa and passport application process more efficient.
Tamposi resigned a week after the 1992 U.S. presidential election of November 3, 1992, amidst allegations that she had abused her position as head of the Bureau of Consular Affairs
Bureau of Consular Affairs
The Bureau of Consular Affairs is a bureau of the United States Department of State within that department's management office. The mission of the Bureau is to administer laws, formulate regulations and implement policies relating to the broad range of consular services and immigration. , the...
, the bureau responsible for issuing United States passports. According to Tamposi, on September 28, 1992, she was contacted by Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs
Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs
The Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs is the head of the Bureau of Legislative Affairs within the United States Department of State.- List of Assistant Secretaries of State for Legislative Affairs :-External links:**...
Stephen K. Berry contacted her on behalf of the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
, asking her to search the consular records for a purported letter in which Democratic presidential candidate 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...
renounced
Renunciation of citizenship
Renunciation is a voluntary act of relinquishing one's citizenship . It is the opposite of naturalization whereby a person voluntarily acquires a citizenship, and related to denaturalization where the loss of citizenship is not voluntary, but forced by a state.-Historic practices:The old common law...
his U.S. citizenship -- or sought information about how to go about renouncing it—during his Vietnam War protest days in the late 1960s. Tamposi directed her subordinates to make such a search. She also later ordered a search of the passport records of third party
Third party (United States)
The term third party is used in the United States for any and all political parties in the United States other than one of the two major parties . The term can also refer to independent politicians not affiliated with any party at all and to write-in candidates.The United States has had a...
candidate Ross Perot
Ross Perot
Henry Ross Perot is a U.S. businessman best known for running for President of the United States in 1992 and 1996. Perot founded Electronic Data Systems in 1962, sold the company to General Motors in 1984, and founded Perot Systems in 1988...
. When these searches were made public, Acting United States Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
Lawrence Eagleburger
Lawrence Eagleburger
Lawrence Sidney Eagleburger was an American statesman and former career diplomat, who served briefly as the United States Secretary of State under President George H. W. Bush. Previously, he had served in lesser capacities under Presidents Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H....
fired Tamposi as Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs on November 10, 1992. Tamposi argued that her superiors in the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
were aware of these requests and that she was being unfairly singled out for her role in the scandal. Tamposi's name was later cleared of any wrongdoing.
From 2005 to 2011, Tamposi was a member of the Board of Governors of her alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, the University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire is a public university in the University System of New Hampshire , United States. The main campus is in Durham, New Hampshire. An additional campus is located in Manchester. With over 15,000 students, UNH is the largest university in New Hampshire. The university is...
.