Janet G. Mullins Grissom
Encyclopedia
Janet Gardner Mullins Grissom (b. 1949) is a United States
lobbyist who formerly worked in the United States Department of State
and in the White House
under George H. W. Bush
.
on September 7, 1949. She was educated at the University of Louisville
, receiving a B.A.
in political science
. She later studied international economics
at American University
, but did not complete another degree.
Mullins moved to Washington, D.C.
in 1979, becoming legislative director and chief of staff
for Sen.
Bob Packwood
(R
—OR). She held this job until 1982.
Mullins returned to Kentucky in 1982 and worked in Kentucky
state government as special assistant to Kentucky's Deputy Secretary of Commerce; Mullins specialized in international trade
and agricultural trade
.
During the 1984 Senate election
, Mullins was the campaign manager
of Mitch McConnell
in his successful bid to unseat incumbent Senator Walter Huddleston
as U.S. Senator from Kentucky. Mullins went on to serve as Senator McConnell's chief of staff from 1985 to 1987.As such, Mullins became the first woman to serve as Chief of Staff to two different United States Senators.
In 1987, Mullins became executive director
of the Fund for America's Future, Vice President
George H. W. Bush
's political action committee
. In September 1987, she joined Bush's presidential campaign. She was Bush's national field director during the 1988 Republican primaries
, and during the general election
was his deputy national political director and media director.
After Bush became President of the United States
, he nominated Mullins as Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs
and Mullins subsequently held this office from March 2, 1989 until August 23, 1992. At the United States Department of State
, Mullins worked with Bush's 1988 campaign manager James Baker
, who became United States Secretary of State
in 1989.
In April 1992, media reported that Mullins, a divorced single mother, had been romantically linked with Sen. George J. Mitchell
(D
—ME).
On August 24, 1992, Bush named Baker as White House Chief of Staff
and Mullins moved with Baker to the White House
, becoming Assistant to the President for Political Affairs. Baker and Mullins' time at the White House was to generate considerable controversy when it was alleged that, at Baker's request, Mullins directed a search of the United States passport
records of Bill Clinton
, Bush's opponent in the 1992 presidential campaign
, in violation of U.S. privacy laws. (These searches were conducted after the White House received FOIA
requests from several news organizations seeking information about Clinton's military service.) On December 10, 1992, United States Attorney General
William Barr
asked for the appointment of an independent counsel
to study the allegations that Mullins violated the law in directing this search, and then lied to officials from the United States Department of Justice
about conducting the search. Barr appointed Joseph E. diGenova as independent counsel; diGenova in turn appointed Michael Zeldin
as deputy independent counsel, and Zeldin would take over as independent counsel in 1995. When diGenova issued his final report in 1995, he concluded that Mullins had not broken the law, and apologized to Bush Administration officials for their having to go through the ordeal of an independent counsel investigation.
In 1995, Ford Motor Company
chief executive officer
Alex Trotman recruited Mullins as Ford's Vice President for Washington Affairs. She was the second woman to become a corporate officer of Ford in the 90+ year history of Ford Motor Company. During her time at Ford, Janet Mullins married Thomas L. Grissom of Louisville, Kentucky, becoming known as Janet Mullins Grissom. During the 2000 Firestone and Ford tire controversy
, Grissom briefed members of the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
on the controversy.
During her time with Ford, Grissom at one point chaired the Executive Committee of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
. She also served on the Board of Directors
of the International Republican Institute
and the American Council of Young Political Leaders and as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations
, the Atlantic Council
, and the Federal City Council.
Grissom retired from Ford in 2004 and in 2005 joined the lobbying firm of Peck, Madigan, Jones & Stewart. Possibly her most high profile appearance since that time came in 2007 when she represented Mattel
during the United States House Energy Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection
's hearing on the 2007 Chinese export recalls
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lobbyist who formerly worked 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...
and in 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...
under 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...
.
Biography
Janet G. Mullins was born in Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
on September 7, 1949. She was educated at the University of Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
, 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 political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
. She later studied international economics
International economics
International economics is concerned with the effects upon economic activity of international differences in productive resources and consumer preferences and the institutions that affect them...
at American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
, but did not complete another degree.
Mullins moved to Washington, D.C.
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....
in 1979, becoming legislative director and chief of staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
for Sen.
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...
Bob Packwood
Bob Packwood
Robert William "Bob" Packwood is a U.S. politician from Oregon and a member of the Republican Party. He resigned from the United States Senate, under threat of expulsion, in 1995 after allegations of sexual harassment, abuse and assault of women emerged.-Early life and career:Packwood was born in...
(R
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...
—OR). She held this job until 1982.
Mullins returned to Kentucky in 1982 and worked in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
state government as special assistant to Kentucky's Deputy Secretary of Commerce; Mullins specialized in international trade
International trade
International trade is the exchange of capital, goods, and services across international borders or territories. In most countries, such trade represents a significant share of gross domestic product...
and agricultural trade
Agricultural economics
Agricultural economics originally applied the principles of economics to the production of crops and livestock — a discipline known as agronomics. Agronomics was a branch of economics that specifically dealt with land usage. It focused on maximizing the crop yield while maintaining a good soil...
.
During the 1984 Senate election
United States Senate elections, 1984
The 1984 elections to the United States Senate coincided with the landslide re-election of President Ronald Reagan in the 1984 presidential election...
, Mullins was the campaign manager
Campaign manager
A campaign manager is a paid or volunteer individual, whose role is to coordinate the campaign's operations such as fundraising, advertising, polling, getting out the vote , and other activities supporting the effort, directly.Apart from the candidate, they are often a campaign's most visible leader...
of Mitch McConnell
Mitch McConnell
Addison Mitchell "Mitch" McConnell, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Kentucky and the Republican Minority Leader.- Early life, education, and military service :...
in his successful bid to unseat incumbent Senator Walter Huddleston
Walter Huddleston
Walter Darlington "Dee" Huddleston is a retired American politician. He is a Democrat from the state of Kentucky. He represented Kentucky in the United States Senate from 1973 until 1985....
as U.S. Senator from Kentucky. Mullins went on to serve as Senator McConnell's chief of staff from 1985 to 1987.As such, Mullins became the first woman to serve as Chief of Staff to two different United States Senators.
In 1987, Mullins became executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of the Fund for America's Future, Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
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...
's political action committee
Political action committee
In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a...
. In September 1987, she joined Bush's presidential campaign. She was Bush's national field director during the 1988 Republican primaries
Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 1988
The 1988 Republican presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Republican Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 1988 U.S. presidential election. Incumbent Vice President George H.W...
, and during the general election
United States presidential election, 1988
The United States presidential election of 1988 featured no incumbent president, as President Ronald Reagan was unable to seek re-election after serving the maximum two terms allowed by the Twenty-second Amendment. Reagan's Vice President, George H. W. Bush, won the Republican nomination, while the...
was his deputy national political director and media director.
After Bush became 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....
, he nominated Mullins as 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:**...
and Mullins subsequently held this office from March 2, 1989 until August 23, 1992. At 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...
, Mullins worked with Bush's 1988 campaign manager James Baker
James Baker
James Addison Baker, III is an American attorney, politician and political advisor.Baker served as the Chief of Staff in President Ronald Reagan's first administration and in the final year of the administration of President George H. W. Bush...
, who became 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...
in 1989.
In April 1992, media reported that Mullins, a divorced single mother, had been romantically linked with Sen. George J. Mitchell
George J. Mitchell
George John Mitchell, Jr., is the former U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace under the Obama administration. A Democrat, Mitchell was a United States Senator who served as the Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995...
(D
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...
—ME).
On August 24, 1992, Bush named Baker as White House Chief of Staff
White House Chief of Staff
The White House Chief of Staff is the highest ranking member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States and a senior aide to the President.The current White House Chief of Staff is Bill Daley.-History:...
and Mullins moved with Baker to 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...
, becoming Assistant to the President for Political Affairs. Baker and Mullins' time at the White House was to generate considerable controversy when it was alleged that, at Baker's request, Mullins directed a search of the United States passport
United States passport
United States passports are passports issued to citizens and non-citizen nationals of the United States of America. They are issued exclusively by the U.S. Department of State. Besides issuing passports , also limited use passport cards are issued by the same organization subject to the same...
records of 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...
, Bush's opponent in the 1992 presidential campaign
United States presidential election, 1992
The United States presidential election of 1992 had three major candidates: Incumbent Republican President George Bush; Democratic Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, and independent Texas businessman Ross Perot....
, in violation of U.S. privacy laws. (These searches were conducted after the White House received FOIA
Freedom of Information Act (United States)
The Freedom of Information Act is a federal freedom of information law that allows for the full or partial disclosure of previously unreleased information and documents controlled by the United States government. The Act defines agency records subject to disclosure, outlines mandatory disclosure...
requests from several news organizations seeking information about Clinton's military service.) On December 10, 1992, United States Attorney General
United States Attorney General
The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. The attorney general is considered to be the chief lawyer of the U.S. government...
William Barr
William Barr (politician)
William Pelham Barr is an American attorney who served as the 77th Attorney General of the United States.Barr, the son of Mary and Donald Barr, Columbia University faculty members, was born in New York City and grew up on the Upper West side of Manhattan, attended Catholic parochial school Corpus...
asked for the appointment of an independent counsel
United States Office of the Independent Counsel
United States Office of the Independent Counsel was an independent prosecutor — distinct from the Attorney General of the United States Department of Justice — that provided reports to the Congress under . The office was terminated in 1999 and replaced by the U.S...
to study the allegations that Mullins violated the law in directing this search, and then lied to officials from the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
about conducting the search. Barr appointed Joseph E. diGenova as independent counsel; diGenova in turn appointed Michael Zeldin
Michael Zeldin
Michael Zeldin is an attorney and a principal with the firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu in Washington, DC. He is the global leader of the anti-money laundering/terrorist financing and economic and trade sanctions practice. He has appeared as an expert commentator on CNN, Fox News Channel, MSNBC and...
as deputy independent counsel, and Zeldin would take over as independent counsel in 1995. When diGenova issued his final report in 1995, he concluded that Mullins had not broken the law, and apologized to Bush Administration officials for their having to go through the ordeal of an independent counsel investigation.
In 1995, Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
Alex Trotman recruited Mullins as Ford's Vice President for Washington Affairs. She was the second woman to become a corporate officer of Ford in the 90+ year history of Ford Motor Company. During her time at Ford, Janet Mullins married Thomas L. Grissom of Louisville, Kentucky, becoming known as Janet Mullins Grissom. During the 2000 Firestone and Ford tire controversy
Firestone and Ford tire controversy
The Firestone and Ford tire controversy was a period of unusually high tire failures on some Ford vehicles.-Problem detection:In May 2000, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration contacted Ford and Firestone about the high incidence of tire failure on Ford Explorers, Mercury...
, Grissom briefed members of the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
The United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is a standing committee of the United States Senate in charge of all senate matters related to the following subjects:* Coast Guard* Coastal zone management* Communications...
on the controversy.
During her time with Ford, Grissom at one point chaired the Executive Committee of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is a trade group of automobile manufacturers that operate in the United States. Their mission is to "represent the common interests of its members and provide a forum to enable them to advance public policies that meet consumer and societal needs for clean,...
. She also served on the Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of the International Republican Institute
International Republican Institute
Founded in 1983, the International Republican Institute is an organization, funded by the United States government, that conducts international political programs, sometimes labeled 'democratization programs'....
and the American Council of Young Political Leaders and as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
, the Atlantic Council
Atlantic Council
The Atlantic Council is a Washington, D.C. think tank and public policy group whose mission is to "promote constructive U.S. leadership and engagement in international affairs based on the central role of the Atlantic community in meeting the international challenges of the 21st...
, and the Federal City Council.
Grissom retired from Ford in 2004 and in 2005 joined the lobbying firm of Peck, Madigan, Jones & Stewart. Possibly her most high profile appearance since that time came in 2007 when she represented Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
during the United States House Energy Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection
United States House Energy Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection
The House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade is a subcommittee within the Committee on Energy and Commerce. It is chaired by Mary Bono Mack of California's .-Jurisdiction:...
's hearing on the 2007 Chinese export recalls
2007 Chinese export recalls
In 2007 a series of product recalls and import bans were imposed by the product safety institutions of the United States, Canada, the European Union, Australia and New Zealand against products manufactured in and exported from the mainland of the People's Republic of China because of numerous...
.