Morgan Griffith
Encyclopedia
Howard Morgan Griffith is the U.S. Representative
for Virginia's 9th congressional district
. He is a member of the Republican Party
. He was the majority leader
of the Virginia House of Delegates
and represented the 8th District, serving from 1994 until 2011. The district included all of Salem, Virginia
and parts of Roanoke County
.
, but his family moved to Salem, Virginia
while he was a baby. He attended Andrew Lewis High School, graduating in 1976. He attended Emory and Henry College
, graduating in 1980. Griffith completed his education with a J.D.
from the Washington and Lee University Law School
in 1983.
After law school, Griffith settled in Salem where he worked as a private attorney
with a focus on traffic violations and DUI
. On June 23, 2008, Albo & Oblon LLP, a law firm run by fellow Republican delegate Dave Albo
, announced that Griffith was joining the firm as head of its new Roanoke/Salem office.
(D-VA) who was first elected in 1982. A "GOP Young Gun", Griffith won the election.
Griffith's home in Salem is located just inside the neighboring 6th District
, represented by fellow Republican Bob Goodlatte
.
for government employees
to purchase health insurance
. This law passed Virginia's legislature before the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
was enacted, which Virginia has used to challenge the individual mandate in federal court.
, Griffith indicated that he supports legalized abortion
in the first trimester and to save the life of the mother, while favoring the restriction of abortion through parental notification laws and prohibition of partial-birth abortion. Griffith's voting record has generally been consistent with his 1999 survey, voting in favor of restrictions on late term abortions such as parental-notification and parental-consent, while voting against bills that would restrict first-term abortions. In 2010 Griffith voted to restrict state funding of abortions, and to require abortion clinic
s to meet the same licensing requirements as surgical centers. In 2006 Griffith voted to restrict state funding for fetal stem cell research
.
In 2007 Griffith voted against a bill in the Virginia General Assembly
, HB 2797, which stated: "That life begins at the moment of fertilization and the right to enjoyment of life guaranteed by Article 1, § 1 of the Constitution of Virginia is vested in each born and preborn human being from the moment of fertilization" This was the only bill introduced to the General Assembly during Griffith's tenure that would have affected the legality of first-term abortions on the principal of the fetal personhood as opposed to regulating abortion on other grounds.
Griffith's 2010 campaign website reported that Griffith has a "100% pro-life" voting record and an "A" rating from the Virginia Society for Human Life
(VSHL). However, VSHL's report on 2007 legislation in Virginia omits reference to HB 2797 Project Vote Smart indicated that Griffith declined to take their survey again in 2010.
|+ Virginia House of Delegates, District 8: Results 1995 to 2009
!|Year
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!Third Party
!Party
!Votes
!Pct
|-
|1995
|
| |
| align="right" |14,052
| |100%
|
| |no candidate
| align="right" |
| |
|
| |Write-ins
| |
| align="right" |35
| align="right" |0%
|-
|1997
|
| |
| align="right" |15,383
| |100%
|
| |no candidate
| align="right" |
| |
|
| |Write-ins
| |
| align="right" |12
| align="right" |0%
|-
|1999
|
| |
| align="right" |11,066
| |100%
|
| |no candidate
| align="right" |
| |
|
| |Write-ins
| |
| align="right" |19
| align="right" |0%
|-
|2001
|
| |
| align="right" |17,401
| |70%
|
| |D. Martin
| align="right" |7,581
| |30%
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|2003
|
| |
| align="right" |10,860
| |59%
|
| |
| align="right" |7,469
| |41%
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|2005
|
| |
| align="right" |20,484
| |98%
|
| |no candidate
| align="right" |
| |
|
| |Write-ins
| |
| align="right" |417
| align="right" |2%
|-
|2007
|
| |
| align="right" |13,670
| |96%
|
| |no candidate
| align="right" |
| |
|
| |Write-ins
| |
| align="right" |563
| align="right" |4%
|-
|2009
|
| |
| align="right" |16,790
| |69%
|
| |
| align="right" |7,563
| |31%
|
|
|
|
|
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"
|+
!|Year
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!Third Party
!Party
!Votes
!Pct
|-
|2010
|
| |
| align="right" |95,726
| |51%
|
| |Rick Boucher
| align="right" |86,743
| |46%
|
| |Jeremiah Heaton
| |Independent
| |4,282
| |2%
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...
for Virginia's 9th congressional district
Virginia's 9th congressional district
Virginia's ninth congressional district is a United States congressional district in the commonwealth of Virginia, covering much of the southwestern part of the state. The 9th is Virginia's second-largest district in area, covering 8800.24 square miles . The current representative is Morgan Griffith...
. He is a member of the Republican Party
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...
. He was the majority leader
Majority leader
In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the...
of the Virginia House of Delegates
Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
and represented the 8th District, serving from 1994 until 2011. The district included all of Salem, Virginia
Salem, Virginia
Salem is an independent city in Virginia, USA, bordered by the city of Roanoke to the east but otherwise adjacent to Roanoke County. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 24,802 according to 2010 U.S. Census...
and parts of Roanoke County
Roanoke County, Virginia
Roanoke County is a county located in the U.S. state of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area and located within the Roanoke Region of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 85,778. As of 2010, the population was 92,376...
.
Early life, education, and career
Griffith was born in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, but his family moved to Salem, Virginia
Salem, Virginia
Salem is an independent city in Virginia, USA, bordered by the city of Roanoke to the east but otherwise adjacent to Roanoke County. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 24,802 according to 2010 U.S. Census...
while he was a baby. He attended Andrew Lewis High School, graduating in 1976. He attended Emory and Henry College
Emory and Henry College
Emory & Henry College, known as E&H, Emory, or the College, is a private liberal arts college located in Emory, Virginia, United States. The campus comprises of Washington County, Virginia, which is part of the mountain region of Southwest Virginia...
, graduating in 1980. Griffith completed his education with a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the Washington and Lee University Law School
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
in 1983.
After law school, Griffith settled in Salem where he worked as a private attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
with a focus on traffic violations and DUI
Driving under the influence
Driving under the influence is the act of driving a motor vehicle with blood levels of alcohol in excess of a legal limit...
. On June 23, 2008, Albo & Oblon LLP, a law firm run by fellow Republican delegate Dave Albo
Dave Albo
David B. Albo is a Republican politician from the Commonwealth of Virginia. He represents the 42nd District of the Virginia House of Delegates and has been a member since 1994.-Personal:...
, announced that Griffith was joining the firm as head of its new Roanoke/Salem office.
Early political career
Griffith first became seriously involved in politics in 1986, when he was chosen as the chairman of the Salem Republican Party. He held that position from 1986 to 1988 and from 1991 to 1994.Virginia House of Delegates
In 1994 Griffith was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. He served as the Vice-Chairman of the Rules Committee in the House of Delegates. He served on the Courts of Justice Committee, and was the chairman of its Criminal Law Subcommittee. He also served on the Commerce and Labor and the Militia, Police, and Public Safety Committees.2010 election
Griffith was the Republican nominee to face longtime U.S. Congressman Rick BoucherRick Boucher
Frederick Carlyle "Rick" Boucher is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1983 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
(D-VA) who was first elected in 1982. A "GOP Young Gun", Griffith won the election.
Griffith's home in Salem is located just inside the neighboring 6th District
Virginia's 6th congressional district
Virginia's sixth congressional district is a United States congressional district in the commonwealth of Virginia. It covers all or part of Shenandoah, Rockingham, Highland, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Rockbridge, Botetourt, Roanoke and Amherst Counties. The current representative is Bob Goodlatte...
, represented by fellow Republican Bob Goodlatte
Bob Goodlatte
Robert William "Bob" Goodlatte is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is based in Roanoke and also includes Lynchburg, Harrisonburg and Staunton.-Early life, education and career:...
.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Energy and CommerceUnited States House Committee on Energy and CommerceThe Committee on Energy and Commerce is one of the oldest standing committees of the United States House of Representatives. Established in 1795, it has operated continuously—with various name changes and jurisdictional changes—for more than 200 years...
- Subcommittee on Energy and Power
- Subcommittee on Oversight and InvestigationsUnited States House Energy Subcommittee on Oversight and InvestigationsThe U.S. House Energy Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations is a subcommittee within the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.-Jurisdiction:...
Immigration
Griffith has voted to allow the Commonwealth of Virginia to enforce federal immigration laws to criminalize knowingly employing illegal immigrants or undocumented workers, and also voted to criminalize possession of firearms by illegal aliens.Gay rights
While serving in the Virginia House of Delegates, Griffith supported a constitutional amendment to prohibit same-sex marriage by defining marriage as between one man and one woman. He voted in favor of a bill to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientationSexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
for government employees
Gun control
Griffith voted in favor of several bills to reduce restrictions on gun ownership, including a bill to allow concealed weapons in vehicles without a permit and to allow concealed weapons permit holders to carry their firearms in restaurants and bars. Griffith also voted to prohibit consumption of alcohol while in possession of a concealed weapon. In 2004 Griffith voted to prohibit carrying firearms or ammunition in the non-secure areas of airport terminals, including baggage claim areas.Health care
Early in 2010, Griffith voted in favor of a bill to prohibit any individual mandateIndividual mandate
An individual mandate is a requirement by a government that certain individual citizens purchase or otherwise obtain a good or service.In the United States, the United States Congress has enacted two individual mandates, the first was never federally enforced, while the second is not scheduled to...
to purchase health insurance
Health insurance
Health insurance is insurance against the risk of incurring medical expenses among individuals. By estimating the overall risk of health care expenses among a targeted group, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll tax, to ensure that money is...
. This law passed Virginia's legislature before the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. The law is the principal health care reform legislation of the 111th United States Congress...
was enacted, which Virginia has used to challenge the individual mandate in federal court.
Death penalty
Griffith has voted consistently for expansions of the death penalty to include eligibility for accomplices to a murder, as well as for those who murder a judge or a witness.Abortion
When surveyed in 1999 on his political positions by Project Vote SmartProject Vote Smart
Project Vote Smart is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States...
, Griffith indicated that he supports legalized abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
in the first trimester and to save the life of the mother, while favoring the restriction of abortion through parental notification laws and prohibition of partial-birth abortion. Griffith's voting record has generally been consistent with his 1999 survey, voting in favor of restrictions on late term abortions such as parental-notification and parental-consent, while voting against bills that would restrict first-term abortions. In 2010 Griffith voted to restrict state funding of abortions, and to require abortion clinic
Abortion clinic
An abortion clinic is a medical facility that primarily performs or specializes in abortions. Such clinics may be public medical centers or private medical practices.-Canada:*There were 197 abortion providers in Canada in 2001....
s to meet the same licensing requirements as surgical centers. In 2006 Griffith voted to restrict state funding for fetal stem cell research
Embryonic stem cell
Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent stem cells derived from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst, an early-stage embryo. Human embryos reach the blastocyst stage 4–5 days post fertilization, at which time they consist of 50–150 cells...
.
In 2007 Griffith voted against a bill in the Virginia General Assembly
Virginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
, HB 2797, which stated: "That life begins at the moment of fertilization and the right to enjoyment of life guaranteed by Article 1, § 1 of the Constitution of Virginia is vested in each born and preborn human being from the moment of fertilization" This was the only bill introduced to the General Assembly during Griffith's tenure that would have affected the legality of first-term abortions on the principal of the fetal personhood as opposed to regulating abortion on other grounds.
Griffith's 2010 campaign website reported that Griffith has a "100% pro-life" voting record and an "A" rating from the Virginia Society for Human Life
Virginia Society for Human Life
The Virginia Society for Human Life is a non-profit organization advocating an end to abortion in Virginia. VSHL is the Virginia affiliate of the National Right to Life Committee. It was founded in 1967 and is the oldest pro-life organization in the country. The group has a political action...
(VSHL). However, VSHL's report on 2007 legislation in Virginia omits reference to HB 2797 Project Vote Smart indicated that Griffith declined to take their survey again in 2010.
Taxes and spending
Griffith supports raising the retirement age and reducing the number of American troops serving overseas as means of reducing the federal budget deficit.Electoral history
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"|+ Virginia House of Delegates, District 8: Results 1995 to 2009
!|Year
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!Third Party
!Party
!Votes
!Pct
|-
|1995
|
| |
| align="right" |14,052
| |100%
|
| |no candidate
| align="right" |
| |
|
| |Write-ins
Write-in candidate
A write-in candidate is a candidate in an election whose name does not appear on the ballot, but for whom voters may vote nonetheless by writing in the person's name. Some states and local jurisdictions allow a voter to affix a sticker with a write-in candidate's name on it to the ballot in lieu...
| |
| align="right" |35
| align="right" |0%
|-
|1997
|
| |
| align="right" |15,383
| |100%
|
| |no candidate
| align="right" |
| |
|
| |Write-ins
Write-in candidate
A write-in candidate is a candidate in an election whose name does not appear on the ballot, but for whom voters may vote nonetheless by writing in the person's name. Some states and local jurisdictions allow a voter to affix a sticker with a write-in candidate's name on it to the ballot in lieu...
| |
| align="right" |12
| align="right" |0%
|-
|1999
|
| |
| align="right" |11,066
| |100%
|
| |no candidate
| align="right" |
| |
|
| |Write-ins
Write-in candidate
A write-in candidate is a candidate in an election whose name does not appear on the ballot, but for whom voters may vote nonetheless by writing in the person's name. Some states and local jurisdictions allow a voter to affix a sticker with a write-in candidate's name on it to the ballot in lieu...
| |
| align="right" |19
| align="right" |0%
|-
|2001
|
| |
| align="right" |17,401
| |70%
|
| |D. Martin
| align="right" |7,581
| |30%
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|2003
|
| |
| align="right" |10,860
| |59%
|
| |
| align="right" |7,469
| |41%
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|2005
|
| |
| align="right" |20,484
| |98%
|
| |no candidate
| align="right" |
| |
|
| |Write-ins
Write-in candidate
A write-in candidate is a candidate in an election whose name does not appear on the ballot, but for whom voters may vote nonetheless by writing in the person's name. Some states and local jurisdictions allow a voter to affix a sticker with a write-in candidate's name on it to the ballot in lieu...
| |
| align="right" |417
| align="right" |2%
|-
|2007
Virginia state elections, 2007
Virginia's 2007 state elections were held on November 6, 2007. Voters elected all 100 members of the Virginia House of Delegates to two-year terms ending in 2009, and all 40 members of the Virginia Senate to four-year terms ending in 2011. There were also elections for local offices in most counties...
|
| |
| align="right" |13,670
| |96%
|
| |no candidate
| align="right" |
| |
|
| |Write-ins
Write-in candidate
A write-in candidate is a candidate in an election whose name does not appear on the ballot, but for whom voters may vote nonetheless by writing in the person's name. Some states and local jurisdictions allow a voter to affix a sticker with a write-in candidate's name on it to the ballot in lieu...
| |
| align="right" |563
| align="right" |4%
|-
|2009
Virginia elections, 2009
The following offices were up for election in the United States Commonwealth of Virginia in the November 2009 general election:*Three statewide offices – Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General – for four-year terms...
|
| |
| align="right" |16,790
| |69%
|
| |
| align="right" |7,563
| |31%
|
|
|
|
|
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"
|+
!|Year
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!Third Party
!Party
!Votes
!Pct
|-
|2010
United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia, 2010
The 2010 congressional elections in Virginia were held November 2, 2010, to determine who will represent the state of Virginia in the United States House of Representatives...
|
| |
| align="right" |95,726
| |51%
|
| |Rick Boucher
Rick Boucher
Frederick Carlyle "Rick" Boucher is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1983 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
| align="right" |86,743
| |46%
|
| |Jeremiah Heaton
| |Independent
| |4,282
| |2%
External links
- Congressman Morgan Griffith official U.S. House site
- Morgan Griffith for Congress official campaign site
- H. Morgan Griffith at The Virginia Public Access Project
- Albo & Oblon L.L.P.