Tony Rodham
Encyclopedia
Anthony Dean Rodham) is an American
consultant
who is the youngest brother of former First Lady
and Senator and current Secretary of State
Hillary Rodham Clinton
.
He attended Iowa Wesleyan College
and the University of Arkansas
, although he never received a degree from either school.
's 1974 nomination campaign for Congress. He then worked at a metal equipment company in Texas
, did insurance
sales in Chicago
, acted as a repo man
in Chicago (where shots were fired at him in the infamous Cabrini–Green housing project), and worked as a prison guard, before moving to South Florida in 1983. There he shared a condominium
with his brother Hugh, and worked as a process server and private detective until 1992. In 1992, during Bill Clinton
's first presidential campaign, Rodham began working for the Democratic National Committee
, coordinating constituency outreach.
On May 28, 1994, Rodham married Nicole Boxer, daughter of United States Senator from California
Barbara Boxer
, in a ceremony at the White House
attended by 250 guests; it was the first White House wedding since Tricia Nixon married Edward Cox
in 1971. They had one son, Zachary, in 1995 (who later held a unique distinction in that he was simultaneously the grandson and nephew of sitting U.S. senators), before separating by 2000 and then getting a divorce.
By now, Tony Rodham had left his position at the Democratic National Committee and described himself as "a consultant ... [in] all kinds of businesses. I'm a general consultant. I just bring different peoples together. I help them negotiate deals. I solve problems for people." In 1997, Rodham tried to arrange meetings between Paraguay
an President Juan Carlos Wasmosy
and President Clinton, and also powerful Moscow
Mayor Yuri Luzhkov and the President. In 1998, he paid a visit to dictatorial Prime Minister Hun Sen
of Cambodia
. In each of these cases, there was criticism that he was giving an unauthorized impression of White House approval to these foreign figures, or was seeking financial gain for himself.
In 1999, Tony and brother Hugh Rodham
entered into a $118 million venture to grow and export hazelnuts from the Republic of Georgia. The U.S. State Department and National Security Advisor
Sandy Berger
became upset, however, when the Rodhams' local business connection in Batumi
turned out to be Aslan Abashidze
, a major political opponent of Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze
, then a key U.S. ally in the region. Moreover, Tony Rodham flew to Rome
to become godfather
to Abashidze's grandson. After initial resistance, Berger and the Clintons prevailed upon the Rodham brothers to drop the deal. Tony Rodham would not state what his financial stake in the venture was.
Episodes such as these led Hillary Clinton's White House staff to refer to Tony and Hugh as "the Brothers Rodham", extending the American tradition of troublesome presidential siblings to the brother-in-law
category; one senior White House official would be quoted as saying, "You never wanted to hear their name come up in any context other than playing golf."
In March 2001, it was revealed that Tony Rodham had helped gain a March 2000 presidential pardon for Edgar Allen Gregory, Jr. and his wife, Vonna Jo, a Tennessee
couple in the carnival
business who had been convicted of bank fraud
. The pardon was granted over the objections of the U.S. Justice Department. Rodham acknowledged talking to President Clinton about a pardon; he said he received no money for his work, but he did have financial ties to the couple as a consultant. His actions gained much public focus and criticism, as they came on the heels of the general Bill Clinton pardons controversy
and his brother Hugh's own involvement in taking money for work done towards pardons. Hillary Clinton, who had strongly criticized Hugh's involvement and requested he return his money, said that Tony Rodham was not paid for his work. The Republican
-controlled House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform investigated the matter and concluded that Tony Rodham had in fact been paid. One aspect of the case dragged out into 2007, as Tony Rodham battled a bankruptcy court's order that he repay over $100,000 in loans from the now-deceased Edgar Gregory.
In August 2001, Tony Rodham was involved in an assault episode at the multi-generational Rodham family summer cottage at Lake Winola
in Wyoming County
, Pennsylvania
. A man who claimed he saw Rodham having sex with his girlfriend broke into the cottage and assaulted him; Hugh Rodham and the woman restrained the attacker. Both Tony Rodham and the attacker received some injuries. At a hearing on the case in November, 2001, Tony Rodham testified that he might have smoked marijuana with the attacker several hours before the incident. The man subsequently pleaded guilty to trespassing, assault, and making terroristic threats. By 2002, Rodham was in disputes with his former wife over child support
payments, with Nicole Boxer saying he had not paid them in six months.
In the summer of 2005, Tony Rodham married Megan Madden of Vienna, Virginia
.
As of mid-2007, Tony Rodham was helping Hillary Clinton raise funds in Pennsylvania
for her 2008 presidential campaign. By the end of 2007, he was back in the news for owing Nicole Boxer about $158,000 in back alimony
, child support
, and related payments following a court judgement. In May 2008, he expressed disgust with how the Democratic National Committee
was handling the Michigan
and Florida primary
delegate issue between Clinton and Barack Obama
, and said he did not know who he would vote for if his sister were not nominated.
Americans
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
who is the youngest brother of former First Lady
First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president. The current first lady is Michelle Obama.-Current:The...
and Senator and current 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...
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
.
Early life and education
Rodham is the younger son of Hugh Ellsworth Rodham, a Chicago textile wholesaler, and Dorothy Howell Rodham. He has one other sibling in addition to Hillary, older brother Hugh Edwin Rodham.He attended Iowa Wesleyan College
Iowa Wesleyan College
Iowa Wesleyan College is a private four-year liberal arts college of the United Methodist Church located Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.Iowa Wesleyan is recognized as a pioneer in higher education in America. Founded in 1842, it ranks as the oldest coeducational college located west of the Mississippi River...
and the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
, although he never received a degree from either school.
Various occupations
He did work for future brother-in-law Bill ClintonBill 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...
's 1974 nomination campaign for Congress. He then worked at a metal equipment company in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, did insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
sales in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, acted as a repo man
Repo Man
Repo Man is a 1984 cult film directed by Alex Cox. It was produced by Jonathan Wacks and Peter McCarthy, with executive producer Michael Nesmith, and stars Emilio Estevez and Harry Dean Stanton.-Plot:...
in Chicago (where shots were fired at him in the infamous Cabrini–Green housing project), and worked as a prison guard, before moving to South Florida in 1983. There he shared a condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
with his brother Hugh, and worked as a process server and private detective until 1992. In 1992, during 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...
's first presidential campaign, Rodham began working for the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
, coordinating constituency outreach.
Consultant and controversies
In 1993, he and his brother Hugh ignited a small controversy when they tried to solicit corporate donations for Clinton's inaugural parties; they dropped the effort after a public outcry.On May 28, 1994, Rodham married Nicole Boxer, daughter of United States Senator from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
Barbara Boxer
Barbara Boxer
Barbara Levy Boxer is the junior United States Senator from California . A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives ....
, in a ceremony at 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...
attended by 250 guests; it was the first White House wedding since Tricia Nixon married Edward Cox
Edward F. Cox
Edward Ridley Finch Cox , is the chairman of the New York Republican State Committee and the son-in-law of the late President Richard M. Nixon. Cox is a lawyer in the Manhattan law firm of Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP where he has served as the Chairman of the Corporate Department and a...
in 1971. They had one son, Zachary, in 1995 (who later held a unique distinction in that he was simultaneously the grandson and nephew of sitting U.S. senators), before separating by 2000 and then getting a divorce.
By now, Tony Rodham had left his position at the Democratic National Committee and described himself as "a consultant ... [in] all kinds of businesses. I'm a general consultant. I just bring different peoples together. I help them negotiate deals. I solve problems for people." In 1997, Rodham tried to arrange meetings between Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
an President Juan Carlos Wasmosy
Juan Carlos Wasmosy
Juan Carlos Wasmosy Monti was the President of Paraguay from 1993 until 1998. He was a member of the Colorado Party, and the country's first civilian president in 39 years....
and President Clinton, and also powerful Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
Mayor Yuri Luzhkov and the President. In 1998, he paid a visit to dictatorial Prime Minister Hun Sen
Hun Sen
Hun Sen is the current Prime Minister of Cambodia.He has been the sole leader of the Cambodian People's Party , which has governed Cambodia since the Vietnamese-backed overthrow of the Khmer Rouge in 1979...
of Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
. In each of these cases, there was criticism that he was giving an unauthorized impression of White House approval to these foreign figures, or was seeking financial gain for himself.
In 1999, Tony and brother Hugh Rodham
Hugh Rodham
Hugh Edwin Rodham ) is an American lawyer, businessman and Democratic Party politician who is the brother of former New York Senator and First Lady and current Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.- Early life and education :...
entered into a $118 million venture to grow and export hazelnuts from the Republic of Georgia. The U.S. State Department and National Security Advisor
National Security Advisor (United States)
The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor , serves as the chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues...
Sandy Berger
Sandy Berger
Samuel Richard "Sandy" Berger was United States National Security Advisor, under President Bill Clinton from 1997 to 2001. In his position, he helped to formulate the foreign policy of the Clinton Administration...
became upset, however, when the Rodhams' local business connection in Batumi
Batumi
Batumi is a seaside city on the Black Sea coast and capital of Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia. Sometimes considered Georgia's second capital, with a population of 121,806 , Batumi serves as an important port and a commercial center. It is situated in a subtropical zone, rich in...
turned out to be Aslan Abashidze
Aslan Abashidze
Aslan Abashidze was the leader of the Ajarian Autonomous Republic in western Georgia from 1991 to May 5, 2004. He resigned under the pressure of the central Georgian government and mass opposition rallies during the 2004 Adjara crisis, and has since lived in Moscow, Russia...
, a major political opponent of Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze is a former Soviet, and later, Georgian statesman from the height to the end of the Cold War. He served as President of Georgia from 1995 to 2003, and as First Secretary of the Georgian Communist Party , from 1972 to 1985. Shevardnadze was responsible for many top decisions on...
, then a key U.S. ally in the region. Moreover, Tony Rodham flew to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
to become godfather
Godparent
A godparent, in many denominations of Christianity, is someone who sponsors a child's baptism. A male godparent is a godfather, and a female godparent is a godmother...
to Abashidze's grandson. After initial resistance, Berger and the Clintons prevailed upon the Rodham brothers to drop the deal. Tony Rodham would not state what his financial stake in the venture was.
Episodes such as these led Hillary Clinton's White House staff to refer to Tony and Hugh as "the Brothers Rodham", extending the American tradition of troublesome presidential siblings to the brother-in-law
Brother-in-law
A brother-in-law is the brother of one's spouse, the husband of one's sibling, or the husband of one's spouse's sibling.-See also:*Affinity *Sister-in-law*Brothers in Law , a 1955 British comedy novel...
category; one senior White House official would be quoted as saying, "You never wanted to hear their name come up in any context other than playing golf."
In March 2001, it was revealed that Tony Rodham had helped gain a March 2000 presidential pardon for Edgar Allen Gregory, Jr. and his wife, Vonna Jo, a Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
couple in the carnival
Traveling carnival
A traveling carnival is an amusement show that may be made up of amusement rides, food vendors, merchandise vendors, games of chance and skill, thrill acts, animal acts or sideshow curiosities. A traveling carnival is not set up at a permanent location, like an amusement park, but is moved from...
business who had been convicted of bank fraud
Bank fraud
Bank fraud is the use of fraudulent means to obtain money, assets, or other property owned or held by a financial institution, or to obtain money from depositors by fraudulently representing to be a bank or financial institution. In many instances, bank fraud is a criminal offense...
. The pardon was granted over the objections of the U.S. Justice Department. Rodham acknowledged talking to President Clinton about a pardon; he said he received no money for his work, but he did have financial ties to the couple as a consultant. His actions gained much public focus and criticism, as they came on the heels of the general Bill Clinton pardons controversy
Bill Clinton pardons controversy
President Bill Clinton was criticized for some of his pardons and acts of executive clemency. While most presidents grant pardons on several days throughout their terms, Clinton chose to make most of them on January 20, 2001. Collectively, the controversy surrounding these actions has sometimes...
and his brother Hugh's own involvement in taking money for work done towards pardons. Hillary Clinton, who had strongly criticized Hugh's involvement and requested he return his money, said that Tony Rodham was not paid for his work. 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...
-controlled House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform investigated the matter and concluded that Tony Rodham had in fact been paid. One aspect of the case dragged out into 2007, as Tony Rodham battled a bankruptcy court's order that he repay over $100,000 in loans from the now-deceased Edgar Gregory.
In August 2001, Tony Rodham was involved in an assault episode at the multi-generational Rodham family summer cottage at Lake Winola
Lake Winola
Lake Winola is a public, 185-acre glacial lake located in Overfield township, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. The lake is composed of an eastern and western basin, separated by a peninsula entering the lake from north to south. The Lake is managed by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat...
in Wyoming County
Wyoming County, Pennsylvania
Wyoming County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It was created in 1842 from part of Luzerne County. Its county seat is Tunkhannock.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. A man who claimed he saw Rodham having sex with his girlfriend broke into the cottage and assaulted him; Hugh Rodham and the woman restrained the attacker. Both Tony Rodham and the attacker received some injuries. At a hearing on the case in November, 2001, Tony Rodham testified that he might have smoked marijuana with the attacker several hours before the incident. The man subsequently pleaded guilty to trespassing, assault, and making terroristic threats. By 2002, Rodham was in disputes with his former wife over child support
Child support
In family law and public policy, child support is an ongoing, periodic payment made by a parent for the financial benefit of a child following the end of a marriage or other relationship...
payments, with Nicole Boxer saying he had not paid them in six months.
In the summer of 2005, Tony Rodham married Megan Madden of Vienna, Virginia
Vienna, Virginia
Vienna is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, it had a population of 15,687. Significantly more people live in zip codes with the Vienna postal addresses bordered approximately by Interstate 66 on the south, Interstate 495 on the east, Route 7 to...
.
As of mid-2007, Tony Rodham was helping Hillary Clinton raise funds in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
for her 2008 presidential campaign. By the end of 2007, he was back in the news for owing Nicole Boxer about $158,000 in back alimony
Alimony
Alimony is a U.S. term denoting a legal obligation to provide financial support to one's spouse from the other spouse after marital separation or from the ex-spouse upon divorce...
, child support
Child support
In family law and public policy, child support is an ongoing, periodic payment made by a parent for the financial benefit of a child following the end of a marriage or other relationship...
, and related payments following a court judgement. In May 2008, he expressed disgust with how the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
was handling the Michigan
Michigan Democratic primary, 2008
The Michigan Democratic Presidential Primary took place January 15, 2008. Originally, the state had 156 delegates up for grabs that were to be awarded in the following way: 83 delegates were to be awarded based on the winner in each of Michigan's 15 congressional districts while an additional 45...
and Florida primary
Florida Democratic primary, 2008
The Florida Democratic Presidential primary took place on January 29, 2008. Originally, the state had 185 delegates up for grabs that were to be awarded in the following way: 121 delegates were to be awarded based on the winner in each of Florida's 25 congressional districts while an additional 64...
delegate issue between Clinton and Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, and said he did not know who he would vote for if his sister were not nominated.