Angus King

Angus King is an Independent US Senator from Maine.

Background

One of King’s first jobs, after graduating from Dartmouth College in 1966 and the University of Virginia Law School in 1969, was as chief counsel to the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Alcoholism and Narcotics in the office of Maine Democratic Senator William D. Hathaway.

Angus King is a social liberal on such issues as abortion and the environment and a fiscal conservative. He supports the President’s health care overhaul and opposes GOP-led efforts to cut federal funding for Planned Parenthood. He agrees with Obama's policy that compels insurance companies to cover contraception for employees of religious-affiliated institutions and supports marriage equality. He has argued: “If I had to reduce my ideology to a bumper sticker it would be ‘I call 'em as I see 'em.’”

King began his career as a staff attorney for Pine Tree Legal Assistance in Skowhegan, Maine. After his service in Washington, D.C., he returned to Maine to practice law and began his 18-year career as host and co-producer of the weekly television program “Maine Watch” on the Maine Public Broadcasting Network.

In 1983, King became vice-president of an alternative energy development company based in Portland and Boston. Six years later he founded Northeast Energy Management, Inc., a developer of large-scale energy conservation projects at commercial and industrial facilities in Maine.

He was first elected governor in 1994, becoming Maine’s second independent governor. Four years later, he was reelected by one of the largest margins of victory in the state’s history.

After he left office, King practiced law and became a Distinguished Lecturer at Bowdoin College where he taught a class called “Leaders and Leadership.” He also started Independence Wind to develop wind projects in Maine.

2012 CLW Senate victories

2012 CLW Senate Victories were;

Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Chris Murphy (D-CT) Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jon Tester (D-MT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

The Council wrote of King;

Angus King is a candidate who advocates sensible national security positions. He supports further nuclear reductions negotiated with Russia and would vote to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. He has endorsed the Kissinger-Schulz-Nunn-Perry vision of moving toward a world free of nuclear weapons. He supports the Obama plan to withdraw a significant number of U.S. forces from Afghanistan, with the remainder out by 2014. He advocates continuing dialogue with Iran.

CLW Inauguration event

Council for a Livable World and the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation hosted an event on Monday, January 21, 2013 celebrating the second inauguration of President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden and theirr endorsed candidates in the 113th Congress. The event was held at the Phoenix Park Hotel ballroom across from Union Station and just two blocks from the U.S. Capitol.

A number of prestigious guests attended the event, including Senators Tammy Baldwin, Martin Heinrich, Angus King and Bernie Sanders, U.S. Representatives Suzan DelBene, Lois Frankel and Mark Takano, United Steel Workers International President Leo Gerard, host of The Ed Show on MSNBC, Ed Schultz and Vicki Hansen Thackray from the executive committee of Democrats Abroad.

Gary Collins, President of the board of Council for a Livable World, kicked off the celebration with a short speech highlighting the work of the Council during the 2012 election cycle.

John Isaacs, executive director of the Council and Center, was next up at the podium and introduced fellow Dartmouth alum, Senator Angus King (I-ME). Senator King recalled his early days in DC as a campaign staffer and how even then, Council supporters were making an impact with every $5 and $10 contribution they made to his former boss. .

Filibuster reform

The Communications Workers of America is to make filibuster reform a top cause and they're trying to bring the rest of the union movement along. The union reiterated that goal in post-election comments.

"The 2012 election makes the reform even more paramount," it said. "Seven Democratic senators-elect - Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), Martin Heinrich (N.M.), Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii), Tim Kaine (Va.), Chris Murphy (Conn.) and Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) - have all already pledged to Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., to support rules reform. And Maine's Independent candidate, former Gov. Angus King won on a platform included filibuster reform as a major campaign issue.

"The American people want their elected officials to debate and address the major issues of our time and to move past obstruction for obstruction's sake," added CWA Legislative Director Shane Larson.

Anniversary of King march

A march and rally marking the 50th anniversary of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s March on Washington on Capitol Hill, beginning a day of events recalling the historic 1963 civil-rights demonstration.

The march along a 1.6-mile route downtown will pass several buildings with significance for the civil-rights era, including the Justice Department, U.S. Courthouse, Department of Labor and Washington Monument. The procession, to be led by a restored 1960s-era bus like that used by civil-rights activists the Freedom Riders, is expected to draw upward of 100,000 participants. The original march, which demanded jobs and equal rights for blacks, drew about 250,000.

The route ends about midday at the Lincoln Memorial, where President Barack Obama will speak while standing in the same spot on the memorial steps where Rev. King gave his "I Have a Dream" speech, a stirring vision of equality, exactly five decades ago. Mr. Obama will cap two hours of official speeches between 1 and 3 p.m.

Wednesday's speakers include former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, as well as civil-rights protest hero Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, the only surviving speaker from the original 1963 event. D.C.

Mayor Vincent Gray also will speak. Other congressional speakers include Reps. Joaquin Castro (D., Texas), Marcia Fudge (D., Ohio), Donna Edwards (D., Md.) and Angus King (I., Maine).

Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act of 2015

S 299, the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act of 2015, principal sponsors are Sens. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

By May 20, it had accumulated 33 co-sponsors, mostly Democrats, but including 5 Republicans, and two Independents - Angus King, and Bernie Sanders.

References

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