| Bob Livingston | |
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| In office August 27, 1977 – March 1, 1999 |
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| Preceded by | Richard Alvin Tonry |
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| Succeeded by | David Vitter |
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| Born | April 30 1943 Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Bonnie Livingston |
| Profession | Politician, Lawyer |
| Religion | [Roman Catholic] |
Robert ("Bob") Linlithgow Livingston Jr. (born April 30, 1943), is a Washington, D.C.-based lobbyist and a former Republican U.S. Representative from Louisiana. He was chosen as Newt Gingrich's successor as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives late in 1998, but choose instead to withdraw and retire. Livingston was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, but spent most of his youth in New Orleans. He graduated from St. Martin's Episcopal School in New Orleans in 1960. He received his B.A. in economics from Tulane University in 1967, a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. His education was interrupted by a two year stint in the United States Navy. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Tulane in 1968. Out of college, he joined the law practice of David C. Treen, who would become Louisiana's first Republican congressman and governor since Reconstruction. Treen had been an active Republican back in the days when the party barely existed in Louisiana, and this connection allowed Livingston to make valuable contacts in GOP circles. He was a delegate to all Republican conventions between 1976 and 2000. Livingston later worked for the U.S. attorney for Louisiana's Eastern District, the Orleans Parish district attorney's office, and the Louisiana state attorney general, the Democrat William J. "Billy" Guste, Jr.
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Career in Congress
Livingston resigned his position as head of the state attorney general's organized crime unit in 1976 when he won the Republican nomination for Louisiana's 1st Congressional District, based in the New Orleans suburbs and including a large part of the city itself. The seat had opened up when 36-year incumbent Democrat and former House Armed Services Committee chairman F. Edward Hébert retired. Livingston narrowly lost to one-term state legislator Richard Tonry. Livingston was denied victory by the third-party candidacy of former Sixth District Congressman John Rarick of St. Francisville, the seat of West Feliciana Parish. Rarick, who had been one of the most conservative Democrats in Congress during his tenure, presumably siphoned off enough votes from Livingston to allow Tonry to win. However, allegations surfaced of "tombstone" votes for Tonry in both the primary and general election. Tonry was forced to resign in May 1977 and lost the Democratic nomination for the special election in August to state Representative Ron Faucheux. Faucheux also faced an independent challenge from the left. Livingston took advantage of the split in liberal ranks to become the first Republican to represent New Orleans in Congress since Reconstruction]].[1] He won a full term with 86 percent of the vote in 1978 and was reelected 11 times, several times unopposed. Although well-known in Louisiana, Livingston was a relatively low-key congressman for his first 18 years in Washington. However, he managed early in his career to land a spot on the Appropriations Committee. This, along with his conservative stances on most issues, made him popular with his constituents, most of whom had never been previously represented by a Republican. Livingston ran for governor in 1987 but finished third, behind Buddy Roemer and Edwin Edwards in a field of nine, ten points short of gaining a berth in the runoff. Two other major candidates finished even behind Livingston: then Democratic Congressman Wilbert J. "Billy" Tauzin, Jr., of the neighboring Third District and outgoing Secretary of State James H. "Jim" Brown of Ferriday in Concordia Parish. Livingston endorsed his House colleague Charles Elson "Buddy" Roemer, III, then a Democrat, after the primary, but the runoff election was cancelled after Roemer's opponent, Governor Edwin Washington Edwards, conceded the race to Roemer. It was said that then Edwards wanted to face Livingston in a general election, and when that did not happen, Edwards pulled out of the second round of balloting to prevent Roemer from consolidating majority support. Despite his showing in the gubernatorial race, Livingston remained popular in his district and went on to win easy re-elections as he moved up the leadership ladder in the House.[2]
Chairman, House Appropriations Committee
Livingston first came to national attention in 1995, when he was named chairman of the Appropriations Committee after the Republican takeover of the House. This instantly made him one of the most powerful members of Congress. During one committee session, he brandished a machete to demonstrate his seriousness as a budget-cutter. During the Monica Lewinsky scandals, Livingston was one of many Republicans who demanded President Bill Clinton's resignation, and later impeachment, for perjury. After Newt Gingrich resigned as Speaker in part because of Republican losses in the 1998 elections, Livingston announced that he was not only running for Speaker but had lined up enough support to win. He was nominated as the Republican candidate for Speaker without opposition. As the Republicans had narrowly retained their majority, this effectively made him Speaker-elect.
Resignation
During debate over the impeachment resolution on December 19, 1998, Livingston stepped down as Speaker-elect and announced he would resign from the House in May 1999. It has often been supposed that his resignation came in connection with a sex scandal. In the months before Livingston's resignation, Larry Flynt claimed to have received evidence that Livingston had indulged in extramarital affairs. Livingston was succeeded by David Vitter, who later went on to become the first popularly elected Republican senator from Louisiana. Vitter defeated Treen in a hard-fought special election runoff.
Subsequent career
Soon after retiring from public life he founded The Livingston Group, one of many lobbying groups in the nation's capital. One of the group's more important clients is the Republic of Turkey. The focus of this lobbying is on US relations as they pertain to international and historical issues affecting the Turkey. In 2003, Livingston was inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.
Personal life
Livingston is married to the former Bonnie Robichaux (also born 1943), a native of Raceland in Lafourche Parish. They reside in Washington and in Metairie in suburban Jefferson Parish.
Family tragedy
Richard Godwin Livingston, the son of Bob and Bonnie Livingston, was killed on July 25, 2006, while he was trimming trees in New Orleans. Livingston (born 1969), was killed in the Lakeview neighborhood when he apparently touched a wire. Emergency workers pronounced him dead at the scene.
Notes
External links
References
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
- A Livingston Legacy Revised
| Preceded by Richard Alvin Tonry (D) |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana's 1st congressional district 1977 – 1999 |
Succeeded by David Vitter |
