08-01-2011, 08:09 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-01-2011, 10:23 PM by Peter Lemkin.)
Small crowd at some political event outdoors, I think. Shot in head at point blank range. America is on the verge of collapse and I think there are provocateurs pushing at the edges of the cliff/abyss! Others injured. She was Jewish and at a quick look, somewhat progressive.
Gabrielle Giffords, a congresswoman from Arizona, was shot in the head on Saturday at a public event at a grocery store in Tucson, according to her spokesman, C. J. Karamargin, and news reports.
She was taken to University Medical Center in Tucson, the trauma center for the area, about 10 miles away. She died in surgery.
CNN quoted a public information officer for the sheriff's office as saying that 12 people had been injured in all and that the shooting had occurred around 10 a.m. local time.
An employee at a nearby store told CNN that he heard a steady stream of gun fire that appeared sustained "random." Shortly after, emergency vehicles filled the parking lot around the grocery story and cordoned off the area.
The shooting occurred at a Safeway supermarket in northwest Tucson as Ms. Giffords hosted an event, called "Congress on Your Corner, to allow members of the 8th Congressional District to meet her individually. She has held several events since first taking office in January 2007. At one such event in 2009, a protester was removed by police when his pistol fell on the supermarket floor.
Last March, her Tucson office was vandalized a few hours after the House vote overhauling the nation's health care system, the authorities said. Earlier events in Tucson, Oro Valley, Green Valley, Sierra Vista, and Douglas had attracted between 75 and 150 people, according to a statement announcing the event. This was her first event since her re-election to a third term in November.
Ms. Giffords, 40, was interviewed on Fox news on Friday to talk about a bill to cut to congressional salaries by 5 percent.
She married Cmdr. Mark E. Kelly, 46, a NASA astronaut and Navy pilot from New Jersey, in December 2007 at a wedding attended by Robert B. Reich, the former Labor secretary.
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Giffords was first sworn in as a congresswoman on January 3, 2007. She is the third woman in Arizona's history to be elected to serve in the U.S. Congress. In her inaugural speech on the floor of the House of Representatives, Giffords said a comprehensive immigration reform package needs to include modern technology to secure the border, more border patrol agents, tough employer sanctions for businesses that knowingly hire illegal immigrants, and a guest-worker program. In her first month in office, Congresswoman Giffords voted to support increased federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research, raising the minimum wage, endorsing the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, and supporting new rules for the House of Representatives targeting ethical issues. Giffords also voted to repeal subsidies to big oil companies and invest the savings in renewable energy. "We put our national security at risk by relying on oil from unstable regimes in the Middle East and Latin America," Giffords told her colleagues in a speech on the House floor during debate on the Clean Energy Act. The act repeals $14 billion in subsidies given to oil companies and establishes a Strategic Renewable Energy Reserve to increase research in clean renewable energy, to develop greater energy efficiency, and to improve energy conservation.
During the 2007 session of Congress, Giffords introduced a bill (H.R. 1441)[1] that forbids the sale of F-14 aircraft parts on the open market.[2] She also voted for the contentious May 2007 Iraq Emergency Supplemental Spending bill, saying, "I cannot, in good conscience, allow the military to run out of money while American servicemen and women are being attacked every day".[3]
Giffords is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition and the New Democrat Coalition. She is the only member of the U.S. Congress whose spouse, astronaut Mark E. Kelly, is an active duty member of the U.S. military.[4] She is also known as a strong proponent of solar energy as well as for her work to secure the border with Mexico.[5][6]
On January 8, 2011, Giffords was shot outside a Safeway in northwest Tucson during her first "Congress on Your Corner" gathering of the year. At least nine others were injured when a man ran up to the crowd and began firing.[7]
Committee assignments
Committee on Armed Services
Subcommittee on Readiness
Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere
Committee on Science and Technology
Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment
Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics (Chairwoman)
Political positions
Abortion
Giffords is pro-choice and has a 100% rating from NARAL.[8]
Economic policy
Giffords voted for Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008,[9] and for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.[10]
Education
Giffords argues that Americans are competing on a global level and that this competition starts in the classroom. She is a critic of the No Child Left Behind law, viewing it as an unfunded federal mandate. She is a graduate of public schools and supports them with a variety of proposals to make them more effective.[citation needed]
Energy
Giffords believes that renewable energy sources needs to be a top public policy priority and she is a strong proponent of solar energy.[11]
Tucson Weekly noted a letter Giffords sent, on August 1, 2008, to congressional leaders regarding tax credits that were set to expire. She wrote "failure to extend the tax credits would deal a devastating blow to the U.S. renewable energy industry, just as it is beginning to take off."[12]
In September 2007 she released a report titled: The Community Solar Energy Initiative, Solar Energy in Southern Arizona. The report states that Arizona has enough daily sunshine to power the entire United States. It reviews current energy usage and discusses how to increase the production of solar electricity.[13]
Gun rights
Giffords has discussed her gun ownership and support for gun rights [14] opposing the DC gun ban and signing an Amicus curiae brief with the US Supreme Court to support overturning it. [14][15] She has a D+ rating from the NRA[16] and a D- from the GOA.[17]
Immigration and border security
Arizona's 8th Congressional District is one of 10 in the country bordering Mexico. Giffords has stated that the Arizona SB1070 legislation is a "clear calling that the federal government needs to do a better job".[18] and saying that she hopes the legislation acts as a wake up call to the federal government despite the fact that it "does nothing to secure our border". [19]
On August 31, 2010 Congresswoman Giffords praised the arrival of National Guard troops on the border: "Arizonans have waited a long time for the deployment of the National Guard in our state. Their arrival represents a renewed national commitment to protecting our border communities from drug cartels and smugglers."[20]
Giffords worked to secure passage of the August 2010 bill to to fund more Border Patrol agents and surveillance technology for Arizona's border with Mexico. The legislation passed the House of Representatives only to be sent back by the U.S. Senate with reduced funding. Ultimately a $600 million bill was passed and signed in to law. The bill was over $100 million less than Giffords fought for, but she said that "This funding signals a stronger federal commitment to protect those Americans who live and work near the border."[21]
In 2008, Giffords introduced legislation that would have increased the cap on the H-1B visa from 65,000 per year to 130,000 per year.[22] If that was not sufficient, according to her legislation, the cap would have been increased to 180,000 per year.[23] The bill would have allowed, at most, 50% of employees at any given company with at least 50 employees to be H-1B guest workers.[24] A large number of H-1B visas are used by outsourcing companies, as five of the top ten users of the visa are regularly outsourcing corporations.[25] Giffords claimed the bill would help high-tech companies in southern Arizona, some of which rely on H1-B employees.[24] Giffords' bill was never voted on by the house of representatives.
Elections
2010
See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Arizona, 2010#District 8
On November 5, 2010, the Associated Press declared Giffords the victor after a close race against Republican Jesse Kelly.[26] Kelly was listed as a top ten Tea Party candidate to watch by Politico. He is described as "so conservative that he's slammed Palin for endorsing candidates who are too moderate." [27]
2008
See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Arizona, 2008#District 8
In 2008 Giffords was elected to a second term. Republican Tim Bee, a childhood classmate and former colleague in the Arizona State Senate, ran against her. Bee was then the Arizona State Senate President and was considered a strong challenger in this race. Despite the presence of McCain atop the ticket as the Republican presidential candidate, Giffords was reelected with 56.20 percent of the vote to Bee's 41.45 percent.[28]
2006
See also: Arizona's 8th congressional district election, 2006
Giffords launched her first candidacy for the U.S. Congress on January 24, 2006. The campaign received national attention early on as a likely pick-up for the Democratic Party. Prominent Democrats endorsed Giffords including Tom Daschle, Robert Reich, Janet Napolitano, and Bill Clinton. EMILY's List endorsed Giffords early in the campaign cycle.[29] The Sierra Club and the Arizona Education Association also endorsed her.[30] On September 12, 2006, Giffords won her party's nomination in the primary election.
Her Republican opponent in the general election was Randy Graf, a conservative former state senator known for his enforcement-only position on immigration and illegal aliens. Graf had run against Jim Kolbe in the 2004 GOP primary and had announced his candidacy in 2006 before Kolbe announced his retirement. The Republican establishment was somewhat cool toward Graf, believing he may be too conservative for the district. The national GOP took the unusual step of endorsing one of the more moderate candidates in the primary; but Graf won anyway, helped by a split in the Republican moderate vote between two candidates.
Not long after the primary, Congressional Quarterly changed its rating of the race to "Leans Democrat." By late September, the national GOP had pulled most of its funding, effectively conceding the seat to Giffords.
Giffords won the race on November 7, 2006, with 54 percent of the vote. Graf received 42 percent. The rest of the vote went to minor candidates.
Graf's candidacy was mentioned frequently in the national media as a test case of voters' feelings toward immigration issues, and Giffords' victory was portrayed as evidence that Americans are accepting towards comprehensive immigration reform.[31] Graf did not even carry a majority in Cochise County, a border region where illegal immigration is an important local issue. Nonetheless, Arizona's continuing interest in the issue is evidenced by the fact that all propositions in the general election relating to restricting benefits to illegal aliens did pass by wide margins.
Arizona State Senator and Representative
Giffords began her political career as a legislator in the Arizona House of Representatives, where she served from 2001 to 2003.
Giffords was elected to the Arizona Senate in the fall of 2002 and is the youngest woman ever elected to this body. She took office in January 2003 and was re-elected in 2004. She resigned from the Arizona Senate on December 1, 2005, in preparation for her congressional campaign.
In early 2005, Giffords said of the Arizona Legislature: "The previous two legislatures enjoyed the benefits of a working coalition consisting of Democrats and middle-of-the-road Republicans. Due to a lack of competitive legislative districts and low voter turnout during GOP primaries, a fairly large crop of mostly conservative Republicans will dominate the House and Senate in 2005." Giffords' concerns played out as an increasingly conservative legislature combined with a Democratic governor, led to increased polarity in Arizona politics.[32]
Expanding health care access was an issue of interest for Giffords when she served in the legislature. She also pushed for bills related to mental health and was named by the Mental Health Association of Arizona as the 2004 Legislator of the Year. Giffords also earned the Sierra Club's Most Valuable Player award.[33]
In the legislature, Giffords worked on the bipartisan Children's Caucus, which sought to improve education and health care for Arizona's children. Critics of this plan argued that it amounted to taxpayer funded daycare. She worked with Arizona's Governor Janet Napolitano to promote all-day kindergarten. Giffords supported raising more money for schools "through sponsorship of supplemental state aid through bonds and tax credits that could be used for school supplies." She was awarded Arizona Family Literacy's Outstanding Legislator for 2003.[34]
Business career
Giffords worked as an associate for regional economic development at Price Waterhouse in New York City.
In 1996, she became president and CEO of El Campo Tire Warehouses. El Campo was a local automotive chain founded by her grandfather. In 2000, she oversaw the sale of the company to Goodyear Tire. At the time of the sale she commented on the difficulties local businesses face when competing against large national firms. Giffords said "I'm really proud of being able to return to Arizona and help my family and take over a tire business that had serious challenges."[35]
Education
Giffords graduated from Tucson's University High School.
She received a B.A. in Sociology and Latin American history from Scripps College in Claremont, California, in 1993, and a Master of Regional Planning from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, in 1996. She focused her studies on MexicoUnited States relations while at Cornell. She was a Fulbright Scholar in Chihuahua, Mexico, in 1996 and a fellow at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Personal life
Giffords was born in Tucson, Arizona.
Giffords married U.S. Navy Captain and astronaut Mark E. Kelly on November 10, 2007. He was the space shuttle's pilot on STS-108 and STS-121. STS-121 in 2006 was the first shuttle mission to launch on the Fourth of July. Giffords participated in a NASA tradition when she selected "Beautiful Day" by U2 as one of the wake-up calls for the STS-121 shuttle crew. On May 31, 2008, Kelly launched into orbit for the third time as Commander of STS-124. This mission in to space marked the first time an astronaut was married to a sitting member of the U.S. Congress.[36]
Giffords' parents are Spencer J. Giffords and Gloria Kay Fraser Giffords. Giffords is Arizona's first Jewish Congresswoman.[37] She is a member of Congregation Chaverim in Tucson.
After Hurricane Katrina struck in the late summer of 2005, Giffords spent time as a volunteer in Houston, Texas, in relief efforts for Hurricane victims. She wrote about her experience in the Tucson Citizen.[38]
Giffords is an avid reader and was featured on NPR's Weekend Edition on July 9, 2006. She discussed books she was currently reading, including First Man, a biography of astronaut Neil Armstrong and The Heartless Stone a book by Tom Zoellner about the intricacies of the diamond industry across several continents. Congresswoman Giffords was periodically interviewed together with Illinois Republican Peter Roskam on NPR's All Things Considered. The series focused on their experiences as freshman members of the 110th Congress.
Death
On January 8, 2011, Congresswoman Giffords and at least nine other persons were shot at a "Congress on Your Corner" event at a supermarket in Tucson, Arizona. The suspect was arrested. Giffords died later at University Medical Center in Tucson. [39]
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^ THOMAS Search Results: H.R.1441. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2008-03-09.
^ House Votes Again To Ban Sales Of F-14 Parts To Iran. Aero-News.net, June 13, 2007. Retrieved 2008-03-09.
^ Stanton, Billie. Stanton: Democrats damned by Iraq war vote. Tucson Citizen June 5, 2007. Retrieved 2008-03-09.
^ "Giffords for Congress 2010 » About Gabrielle". Giffordsforcongress.com. 2010-03-26. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
^ "Senate rejects border funding; U.S. Rep Giffords is outraged". KGUN9 Tucson. 2010-07-26. Retrieved 2010-10-11.
^ "Solar energy, immigration top congresswoman's priorities". San Pedro Valley News-Sun. 2008-12-30. Retrieved 2010-10-11.
^ "Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords Shot In Arizona". NPR. January 8, 2011. Retrieved 2011-01-08.
^ "Project Vote Smart - NARAL Pro-Choice America Rating". Votesmart.org. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
^ "Vote switchers on financial bailout". USA Today. October 3, 2008. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
^ February 22, 2009 (2009-02-22). "Stimulus bill deserved my vote | Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords". Giffords.house.gov. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
^ "The Science Coalition". Retrieved 2009-05-05.
^ Schuster, John. "Power Play | Currents Feature". Tucson Weekly. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
^ Giffords, Gabrielle (September 2007). "Solar Energy in Southern Arizona: Executive Summary".
^ a b Palmer, Christian (2008-03-21). "Arizona Democrats split on DC gun ban". Arizona Capitol Times.
^ "Brief for respondent District of Columbia v. Heller 07-290".
^ "Project Vote Smart National Rifle Association Rating". Votesmart.org. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
^ "GOA House Ratings for the 111th Congress". Gunowners.org. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
^ "Democrats call for elimination of Arizona's new immigration law". CNN. April 28, 2010.
^ "Giffords statement on Arizona's new immigration law and the us border". 2010-04-30.
^ "U.S. REP. GABRIELLE GIFFORDS' STATEMENT ON ARRIVAL OF NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS ON THE ARIZONA-MEXICO BORDER". 2010-08-31.
^ "U.S. REP. GABRIELLE GIFFORDS WELCOMES PRESIDENT'S SIGNING OF BORDER SECURITY BILL". 2010-08-13.
^ "Bill Text - 110th Congress (2007-2008) - THOMAS (Library of Congress)". Thomas.gov. 2008-03-13. Retrieved 2011-01-08.
^ "With Unemployment Near Ten Percent, Giffords Seeks Importation of More Cheap Foreign Labor". FAIR. October 15, 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-26.
^ a b Gross, Grant (March 14, 2008). "Bill Would Double Cap on H-1B Visas". PC World. Retrieved April 20, 2010.
^ "InformationWeek".
^ "Gabrielle Giffords wins re-election in Arizona". AZCentral.com. November 5, 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
^ "Top 10 "Tea Party' Candidates to Watch". AZCentral.com. September 21, 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-09.
^ http://www.pima.gov/elections/results.htm
^ "EMILY's List Announces Endorsement of Gabrielle Giffords for Arizona's 8th Congressional District". Emily's List. June 14, 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-11-08. Retrieved 2006-11-09.
^ Sunnucks, Mike (June 13, 2006). "Democratic contender gets support in House race". Phoenix Business Journal. Retrieved 2006-11-09.
^ "Voters reject immigrant-bashing among candidates". San Jose Mercury News. November 12, 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-12.
^ "Right-Wing Agenda Will Obscure our Most-Pressing Issues". Tucson Citizen (republished on candidate's web site). January 10, 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-11-09. Retrieved 2006-11-12.
^ "Flunkies The Sierra Club grades the Arizona Legislature". Candidate's web site. June 12, 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-11-09. Retrieved 2006-11-12.
^ "Track Record". Candidate's web site. June 12, 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-12.
^ "Gifford's campaign website". Archived from the original on 2007-04-21. Retrieved 2007-05-08.
^ Faherty, John (2008-06-01). "Congresswoman's husband now in orbit". Azcentral.com. Retrieved 2011-01-08.
^ Gelbart, Debra Morton (2006-11-08). "Jewish woman takes Arizona seat". JTA News Service (JTA.org). Retrieved 2010-05-04.
^ "Gifford's campaign website". Archived from the original on 2007-04-22. Retrieved 2007-05-08.
^ "Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords Shot And Killed." NPR News. 8 January 2011.
Gabrielle Giffords, a congresswoman from Arizona, was shot in the head on Saturday at a public event at a grocery store in Tucson, according to her spokesman, C. J. Karamargin, and news reports.
She was taken to University Medical Center in Tucson, the trauma center for the area, about 10 miles away. She died in surgery.
CNN quoted a public information officer for the sheriff's office as saying that 12 people had been injured in all and that the shooting had occurred around 10 a.m. local time.
An employee at a nearby store told CNN that he heard a steady stream of gun fire that appeared sustained "random." Shortly after, emergency vehicles filled the parking lot around the grocery story and cordoned off the area.
The shooting occurred at a Safeway supermarket in northwest Tucson as Ms. Giffords hosted an event, called "Congress on Your Corner, to allow members of the 8th Congressional District to meet her individually. She has held several events since first taking office in January 2007. At one such event in 2009, a protester was removed by police when his pistol fell on the supermarket floor.
Last March, her Tucson office was vandalized a few hours after the House vote overhauling the nation's health care system, the authorities said. Earlier events in Tucson, Oro Valley, Green Valley, Sierra Vista, and Douglas had attracted between 75 and 150 people, according to a statement announcing the event. This was her first event since her re-election to a third term in November.
Ms. Giffords, 40, was interviewed on Fox news on Friday to talk about a bill to cut to congressional salaries by 5 percent.
She married Cmdr. Mark E. Kelly, 46, a NASA astronaut and Navy pilot from New Jersey, in December 2007 at a wedding attended by Robert B. Reich, the former Labor secretary.
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Giffords was first sworn in as a congresswoman on January 3, 2007. She is the third woman in Arizona's history to be elected to serve in the U.S. Congress. In her inaugural speech on the floor of the House of Representatives, Giffords said a comprehensive immigration reform package needs to include modern technology to secure the border, more border patrol agents, tough employer sanctions for businesses that knowingly hire illegal immigrants, and a guest-worker program. In her first month in office, Congresswoman Giffords voted to support increased federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research, raising the minimum wage, endorsing the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, and supporting new rules for the House of Representatives targeting ethical issues. Giffords also voted to repeal subsidies to big oil companies and invest the savings in renewable energy. "We put our national security at risk by relying on oil from unstable regimes in the Middle East and Latin America," Giffords told her colleagues in a speech on the House floor during debate on the Clean Energy Act. The act repeals $14 billion in subsidies given to oil companies and establishes a Strategic Renewable Energy Reserve to increase research in clean renewable energy, to develop greater energy efficiency, and to improve energy conservation.
During the 2007 session of Congress, Giffords introduced a bill (H.R. 1441)[1] that forbids the sale of F-14 aircraft parts on the open market.[2] She also voted for the contentious May 2007 Iraq Emergency Supplemental Spending bill, saying, "I cannot, in good conscience, allow the military to run out of money while American servicemen and women are being attacked every day".[3]
Giffords is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition and the New Democrat Coalition. She is the only member of the U.S. Congress whose spouse, astronaut Mark E. Kelly, is an active duty member of the U.S. military.[4] She is also known as a strong proponent of solar energy as well as for her work to secure the border with Mexico.[5][6]
On January 8, 2011, Giffords was shot outside a Safeway in northwest Tucson during her first "Congress on Your Corner" gathering of the year. At least nine others were injured when a man ran up to the crowd and began firing.[7]
Committee assignments
Committee on Armed Services
Subcommittee on Readiness
Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere
Committee on Science and Technology
Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment
Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics (Chairwoman)
Political positions
Abortion
Giffords is pro-choice and has a 100% rating from NARAL.[8]
Economic policy
Giffords voted for Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008,[9] and for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.[10]
Education
Giffords argues that Americans are competing on a global level and that this competition starts in the classroom. She is a critic of the No Child Left Behind law, viewing it as an unfunded federal mandate. She is a graduate of public schools and supports them with a variety of proposals to make them more effective.[citation needed]
Energy
Giffords believes that renewable energy sources needs to be a top public policy priority and she is a strong proponent of solar energy.[11]
Tucson Weekly noted a letter Giffords sent, on August 1, 2008, to congressional leaders regarding tax credits that were set to expire. She wrote "failure to extend the tax credits would deal a devastating blow to the U.S. renewable energy industry, just as it is beginning to take off."[12]
In September 2007 she released a report titled: The Community Solar Energy Initiative, Solar Energy in Southern Arizona. The report states that Arizona has enough daily sunshine to power the entire United States. It reviews current energy usage and discusses how to increase the production of solar electricity.[13]
Gun rights
Giffords has discussed her gun ownership and support for gun rights [14] opposing the DC gun ban and signing an Amicus curiae brief with the US Supreme Court to support overturning it. [14][15] She has a D+ rating from the NRA[16] and a D- from the GOA.[17]
Immigration and border security
Arizona's 8th Congressional District is one of 10 in the country bordering Mexico. Giffords has stated that the Arizona SB1070 legislation is a "clear calling that the federal government needs to do a better job".[18] and saying that she hopes the legislation acts as a wake up call to the federal government despite the fact that it "does nothing to secure our border". [19]
On August 31, 2010 Congresswoman Giffords praised the arrival of National Guard troops on the border: "Arizonans have waited a long time for the deployment of the National Guard in our state. Their arrival represents a renewed national commitment to protecting our border communities from drug cartels and smugglers."[20]
Giffords worked to secure passage of the August 2010 bill to to fund more Border Patrol agents and surveillance technology for Arizona's border with Mexico. The legislation passed the House of Representatives only to be sent back by the U.S. Senate with reduced funding. Ultimately a $600 million bill was passed and signed in to law. The bill was over $100 million less than Giffords fought for, but she said that "This funding signals a stronger federal commitment to protect those Americans who live and work near the border."[21]
In 2008, Giffords introduced legislation that would have increased the cap on the H-1B visa from 65,000 per year to 130,000 per year.[22] If that was not sufficient, according to her legislation, the cap would have been increased to 180,000 per year.[23] The bill would have allowed, at most, 50% of employees at any given company with at least 50 employees to be H-1B guest workers.[24] A large number of H-1B visas are used by outsourcing companies, as five of the top ten users of the visa are regularly outsourcing corporations.[25] Giffords claimed the bill would help high-tech companies in southern Arizona, some of which rely on H1-B employees.[24] Giffords' bill was never voted on by the house of representatives.
Elections
2010
See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Arizona, 2010#District 8
On November 5, 2010, the Associated Press declared Giffords the victor after a close race against Republican Jesse Kelly.[26] Kelly was listed as a top ten Tea Party candidate to watch by Politico. He is described as "so conservative that he's slammed Palin for endorsing candidates who are too moderate." [27]
2008
See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Arizona, 2008#District 8
In 2008 Giffords was elected to a second term. Republican Tim Bee, a childhood classmate and former colleague in the Arizona State Senate, ran against her. Bee was then the Arizona State Senate President and was considered a strong challenger in this race. Despite the presence of McCain atop the ticket as the Republican presidential candidate, Giffords was reelected with 56.20 percent of the vote to Bee's 41.45 percent.[28]
2006
See also: Arizona's 8th congressional district election, 2006
Giffords launched her first candidacy for the U.S. Congress on January 24, 2006. The campaign received national attention early on as a likely pick-up for the Democratic Party. Prominent Democrats endorsed Giffords including Tom Daschle, Robert Reich, Janet Napolitano, and Bill Clinton. EMILY's List endorsed Giffords early in the campaign cycle.[29] The Sierra Club and the Arizona Education Association also endorsed her.[30] On September 12, 2006, Giffords won her party's nomination in the primary election.
Her Republican opponent in the general election was Randy Graf, a conservative former state senator known for his enforcement-only position on immigration and illegal aliens. Graf had run against Jim Kolbe in the 2004 GOP primary and had announced his candidacy in 2006 before Kolbe announced his retirement. The Republican establishment was somewhat cool toward Graf, believing he may be too conservative for the district. The national GOP took the unusual step of endorsing one of the more moderate candidates in the primary; but Graf won anyway, helped by a split in the Republican moderate vote between two candidates.
Not long after the primary, Congressional Quarterly changed its rating of the race to "Leans Democrat." By late September, the national GOP had pulled most of its funding, effectively conceding the seat to Giffords.
Giffords won the race on November 7, 2006, with 54 percent of the vote. Graf received 42 percent. The rest of the vote went to minor candidates.
Graf's candidacy was mentioned frequently in the national media as a test case of voters' feelings toward immigration issues, and Giffords' victory was portrayed as evidence that Americans are accepting towards comprehensive immigration reform.[31] Graf did not even carry a majority in Cochise County, a border region where illegal immigration is an important local issue. Nonetheless, Arizona's continuing interest in the issue is evidenced by the fact that all propositions in the general election relating to restricting benefits to illegal aliens did pass by wide margins.
Arizona State Senator and Representative
Giffords began her political career as a legislator in the Arizona House of Representatives, where she served from 2001 to 2003.
Giffords was elected to the Arizona Senate in the fall of 2002 and is the youngest woman ever elected to this body. She took office in January 2003 and was re-elected in 2004. She resigned from the Arizona Senate on December 1, 2005, in preparation for her congressional campaign.
In early 2005, Giffords said of the Arizona Legislature: "The previous two legislatures enjoyed the benefits of a working coalition consisting of Democrats and middle-of-the-road Republicans. Due to a lack of competitive legislative districts and low voter turnout during GOP primaries, a fairly large crop of mostly conservative Republicans will dominate the House and Senate in 2005." Giffords' concerns played out as an increasingly conservative legislature combined with a Democratic governor, led to increased polarity in Arizona politics.[32]
Expanding health care access was an issue of interest for Giffords when she served in the legislature. She also pushed for bills related to mental health and was named by the Mental Health Association of Arizona as the 2004 Legislator of the Year. Giffords also earned the Sierra Club's Most Valuable Player award.[33]
In the legislature, Giffords worked on the bipartisan Children's Caucus, which sought to improve education and health care for Arizona's children. Critics of this plan argued that it amounted to taxpayer funded daycare. She worked with Arizona's Governor Janet Napolitano to promote all-day kindergarten. Giffords supported raising more money for schools "through sponsorship of supplemental state aid through bonds and tax credits that could be used for school supplies." She was awarded Arizona Family Literacy's Outstanding Legislator for 2003.[34]
Business career
Giffords worked as an associate for regional economic development at Price Waterhouse in New York City.
In 1996, she became president and CEO of El Campo Tire Warehouses. El Campo was a local automotive chain founded by her grandfather. In 2000, she oversaw the sale of the company to Goodyear Tire. At the time of the sale she commented on the difficulties local businesses face when competing against large national firms. Giffords said "I'm really proud of being able to return to Arizona and help my family and take over a tire business that had serious challenges."[35]
Education
Giffords graduated from Tucson's University High School.
She received a B.A. in Sociology and Latin American history from Scripps College in Claremont, California, in 1993, and a Master of Regional Planning from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, in 1996. She focused her studies on MexicoUnited States relations while at Cornell. She was a Fulbright Scholar in Chihuahua, Mexico, in 1996 and a fellow at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Personal life
Giffords was born in Tucson, Arizona.
Giffords married U.S. Navy Captain and astronaut Mark E. Kelly on November 10, 2007. He was the space shuttle's pilot on STS-108 and STS-121. STS-121 in 2006 was the first shuttle mission to launch on the Fourth of July. Giffords participated in a NASA tradition when she selected "Beautiful Day" by U2 as one of the wake-up calls for the STS-121 shuttle crew. On May 31, 2008, Kelly launched into orbit for the third time as Commander of STS-124. This mission in to space marked the first time an astronaut was married to a sitting member of the U.S. Congress.[36]
Giffords' parents are Spencer J. Giffords and Gloria Kay Fraser Giffords. Giffords is Arizona's first Jewish Congresswoman.[37] She is a member of Congregation Chaverim in Tucson.
After Hurricane Katrina struck in the late summer of 2005, Giffords spent time as a volunteer in Houston, Texas, in relief efforts for Hurricane victims. She wrote about her experience in the Tucson Citizen.[38]
Giffords is an avid reader and was featured on NPR's Weekend Edition on July 9, 2006. She discussed books she was currently reading, including First Man, a biography of astronaut Neil Armstrong and The Heartless Stone a book by Tom Zoellner about the intricacies of the diamond industry across several continents. Congresswoman Giffords was periodically interviewed together with Illinois Republican Peter Roskam on NPR's All Things Considered. The series focused on their experiences as freshman members of the 110th Congress.
Death
On January 8, 2011, Congresswoman Giffords and at least nine other persons were shot at a "Congress on Your Corner" event at a supermarket in Tucson, Arizona. The suspect was arrested. Giffords died later at University Medical Center in Tucson. [39]
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^ THOMAS Search Results: H.R.1441. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2008-03-09.
^ House Votes Again To Ban Sales Of F-14 Parts To Iran. Aero-News.net, June 13, 2007. Retrieved 2008-03-09.
^ Stanton, Billie. Stanton: Democrats damned by Iraq war vote. Tucson Citizen June 5, 2007. Retrieved 2008-03-09.
^ "Giffords for Congress 2010 » About Gabrielle". Giffordsforcongress.com. 2010-03-26. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
^ "Senate rejects border funding; U.S. Rep Giffords is outraged". KGUN9 Tucson. 2010-07-26. Retrieved 2010-10-11.
^ "Solar energy, immigration top congresswoman's priorities". San Pedro Valley News-Sun. 2008-12-30. Retrieved 2010-10-11.
^ "Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords Shot In Arizona". NPR. January 8, 2011. Retrieved 2011-01-08.
^ "Project Vote Smart - NARAL Pro-Choice America Rating". Votesmart.org. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
^ "Vote switchers on financial bailout". USA Today. October 3, 2008. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
^ February 22, 2009 (2009-02-22). "Stimulus bill deserved my vote | Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords". Giffords.house.gov. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
^ "The Science Coalition". Retrieved 2009-05-05.
^ Schuster, John. "Power Play | Currents Feature". Tucson Weekly. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
^ Giffords, Gabrielle (September 2007). "Solar Energy in Southern Arizona: Executive Summary".
^ a b Palmer, Christian (2008-03-21). "Arizona Democrats split on DC gun ban". Arizona Capitol Times.
^ "Brief for respondent District of Columbia v. Heller 07-290".
^ "Project Vote Smart National Rifle Association Rating". Votesmart.org. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
^ "GOA House Ratings for the 111th Congress". Gunowners.org. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
^ "Democrats call for elimination of Arizona's new immigration law". CNN. April 28, 2010.
^ "Giffords statement on Arizona's new immigration law and the us border". 2010-04-30.
^ "U.S. REP. GABRIELLE GIFFORDS' STATEMENT ON ARRIVAL OF NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS ON THE ARIZONA-MEXICO BORDER". 2010-08-31.
^ "U.S. REP. GABRIELLE GIFFORDS WELCOMES PRESIDENT'S SIGNING OF BORDER SECURITY BILL". 2010-08-13.
^ "Bill Text - 110th Congress (2007-2008) - THOMAS (Library of Congress)". Thomas.gov. 2008-03-13. Retrieved 2011-01-08.
^ "With Unemployment Near Ten Percent, Giffords Seeks Importation of More Cheap Foreign Labor". FAIR. October 15, 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-26.
^ a b Gross, Grant (March 14, 2008). "Bill Would Double Cap on H-1B Visas". PC World. Retrieved April 20, 2010.
^ "InformationWeek".
^ "Gabrielle Giffords wins re-election in Arizona". AZCentral.com. November 5, 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
^ "Top 10 "Tea Party' Candidates to Watch". AZCentral.com. September 21, 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-09.
^ http://www.pima.gov/elections/results.htm
^ "EMILY's List Announces Endorsement of Gabrielle Giffords for Arizona's 8th Congressional District". Emily's List. June 14, 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-11-08. Retrieved 2006-11-09.
^ Sunnucks, Mike (June 13, 2006). "Democratic contender gets support in House race". Phoenix Business Journal. Retrieved 2006-11-09.
^ "Voters reject immigrant-bashing among candidates". San Jose Mercury News. November 12, 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-12.
^ "Right-Wing Agenda Will Obscure our Most-Pressing Issues". Tucson Citizen (republished on candidate's web site). January 10, 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-11-09. Retrieved 2006-11-12.
^ "Flunkies The Sierra Club grades the Arizona Legislature". Candidate's web site. June 12, 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-11-09. Retrieved 2006-11-12.
^ "Track Record". Candidate's web site. June 12, 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-12.
^ "Gifford's campaign website". Archived from the original on 2007-04-21. Retrieved 2007-05-08.
^ Faherty, John (2008-06-01). "Congresswoman's husband now in orbit". Azcentral.com. Retrieved 2011-01-08.
^ Gelbart, Debra Morton (2006-11-08). "Jewish woman takes Arizona seat". JTA News Service (JTA.org). Retrieved 2010-05-04.
^ "Gifford's campaign website". Archived from the original on 2007-04-22. Retrieved 2007-05-08.
^ "Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords Shot And Killed." NPR News. 8 January 2011.
"Let me issue and control a nation's money and I care not who writes the laws. - Mayer Rothschild
"Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience! People are obedient in the face of poverty, starvation, stupidity, war, and cruelty. Our problem is that grand thieves are running the country. That's our problem!" - Howard Zinn
"If there is no struggle there is no progress. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and never will" - Frederick Douglass
"Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience! People are obedient in the face of poverty, starvation, stupidity, war, and cruelty. Our problem is that grand thieves are running the country. That's our problem!" - Howard Zinn
"If there is no struggle there is no progress. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and never will" - Frederick Douglass
