Patrick Joseph "Pat" Leahy, OBE (born March 31, 1940) is an American politician and part-time actor. He became a United States Senator from Vermont in 1975. He retired in 2023.
On December 17, 2012 after the death of Daniel Inouye, Leahy became the new President pro tempore of the United States Senate.[3] After Inouye's death, Leahy is now the most senior Democrat in the United States.[4] Leahy is currently the longest serving senator in the United States. He took office at a younger age than any other current senator. On January 3, 2015, Orrin Hatch succeeded Leahy as President pro tempore of the United States Senate. He was honored with the title President pro tempore emeritus soon afterwards. In 2021 after Democrats gained control of the U.S. Senate, Leahy became President pro tempore of the United States Senate again.
On January 25, 2021, it was announced that Leahy would be the presiding officer of Donald Trump's second impeachment trial.[5][6] In November 2021, he announced that he would not run for re-election and his retirement from the Senate, officially on January 3, 2023.
Early life
Leahy in 1979
Leahy was born in Montpelier, Vermont, the son of Alba (née Zambon) and Howard Francis Leahy, a printer. His grandparents came to Vermont from Ireland and Italy during the 19th century to work at quarries.
Education
Leahy graduated from Saint Michael's College in 1961 and received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1964. He practiced as a lawyer until he was elected as State's Attorney of Chittenden County in 1966 and re-elected in 1970.
Career
Leahy was elected to the United States Senate for the first time in 1974, succeeding retiring 34-year incumbent George Aiken.[7] At 34 years old, he was the youngest Senator in Vermont history.[8] Leahy was nearly defeated in 1980 by Republican Stewart Ledbetter, winning by only 2,700 votes amid Ronald Reagan's landslide victory.[9] In 1986, he faced what was on paper an even stronger challenger in former governor Richard Snelling, but Leahy turned back this challenge, taking 63 percent of the vote. In 1992, he faced another opponent in Secretary of State of Vermont Jim Douglas, winning by 11 points.
Leahy was the first non-Republican Senator from Vermont since 1856. To this day, he is the only Democrat ever elected to the Senate from Vermont. He is technically one of only three Democrats to represent Vermont in either house of Congress since the end of the Civil War.
Later career
Leahy at a press conference in 2012
March 2004, Leahy and Orrin Hatch introduced the Pirate Act backed by the RIAA. In July 2004, Leahy and Hatch introduced the INDUCE Act. Both were aimed at combating copyright infringement.[10]
On November 2, 2004, Leahy easily defeated his opponent, businessman Jack McMullen,[11] with 70.6 percent of the vote. On January 5, 2005, Leahy was sworn in for his sixth term in the Senate by Cheney.
On September 21, 2005, Leahy announced his support for John Roberts to be Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. On January 19, 2006, Leahy announced that he would vote against Judge Samuel Alito to be a justice on the Supreme Court.
On January 18, 2007, Leahy received widespread coverage for his cross-examination of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales about the Maher Arar affair and the extraordinary rendition of Arar to Syria.[12]
President pro tempore
Upon the death of Senate President pro temporeDaniel Inouye on December 17, 2012, Leahy became the most senior senator in the majority party, and was elected as the new President pro tempore by unanimous consent.[3][13]
On January 3, 2015, Orrin Hatch succeeded Leahy as President pro tempore of the United States Senate. He was honored with the title President pro tempore emeritus soon afterwards.
On January 20, 2021, Leahy became President pro tempore again since Democrats won control of the U.S. Senate.
On January 25, 2021, it was announced that Leahy would be the presiding officer at Donald Trump's second impeachment trial, becoming the first senator to preside over a president's impeachment trial.[5][6]
On November 15, 2021, Leahy announced that he would not seek re-election in 2022. He officially retired when his term ended on January 3, 2023.[14]
Personal life
Leahy married Marcelle Pomerleau in 1962.[15] They live in a farmhouse in Middlesex, Vermont that they moved to from Burlington, and have three children. Leahy celebrated his fifty year anniversary with his wife, saying ‘‘We hate it when we’re apart from one another.’’ Leahy is legally blind in one eye. Leahy was targeted in an anthrax attack November 16, 2001.
On January 26, 2021, Leahy was hospitalized after feeling ill.[16] He returned home later the same day.[17]
