Gang Of Seven

The Gang of Seven refers to a group of freshmen Republican U.S. Representatives, elected to serve in the 102nd Congress in 1990. The group loudly condemned the House banking scandal and the Congressional Post Office scandal, forcing the congressional leadership to address the issues by ensuring the incidents stayed in the media and public eye. The group also criticized other Congressional perks, such as congressional subsidies for the Capitol Barbershop and Senate Restaurant.A Rabble-Rouser, Then and Now
New York Times, Carl Hulse, 4 July 2009

Two members of this group, Jim Nussle and John Boehner, were also key drafters of the Contract with America, which along with the banking and post office scandals helped the Republican Revolution, Republicans take control of the House in the 1994 elections.

Primary activities

The House banking scandal broke in early 1992, when it was revealed that the United States House of Representatives allowed members to overdraw their House checking accounts without risk of being penalized by the House bank (actually a clearing house (finance), clearinghouse). The House banking scandal ultimately involved more than 450 representatives, most of whom did not break any laws. Twenty-two congressmen and -women were singled out by the U.S. House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, House Ethics Committee for leaving their checking accounts overdrawn for at least eight months out of a sample of 39 months.

The Congressional Post Office scandal refers to the discovery of corruption among various Congressional Post Office employees and members of the United States House of Representatives, investigated from 1991–1995, climaxing in the conviction of House Ways and Means Committee chairman Dan Rostenkowski (D-IL). The Republican party (United States), Republican charges were largely ignored until July 1993, when Congressional Postmaster Robert Rota pleaded guilty to three criminal charges, implicating Representatives Dan Rostenkowski (D-IL) and Joseph P. Kolter, Joe Kolter (D-Pennsylvania, PA). They were accused of heading a conspiracy (crime), conspiracy to launder Post Office money through stamps and postal vouchers. Rostenkowski was convicted and sentenced to 18 months in prison, in 1995.Rostenkowski's Last Stand
, ''U.S. News & World Report'', May 22, 1994.

Members

The seven Representatives were:

*John Boehner (Ohio's 8th congressional district, OH-08)
*Rick Santorum (Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district, PA-18)
*Charles Taylor (North Carolina politician), Charles H. Taylor (North Carolina's 11th congressional district, NC-11)
*Frank Riggs (California's 1st congressional district, CA-01)
*Jim Nussle (Iowa's 2nd congressional district, IA-02)
*Scott Klug (Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district, WI-02)
*John Doolittle (California's 4th congressional district, CA-04)

Subsequent careers

By 2015, none of the 'Gang' remained in Congress, following the retirement of Boehner. One of the seven successfully ran for higher office, one was defeated for re-election, and five retired.

Rick Santorum was once considered a rising star in the Republican Party. He was the first of the Gang of Seven to run for higher office, and the only one who was successful, becoming the junior U.S. senator from Pennsylvania in the Republican landslide of 1994. Santorum served two terms in the Senate and rose to the level of Senate Republican Conference chairman before being defeated by State Treasurer Bob Casey, Jr., Bob Casey in 2006. Rick Santorum presidential campaign, 2012, He ran for the Republican Party presidential primaries, 2012, Republican nomination for president in 2012, where he did not win the nomination, and later ran in the Republican Party presidential primaries, 2016, 2016 Republican primary.

Charles Taylor remained in the House for eight terms. He was defeated in 2006, losing to former NFL quarterback Heath Shuler.

Two retired from the House to run for higher office. Frank Riggs left his House seat after three terms in 1998 to run unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate seat held by Barbara Boxer. Jim Nussle retired in 2006 after eight terms to run for the open Iowa governor's seat but lost to Democratic candidate Chet Culver. Nussle had served previously as chairman of the House Budget Committee and was then selected to serve as director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under President George W. Bush.

Klug, Doolittle, and Boehner have returned to private life. Scott Klug chose to keep his initial campaign promise of only serving four terms and to refocus on his business. John Doolittle's reputation was tainted by involvement in the John Doolittle#Abramoff connections, Jack Abramoff scandal and retired at the end of his ninth term in 2008. John Boehner became the Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives, House Majority Leader in 2006, then Party Leaders of the United States House of Representatives, House Minority Leader in 2007 and then Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Speaker in 2011 when United States House of Representatives elections, 2010, Republicans won back majority control. He John Boehner#Resignation, resigned from the position of Speaker October 31, 2015.

See also

*

References

{{Reflist

External links

*Rick Hendersen
"The House Republican freshmen: always aggressive, sometimes obnoxious, hardly mono lithic"
''Reason Online''.
*William McGurn
"Rubber congressmen - check bouncing scandal"
''National Review'', April 13, 1992.

Republican Party (United States)
102nd United States Congress
1990 in American politics
1991 in American politics