Early life, education, and career
McCotter was born in Livonia, Michigan and graduated from Detroit Catholic Central High School, Redford in 1983. His mother, Georgia Joan McCotter, was the City Clerk of Livonia. He received a B.A. from the University of Detroit in 1987 and a J.D. from the same school in 1990.
McCotter had a private law practice before being elected to the Wayne County Commission in 1992. While on the Commission, he helped change the county charter to require that new taxes win the approval of two-thirds of the Commission and 60% of voters in order to be passed.
Michigan State Senate
McCotter was elected to the Michigan State Senate in 1998. As a State Senator, he helped apportion the U.S. Congressional district from which he was elected in 2002.
U.S. House of Representatives
Committee assignments
Committee on Financial Services
Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government-Sponsored Enterprises
Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade
Party leadership and caucus memberships
Congressional COPD Caucus
House Sovereignty Caucus (Co-Founder)
International Conservation Caucus
Republican House Policy Committee (Chairman)
Sportsmen's Caucus
Shortly before the midterm elections in November 2006, McCotter made a $250,000 contribution to the National Republican Congressional Committee. After the elections, when the Republicans had become the minority party in the House of Representatives, McCotter sought the Chairmanship of the House Republican Policy Committee. The other Republican seeking the post was Congressman Darrell Issa of southern California. In late 2006, McCotter was selected by the House Republican Caucus to head the Republican Policy Committee.
Political positions
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McCotter is a member of both the moderate Republican Main Street Partnership and the conservative Republican Study Committee.
In May 2007, House Minority Leader John Boehner labeled a bill by House Democrats aimed at stopping energy price gouging "as pointless political pandering" however McCotter and 55 other Republicans voted for the bill.[unbalanced opinion]
McCotter has been an avid supporter of the United States' involvement in the Iraq War.
On September 22, 2008, McCotter became the first Republican in the House of Representatives to oppose the Paulson bailout plan, calling it "American socialism." A week later, he and 132 other Republicans voted against the $700 billion bailout bill.
A July 24, 2009, press release from McCotter's House website states that McCotter will introduce a House Resolution on July 27, 2009, calling on President Obama to apologize to police Sergeant James Crowley for his remarks about the latter's arresting Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. for disorderly conduct on July 16, 2009, if President Obama doesn't first issue an apology on his own.
At the end of July 2009 McCotter introduced a bill to allow pet owners a $3500 tax deduction for pet care costs. The bill, called the Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) Act, was criticized by Howard Gleckman of the Tax Policy Center as "the poster puppy for all that is wrong with the tax code."
McCotter has supported a variety of union-friendly measures such as collective bargaining agreements for government jobs and card check.
Political campaigns
McCotter was elected in November 2002 to the 108th Congress. He was re-elected in the 2004 Congressional elections.
2006
McCotter did not have a primary opponent for the 2006 Republican primary. His opponent in the November 2006 general election was Democrat Tony Trupiano, a progressive radio talk show host from Dearborn Heights. McCotter, Trupiano, Libertarian Party nominee John Tatar, and U.S. Taxpayers Party nominee Charles Tackett, met for the only time for a taped League of Women Voters forum in mid-October. In radio and direct mail advertisements, McCotter criticized Trupiano's position on illegal immigration. McCotter won re-election with 55 per cent of the vote.
2008
United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan, 2008
In November 2008, McCotter defeated Democrat Joseph Larkin, Green Party candidate Erik Shelley, and Libertarian John Tatar. McCotter won 51 percent of the vote to Larkin's 45 percent.
2012
In April 2011, McCotter was the only member of Michigan's 15-member congressional delegation who did not confirm he was running for re-election. He indicated interest in running against incumbent Senator Debbie Stabenow for the U.S. Senate seat in Michigan up for election in 2012, but in May 2011, he announced that he would not campaign for the position.
2012 presidential campaign
Thaddeus McCotter presidential campaign, 2012
Wikinews has related news: Congressman Thad McCotter to run for U.S. President
In May 2011, McCotter confirmed that he was considering a run for the Republican Party nomination for President of the United States in 2012. By late June, sources indicated that McCotter would enter the race.
On June 23, 2011, a McCotter representative bid $18,000 for a plot of land at the Ames Straw Poll Auction in Iowa.
On July 1, 2011, McCotter announced that he had filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) as a Republican candidate for President.
On July 2, 2011, McCotter formally announced his candidacy at a rock music festival in Whitmore Lake, Michigan, outside of Detroit.
On September 22, 2011, McCotter announced he was ending his campaign for the presidential nomination and that he would endorse Mitt Romney.
Wikinews has related news: Congressman Thad McCotter ends bid for U.S. president
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| Thaddeus McCotter family |
Personal life
McCotter is a practicing Catholic. He is married to the former Rita Michel, a nurse. They have three children.
McCotter was once in a band called the New Flying Squirrels.
"Second Amendments" band
In December 2005, McCotter joined with several other Congressmen to form the "Second Amendments," a bipartisan rock and country band set to play for United States troops stationed overseas over the holiday season. He plays lead guitar. In June 2006, the band played for President Bush's Picnic on the White House lawn, where Bush was quoted calling McCotter "that rock and roll dude."
Media appearances
McCotter is a frequent guest on the late-night Fox News Channel television show Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld.
McCotter is also a regular guest on Dennis Miller's radio show, where the comedian-host refers to him as "young Thad" and "T-Mac" and frequently comments that he "likes the cut of [his] jib."
In June 2011, McCotter appeared on the Fox News Channel show Huckabee, where he performed in a musical number with his guitar.
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