Alan Grayson

Former U.S. Representative (January 2009 to January 2011)

(House web site)

Why He Matters

Almost immediately after arriving in Congress, Grayson shot to stardom as a "darling of the liberal blogosphere" who is known for his aggressive politics, embrace of YouTube culture and controversial soundbites.

In 2003, Grayson was an attorney representing government contractors. But he was growing worried over the increasing reports of contractor fraud in Iraq, and of the U.S. govenrment's failure to prosecute them.

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Corrections?

Background

At a Glance

Career History: Judge's Assistant, Washington District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals; President, IDT Corp; Lawyer
Birthday: March 12, 1958
Hometown: the Bronx, N.Y.
Alma Mater: Harvard University, B.A., 1978; Harvard University Law School, J.D., 1983; Harvard University, M.P.P., 1983;
Spouse: Lolita
Religion: Jewish

Committees: House Financial Services Committee; Science and Technology Committee
DC Office: 1605 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515, (202) 225-2176
State/District Office: 455 North Garland Avenue, Suite 402, Orlando, FL 32801, (407) 841-1757
Email
Web site

Path to Power

Grayson grew up in the the Bronx, N.Y. He earned a B.A. from Harvard in just three years-and was in the top two percent of his class-while working as a janitor and night watchman. He went on to earn a J.D. from Harvard Law School, and a master's degree from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. His master's degree thesis was on improving elderly Americans' health.

Legal Practice

In 1984, Grayson found a job as a clerk for the D.C. Appeals Court and worked with then-judges (now Supreme Court justices) Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia, among others. The following year, he joined Ginsburg's husband, Marty, at his renowned Washington law firm, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson. While there, he educated himself on the laws surrounding government contracting, then represented hundreds of government contractors in suits against the government and other parties.

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The Issues

Grayson voted with his Democratic colleagues 98.5% of the time during the 111th Congress.

He attacked contractor profiteering, and moved to cut off federal funds to all government contractors who file fraudulent forms after Congress moved to ban funding for the left-wing group ACORN in September 2009.

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"I say, cut them [fraudulent contractors] off, start over again,"

The Economy

Grayson became something of a blogosophere hero - even among allies of 2008 presidential candidate Ron Paul - for his biting criticism of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke during testimony before the House Financial Services Committee. With Paul, he is pushing a bill to allow the Government Accountability Office to audit the Federal Reserve.

In summer 2009, his questioning of the Federal Reserve board's power to lend half-a-billion to foreign bankers went viral on YouTube when Bernanke answered "I don't know" when asked the specific destination of the money. "I find it hard to believe that the power to hand over the half-a-trillion dollars to foreigners was part of Congressional intent in 1913 when the Federal Reserve Act was written," Grayson chastised.

He was a fierce critic of insurance giant AIG and the 2008 Wall Street bailout, quipping in an April 2009 Huffington Post editorial that Wall Street "is apparently the only place in the world where you can steal from the taxpayers and then bill them for services rendered."

Grayson sponsored a March 2009 bill setting new limits on compensation packages that firms receiving bailout funds can give their executives or employees, and a May 2009 bill requiring that every employer with 50 or more employees offer them one or more weeks of paid vacation a year.

Health-Care Reform

In an incendiary September 2009 speech from the House floor, Grayson desribed the Republicans' plan for health reform in a few words:"Don't get sick, and if you do get sick die quickly."

The speech made headlines, and the freshman congressman found himself an instant cable TV star. Despite demands by the GOP for an apology, Grayson stood by his original comments, and called Republicans, "knuckle-dragging neanderthals."

"These nattering nabobs of negativism have to stop blocking every single thing we do here or at least come up with something resembling a plan of their own," Grayson said on CNN's "Situation Room." He also called on Democrats to have the "guts" to solve people's problems.

His audacity seemed to pay off. Within three days of his "die quickly" quip, the Florida congressman received more than $100,000 in new campaign donations.

But Grayson's GOP foes were equally energized.

The Network

Grayson had a diverse coterie of friends in Congress, including Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), with whom he is sponsoring a bill to audit the Federal Reserve bank. He also appeared on the show of 9/11 conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

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Additional Resources