Terry Lierman

Chief of Staff to House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) (since 2007)

Why He Matters

As Rep. Steny Hoyer's (D-Md.) chief of staff , Lierman is one of the most powerful House staffers. He works on top Democratic priorities, often teaming up with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi 's (D-Calif.) chief of staff, John Lawrence , to discuss strategies and issues.

In 2008, he was recognized by Roll Call as one of Capitol Hill's "Fabulous Fifty," a prestigious list of the most powerful Hill aides and has been called one of the Hill's "powers behind the throne."

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Background

At a Glance

Career History: Chairman, Maryland Democratic Party (2004 to 2007); National Finance Co-Chair, Howard Dean (2003 to 2004)
Hometown: Beloit, Wisconsin
Alma Mater: Winona State University, B.A. (political science), 1969; University of Minnesota and University of Wisconsin-Madison's Center for the Study of Public Policy and Administration, M.A., 1971

DC Office: H-107 Capitol; 202-225-3130
Email
Web site : N/A

Path to Power

Lierman's Washington career has spanned nearly four decades, during which he has worked as a staffer, a lobbyist and even made a bid for office himself.

He came from a modest family background - his parents worked as a bartender and a factory worker and the family lived in a small trailer in Shopiere, Wisconsin. A hard-working student, he paid his own way through college, sweeping floors and bagging groceries.

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"Everything that's made in the (Capitol) building, every decision, affects people like me and my family," he told Politico.

He graduated from Winona State University in 1969 with a degree in political science and went on to get a master's in 1971 from the University of Minnesota and University of Wisconsin-Madison's Center for the Study of Public Policy and Administration.

Capitol Hill Aide

After completing his schooling, he interned with the National Institutes of Health. From 1975 to 1979, he worked as a staff member on the Senate's Health and Human Services Labor subcommittee, eventually becoming the subcommittee's staff director. From 1979 to 1981, he served as staff director for the Senate Appropriations Committee under former Senator and Chairman Warren Magnuson (D-Wash.).

Health-Care Lobbyist

Lierman contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars of his own money in his 2000 race against then-Rep. Connie Morella (R-Md.).

When Republicans recaptured control of the Senate in 1980, Lierman left the Hill to found the health-care lobbying and public relations firm Capitol Associates Inc., which he sold in 2001.

He served as president of the Employee Health Programs, a health-services company that provides medical reviews of drug tests, employee assistance programs and drug testing program administration. At the same time, he served as vice chair of TheraCom, a mail-order pharmaceutical company as well as the executive director of the National Coalition for Cancer Research and the Federal Drug Administration Council.

Maryland House Candidate

Lierman was ahead in his 2000 bid for Morella's seat in Maryland's then-heavily Democratic 8th district, but lost the tight race in part because of a Washington Post story that questioned his ethics. The paper reported that Lierman had given his friend Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) a $25,000 loan days before Moran signed a bill in which Lierman, then a lobbyist, had a stake.

In 2004, Lierman was the national finance co-chairman for Howard Dean's presidential campaign, where he helped raise $51 million. Prior to his appointment as Hoyer's chief of staff, he chaired the Maryland Democratic Party.

In 2007, Lierman became Hoyer's chief of staff after Democrats recaptured the House. Lierman describes his first meeting with Hoyer 24 years ago, when he introduced Hoyer to his son as "Leader Hoyer," even though Hoyer was not in a leadership position at the time. "For Terry, there is no challenge too great, no problem that can't be solved," Hoyer has said.

The Issues

As Hoyer's chief of staff, Lierman says he likes to focus on key issues and "help keep the trains running on time in the Capitol." Ending the Iraq war is one of his priorities; he has called the war the "tragedy of my lifetime."

Lierman's private sector experience is heavily weighted towards health care. During his 2000 run against Morella, he pushed for a Medicare prescription drug program and more funding for the National Institutes of Health , where he once worked.

The Network

From his vast business and political experience inside the Beltway, Lierman is one of the most politically-connected chiefs of staff. Maryland Democratic heavyweights like Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) and former Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) are supporters, as is Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.).

The late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) was also a friend.

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