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'''Patrick Leahy''', a Democrat, is the senior senator from [[Vermont]]. He is the current chairman of the powerful [[Senate Judiciary Committee]] and has served in the Senate since 1974. His re-election races have not been close since the 1980 election.
'''Patrick Leahy''', a [[Democrat]], is the senior [[senator]] from [[Vermont]]. He is the former chairman of the powerful [[Senate Judiciary Committee]], current chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/about/chairman|title="About Chairman Leahy."|access-date=February 15, 2021}}</ref> and has served in the Senate since 1975. He is a prominent figure of the [[Establishment|political Establishment]], having been in Washington for decades, like [[Joe Biden]] and [[Nancy Pelosi]]. This is especially given by the fact that he's received hundreds of thousands of dollars from major firms, with less than 2% of his campaign finances coming from indiviudals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/patrick-leahy/summary?cid=N00009918|title="Sen. Patrick Leahy - Campaign Finance Summary."|access-date=February 15, 2021}}</ref>
==Background==
Leahy was born on March 31, 1940 to Howard and Alba Leahy in Montpelier, Vermont. He attended Saint Michael's High School until 1957, entering Saint Michael's College afterwards, from where he received a B.A. in 1961.<ref name="Official Congressional Directy">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5EWgWPBUBYMC&q=patrick+leahy+st+michaels+high+school&pg=PA273|title=Official Congressional Directory|last1=Congress|first1=United States|last2=Michael|first2=W. H.|year=2001|isbn=9780160509834}}</ref> Leahy descends from 19th century Irish immigrants (far nobler than the illegals he supports nowadays) who went to work in Vermont granite mines.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna31767381</ref>
==Early career==
Leahy has been in the Establishment for almost his entire life. After graduating from Georgetown University in 1964, he was admitted to the Vermont bar, and to the DC bar in 1979. He began practicing before the federal court system in 1965.<ref name="Official Congressional Directy">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5EWgWPBUBYMC&q=patrick+leahy+st+michaels+high+school&pg=PA273|title=Official Congressional Directory|last1=Congress|first1=United States|last2=Michael|first2=W. H.|year=2001|isbn=9780160509834}}</ref> He became a successful lawyer, becoming an ally of Governor of Vermont Phillip Hoff. Hoff would give his crony the position of Chittenden County State Attorney in 1966.<ref>{{cite web|date=May 10, 1966 |title=Leahy Sworn in as State's Atty. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/200224429/ |newspaper=Burlington Free Press |location=Burlington, VT |page=13 }}</ref> Leahy was involved in the prosecution of crooked Vermont cop Paul Lawrence, whose behavior exposed Vermont's faulty law enforcement system, which Leahy was a part of.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Duffy |first1=John J. |last2=Hand |first2=Samuel B. |last3=Orth |first3=Ralph H. |date=2003 |title=The Vermont Encyclopedia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uTBCXqOou0YC&pg=PA184 |location=Hanover, NH |publisher=University Press of New England |page=184 |isbn=978-1-58465-086-7}}</ref>
==Senate career==
[[File:https://media2.fdncms.com/sevendaysvt/imager/u/slideshow/3736512/leahy1.jpg|thumbnail|left|A picture of Leahy in 1975, soon after being elected for the first time.]]
Leahy was elected to the Senate, replacing retired titan George Aiken after 34 years (seems like his state has a tendency to not be able to elect anyone else), in 1974. Leahy's campaign coincided with the Watergate scandal, and he stated during a campaign rally that he would "reverse the 'frustration and disillusionment' many felt in government..." and would bring a "fresh, new approach" to governance.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/forty-two-years-a-senator-has-leahy-served-long-enough/Content?oid=3736492|title="Forty-Two Years a Senator: Has Leahy Served Long Enough?"|date=October 12, 2016}}</ref> Of course, Leahy would soon become a swamp monster himself, switching gears in recent years and believing that politicians should have a steady hand at the wheel, versed in the ways of Washington.
Somewhat redeemingly, however, Leahy has opposed the authoritarian Patriot Act.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/leahy-paul-team-up-to-stop-provisions-of-the-patriot-act|title="Leahy, Paul Team Up To Stop Provisions Of The PATRIOT Act."|date=May 23, 2011}}</ref> He worked with [[libertarian]] Senator [[Rand Paul]] in 2011 to amend certain sections of it. In doing so, Leahy opposed fellow Democrat Dianne Feinstein who claimed "the three expiring provisions [the one's opposed by Paul and Leahy] were essential to protecting the United States." Leahy is also opposed to the death penalty, and has sponsored (sometimes bipartisan) legislation to reform the criminal justice system in the U.S.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/107th-congress/senate-bill/486|title="Innocence Protection Act of 2002."|date=March 7, 2001}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/231775-rand-paul-revives-mandatory-sentencing-reform-bill|title="Rand Paul revives mandatory sentencing reform bill."|date=February 4, 2015}}</ref>
Leahy has, however, been all over the place on other key issues, take gun control for example. Leahy stated, in regards to DC v. Heller, that "the Supreme Court held the Second Amendment guarantees to Americans the individual right to keep and bear arms. I am a gun owner, as are many people in Vermont, and I agreed with the Heller decision."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ontheissues.org/Archive/Media_ScotusBlog_Patrick_Leahy.htm|title="'Heller case established a fundamental individual right.' - Patrick Leahy"|access-date=February 15, 2021}}</ref> He also supported allowing firearms in checked baggage on Amtrak trains,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ontheissues.org/SenateVote/Party_2009-S145.htm#:~:text=Patrick%20Leahy|title="Senate votes on 2009-S145."|date=Apr 2, 2009}}</ref> and opposed foreign & UN aid that restricts US gun ownership.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ontheissues.org/SenateVote/Party_2007-321.htm#:~:text=Patrick%20Leahy|title="Senate votes on 2007-S321."|date=September 6, 2007}}</ref> Nonetheless, Leahy voted yes on banning high-capacity magazines of over 10 bullets<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ontheissues.org/SenateVote/Party_13-SV103.htm|title="Senate votes on 2013-SV103."|date=April 17, 2013}}</ref> and voted no on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ontheissues.org/SenateVote/Party_2005-219.htm#:~:text=Patrick%20Leahy|title="Senate votes on 2005-S219."|date=July 29, 2005}}</ref>
Leahy was made presiding officer of the second impeachment trial of private citizen [[Donald Trump]] in 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/leahy-trump-impeachment-trial-fairness|title="Leahy, presiding over Trump impeachment in Senate, vows to conduct trial 'with fairness to all'."|date=February 10, 2021}}</ref> The Constitution proscribes that all impeachment trials be presided over by the Chief Justice. Justice Roberts' refusal to attend<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2021/01/27/john-roberts-refusal-to-sit-for-trump-impeachment-trial-sparks-concerns/|title="John Roberts’ refusal to sit for Trump impeachment sparks constitutional concerns."|date=January 27, 2021}}</ref> and the riddled-with-errors prosecution<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/show-notes-february-15|title="TRUMP ACQUITTED! TOP 3 LIES FROM THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL"|date=February 15, 2021}}</ref> all add to the veracity that the impeachment was a show trial.
==ACORN==
==ACORN==