Jack Buechner

Jack Buechner
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri's 2nd district
In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1991
Preceded by	Robert A. Young
Succeeded by	Joan Kelly Horn
Missouri House of Representatives
In office 1972–1982
Personal details
Born	John William Buechner June 4, 1940 Kirkwood, Missouri
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Marietta Caiarelli (divorced) Nancy Chanitz Buechner (1990–2006, her death), Andrea Dravo Buechner
Children	Terrence J. Buechner Patrick Buechner Charles Buechner
Alma mater	Benedictine College (BA) Saint Louis University School of Law (JD)
Occupation	Lawyer

John William "Jack" Buechner (born June 4, 1940) is an American lawyer and politician from the U.S. state of Missouri. A Republican, Buechner served in the United States House of Representatives for Missouri's 2nd congressional district from 1987 to 1991. After serving in Congress, Buechner became president of the International Republican Institute and a lawyer at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. From 2001 until his retirement in 2005 he was the President of The Presidential Classroom for Young Americans. Currently he serves as Senior Counsel to The Hawthorn Group of Alexandria, VA. and is on the Advisory Board of Bloomberg Government.

Early life, education, and family

Buechner was raised in Kirkwood, Missouri and attended parochial schools. He graduated from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas and graduated with an BA in political science. He received his JD from Saint Louis University School of Law.^[1] Buechner's first marriage was to Marietta Caiarelli, a nurse; they had a son, Terrence, in 1969,^[2] and another son, Patrick.^[3] In 1990, Buechner married Nancy Chanitz and had another son with her, Charles. They lived in McLean, Virginia. Nancy died in 2006.^[3] Buechner married Andrea Dravo, an attorney, in 2009. They live in Washington, DC.

Political career

He was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 1972 and served until 1982. For the 1964, 1980, and 1988 Republican National Conventions, Buechner was a delegate.^[1] In 1984 he ran for the US House of Representatives in Missouri's 2nd congressional district, challenging incumbent Democrat Robert A. Young. Buechner received 47.5% of the vote, losing narrowly to Young.

At the House, Buechner served in the Budget Committee and the Committee on Science, Space and Technology.^[4] The American Conservative Union gave Buechner an 86% conservative rating for his 1987 votes on certain bills;^[5] subsequent ratings were 88% in 1988,^[6] 73% in 1989,^[7] and 67% in 1990.^[8]

In 1986, Buechner again challenged Young, and this time he was elected, winning 52.7% of the vote. In 1987, Buechner was among 26 House Republicans who voted against overriding President Ronald Reagan's veto of a clean water bill that Reagan believed was "loaded with waste and larded with pork."^[9]

Buechner was re-elected in 1988, but in 1990 he was defeated by Democrat Joan Kelly Horn by only 54 votes.^[10] In that election, 102 of the 406 House members who won re-election did so with 60 percent of the vote or less, and R.W. Apple Jr. of The New York Times blamed "taxes and the budget battle" for Buechner's loss.^[11] Tim Graham, director of media analysis for the Media Research Center, once served as press secretary for Buechner.^[12] Buechner was the first Congressional guest on Late Night with David Letterman.^[4] For around five times until 1992, Buechner was among participants in weekly Thursday night poker games that Senator Alfonse D'Amato hosted in D'Amato's Washington office. Those poker games helped lobbyists connect to members of Congress.^[13]

Post-political career

After Congress, Buechner became president of the International Republican Institute.^[4] After Senator John McCain became chairman of the Institute, the board fired Buechner, who later described his dismissal as "less than gracious."^[14] He also became a partner at the Washington, D.C. office of law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips^[2][13] and later Anderson Kill & Olick, P.C.^[4] In academia, Buechner was a visiting professor of political thought at Webster University Vienna and adjunct professor of political science at Saint Louis University and Stephens College.^[4]

References

1. "BUECNHER, John William (Jack), (1940 - )". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. United States Congress. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
2. "Terrence Buechner, Maryanne Murray". The New York Times. August 10, 1997. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
3. "Obituaries". The Washington Post. January 12, 2006. Retrieved November 7, 2010.
4. "Hon. Jack W. Buechner". Anderson Kill & Olick, P.C. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
5. "1987 House Ratings (Montana-New York)". American Conservative Union. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
6. "1988 House Ratings (Montana-New York)". American Conservative Union. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
7. "1989 House Votes (Montana-New York)". American Conservative Union. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
8. "1990 House Votes (Montana-New York)". American Conservative Union. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
9. Weinraub, Bernard (February 4, 1987). "Clean Water Bill Passed by House Over Reagan Veto". The New York Times. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
10. "THE 1992 CAMPAIGN; A Bush by Another Name Runs in Missouri". The New York Times. August 2, 1992. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
11. Apple, R.W., Jr. (November 8, 1990). "The 1990 Elections: Signals - The Message; The Big Vote Is for 'No'". The New York Times. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
12. "Tim Graham". Media Research Center. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
13. Frantz, Douglas; Fritsch, Jane (October 26, 1995). "High-Stakes Poker Put Lobbyists Close To D'Amato's Ear". The New York Times. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
14. McIntire, Mike (July 28, 2008). "Democracy Group Gives Donors Access to McCain". The New York Times. Retrieved November 6, 2010.