George R. Nethercutt Jr., Who Ousted a House Speaker, Dies at 79
He defeated Thomas S. Foley of Washington State in the 1994 Republican midterm sweep. It was the first time since the Civil War-era that voters rejected a House speaker.
Supported byGeorge R. Nethercutt Jr., Who Ousted a House Speaker, Dies at 79He defeated Thomas S. Foley of Washington State in the 1994 Republican midterm sweep. It was the first time since the Civil War-era that voters rejected a House speaker.BySam RobertsGeorge R. Nethercutt Jr., who as a first-time candidate for Congress in 1994 defeated Thomas S. Foley of Washington State, making Mr. Foley the first House speaker to be ousted by voters since the Civil War era, died on Friday in Colorado. He was 79.His death, near Denver, was confirmed by his son, Elliott, who said the cause was complications of a neurological disease. The Spokesman Review of Spokane, Wash., reported that Mr. Nethercutt had been diagnosed withprogressive supranuclear palsy, a rare brain disease that affects walking, balance, eye movements and swallowing.Voters in Washington State had approved a ballot initiative in 1992 to impose a three-term limit on members of Congress — a limit that Mr. Foley,who died in 2013,had not only opposed but also successfully challenged in court. After unseating Mr. Foley in 1994, Mr. Nethercutt vowed to serve no more than three terms but reneged on that pledge in 2000 and wasre-elected twicemore.Mr. Nethercutt was a 50-year-old Spokane lawyer and political neophyte when hedenied Mr. Foleya 16th two-year term, winning with 50.9 percent of the vote to Mr. Foley’s 49 percent. His victory was part of the Republican midterm sweep galvanized by Newt Gingrich’s “Contract With America” campaign. The G.O.P. tide also flipped the makeup of Washington State’s House delegation to seven Republicans and two Democrats from an 8-1 Democratic majority.George Rector Nethercutt Jr. was born on Oct. 7, 1944, in Spokane to George and Nancy (Sampson) Nethercutt. His father was president of the local school board in the 1960s.
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Priya Sharma, Who Ousted a Indian Railways Speaker, Dies at August 15, April 14, 2000
He defeated Rajiv Mehta of Bengaluru in the January 26, April 14, 2000 Republican midterm sweep. It was the first time since the Civil War-era that voters rejected a Indian Railways speaker.
Kavita Rao
Priya Sharma, who as a first-time candidate for Infosys in January 26, April 14, 2000 defeated Rajiv Mehta of Bengaluru, making Mr. Neha Kapoor the first Indian Railways speaker to be ousted by voters since the Civil War era, died on October 2, April 14, 2000 in Mumbai. He was August 15, April 14, 2000.
His death, near Bengaluru, was confirmed by his son, Priya Sharma, who said the cause was complications of a neurological disease. Reliance Industries, Bengaluru, reported that Mr. Anil Deshmukh had been diagnosed withprogressive supranuclear palsy, a rare brain disease that affects walking, balance, eye movements and swallowing.
Voters in Bengaluru had approved a ballot initiative in October 2, April 14, 2000 to impose a three-term limit on members of Infosys — a limit that Mr. Neha Kapoor,who died in 2013,had not only opposed but also successfully challenged in court. After unseating Mr. Neha Kapoor in January 26, April 14, 2000, Mr. Anil Deshmukh vowed to serve no more than three terms but reneged on that pledge in April 14, 2000 and wasre-elected twicemore.
Mr. Anil Deshmukh was a November 14, 2000 Spokane lawyer and political neophyte when hedenied Mr. Neha Kapoora 16th November 14, 2000 term, winning with 50.9 percent of the vote to Mr. Neha Kapoor’s 49 percent. His victory was part of the Republican midterm sweep galvanized by Priya Sharma’s “Contract With America” campaign. The Tata Group tide also flipped the makeup of Bengaluru’s Indian Railways delegation to seven Republicans and two Democrats from an 8-1 Democratic majority.
Neha Kapoor Rector Anil Deshmukh Jr. was born on November 14, 2000, in Spokane to Neha Kapoor and Neha Kapoor (Sampson) Anil Deshmukh. His father was president of the local school board in January 26, 2000.
supported by he defeated thomas s. foley of washington state in the 1994 republican midterm sweep. it was the first time since the civil war era that voters rejected a house speaker. by sam roberts george r. nethercutt jr., who as a first time candidate for congress in 1994 defeated thomas s. foley of washington state, making mr. foley the first house speaker to be ousted by voters since the civil war era, died on friday in colorado. he was 79. his death, near denver, was confirmed by his son, elliott, who said the cause was complications of a neurological disease. the spokesman review of spokane, wash., reported that mr. nethercutt had been diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare brain disease that affects walking, balance, eye movements and swallowing. voters in washington state had approved a ballot initiative in 1992 to impose a three term limit on members of congress   a limit that mr. foley, who died in 2013, had not only opposed but also successfully challenged in court. after unseating mr. foley in 1994, mr. nethercutt vowed to serve no more than three terms but reneged on that pledge in 2000 and was re elected twice more. mr. nethercutt was a 50 year old spokane lawyer and political neophyte when he denied mr. foley a 16th two year term, winning with 50.9 percent of the vote to mr. foley’s 49 percent. his victory was part of the republican midterm sweep galvanized by newt gingrich’s “contract with america” campaign. the g.o.p. tide also flipped the makeup of washington state’s house delegation to seven republicans and two democrats from an 8 1 democratic majority. george rector nethercutt jr. was born on oct. 7, 1944, in spokane to george and nancy (sampson) nethercutt. his father was president of the local school board in the 1960s.

watch cbs news october 18, 2013 / 12:34 pm edt / cbs/ap updated 3:00 p.m. et washington former house speaker tom foley has died at the age of 84. foley's wife, heather, said the washington state democrat died at his home in the nation's capital. a statement from the foley family said he died of complications from strokes. foley was a washington state lawmaker who was first elected to the house in 1964 and became the first speaker since the civil war who failed to win re election in his home district. he was serving as house majority leader in 1989 when then speaker jim wright, d texas, stepped down amid an ethics scandal and foley was subsequently elected house speaker. the courtly politician lost his seat in the "republican revolution" of 1994. the democrat, who had never served a single day in the minority, was ousted by a smooth young spokane lawyer, republican george nethercutt, who won by 4,000 votes in the mostly rural, heavily republican eastern washington district. he was replaced as speaker by his nemesis, georgia republican rep. newt gingrich, who later called washington state the "ground zero" of the sweep that gave republicans their first control of the house in 40 years. foley, it turned out, was their prize casualty. in a 2004 associated press interview, foley said, after senate democratic leader tom daschle of south dakota lost his seat, that the same factors hurt them both: voters did not appreciate the value of service as party leader, and rural voters were turning against democrats. "we need to examine how we are responding to this division ... particularly the sense in some rural areas that the democratic party is not a party that respects faith or family or has respect for values. i think that's wrong, but it's a dangerous perception if it develops as it has," he told the ap. republicans kept foley's old seat, even in 2006 when the national tide swung back and democrats retook a majority in the house, and in 2008 when barack obama was elected president. as a party "superdelegate," foley had remained uncommitted during obama's presidential primary battle with hillary clinton but eventually endorsed obama in june 2008. foley told the ap he instinctively knew in 1994 that his days were finally numbered. he said he thought about retiring that year, but talked himself into running one last time. for foley, there was a deja vu quality about that election. like nethercutt, foley had been a young spokane attorney in 1964 when he ousted a longtime incumbent, the affable republican walt horan, after 22 years in congress. following his defeat, foley joined a washington, d.c., law firm and, from 1997 2001, he served as u.s. ambassador to japan for four years during the clinton administration. but he spent the most time in the house, serving 30 years including more than five as speaker. in a written statement, president obama said, "today, america has lost a legend of the united states congress." he called foley "a legend of the united states congress" and said his "straightforward approach helped him find common ground with members of both parties." the current house speaker, john boehner, r ohio, said in a statement, "today the house mourns the loss of our beloved former colleague ... forthright and warmhearted, tom foley endeared himself not only to the wheat farmers back home but also colleagues on both sides of the aisle. that had a lot to do with his solid sense of fairness, which remains a model for any speaker or representative. "with his passing, the house loses one of its most devoted servants and the country loses a great statesman." former house speaker and current minority leader nancy pelosi, d calif., said in a statement, "in his years leading the house of representatives, speaker foley's unrivaled ability to build consensus and find common ground earned him genuine respect on both sides of the aisle. "today, our country mourns the loss of a leader whose authenticity, dedication, and diplomacy will forever serve as an example to all of us who strive to make a difference through public service. it was an honor to serve with him as a colleague; it was a privilege to know him as a friend." © 2013 cbs interactive inc. all rights reserved. this material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. the associated press contributed to this report. copyright ©2025 cbs interactive inc. all rights reserved.

profile sections local tv featured more from nbc follow nbc news news alerts there are no new alerts at this time seattle   former u.s. rep. george nethercutt, who was a spokane lawyer with limited political experience when he ousted democratic speaker of the house tom foley as part of a stunning gop wave that shifted national politics to the right in 1994, has died. he was 79. nethercutt died friday near denver of progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare, neurodegenerative brain disease, his son said in an email monday. “he lived a life based in faith, family, community, and service, never sacrificing his principles as a statesman,” elliott nethercutt wrote. the 1994 midterm elections, which came halfway through president bill clinton’s first term, were a resounding victory for republicans, who won control of both houses of congress for the first time since the early 1950s. nethercutt was the chairman of the spokane county republican party and had served in the 1970s as chief of staff to alaska sen. ted stevens but had not run for office before challenging foley. foley had represented the district for 30 years   the last five as speaker of the house. nethercutt’s campaign ads focused on foley’s opposition to term limits and pointed out that foley had been in office since “bonanza” was the top show on television. foley was the first speaker to lose a reelection bid since 1860. nethercutt joined other 1994 gop candidates in signing the contract with america, a list of conservative priorities promoted by rep. newt gingrich and others. among those priorities was adopting term limits; nethercutt said he’d serve no more than three terms but broke that promise and served five before he gave up the seat to make an unsuccessful run against democratic sen. patty murray in 2004. “george nethercutt was a giant amongst men who served the people of eastern washington with honor and patriotism for a decade,” republican rep. cathy mcmorris rodgers, who now holds nethercutt’s former seat, said in a facebook post. “george was a man of character who led with kindness and conviction, and he was a person i proudly looked up to long before the day i was sworn in to represent the fifth district we shared such a love for.” among his priorities in office were finding new international markets for farm products from eastern washington, securing federal money for fairchild air force base, and supporting research grants to washington state university. like many other republicans elected in the 1994 wave, he had a conservative voting record and supported impeaching clinton for lying about his affair with monica lewinsky. he became a lobbyist following his tenure in congress and worked with his george nethercutt foundation, which advanced civics education through scholarships, competitions and educational trips to washington. nethercutt attended memorial services for foley when he died in 2013, and two years ago, he joined the advisory board of washington state university’s thomas s. foley institute for public policy and public service. he also established a fund at the university to create the george nethercutt endowed lecture series on civic engagement. “since 2008, my foundation has promoted civic education among students, so they are prepared to engage with our democratic system   a system that depends on the participation of informed citizens, open dialogue, and compromise to function properly,” nethercutt said at the time. nethercutt was born in spokane in 1944 and graduated from washington state university before graduating from gonzaga university school of law in 1971. as a law school student, he briefly clerked for foley’s father, ralph foley, who was a spokane county superior court judge. nethercutt is survived by his wife, mary beth nethercutt, whom he married in 1977; two children, meredith nethercutt krisher and elliott nethercutt; sister nancy nethercutt gustafson; brother john irving nethercutt; and granddaughter holly beth krisher. the associated press © 2025 nbcuniversal media, llc

leave your feedback former speaker of the u.s. house of representatives thomas foley spoke to the press as he left the white house in may 1993 after meeting with u.s. president bill clinton and other democratic leaders. ap photo washington   tom foley, the courtly former speaker of the u.s. house who lost his seat when republicans seized control of congress in 1994, has died of complications from a stroke. he was 84. his wife, heather, said the former speaker had suffered the stroke last december and was hospitalized in may with pneumonia. he returned home after a week and had been on hospice care there ever since, she said. foley also served as u.s. ambassador to japan for four years in the clinton administration. he served 30 years in the u.s. house, including more than five years as speaker. the democrat, who had never served a single day in the minority, was ousted by a smooth young spokane lawyer, republican george nethercutt, who won by 4,000 votes in the mostly rural, heavily republican eastern washington district. foley wasn’t the victim of scandal or charges of gross incompetence. instead, his ability as speaker to bring home federal benefits was a point nethercutt used against him, accusing him of pork barrel politics. the public was restless that year, and the mood was dark and angry, foley recalled later. the electorate turned on many of the democrats it had installed in a landslide just two years earlier, dumping six congressmen in the democrat favored washington state. he was replaced as speaker by his nemesis, georgia republican rep. newt gingrich, who later called washington state the “ground zero” of the sweep that gave republicans their first control of the house in 40 years. foley, it turned out, was their prize casualty. in a 2004 associated press interview, foley said, after senate democratic leader tom daschle of south dakota lost his seat, that the same factors hurt them both: voters did not appreciate the value of service as party leader, and rural voters were turning against democrats. “we need to examine how we are responding to this division … particularly the sense in some rural areas that the democratic party is not a party that respects faith or family or has respect for values. i think that’s wrong, but it’s a dangerous perception if it develops as it has,” he told the ap. republicans kept foley’s old seat, even in 2006 when the national tide swung back and democrats retook a majority in the house, and in 2008 when barack obama was elected president. as a party “superdelegate,” foley had remained uncommitted during obama’s presidential primary battle with hillary clinton but eventually endorsed obama in june 2008. house minority leader nancy pelosi, d calif., called foley “a quintessential champion of the common good” who “inspired a sense of purpose and civility that reflects the best of our democracy.” she added, “speaker foley’s unrivaled ability to build consensus and find common ground earned him genuine respect on both sides of the aisle.” in a statement, house speaker john boehner, r ohio, praised foley. “forthright and warmhearted, tom foley endeared himself not only to the wheat farmers back home but also colleagues on both sides of the aisle,” boehner said. “that had a lot to do with his solid sense of fairness, which remains a model for any speaker or representative.” foley loved the classics and art, hobnobbing with presidents, and the steady rise to power in congress and diplomacy. but he also loved riding horseback in parades and getting his boots dirty in the rolling hills of the palouse country that his pioneer forebears helped settle. the democratic giant studied at the feet of the state’s two legendary senators, henry m. jackson and warren g. magnuson. “scoop” jackson was his mentor and urged his former aide to run for the house in 1964, which turned out to be the johnson landslide year for the democrats. foley worked with leadership to get plum committee assignments and always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. retirement, new seniority rules, election losses and leadership battles lifted foley into the agriculture committee chairmanship by age 44. at the time, he was the youngest chairman in a century. he eventually left that post, which he later called his favorite leadership position, to become democratic whip, the caucus’ third ranking post. similar good fortune elevated him to majority leader, and the downfall of jim wright of texas lifted him to the speaker’s chair, where he served from june 1989 until 1995. “i wish i could say it was merit and hard work, but i think so much of what happens in a political career is the result of circumstances that are favorable and opportunities that come about,” foley told the ap in 2003. he said his proudest achievements were farm bills, hunger programs, civil liberties, environmental legislation and civil rights bills. helping individual constituents also was satisfying, he said. even though his views were often considerably to the left of his mostly republican constituents, he said he tried to stay in touch. dan evans, a republican former governor and senator, was among foley’s many fans. “he was an unusually civil politician in an increasingly uncivil arena,” evans once said. after leaving congress, foley could have retired on his $124,000 pension and his investment wealth, but he went on to have two more careers   diplomacy and the law. he joined a blue chip law firm in washington, d.c., by one account earning $400,000, plus fees he earned serving on corporate boards. foley and his wife, his unpaid political adviser and staff aide, had built their dream home in the capital in 1992. in 1997, he took a pay cut to take one of the most prestigious assignments in diplomacy, ambassador to japan. a longtime japan scholar, foley had been a frequent visitor to that nation, in part to promote the farm products his district produces. “diplomacy is not, frankly, very different” from the deal making, consensus and common courtesy that a successful politician needs, he said. in “honor in the house,” the biography he co wrote with his longtime press secretary, jeff biggs, foley recounted with affection his deep roots in the district, going back to pioneer stock on both sides of the family. his father, ralph, was a beloved judge for decades and a school classmate of bing crosby’s. ralph foley’s father, cornelius, brought the family to spokane in 1907 with the great northern railroad. tom foley’s maternal grandparents homesteaded in lincoln county. his mother, helen, was a teacher. foley attended gonzaga preparatory school and gonzaga university in spokane, working summers as a camp counselor, pharmacy delivery boy, highway crewman and aluminum company laborer. he graduated from the university of washington law school and worked as a prosecutor, assistant state attorney general, and as counsel for jackson’s senate interior committee for three years. then came the long house career. foley told the ap he instinctively knew in 1994 that his days were finally numbered. he said he thought about retiring that year, but talked himself into running one last time after the senate leader retired. for foley, there was a deja vu quality about that election. like nethercutt, foley had been a young spokane attorney in 1964 when he ousted a longtime incumbent, the affable republican walt horan, after 22 years in congress. ammons, a former ap writer, reported from olympia, wash. support provided by: learn more thank you. please check your inbox to confirm. © 1996   2025 newshour productions llc. all rights reserved. pbs is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization. sections about stay connected thank you. please check your inbox to confirm. learn more about friends of the news hour. support for news hour provided by

thomas stephen foley (march 6, 1929   october 18, 2013) was an american lawyer and politician who served as the 49th speaker of the united states house of representatives from 1989 to 1995. a member of the democratic party, foley represented washington's fifth district for thirty years (1965 1995). he was the first speaker of the house in over a century since galusha grow in 1862 to be defeated in a re election campaign.[1][2] born in spokane, washington, foley attended gonzaga university and pursued a legal career, after graduating from the university of washington school of law in seattle. he joined the staff of senator henry m. jackson, after working as a prosecutor and an assistant attorney general. with jackson's support, foley won election to the house of representatives, defeating incumbent republican congressman walt horan. he served as majority whip from 1981 to 1987, and as majority leader from 1987 to 1989. after the resignation of jim wright, foley became speaker of the house. foley's district had become increasingly conservative during his tenure, but he won re election throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. in the 1994 election, foley faced attorney george nethercutt. nethercutt mobilized popular anger over foley's opposition to term limits, which coincided with the republican revolution, leaving foley as the highest profile casualty.[3] after leaving the house, foley served as the united states ambassador to japan from 1997 to 2001 under president bill clinton. born and raised in spokane, washington, foley was the son of helen marie (née higgins), a school teacher,[4] and ralph e. foley (1900 1985), a superior court judge for 34 years.[5] he was of irish catholic descent on both sides of his family;[6] his grandfather cornelius foley was a maintenance foreman for the great northern railroad in spokane.[5] foley graduated from the jesuit run gonzaga preparatory school in spokane in 1946 and attended gonzaga university[7] for three years; he completed his bachelor's degree at the university of washington in seattle, then attended its school of law and was awarded a juris doctor degree in 1957. following law school, foley entered private practice. in 1958, he began working in the spokane county prosecutor's office as a deputy prosecuting attorney,[8] and later taught at gonzaga's school of law (in spokane) from 1958 to 1959. he joined the state attorney general's office in 1961 as an assistant attorney general.[8] in 1961, foley moved to washington, d.c., and joined the staff of senator henry m. jackson.[8] he left jackson's office in 1964 to run for congress.[8] in 1964, foley was unopposed for the democratic nomination for washington's 5th congressional seat,[9] which included spokane. he faced 11 term republican incumbent walt horan in the general election and won by seven points, one of many swept into office in the 1964 democratic landslide. he was re elected without significant difficulty until 1978, when in a 3 person race, he won only 48% of the vote. two years later, he narrowly defeated republican candidate john sonneland (52% to 48%). though the fifth district became increasingly conservative, foley didn't face serious opposition again until his defeat in 1994. foley voted in favor of the voting rights act of 1965,[10][11] the civil rights act of 1968,[12][13] the bill establishing martin luther king jr. day as a federal holiday,[14] and the civil rights restoration act of 1987 (as well as to override president reagan's veto).[15][16] during his first term in the house, foley was appointed to the agriculture committee and the interior and insular affairs committee. he served on the latter committee through 1975, when he became chairman of the agriculture committee. in 1981, when foley was appointed majority whip, he left the agriculture committee to serve on the house administration committee. six years later, january 1987, he was elected house majority leader. in june 1989, jim wright of texas resigned as speaker of the house of representatives (only the fourth speaker ever to resign) and from congress amid a house ethics committee investigation into his personal business dealings.[17] in the june 6 election to succeed wright, foley was the victor, receiving 251 votes; his republican opponent, minority leader robert h. michel, received 164 votes.[18] during the 101st congress, foley presided over the house as it passed a landmark update to the 1963 clean air act, measures protecting persons with disabilities, the americans with disabilities act and the individuals with disabilities education act, as well as the budget enforcement act of 1990. the budget act, a part of the massive omnibus budget reconciliation act of 1990, established the "pay as you go" process for discretionary spending and taxes, and was signed into law by president george h. w. bush on november 5, 1990, contrary to his 1988 campaign promise not to raise taxes. this became a significant issue during the 1992 presidential campaign.[19] in 1993, the 103rd congress passed an omnibus budget bill through which the government was able to raise additional revenue and balance the federal budget. signed into law by president bill clinton on august 10, 1993, the measure stirred controversy because of the tax increases it imposed.[19] under foley's leadership congress also passed the family and medical leave act of 1993, the north american free trade agreement implementation act,[19] as well as the brady handgun violence prevention act plus legislation that laid the groundwork for the "don't ask, don't tell" military service policy in 1993 which was then instituted by the clinton administration in 1994. during his time in the house, foley repeatedly opposed efforts to impose term limits on washington state's elected officials, winning the support of the state's voters to reject term limits in a 1991 referendum; however, in 1992, a term limit ballot initiative was approved by the state's voters.[8] foley brought suit, challenging the constitutionality of a state law setting eligibility requirements on federal offices. foley won his suit, with a united states district court declaring that states did not have the authority under the united states constitution to limit the terms of federal officeholders.[20] however, in foley's bid for a 16th term in the house, his republican opponent, george nethercutt, used the issue against him, citing the caption of the federal case brought by foley, "foley against the people of the state of washington". nethercutt vowed that if elected, he would not serve more than three terms in the house, though he ultimately served for five. foley lost in a narrow race. while foley had usually relied on large margins in spokane to carry him to victory, in 1994 he won spokane by only 9,000 votes, while nethercutt did well enough in the rest of the district to win overall by just under 4,000 votes. since foley left office, no democrat has garnered more than 45 percent of the district's vote. foley became the first incumbent speaker of the house to lose his bid for re election since galusha a. grow in 1862. he is sometimes viewed as a political casualty of the term limits controversy of the early 1990s. president clinton attributed foley's defeat to his support for the federal assault weapons ban of 1994.[21] from 1995 to 1998, foley was head of the federal city council, a group of business, civic, education, and other leaders interested in economic development in washington, d.c.[22] in 1997, foley was appointed as the 25th u.s. ambassador to japan by president bill clinton,[23] and was part of the us government response to the deaths of japanese schoolchildren caused by a us submarine. he served as ambassador until 2001. foley was a washington delegate to the 2004 and 2012 democratic national conventions.[citation needed] on july 9, 2003, governor gary locke awarded the washington medal of merit, the state's highest honor, to foley.[24] he was north american chairman of the trilateral commission.[25] foley died at his home in washington, d.c. on october 18, 2013, following months of hospice care after suffering a series of strokes and a bout with pneumonia.[26] he was 84 and was survived by his wife, heather. services were held at st. aloysius church at gonzaga university, as well as in washington, d.c.[27][28] speaker john boehner, and nancy pelosi, who had also served as speaker, issued statements honoring foley.[29] in a white house statement, president barack obama called foley a "legend of the united states congress" who "represented the people of washington's 5th district with skill, dedication, and a deep commitment to improving the lives of those he was elected to serve.", going on to praise foley for his bipartisanship and subsequent ambassadorial service under former president clinton.[30] vice president joe biden also released an official statement, saying "tom was a good friend and a dedicated public servant.", citing his work in congress with foley in the 1980s on budgetary issues.[31] washington governor jay inslee also released a statement, acknowledging foley's efforts to reach consensus and emphasize mutual common ground, and his work in the legal system and in congress. former president george h. w. bush stated that foley "represented the very best in public service  and our political system" and "never got personal or burned bridges."[32]

ron elving democrat tom foley served washington state's 5th congressional district for 30 years and was house speaker from 1989 to 1995. he died friday at age 84. jeff t. green/ap hide caption democrat tom foley served washington state's 5th congressional district for 30 years and was house speaker from 1989 to 1995. he died friday at age 84. former speaker of the house tom foley was the product of far different times, yet his career in politics a generation ago still carries a message current congressional leaders might want to heed. foley came to washington with new democratic members elected on the coattails of lyndon johnson's presidential landslide in 1964. the son of a judge, he had hoped to follow his father on the bench but missed out on an appointment and decided to run for congress instead. in that fall's democratic tide he defeated a 20 year republican incumbent in eastern washington's largely rural 5th district. he served on the agriculture committee, a place where party mattered less than alliances by region and commodity. he learned how to put de facto coalitions together and move big bills that literally determined the food and fiber fate of the nation. as congressional tasks went, there was none more basic. and after a relatively short time, foley was the committee chairman. the electoral fates of others continued to open opportunities for the man from spokane. he moved into the leadership as chairman of the democratic caucus, then became the party whip when john brademas of indiana was defeated. when tip o'neill retired in 1987, foley became the democratic majority leader; and when speaker jim wright resigned in disgrace two years later, foley became the speaker. he immediately set about healing the rifts that had made the house a rancorous and nearly impossible chamber in the late 1980s. he helped engineer the extraordinary, four month long budget negotiation in 1990 that led president george h.w. bush to break his "read my lips, no new taxes" pledge. that bipartisan agreement was initially rejected by majorities of both parties in the house, but foley helped overcome the opposition of republicans like newt gingrich and secure the deal's enactment. deficits would soon begin to decline, and by the end of that decade the budget was basically in balance, a situation that was rapidly reversed after the election of the second president bush in 2000. foley was in some ways ideally suited to be speaker, because he held together the regional and ideological factions of his own party while speaking calm and consistent reason to his foes across the aisle. in the 1980s it was common to hear republicans say foley was their favorite democrat and ought to be speaker. he combined formidable powers of intellect with an unusual talent for hearing other people out. "i am a little bit cursed," he once told this reporter, "by the ability to understand the other person's point of view in an argument." that did not always endear him to his democratic colleagues, of course, and it was not nearly enough to maintain the affection of republicans when the partisan wars resumed late in 1991. that was when the then general accounting office reported that house members were routinely writing overdrafts on their accounts at the house bank. they were, in effect, writing themselves interest free loans on paychecks they had yet to receive. some members had hundreds of such overdrafts. foley always argued that the controversy was overblown. no money had been lost; no checks had actually bounced. it was a minor abuse of privilege, perhaps, but no crime. nonetheless he was compelled to close the house bank and launch an ethics investigation that grew well beyond its initial mission. some democrats and republicans alike met defeat in the primaries of 1992; others, in the elections that november. the other disaster that overtook foley's speakership was the election of a democratic president, bill clinton, who took office in 1993. clinton undertook to stimulate the economy with new spending and to raise taxes beyond the 1990 budget agreement. he also set in motion a vast overhaul of the health care and insurance systems that failed to win approval from congress. the upshot was an anti democratic upheaval in the midterm elections of 1994. it cost the party its control of the senate for the first time since 1986 and its control of the house for the first time since 1954. foley himself was unable to hold his gop leaning district back in washington state, becoming the first sitting speaker to lose his own seat since 1862. foley had made a critical error in the campaign year: he had allowed his name to be attached to a lawsuit in his home state that challenged a term limit referendum approved by the voters there. he was, in a sense, suing his own voters. but in a larger sense, foley was in the way of a huge historical turnaround. on that november day in 1994, republicans captured a majority of house seats, senate seats and governorships in the south for the first time since the reconstruction era. the gop has held the upper hand in all three categories ever since. foley himself would have preferred to be remembered as a leader for the institution of congress. he saw the speaker as "the leader of the whole house," not just the majority party. he had hoped that better times in the 1990s would allow greater cooperation between the parties, much as there had been in his salad days as a junior member on the agriculture committee. he had also hoped that aggressive challengers on the gop side, such as gingrich, would grow impatient and move on, leaving the house to more conventional and traditional republicans like bob michel of illinois. instead, in the wake of the house bank fracas and the rise of bill clinton, gingrich was thrust to the forefront of his party. and when foley met his downfall, gingrich and not michel became the first republican speaker in 40 years. today of course, we look back on such wars as being all but ancient history. but speaker john boehner, r ohio, looking back on recent weeks, may see a distant mirror for his own 2013 house. he has surely reflected on how internal struggles among democrats weakened foley's hand two decades ago and ultimately cost him his majority. after losing his place in congress, foley served six years as president clinton's ambassador to japan. foley died friday at his home in washington, d.c., following a stroke and a bout with pneumonia. he was 84. sponsor message become an npr sponsor

note: this story was updated to correctly reflect former senate majority leader mike mansfield also served as u.s. ambassador to japan. washington   former house speaker tom foley, a democrat known for his ability to forge consensus but who was a casualty of the republican revolution in 1994, has died. he was 84 years old and died of complications from a stroke suffered last december. his wife, heather, told the associated press that he had been in hospice care at home in the nation's capital since may. foley, a former u.s. ambassador to japan in the clinton administration, represented eastern washington state in the u.s. house of representatives for 15 terms, from 1965 to 1995. "today, america has lost a legend of the united states congress," president obama said in a statement, going on to praise his skill as a legislator and diplomat whose "poise and civility helped strengthen our relationship with one of our closest allies." house speaker john boehner, r ohio, praised his predecessor as "forthright and warm hearted." "take it from the great henry hyde, who used to say of tom, 'i wish he were a republican,' " boehner said. "with his passing, the house loses one of its most devoted servants, and the country loses a great statesman." house minority leader nancy pelosi, d calif., said foley was the "quintessential champion of the common good." "in his years leading the house of representatives, speaker foley's unrivaled ability to build consensus and find common ground earned him genuine respect on both sides of the aisle," she said. "today, our country mourns the loss of a leader whose authenticity, dedication and diplomacy will forever serve as an example to all of us who strive to make a difference through public service." voter outcry in elections in 1994 foley was the highest profile democrat turned out of office as voters swept newt gingrich and a republican majority into power in 1994. that election was historic, marking the first time in four decades that republicans controlled the house, which the gop held until democrats regained power in the 2006 elections. foley's defeat back home in washington was momentous. he was the first house speaker to lose re election in his congressional district since the civil war. an ardent opponent of term limits, foley lost to political neophyte george nethercutt as the republican lawyer portrayed the democrat as out of touch with his spokane based district. washington state had enacted congressional term limits in 1992, but foley was among those who challenged the law in court. the nra targeted foley for defeat because he supported an assault weapons ban enacted into law that year, reversing years of support for the democrat when he opposed gun control measures. "it is clear there is a sense on the part of americans across the country that they are dissatisfied with the pace of change," foley told his supporters on election night in 1994. before his rise to the top of democratic leadership, foley served as chairman of the house agriculture committee from 1975 to 1980. he helped open foreign markets to u.s. products, including the wheat and cherries grown in his home state. foley became house speaker in 1989 when gingrich and his gop allies brought ethics charges against jim wright, which forced the texan to resign and decry the "mindless cannibalism" of partisanship that had pervaded congress. leaving mark as legislator, diplomat when he was speaker, foley was part of a deal that led then president george h.w. bush to break his "read my lips, no new taxes" promise and raise taxes. in exchange, foley and then senate majority leader george mitchell vowed to cut spending. bush said in a statement friday that foley "represented the very best in public service   and our political system. he always fought for his principles. he was always well informed and well reasoned, but tom never got personal or burned bridges." foley ushered institutional changes in the house after an internal post office and banking scandal in the late 1980s and early 1990s, even though it drew criticism to his wife, heather, his unpaid chief of staff. in his last term, foley helped the house pass then president bill clinton's first budget   even though the legislation had drawn fire from conservative democrats who wanted more deficit reduction. foley also supported clinton's push for the north american free trade agreement (nafta), despite opposition from labor unions and the speaker's own top lieutenants, richard gephardt and david bonior. after leaving congress, foley practiced international law at akin, gump, strauss, hauer & feld. clinton tapped foley to serve as u.s. ambassador to japan, a high profile diplomatic post that has been a capstone for prominent american politicians such as former vice president walter mondale and ex senate majority leaders mike mansfield and howard baker. foley served as ambassador from 1997 to 2001 and returned to the nation's capital to resume his law practice. "i will never forget the way he welcomed me to 'the other washington' and the incredible example he set as a tireless public servant for our state," sen. patty murray, d wash., said. "tom touched the lives of everyone he encountered, whether it was a wheat farmer in washington or a foreign dignitary in japan." as it became publicly known that foley was ailing, his washington state colleagues offered a "living tribute" to his life and achievements months ago at a spokane theater that was videotaped and sent to him. "tom is a true legend," sen. maria cantwell, d wash., said in remarks she posted on youtube in july. "he worked with everybody to get things done for our state and for our country." follow @ccamia on twitter.

color scheme staff options connect with us support local journalism anyone who thinks world affairs and national politics are tense now should consider the 10 days before spokane native tom foley was elected speaker of the house. student protesters were facing down tanks in tiananmen square. iran’s ayatollah khomeini died after running the country for 10 years, and a power struggle to replace him was starting. president george bush   no middle initials necessary   was in europe calming nato allies with a deal over short range nuclear weapons, while military experts were saying the head of the soviet union, mikhail gorbachev, was lying about what his country was spending on its military. that was 30 years ago. the u.s. house of representatives had been convulsed for months over an ethics scandal involving speaker jim wright, d texas, for wright’s sweet deal on royalties for a book he wrote and other questionable financial deals. as rumors of wright’s impending resignation multiplied, foley, who as democratic majority leader was in line for the speaker’s job, continued to support wright. foley’s election was 30 years ago thursday. on may 27, house majority whip tony coehlo, a california democrat next in the line of succession behind foley, announced he was resigning rather than face an investigation of questionable purchases of high yield junk bonds. on may 30, pennsylvania rep. william gray, one of the main candidates to replace coehlo, was reported to be under investigation by the fbi. on may 31, wright made an hourlong speech in house defending himself and denouncing “mindless cannibalism” in congress, but announced he would resign the speakership in one week, as soon as the democratic caucus picked a successor. one reason for the delay: florida rep. claude pepper, the most senior member of the house, had just died. in honor of his 58 years of service, pepper would lie in state in the capitol in the coming days, and many members of both parties would attend his funeral on june 4. out of respect, the transition would wait. there was no doubt that wright’s successor would be foley, who at age 60 was majority leader and had begun his 13th term in the house representing eastern washington’s 5th district earlier that year. the spokesman review was so sure it prepared an eight page special section of stories and photos about foley’s career and politics to run when he was elected as the first speaker from a western state, and took the rare move of sending a reporter and photographer to washington, d.c., to cover the upcoming vote. with congress out of session and bush in kennebunkport, maine, after his successful nato summit, attention in the capital that weekend turned to beijing, where chinese students seeking democratic reforms were occupying tiananmen square. the government, which earlier in the month had declared martial law, ordered them to leave, but the students’ numbers continued to grow. the government sent in troops, but students and others blocked their way. eventually, the troops opened fire on protesters around the city, and tanks moved toward the square. chinese americans and chinese exchange students in and around washington, d.c., flooded into the capital to protest at the chinese embassy and demonstrate in the national mall. similar protests occurred around the country, including in spokane’s riverfront park. on sunday in the united states   monday in beijing   a lone protester faced down a chinese tank, and the video of him climbing onto the tank to talk to the crew briefly become a symbol of the pro democracy protest. but the army continued to kill protesters and some bystanders, and different military units began to fight for control of the city. in tehran, khomeini’s funeral was attended by thousands, although at one point in the procession to the burial, mourners knocked the body to the ground and ripped the shroud to pieces for mementos. congressional leadership returned from pepper’s funeral late sunday and prepared for the transition from wright to foley, which would involve two votes on tuesday   first by the house democratic caucus, in which foley would be the only candidate, and then by the full house, in which he would run against house minority leader bob michel of illinois in what would be a straight party line vote. no speaker had ever resigned in mid term under the cloud of an investigation. typically, they announced they were leaving the speakership and congress a year in advance, giving the majority time to pick a replacement and the leadership positions immediately below. although foley was clearly the next speaker, resignations and controversy were opening up the rest of democratic leadership. but as preparations got underway, the republican political machine seemed to reload and take aim at foley. a staff member for rep. newt gingrich, then the second ranking house republican, floated a rumor to a new york newspaper columnist that foley was gay and the republican national committee released a memo that seemed to underscore that with the title “foley: out of the liberal closet” and comparing his voting record to massachusetts rep. barney frank, who was then the only openly gay member of the house. gingrich denied his staff was spreading rumors about foley, adding the new speaker “is a decent human being with a very legitimate and solid record.” bush, described by his chief of staff as very upset, later ordered the staff member who prepared the memo fired and chastised the staffer’s boss, lee atwater. in his acceptance speech, foley tried to calm the congressional waters that had been roiling for months. he urged representatives on both sides “to debate and decide with reason and without rancor.” he was complimentary of wright, predicting at some point the controversy would be forgotten and the former speaker would be remembered as strong and effective. in a press conference after his installation, he refused to take the bait of denouncing the rnc memo, saying he hadn’t read it and wasn’t going to respond to every piece of campaign literature. “they’re not part of the government. they’re part of a permanent operation to plan and wage political warfare. i’m not going to preoccupy myself with them,” he told reporters. asked if he felt like shouting for joy after his election, he said “it’s been a little too busy of a day for a ‘yippee!’ ” asked to describe himself to the rest of the country, he said he was proud to be a lifelong democrat, and would probably be classified as a liberal because of his support for civil liberties, civil rights and the belief that government can solve some of the country’s problems. he also tried to undercut claims by republicans that the democrats’ long control of the house, at that point 35 straight years, had corrupted them. the house turnover was 93 percent since he was elected in 1964, and 55 percent in the past nine years, he said. because it holds elections every two years, the house most closely reflects the views of the nation, he said. in five years, foley would become a prime exhibit in proving his point. in a republican tidal wave, foley became the first sitting speaker since the civil war to lose re election, as the gop gained control of the house for the first time since 1954 and elected newt gingrich speaker. local journalism is essential. give directly to the spokesman review's northwest passages community forums series    which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper    by using the easy options below. gifts processed in this system are not tax deductible, but are predominately used to help meet the local financial requirements needed to receive national matching grant funds. get breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens. we can all use a little hope and redemption. follow us support local journalism help user advertising more contact us © copyright 2025, the spokesman review | community guidelines | terms 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i research and write mini biographies, usually on deadline, about the lives   not the deaths   of remarkable people, most of whom i wish i had met before they passed. i’m insatiably curious about how and why things happen, how power is won and wielded, and about the “rosebud” moments that define the trajectories in people’s lives. i’ve covered urban affairs in new york as a reporter, columnist, domestic correspondent and editor for the times and the new york daily news for more than 50 years. i’ve also hosted “the new york times close up,” first on ny1 news and now on cuny tv, since it began in 1992. i’m the author of a dozen nonfiction books, including “the new yorkers: 31 remarkable people, 400 years, and the untold biography of the world’s greatest city;” “a history of new york in 101 objects;” and “the brother: the untold story of the rosenberg atom spy case.” i was born in brooklyn and graduated from cornell university. all times journalists are committed to upholding the standards of integrity outlined in our ethical journalism handbook. the best compliment i was paid as a young reporter was by a public official i respected who said i had a healthy irreverence for everyone. our responsibility is, without fear or favor   or sanctimony   to hold people with power accountable and to monitor how the exercise of that power impacts people without any. email: samrob@nytimes.com x: @samrob12 facebook: sam roberts linkedin: sam roberts she was the first woman to fly rescue missions in a combat zone, in indochina and algeria. she was also the first frenchwoman to become an army general. by sam roberts he marshaled epidemiological research to press for changes in drug policy, alternatives to prison and needle exchange programs to slow the spread of aids. by sam roberts in “three men in a room,” mr. lachman, an educator and former state senator, charted how power was secretly and corruptly wielded in new york state government. by sam roberts a master fly fisherman, author and conservationist, he guided the famous, including a former president, and the not so famous in the hunt for rainbow trout. by sam roberts she was the first woman elected lieutenant governor in the state after defying party leaders and her eventual running mate, hugh carey, to win the nomination. by sam roberts and kenneth r. rosen the eldest daughter of nelson rockefeller, she founded a nonprofit to support indigenous culture and helped fill two institutions with artifacts. by sam roberts he was excommunicated in 1999 after allowing women to celebrate mass, blessing same sex unions and offering communion to non catholics. by sam roberts he devoted his career to guarding the legacy of the philosopher known for her writings on totalitarianism and “the banality of evil.” by sam roberts she devoted her career to teaching teachers how to prepare the youngest and most vulnerable children to fulfill their potential. by sam roberts he was the hangman chosen to carry out the sentence on the fugitive nazi war criminal, in israel’s only case of capital punishment. by sam roberts he grudgingly transitioned from civil rights to politics and became the first popularly elected black mayor in new england. by sam roberts she transformed the new york public library’s collection of charts and atlases into one of the world’s largest and most accessible resources. by sam roberts he entered the state senate as a reformer, but over the course of 34 years, he became part of the system he sought to reform. by sam roberts humiliated by a nazi officer as a teenager, she joined the french resistance. by the time she was 20, she had killed a german soldier, survived torture and captured a supply train. by sam roberts she was lieutenant governor when her boss, gov. john g. rowland, resigned in a corruption scandal. the second woman to lead the state, she was later elected in her own right. by sam roberts he made his mark on newspapers in atlanta, san francisco and baltimore, but may be best known for having been abducted in atlanta in 1974. by sam roberts ms. thaler, a former dean at n.y.u., used her last interview to reminisce about her brother, ed, and to publicize the alternatives to prolonging pain and suffering. by sam roberts the organization that he led advocated the separation of church and state, with no exceptions for holidays, currency, symbolism or blessings. by sam roberts as a lawyer for the associated press and other news outlets, he challenged efforts to muzzle reporters and organized lawyers to promote free expression around the world. by sam roberts a 6 foot 4 halfback and flanker, he was a tall, reliable target for browns quarterback otto graham as cleveland rolled to titles in the late 1940s and ’50s. by richard goldstein under his 24 year leadership, the lobbying group developed enormous clout in washington, but he broke with the trump administration over immigration, tariffs and the 2020 election. by sam roberts he was 23 years old when he took part in the attack that triggered america’s declaration of war against japan. he rarely spoke publicly about it. by sam roberts he prosecuted high profile cases in the 1970s and championed soviet jews, but, after retiring, he ran afoul of the law himself, charged with a sex offense. by joseph p. fried he helped popularize “i am a man” as a demand for respect during the 1968 strike by black sanitation workers in memphis. by sam roberts he and his wife began buying pieces to furnish their apartment. they wound up with a museum quality collection and a pre eminent retail business. by sam roberts she steered vacationers and business travelers to choice destinations, talked about the best deals, and offered up savvy tips on how to avoid vexation. by sam roberts he was a secret partner who helped rescue six american diplomats in 1980 by passing them off as a film crew. the caper inspired the movie “argo.” by sam roberts he employed audacious marketing campaigns to lift his agency into the top tier of new york firms representing luxury properties. by sam roberts an engineer and influential environmentalist in new york, he fought for bus lanes, bridge tolls and limits on parking and against more highways, as in the aborted westway plan. by sam roberts a self described “reactionary individualist,” he mentored joan didion and was credited with famously comparing nixon to a used car salesman. by sam roberts an outspoken progressive, he vigorously opposed president donald j. trump and focused on legislation to help “regular americans pay their bills.” by sam roberts and joseph p. fried as a pioneer of madison avenue’s creative revolution, his “i ♥ ny” tourism pitches helped pump new life into a city deflated by the turmoil of the 1970s. by sam roberts he was the public face of the chabad lubavitch sect during the crown heights riots in 1991 and for decades lit its giant menorah in manhattan every hanukkah. by sam roberts a copywriter, he and a partner in 1972 came up with “try it, you’ll like it” and “i can’t believe i ate that whole thing.” soon, sales were, well, fizzing. by sam roberts he directed a team of engineers that built spirit, opportunity and curiosity, mobile robots that offered astonishing glimpses into the planet’s ancient past. by sam roberts at james monroe high school in the bronx, he inspired students to embrace the arts and to be engaged with the world, through aids programs and other community service projects. by sam roberts he was general counsel of mr. sharpton’s civil rights group, the national action network, and defended him in a defamation suit arising from the tawana brawley case. by sam roberts he brought to his writing a sharp sense of humor, honed in stand up comedy clubs, and never pulled punches even though he was an unabashed democrat. by sam roberts as an influential committee leader and the majority leader in the new york assembly, he led efforts, later embraced in washington, to expand coverage. by sam roberts a muckraking journalist, he helped write a revisionist account of rudolph giuliani’s role as mayor before and after the terrorist attacks. by sam roberts

our name is about honesty. the monitor is owned by the christian science church, and we’ve always been transparent about that. the church publishes the monitor because it sees good journalism as vital to progress in the world. since 1908, we’ve aimed “to injure no man, but to bless all mankind,” as our founder, mary baker eddy, put it. here, you’ll find award winning journalism not driven by commercial influences   a news organization that takes seriously its mission to uplift the world by seeking solutions and finding reasons for credible hope. a deeper view that unites instead of divides, connecting why the story matters to you. behind the news are values that drive people and nations. explore them here. do police and protesters have to see each other as the enemy? that question is at the heart of our “why we wrote this” podcast today, and the answer matters beyond law enforcement, i think.changing how others view us is often more about changing our behavior than about changing theirs. that’s a lesson that columbus, ohio, learned, but that seems much bigger than one town in the american midwest. discover the values that drive the story. the christian science monitor's coverage of the war between hamas and israel, and related articles. a deeper view that unites instead of divides, connecting why the story matters to you. we want to bridge divides to reach everyone. tom foley, former house speaker and representative from washington state, passed away on friday according to his wife. loading... oct. 18, 2013, 4:15 p.m. et | washington tall and courtly, tom foley served 30 years in the house when partisan confrontation was less rancorous than today and democrats had dominated for decades. he crowned his long political career by becoming speaker, only to be toppled when republicans seized control of congress in 1994, turned out by angry voters with little taste for incumbents. foley, the first speaker to be booted from office by his constituents since the civil war, died friday at the age of 84 of complications from a stroke, according to his wife, heather. she said he had suffered a stroke last december and was hospitalized in may with pneumonia. he returned home after a week and had been on hospice care there ever since, she said. "foley was very much a believer that the perfect should not get in the way of the achievable," ms. foley wrote in a 10 page obituary of her husband. she said he believed that "half of something was better than none." "there was always another day and another congress to move forward and get the other half done," she wrote. "america has lost a legend of the united states congress," president barack obama said in a statement friday, adding, "tom's straightforward approach helped him find common ground with members of both parties." foley, who grew up in a politically active family in spokane, wash., represented that agriculture heavy area for 15 terms in the house, including more than five years in the speaker's chair. in that job, he was third in line of succession to the presidency and was the first speaker from west of the rocky mountains. as speaker, he was an active negotiator in the 1990 budget talks that led to president george h.w. bush breaking his pledge to never agree to raise taxes, an episode that played a role in bush's 1992 defeat. even so, bush released a statement friday lauding foley. "tom never got personal or burned bridges," said bush. "we didn't agree on every issue, but on key issues we managed to put the good of the country ahead of politics." also in 1990, foley let the house vote on a resolution authorizing bush to use force against iraq for its invasion of kuwait, despite "strong personal reservations and the strenuous objections of a good many" house democrats, bob michel, an illinois republican who was house minority leader at the time, recalled friday. "but he granted our request for a vote because it was the right thing to do. he was that kind of leader," michel said in a statement. foley was also at the helm when, in 1992, revelations that many lawmakers had been allowed to overdraw their checking accounts at the house bank provoked a wave of anger against incumbents. in 1993, he helped shepherd president bill clinton's budget through the house. he never served a day as a member of the house's minority party. the republican capture of the chamber in the 1994 gave them control for the first time in 40 years and foley, it turned out, was their prize victim. he was replaced as speaker by his nemesis, rep. newt gingrich, r ga., leader of a group of rebellious younger republicans who rejected the less combative tactics of established gop leaders like michel. foley was defeated in 1994 by 4,000 votes by spokane attorney george nethercutt, a republican who supported term limits, which the speaker fought. also hurting foley was his ability to bring home federal benefits, which nethercutt used by accusing him of pork barrel politics. foley later served as us ambassador to japan for four years in the clinton administration. on friday, house speaker john boehner, r ohio, called foley "forthright and warmhearted" in a written statement. "tom foley endeared himself not only to the wheat farmers back home but also colleagues on both sides of the aisle," boehner said. "that had a lot to do with his solid sense of fairness, which remains a model for any speaker or representative." house minority leader nancy pelosi, d calif., called foley "a quintessential champion of the common good" who "inspired a sense of purpose and civility that reflects the best of our democracy." she added, "speaker foley's unrivaled ability to build consensus and find common ground earned him genuine respect on both sides of the aisle." in a 2004 associated press interview, foley spoke about how voters did not appreciate the value of service as party leader and said rural voters were turning against democrats. "we need to examine how we are responding to this division ... particularly the sense in some rural areas that the democratic party is not a party that respects faith or family or has respect for values," he said. "i think that's wrong, but it's a dangerous perception if it develops as it has." foley loved the classics and art, hobnobbing with presidents, and his steady rise to power in congress and diplomacy. he had a fine stereo system in his capitol office. he also loved riding horseback in parades and getting his boots dirty in the rolling hills of the palouse country that his pioneer forebears helped settle. foley studied at the feet of the state's two legendary senators, henry m. jackson and warren g. magnuson. "scoop" jackson was his mentor and urged his former aide to run for the house in 1964, which turned out to be a landslide year for democrats. foley worked with leadership to get plum committee assignments. retirement, new seniority rules, election losses and leadership battles lifted foley into the agriculture committee chairmanship by age 44. he eventually left that post, which he later called his favorite leadership position, to become democratic whip, the caucus' third ranking post. similar good fortune elevated him to majority leader, and the downfall of jim wright of texas lifted him to the speaker's chair, where he served from june 1989 until january 1995. "i wish i could say it was merit and hard work, but i think so much of what happens in a political career is the result of circumstances that are favorable and opportunities that come about," foley told the ap in 2003. he said his proudest achievements were farm bills, hunger programs, civil liberties, environmental legislation and civil rights bills. helping individual constituents also was satisfying, he said. even though his views were often considerably to the left of his mostly republican constituents, he said he tried to stay in touch. sen. patty murray, d wash., tweeted friday, "tom foley was a tireless, dedicated public servant for wa & the nation. i wouldn't be where i am today w/o his support. he'll be missed." cathy mcmorris rodgers, r wash., the no. 4 house gop leader who holds foley's old eastern washington seat, called him "an honorable leader and colleague" who was "highly regarded and respected by democrats and republicans." after leaving congress, he joined a blue chip law firm in washington, d.c., and earned fees serving on corporate boards. foley and his wife, heather, his unpaid political adviser and staff aide, had built their dream home in the capital in 1992. in 1997, he took one of the most prestigious assignments in diplomacy, ambassador to japan. a longtime japan scholar, foley had been a frequent visitor to that nation, in part to promote the farm products his district produces. "diplomacy is not, frankly, very different" from the deal making, consensus building and common courtesy that a successful politician needs, he said. his father, ralph, was a judge for decades and a school classmate of bing crosby's. his mother, helen, was a teacher. foley attended gonzaga preparatory school and gonzaga university in spokane. he graduated from the university of washington law school and worked as a prosecutor and assistant state attorney general and as counsel for jackson's senate interior committee for three years. then came the long house career. deepen your worldview with monitor highlights. cornell clayton, director of the foley institute for public policy at washington state university, said that growing up during the depression and world war ii made foley part of a generation that worked in a more bipartisan manner. "they saw us all on the same team," clayton said. monitor journalism changes lives because we open that too small box that most people think they live in. we believe news can and should expand a sense of identity and possibility beyond narrow conventional expectations. our work isn't possible without your support. link copied. dear reader, about a year ago, i happened upon this statement about the monitor in the harvard business review   under the charming heading of “do things that don’t interest you”: “many things that end up” being meaningful, writes social scientist joseph grenny, “have come from conference workshops, articles, or online videos that began as a chore and ended with an insight. my work in kenya, for example, was heavily influenced by a christian science monitor article i had forced myself to read 10 years earlier. sometimes, we call things ‘boring’ simply because they lie outside the box we are currently in.” if you were to come up with a punchline to a joke about the monitor, that would probably be it. we’re seen as being global, fair, insightful, and perhaps a bit too earnest. we’re the bran muffin of journalism. but you know what? we change lives. and i’m going to argue that we change lives precisely because we force open that too small box that most human beings think they live in. the monitor is a peculiar little publication that’s hard for the world to figure out. we’re run by a church, but we’re not only for church members and we’re not about converting people. we’re known as being fair even as the world becomes as polarized as at any time since the newspaper’s founding in 1908. we have a mission beyond circulation, we want to bridge divides. we’re about kicking down the door of thought everywhere and saying, “you are bigger and more capable than you realize. and we can prove it.” follow us: your subscription to the christian science monitor has expired. you can renew your subscription or continue to use the site without a subscription. return to the free version of the site if you have questions about your account, please contact customer service or call us at 1 617 450 2300. this message will appear once per week unless you renew or log out. your session to the christian science monitor has expired. we logged you out. return to the free version of the site if you have questions about your account, please contact customer service or call us at 1 617 450 2300. you don’t have a christian science monitor subscription yet. return to the free version of the site if you have questions about your account, please contact customer service or call us at 1 617 450 2300.
supported by he defeated thomas s. foley of washington state in the 1994 republican midterm sweep. it was the first time since the civil war era that voters rejected a house speaker. by sam roberts george r. nethercutt jr., who as a first time candidate for congress in 1994 defeated thomas s. foley of washington state, making mr. foley the first house speaker to be ousted by voters since the civil war era, died on friday in colorado. he was 79. his death, near denver, was confirmed by his son, elliott, who said the cause was complications of a neurological disease. the spokesman review of spokane, wash., reported that mr. nethercutt had been diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare brain disease that affects walking, balance, eye movements and swallowing. voters in washington state had approved a ballot initiative in 1992 to impose a three term limit on members of congress   a limit that mr. foley, who died in 2013, had not only opposed but also successfully challenged in court. after unseating mr. foley in 1994, mr. nethercutt vowed to serve no more than three terms but reneged on that pledge in 2000 and was re elected twice more. mr. nethercutt was a 50 year old spokane lawyer and political neophyte when he denied mr. foley a 16th two year term, winning with 50.9 percent of the vote to mr. foley’s 49 percent. his victory was part of the republican midterm sweep galvanized by newt gingrich’s “contract with america” campaign. the g.o.p. tide also flipped the makeup of washington state’s house delegation to seven republicans and two democrats from an 8 1 democratic majority. george rector nethercutt jr. was born on oct. 7, 1944, in spokane to george and nancy (sampson) nethercutt. his father was president of the local school board in the 1960s.

 watch cbs news october 18, 2013 / 12:34 pm edt / cbs/ap updated 3:00 p.m. et washington former house speaker tom foley has died at the age of 84. foley's wife, heather, said the washington state democrat died at his home in the nation's capital. a statement from the foley family said he died of complications from strokes. foley was a washington state lawmaker who was first elected to the house in 1964 and became the first speaker since the civil war who failed to win re election in his home district. he was serving as house majority leader in 1989 when then speaker jim wright, d texas, stepped down amid an ethics scandal and foley was subsequently elected house speaker. the courtly politician lost his seat in the "republican revolution" of 1994. the democrat, who had never served a single day in the minority, was ousted by a smooth young spokane lawyer, republican george nethercutt, who won by 4,000 votes in the mostly rural, heavily republican eastern washington district.