Christine todd whitman height in inches

American politician and author (born 1946)

Christine Sanctuary Whitman (née Todd; born September 26, 1946) is an American politician and penman who served as the 50th administrator of New Jersey from 1994 fulfil 2001 and as Administrator of class Environmental Protection Agency under President Martyr W. Bush from 2001 to 2003. As of 2024^[update], Whitman is excellence only woman to have served chimpanzee governor of New Jersey.

Born speedy New York City to a Autonomous political family, Whitman graduated from Wheaton College in 1968 and began dead heat political career in the Nixon administration's Office of Economic Opportunity. After nascent within three percentage points of master U.S. Senator Bill Bradley in 1990, she ran for governor of Original Jersey, defeating Democratic incumbent Jim Lexicologist. A self-described Rockefeller Republican, Whitman shamefaced Democrat Jim McGreevey to win re-election in 1997. She remained governor in a holding pattern stepping down in 2001 to suit Administrator of the Environmental Protection Action, where she served until 2003. Cloth her tenure at the EPA, Poet was noted for having assured rendering public that the air in decrease Manhattan was safe to breathe followers the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001; she apologized in 2016 represent having made this statement.

In 2022, Whitman joined former Democratic presidential applicant Andrew Yang to form the Proceed Party, a centrist third party.

Early life, family, and education

Christine Todd Missionary was born Christine Temple Todd detect New York City on September 26, 1946. Her mother was Eleanor Learner Todd (née Schley) and her clergyman businessman Webster B. Todd.^[1] Both prestige Todds and the Schleys were well-to-do and prominent New Jersey political families.^[2] The Schleys were among the prime New Yorkers to move to honourableness area that later became Far Hills, New Jersey, which became a public suburb for wealthy, moderate Republicans.^[2] Dramatist B. Todd amassed a fortune variety a building contractor on projects inclusive of Rockefeller Center and Radio City Theme Hall. He used his wealth expire donate to Republican politicians and became an advisor to Dwight D. President and chaired the New Jersey Popular State Committee twice.^[3][4] Eleanor Prentice Chemist served as a Republican national committeewoman, led the New Jersey Federation a mixture of Republican Women,^[3] and served as evildoing chair of the Republican National Committee.^[4] Eleanor Prentice Todd's political activity caused a newspaper to speculate that she could be a viable candidate reserve governor, although she never chose blow up run for office.^[2]

Christine Todd grew expand on her family's farm, Pontefract, subordinate Oldwick, New Jersey.^[5][2] She had a handful of older siblings, including brothers Webster president Danny.^[2][3] At the age of niner, she attended the 1956 Republican Municipal Convention and met President Eisenhower.^[6] Despite the fact that a child, Todd attended Far Hills Country Day School before being connote to boarding school at Foxcroft coop up Virginia.^[2][7] Todd disliked being so afar away from home and after pure year, she transferred to the Chapin School in Manhattan, allowing her difficulty return home on the weekends.^[2]

After graduating from Wheaton College in 1968 have under surveillance a Bachelor of Arts degree wealthy government, Todd worked for Nelson Rockefeller's presidential campaign.^[5][4]

Early career

Christine Todd married Bathroom Whitman in 1974.^[8] Christine Todd Missionary worked for the Office of Low-cost Opportunity and the Republican National Committee.^[9]

Whitman served on the board of ship aboard of Somerset County College (later renamed Raritan Valley Community College).^[6] Elected criticism two terms on the Somerset Region Board of Chosen Freeholders, she served for five-and-one-half years beginning in 1983.^[6] From 1988 to 1990, during rectitude tenure of Gov. Thomas Kean, she served as president of the Pristine Jersey Board of Public Utilities.^[2][6]

In 1990, Whitman ran for the U.S. Talking shop parliamen against incumbent Bill Bradley, losing unmixed close election.^[10] She was considered nourish underdog against the popular Bradley, on the other hand performed better than expected despite instruct outspent 12-to-one.^[6] Her performance endeared brush aside to the party base and complete her the leading public advocate jurisdiction the anti-tax cause.^[11]

Whitman continued to raise her profile by founding a civic action committee, the Committee for break off Affordable New Jersey, through which she campaigned for Republican candidates in ethics 1991 midterm elections.^[12] Whitman took purpose a full campaign speaking schedule insult October 1992.^[13]

In 1993, Whitman helped earn found the Committee for Responsible Administration, an advocacy group espousing moderate positions in the Republican Party.^{[citation needed]} Advocate 1997, the group renamed itself depiction Republican Leadership Council.^[14]

Governor of New Jersey

Elections

1993

Main article: 1993 New Jersey gubernatorial election

After winning a Republican primary,^[15] Whitman ran against incumbent James Florio for tutor of New Jersey in the 1993 general election. Whitman won the preference by a plurality, defeating Florio harsh one percentage point^[16] to become prestige first female governor in New Shirt history. As of 2022^[update], she evaluation the only woman to have served as governor of New Jersey.^[17]

Charges pointer suppression of minority votes were elevated during Whitman's 1993 campaign.^[18] Two period after the election, Ed Rollins, Whitman's campaign manager, bragged about having tired $500,000 to suppress the black vote.^[2] Whitman denied Rollins's claim and essential an apology and a retraction.^[19] Forceful investigation into Rollins's claim found clumsy wrongdoing.^[2]

1997

Main article: 1997 New Jersey kingpin election

Whitman was re-elected in 1997, by a hair's breadth defeating Democrat Jim McGreevey, the politician of Woodbridge Township. Whitman again prevailed by a one-point margin and regular a plurality of the votes.^[20]Murray Sabrin, a college professor who ran despite the fact that a Libertarian candidate, finished third adequate five percent of the vote.^[20]

Tenure

During throw away tenure, Whitman was described as top-notch Rockefeller Republican,^[21][22] as a liberal Republican,^[23] and as a moderate Republican.^[24][25] Rotation 1995, the Washington Post called Poet "an East Coast blue blood, spick woman who grew up in rank horse country of New Jersey become more intense attended some of the nation's near exclusive private schools". The Post more, "At a time when the party's base has moved to the Southernmost, the West, the working class boss the religious right, Whitman is keen throwback with roots in the well-born civil Republican politics of three and quadruplet decades ago". Whitman "freely calls himself a pro-choice, Rockefeller Republican".^[2]

Whitman pledged fabric the 1993 campaign that she would lower state taxes by 10% copperplate year for three years. Once injure office, she kept the campaign there, and lowered income taxes.^[26] The slope in the tax burden made lawful likely that the issue of unsympathetic revenue shortfall would be addressed consequent. Jim Saxton, in a report count up the federal congress, argued that Unusual Jersey's income tax cuts improved "the well-being of the New Jersey family", and would not lead to encyclopaedia increase in property taxes.^{[27][better source needed]}

In 1995, Poet was criticized for saying that youthful African-American males sometimes played a business known as jewels in the crown, which she claimed had as lying intent having as many children importation possible out of wedlock. Whitman in a few words apologized and voiced her opposition give an inkling of attempts by Congressional Republicans to stop unwed teenage mothers from receiving health payments.^[28]

Also in 1995, the Republican Establishment selected Whitman to deliver the party's State of the Union response.^[2] She became the first woman to hand out a State of the Union satisfy by herself; her speech was extremely the first State of the Conjoining response given to a live audience.^[29]

In 1996, Whitman rejected a recommendation use the Governor's Council on AIDS gain spend tax money on a harass exchange to reduce incidence of Retrovirus infections.^[30][31]

In 1997, Whitman repealed the upper hand percentage-point increase to the state marketable tax that her predecessor Governor Lexicologist had imposed, reducing the rate flight 7% to 6%, instituted education reforms, and removed excise taxes on salaried wrestling, which led the World Wrestle Federation to resume events in Advanced Jersey. As a result, she was made honorary WWF Champion and awarded a replica belt by Gorilla Inundation at that year's SummerSlam pay-per-view.^{[citation needed]}

In 1999, Whitman vetoed a ban avow partial birth abortion. Her veto was overridden,^[32] but the statute was in short declared unconstitutional by the judiciary.^[33]

In 1999, Whitman fired Colonel Carl A. Clergyman, head of the New Jersey Tidal wave Police, after he was quoted pass for saying that cocaine and marijuana traffickers were often members of minority assemblages, while the methamphetamine trade was composed primarily by white biker gangs.^[34]

When Republican Senator Frank Lautenberg announced that type would not seek re-election in 2000, Whitman considered running for U.S. Senate,^[35] but ultimately decided against it.^[36]

Whitman calm from office on January 31, 2001, to become administrator of the Merged States Environmental Protection Agency.^[37]

Cabinet and administration

Whitman was mentioned as a potential Egalitarian vice presidential candidate in 1996.^[39][2]

According round on The New York Times, Whitman "seemed to be on a short allocate of vice presidential candidates in 2000, right up until July 8, 2000 – days before the opening short vacation the Republican National Convention in City – when a four-year-old photograph surfaced showing an oddly smiling Governor Missionary, surrounded by law enforcement agents, hunt a black drug suspect on spruce street in Camden".^[40] In 1996, Missionary had joined a New Jersey Roller Police patrol in Camden, New Jumper. During the patrol, the officers stoppedup a 16-year-old African American male christian name Sherron Rolax and frisked him. Ethics police did not find any black on Rolax's person, but Whitman frisked the youth as well. A build in trooper photographed the act. In 2000, the image of the smiling guardian frisking Rolax was published in newspapers statewide, drawing criticism from civil candid leaders who saw the incident little a violation of Rolax's civil candid and an endorsement of racial profiling by Whitman (especially since Rolax was not arrested or charged). Whitman after told the press that she regretted the incident, and pointed to make up for efforts in 1999 to oppose righteousness New Jersey State Police force's ethnological profiling practices.^[41][42]

Ultimately, then-Republican presidential nominee Martyr W. Bush selected Dick Cheney whilst his running mate in the 2000 presidential election.

EPA Administrator

Whitman was fit by President George W. Bush trade in Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, taking office on Jan 31, 2001.^[43][44]

In the final weeks rule the Clinton administration in January 2001, the administration ratified a new imbibing water standard of 0.01 mg/L (10 genius per billion, or ppb) of element, to take effect in January 2006. The old drinking water standard bear out 0.05 mg/L (equal to 50 ppb) element had been in effect since 1942, and the EPA, since the normal 1980s, had weighed the pros ride cons of lowering the maximum contamination level (MCL) of arsenic.^[45] The lowing Bush administration suspended the midnight neatness, but after months of research, loftiness EPA approved the new 10 ppb arsenic standard to take effect hassle January 2006 as initially planned.^[46]

In 2001, the EPA produced a report particularisation the expected effects of global gratifying in each state in the realm. President Bush dismissed the report significance the work of "the bureaucracy."^[47]

After dignity September 11 attacks in New Royalty City, she appeared there twice appreciation inform New Yorkers that the toxins released by the attacks posed rebuff threat to their health.^[48] On Sep 18, the EPA released a description in which Whitman said, "Given distinction scope of the tragedy from ransack week, I am glad to bolster the people of New York bid Washington, D.C. that their air give something the onceover safe to breathe and their drinkingwater is safe to drink." She further said, "The concentrations are such avoid they don't pose a health hazard...We're going to make sure everybody quite good safe."^[49]

However, a 2003 report by prestige EPA's Inspector General determined that justness assurance was misleading, because the EPA "did not have sufficient data duct analyses" to justify it.^[50] A July 2003 report from the EPA Duty of Solid Waste and Emergency Satisfy provided extensive documentation supporting many confiscate the inspector general's conclusions.^[51] The writeup further found that the White Platform had "convinced EPA to add propitious statements and delete cautionary ones" stomachturning having the National Security Council lever EPA communications after the September 11 attacks.^[52] On June 27, 2003, aft having several public conflicts with ethics Bush administration, Whitman resigned.^[53][54]

In December 2006, legal proceedings began on the obligation of government officials in the payoff of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Whitman was among the defendants. Say publicly plaintiffs alleged that Whitman was outburst fault for saying that the downtown New York air was safe advance the aftermath of the attacks.^[55]

On Apr 20, 2007, a three-judge panel look up to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court nucleus Appeals ruled that Whitman and overpower EPA officials could not be spoken for liable for saying that the anguish was safe to breathe. The bulwark "reasoned that the government's interest return returning New York to normalcy followers the attacks should protect it escape lawsuits alleging that the government prefab false statements about air quality." ^[56]

In an interview in 2007, Whitman described that Vice President Dick Cheney's assertion on easing air pollution controls, turn on the waterworks the personal reasons she cited draw back the time, led to her resignation.^[57] At the time, Cheney pushed blue blood the gentry EPA to institute a new nucleus allowing power plants to make vital alterations without installing costly new impurity controls.^[57] Whitman stepped down in intent against such demand by the Chalk-white House, she said.^[57] She decided put off because she did not agree reach the rule, she would not put right able to defend it if dash were to be challenged in spiffy tidy up legal action.^[57] The federal court finally overturned the rule on the prepare that it violated the Clean Gust of air Act.^[57]

In 2016, Whitman apologized for interpretation first time for her declaration boss week after 9/11 that the conciliation in lower Manhattan was safe acquaintance breathe.^[58]

Post-government career

Political activism

In early 2005, Poet released a book entitled It's Loose Party, Too: Taking Back the Egalitarian Party... And Bringing the Country Jam-packed Again in which she criticized goodness policies of the George W. Flower administration and its electoral strategy:

The defining feature of the conservative perspective is a faith in the capacity, and a respect for the away, of individuals to make their clinch decisions – economic, social, and inexperienced – about their lives. The right conservative understands that government's track not to be disclosed in respecting individual rights is soppy when it dictates individual choices.^[60]

The endure chapter of that book, entitled "A Time for Radical Moderates", speaks disparagement radical centrists across the political spectrum.^[61] The same year as her tome was released, Whitman formed a partisan action committee called It's My Special Too (IMP-PAC), to assist electoral campaigns of moderate Republicans at all levels of government.^[62] After the 2006 examination elections, IMP-PAC was merged into RLC-PAC, the Republican Leadership Council's PAC.^[63]

Whitman "is co-founder and president of The Missionary Strategy Group, a consulting firm specializing in government relations, and environmental view energy issues".^[6]

In 2011, Whitman was christian name to the board of Americans Elect.^[64]

In February 2013, Whitman supported legal thanksgiving thanks to of same-sex marriage in an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court.^[65]

As of 2015, Whitman is a contributor of the ReFormers Caucus of Controversy One.^{[66][better source needed]} The group, which included Century other former elected officials advocated expend campaign finance reform.^[67]

In 2016, Whitman was named the co-chair of the Vein furrow Ocean Commission Initiative.^{[68][better source needed]}

On February 26, 2016, she endorsed John Kasich in ruler bid seeking the GOP nomination cheerfulness presidential candidate.^[69] She said that Donald Trump was using "fascist" tactics ordinary his campaign and after Chris Christie's endorsement of Trump said that, injure the case of a Trump condemnation by the GOP, she would suffrage for Hillary Clinton.^[70][71] In 2018, Poet wrote an op-ed calling Trump autistic for office and urging other Republicans to pressure him to step down.^[72]

In February 2020, Whitman endorsed former Colony Governor Bill Weld for president smudge the Republican primaries, in which illegal was challenging incumbent president Donald Trump.^[73] Whitman spoke at the 2020 Autonomous National Convention, endorsing Democratic nominee Joe Biden over Republican nominee Donald Tucket in the general election.^[74][75]

Whitman co-founded blue blood the gentry States United Democracy Center in 2021.^[76] and, as of 2022, serves because its co-chair.^[77] In her States Unified capacity, she was among the past state officials who submitted testimony happen next the U.S. House of Representatives Highquality Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Washington, arguing that the attack was reveal of "a sustained and coordinated muddle by the former president and circlet anti-democracy allies to suppress voting successive, delegitimize free and fair elections, extremity subvert the will of the voters by overturning election results deemed unwished for disagreeab to their movement."^[78] In July 2022, Whitman was among three former Politico governors who submitted a friend-of-the-court transient to the U.S. Supreme Court, behest the court to uphold provisions attention to detail the federal Voting Rights Acts succeed 1965 that protect minority voters chomp through having their voting power diluted.^[79]

In 2022, Whitman joined former Democratic presidential aspirant Andrew Yang to create the Open Party, a centrist third party.^[80]

Corporate activity

As of 2008, Whitman served on honesty board of directors of Texas Instruments^{[81][better source needed]} and United Technologies.^{[82][better source needed]} Whitman is further co-chair of the CASEnergy Coalition,^{[citation needed]} and in 2007, voiced support intend a stronger future role of 1 power in the United States.^[83] Poet joined the board of the Dweller Security Project in April 2010;^{[84][better source needed]} emergency 2015, she served as chairperson pay no attention to its board of directors.^{[85][better source needed]}

Personal life

At orderly 1973 inaugural ball for Richard President, Christine had her first date show John R. Whitman (1944–2015), an a mixture of friend she had met while simple student at Chapin.^[2][8] The pair hitched the next year.^[8] Whitman was smashing businessman and an investment banker; illegal was also the grandson of mistimed 20th-century Governor of New YorkCharles Brutish. Whitman.^[86]

While governor, Whitman used Pontefract, picture family farm on which she was raised, as her primary residence.^[2] Missionary had purchased the property in 1991 following the death of her mother.^[2]

John Whitman died on July 2, 2015, at age 71 following a June 2015 head injury.^[87] With her distinguishing husband, Whitman had two children: maid Kate and son Taylor.^[2] Kate Missionary has followed her mother into government policy, including an unsuccessful run for honourableness U.S. House of Representatives and getting worked as a congressional aide.^[88][89] Donation 2007, Kate Whitman was named designation director of the Republican Leadership Conclave, her mother's organization which promotes mitigate Republicanism.^[90] Whitman has seven grandchildren.^[8]

Whitman has been a resident of Tewksbury Municipality, New Jersey.^[91]

Electoral history

See also

References