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Joe Wilson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's 2nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office December 18, 2001
Preceded by	Floyd Spence
Personal details
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Roxanne Wilson
Children	Alan McCrory Wilson Addison Graves Wilson, Jr. Julian Dusenbury Wilson Hunter Taylor Wilson
Residence	West Columbia, South Carolina
Alma mater	Washington and Lee University, University of South Carolina
Occupation	Attorney
Website	http://www.joewilson.house.gov
Military service
Branch/service	United States Army United States Army National Guard
Rank	Colonel
Unit	Reserve South Carolina

Addison Graves Wilson, Sr., most commonly known as Joe Wilson (born July 31, 1947), is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of South Carolina. He was a former U.S. Army lawyer, South Carolina State Senator (1984 - 2001), and since 2001 has represented the state's 2nd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. In Congress he serves on a number of committees (including the House Committee on Armed Services), is a member of the House Republican Policy Committee, and an Assistant Republican Whip.

In September 2009, Wilson interrupted a speech by U.S. President Barack Obama to a joint session of Congress by shouting "You lie!" The incident received international attention and resulted in a formal rebuke by the House of Representatives.

Early legal and political career

Wilson was born in Charleston, South Carolina, to Hugh de Veaux Wilson and Wray Graves Wilson.

He was active in South Carolina Republican politics from a young age, participating in his first Republican campaign in 1962. As a teenager he joined the campaign of Congressman Floyd Spence, later working as an aide to Senator Strom Thurmond.

Wilson obtained a bachelor's degree from Washington and Lee University in 1969, obtained a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1972, worked as a real estate attorney, and co-founded the law firm Kirkland, Wilson, Moore, Taylor & Thomas in West Columbia, where he practiced for over 25 years. Wilson was also a municipal judge in Springdale.

From 1972 to 1975, Wilson served in the United States Army Reserve, and then as a Staff Judge Advocate in the South Carolina Army National Guard assigned to the 218th Mechanized Infantry Brigade until retiring from military service as a Colonel in 2003.

In 1981 and 1982, during the Reagan Administration, Wilson served as Deputy General Counsel for former Governor Jim Edwards at the U.S. Department of Energy.

Wilson was elected to the South Carolina Senate in 1984 as a Republican from Lexington County. He was reelected four times, the last three times unopposed; Lexington County is one of the most Republican counties in the state. He never missed a regular legislative session in 17 years. After the Republicans gained control of the chamber in 1996, he became the first Republican to serve as Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. Wilson was a member of the Columbia College Board of Visitors and Coker College Board of Trustees.

During his tenure in the South Carolina Senate, Wilson was the primary sponsor of bills which included the following: establishing a National Guard license plate, providing paid leave for state employees to perform disaster relief services, and requiring men aged 18-26 to register for the Selective Service System when applying for a driver's license. In 2000, Wilson voted against removing the Confederate battle flag from being displayed over the state house, a cause which Wilson was once best known for championing. The Senate voted 36-7 to remove the flag.

U.S. House of Representatives

Wilson was elected in 2001 to represent South Carolina's 2nd congressional district, which stretches from the state capital, Columbia, to the resort towns of Beaufort and Hilton Head Island. The election was caused by the death of Floyd Spence, Wilson's former boss. Wilson once said that a dying Spence called Wilson from his hospital bed and asked him to run. He won a crowded five-way primary with 75 percent of the vote, and prevailed in the December 18 special election with 73% of the vote.

Wilson won election to a full term in 2002 with 84% of the vote, facing only four minor-party candidates.

Wilson was mentioned as a possible candidate for retiring Senator Fritz Hollings' seat in 2004, but he decided to run for a second full term and beat his opponents, Democrat Michael Ray Ellisor and Constitution Party nominee Steve Lefemine, with 65% of the vote.

In 2003, Wilson voted for the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act, including its Section 1011 authorizing $250,000 annually of taxpayer money to reimburse hospitals for treatment of illegal immigrants. In 2009, Wilson changed to his current position opposing public funds for healthcare of illegal immigrants.

In the 2006 elections, he defeated Ellisor again, gaining 62.7% of the vote, and kept his House seat.

In the 2008 general election, he won 54% of the vote to Rob Miller's 46%, the closest race in the district in 20 years.

Like Spence, Wilson is an ardent social and fiscal conservative, and a strong supporter of the military. He is a member of the Republican Study Committee.

Bills

Wilson has sponsored and cosponsored a number of bills, issuing press releases regarding seven of them, concerning:

• Teacher recruitment and retention
• College campus fire safety
• National Guard troop levels
• Arming airline pilots
• Tax credits for adoptions
• Tax credits for living organ donors
• State defense forces

As of January 2006, eight bills cosponsored by Wilson have been signed by the president, including H.R.1973, the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005, making safe water and sanitation an objective of U.S. assistance to developing countries.

Wilson is a staunch advocate of a federal prohibition of online poker. In 2006, he cosponsored H.R. 4411, the Goodlatte-Leach Internet Gambling Prohibition Act and H.R. 4777, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act.

He has cited as his proudest congressional achievements the Drafting Business Expensing Act of 2003, which temporarily increased tax depreciation for business equipment and machinery, and the Drafting Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act of 2003, which assisted teachers in certain subjects with student loan debt. He cites as his most important vote the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003.

Controversy over "hatred of America" remark

On a 2002 live broadcast of the C-SPAN talk show Washington Journal, guests Wilson and Democratic congressman Bob Filner were discussing Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. When Filner noted that the US provided Iraq "chemical and biological weapons" in the 1980s, Wilson incorrectly stated that this idea was "made up" and commented to Filner, "This hatred of America by some people is just outrageous. And you need to get over that." Wilson apologized for his remarks in statements to the press.

Criticism of Strom Thurmond's daughter

In 2003, Essie Mae Washington-Williams revealed that she was the daughter of Wilson's former employer, the late Senator Strom Thurmond, and Thurmond's black maid. Wilson was among those who publicly doubted her assertion that Thurmond had a child out of wedlock. Wilson said even if her story was true, she should not have revealed it because "it's a smear" on Thurmond's image and was a way to "diminish" Thurmond's legacy. After Thurmond's family acknowledged the truth of Washington-Williams' revelation, Wilson apologized but said that he still thought that she should not have revealed that Thurmond was her father.

Outburst during 2009 Presidential address

On September 9, 2009, Wilson shouted at President Barack Obama while Obama addressed a joint session of Congress to outline his proposal for reforming health care. During his address, Obama said: "There are also those who claim that our reform effort will insure illegal immigrants. This, too, is false – the reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally." In a breach of decorum, Wilson pointed at Obama and shouted, "You lie!" Wilson attracted national and international attention for the incident. He said afterwards that his outburst reflected his view that the bill would provide government-subsidized benefits to illegal immigrants.

Members of Congress from both parties condemned the outburst. "Totally disrespectful," said Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) of Wilson's utterance. "No place for it in that setting or any other and he should apologize immediately." Wilson said later in a statement:

This evening I let my emotions get the best of me when listening to the President’s remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants in the health care bill. While I disagree with the President's statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the President for this lack of civility.

Obama later accepted Wilson's apology. "I'm a big believer that we all make mistakes," he said. "He apologized quickly and without equivocation and I'm appreciative of that." However, House Democrats called on Wilson to issue a formal apology on the House floor. Wilson refused, saying in a televised interview that, "I believe one apology is sufficient." Congressional Republicans agreed, and opposed further action. On September 15, the House approved a "resolution of disapproval" against Wilson, on a nearly party-line 240-179 vote.

Wilson was also criticized as being factually inaccurate because HR 3200 expressly excludes undocumented aliens from receiving "affordability credits." Section 246 of the bill, titled "NO FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS," states: "Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States." The bill did, however, require some to purchase health insurance who were not explicitly restricted from the proposed Health Insurance Exchange. The Obama administration later stated that, in the final bill, these people would not be able to participate in the Exchange. Prior to Obama's speech, Democrats had twice rejected amendments to the bill requiring documentation of legal status in the United States in order to receive benefits under the proposed plan, contending that a more complex application process would delay or prevent citizens from receiving health care. After Wilson's outburst, such specific language was included when the Senate healthcare-reform plan was introduced, leading some commentators to conclude that Wilson's outspokenness motivated the more specific language.

Former President Jimmy Carter said the outburst was "based on racism ... here is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president". This view was echoed by entertainer and educator Bill Cosby. However, others disagreed, including Donna Edwards, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus. Alan Wilson, son of Joe Wilson and a candidate for South Carolina state attorney general, said: "There is not a racist bone in my dad's body. He doesn't even laugh at distasteful jokes." White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, when asked about Carter's comments, stated that President Barack Obama "does not believe that criticism comes based on the color of his skin."

Following the incident, both Wilson and Rob Miller, his likely 2010 general election opponent, experienced a significant upswing in campaign donations. As of September 17 Miller had raised $1.6 million, more than he had raised during the entire 2008 campaign, while Wilson raised $1.8 million.

Committee assignments

• Committee on Armed Services
  • Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces
  • Subcommittee on Military Personnel
• Committee on Education and Labor
  • Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions
  • Subcommittee on Workforce Protections
• Committee on Foreign Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Europe
  • Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia

Party leadership

• House Republican Policy Committee

Family

Joe and his wife Roxanne Dusenbury McCrory Wilson have four sons and four grandchildren. His oldest son Alan McCrory Wilson is also a lawyer, working as an Assistant Attorney General for South Carolina, and a Major in the Army National Guard, having served a year as an intelligence officer in southern Iraq. He is currently running for the Republican nomination for the South Carolina State Attorney General in 2010. Addison G. "Add" Wilson, Jr. is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and is now an Lieutenant and graduate of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences medical school. Julian Dusenbury Wilson is a graduate of Clemson University and is a Captain in the Army National Guard. Hunter Taylor Wilson currently attends Clemson University, where he is a member of the Army ROTC, Army National Guard and the Sigma Chi Fraternity.

In an 2005 guest article on Rediff.com, Wilson stated that his father Hugh was a member of the Flying Tigers in World War II. The Wilson family attends First Presbyterian Church in Columbia.

Organization membership

Wilson has been a member and former President or Chairman of the Cayce-West Columbia Rotary Club, Sheriff's Department Law Enforcement Advisory Council, Reserve Officers Association, Lexington County Historical Society, County Community and Resource Development Committee, American Heart Association, Mid-Carolina Mental Health Association, and NationsBank Lexington Advisory Board.

He has been a board member of the Cayce-West Columbia Jaycees, Kidney Foundation, SC Lung Association, Alston-Wilkes Society, and Cayce-West Columbia Chamber of Commerce. Wilson has also has been a member of the Columbia World Affairs Council, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Sinclair Lodge 154, Jamil Temple, Woodmen of the World, Sons of Confederate Veterans, Military Order of the World Wars, Springdale Elementary, Falmer Middle and Airport High School PTAs, American Legislative Exchange Council, Lexington Chamber of Commerce, Greater Irmo Chamber of Commerce, Chapin Chamber of Commerce, West Metro Chamber of Commerce, Navy League, Amvets, Association of the US Army, National Guard Association, Air Force Association, Fourteenth Air Force Association, the Yorktown Association, SC Homebuilders Association, American Legion Guignard Post, 40 & 8, Lexington and Dutch Fork Republican Women's Clubs (Associate), and Executive Council of Indian Waters Council Boy Scouts of America.

Electoral history

See also

• America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009

• United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina, 2008#District 2

References

2. "CNN, Politics, retrieved 14 September 2009". Cnn.com. 2009-09-10. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
3. http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2009/09/2009916172057802997.html Carter: Obama a target for racism
4. Phillips, Kate (2009-09-09). "The New York Times, retrieved 15 September 2009". Thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
5. "Project Vote Smart - Representative Addison Graves 'Joe' Wilson Sr. - Biography". Votesmart.org. 1947-07-31. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
6. ^ "Wilson, Addison Graves "Joe"". Our Campaigns. September 10, 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2009.
7. "South Carolina General Assembly Bill S0150". Scstatehouse.gov. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
8. "South Carolina General Assembly Bill S0283". Scstatehouse.gov. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
9. "South Carolina General Assembly Bill S0634". Scstatehouse.gov. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
10. "Rep. Joe Wilson said "the Confederate heritage is very honorable" during SC flag dispute". Facing South. The Institute for Southern Studies. Retrieved 2009-09-11.
11. Jay Newton-Small, "Gosh Darn that Joe Wilson], Time, September 15, 2009
12. Philip Rucker and Ann Gerhart, "The Gentlemen From South Carolina: State Has a History of Rowdy Politics", Washington Post, September 11, 2009
13. ^ AP.org web site. Retrieved April 10, 2008.
14. ^ Special election vote totals are at South Carolina Election Commission official web site; go to the page for December 18, 2001 special election. Retrieved April 10, 2008.
15. He received 144,149 votes to 17,189 and 9,650 minor party candidates with 371 write-in votes. See South Carolina Election Commission official web site, go to the page for November 5, 2002 general election. Retrieved April 10, 2008.
16. Roll Call, August 18, 2003
17. Wilson got 181,862 votes to 93,249 for Democrat Ellisor, and 4,447 for minor party candidate Lefemine, with 312 write-ins. See South Carolina Election Commission official web site, go to the page for November 2, 2004 general election. Retrieved April 10, 2008.
18. Shaw, Donny (September 11, 2009). "Joe Wilson Voted to Provide Taxpayer Money for Illegal Immigrants' Healthcare". OpenCongress,org. Retrieved 12 September 2009.
19. Wilson received 127,811 votes to Ellisor's 76,090 votes, with 151 write-ins. See South Carolina Election Commission official web site, go to the page for November 7, 2006 general election. Retrieved April 10, 2008.
20. "U.S. House". USA Today. November 5, 2008. p. A16. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
21. http://www.votesmart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=BS021931
22. "Thomas (Library of Congress): H.R. 1973". Thomas.loc.gov. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
23. "Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 4411". Thomas.loc.gov. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
24. "Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 4777". Thomas.loc.gov. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
25. ^ James Rosen, "Joe Wilson Biography", The State, September 10, 2009
26. "Wilson accuses California congressman of hating America", Associated Press, September 26, 2002
27. Lloyd Grove, "The Reliable Source", Washington Post, September 25, 2002
28. Jennifer Talhelm, "Most Say Revelation Won't Alter Thurmond's Legacy", The State, December 14, 2003
29. Jennifer Talhelm and Aaron Gould Shinin, "Critics of Thurmond's Daughter Change Tune", The State, December 19, 2003
30. "Obama heckled by GOP during speech: 'You lie!'". Washington Post. 2009-09-09.
31. "Obama's Health Care Speech to Congress". New York Times. 2009-09-09.
32. "Wilson Apologizes After Accusing Obama of a 'Lie'". Bloomberg. September 10, 2009. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
33. "Obama heckled by GOP during speech to Congress". Associated Press. September 10, 2009. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
34. Politico:"A voice from the floor on illegal immigrants: 'Lie'". Retrieved September 9, 2009.
35. "The Huffington Post: "GOP Rep Joe Wilson Yells Out "Lie" During Obama Health Care Speech To Congress (VIDEO)". Retrieved September 9, 2009.
36. Spillius, Alex (2009-09-10). "Barack Obama health care speech: Republican calls president a liar". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
37. Spiegel, (German), Le Monde (French - dubs him "Joe 'You Lie' Wilson"), El Pais, (Spanish).
38. Time, 10 September 2009, "'You Lie!': Representative Wilson's Outburst"
39. "FOX News coverage of Wilson controversy". Foxnews.com. 2009-09-11. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
40. "CNN.com - Transcripts". Transcripts.cnn.com. 2009-09-09. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
41. The Daily Voice: "South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson calls the President a liar during speech". Retrieved September 9,2009.
42. "Wilson apologizes: 'I let my emotions get the best of me'". Retrieved September 9, 2009.
43. Stolberg, Sheryl Gay (September 10, 2009). "Obama Accepts Wilson's Apology". New York Times. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
44. "Lawmaker won't apologize to Obama in Congress | U.S." Reuters. 2009-02-09. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
45. 13 september 2009. "Joe Wilson: 'One Apology Is Sufficient'". YouTube. Retrieved 2009-09-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
46. Soraghan, Mike (12 September 2009). "DeMint: No more apologizing for Wilson". The Hill. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
47. Isenstadt, Alex (15 September 2009). "House passes resolution of disapproval". Politico. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
48. "Obama's Health Care Speech". FactCheck.org. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
49. "Joe Wilson of South Carolina said Obama lied, but he didn't". PolitiFact. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
50. "CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - CNN Truth Squad: Will health bill pay for illegal immigrants? An update « - Blogs from CNN.com". Politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com. 2009-08-27. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
51. "Obama's Health Care Speech". FactCheck.org. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
52. "Republicans Cite Report To Support Illegal Alien Health Care Charge". National Public Radio. 2009-09-10. Retrieved 2009-09-10.
53. Herszenhorn, David M. (2009-09-11). "Illegal Immigrants Could Not Buy Insurance on New 'Exchange,' White House Says". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-09-12.
54. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090911/ap_on_go_co/us_health_care_overhaul
55. http://health.yahoo.com/news/ap/us_health_care_overhaul.html
56. http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/16/health.care.key.points/
57. http://www.newser.com/story/69230/wilson-wins-obama-beefs-up-illegal-immigrant-ban.html
58. "Jimmy Carter: Wilson's Outburst Was Racist" (NBC Washington)
59. ["Carter: Wilson's outburst 'based on racism'" (Washington Times)
60. "Jimmy Carter: Wilson's Outburst 'Based On Racism'" (Huffington Post
61. "http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/09/17/2009-09-17_jimmy_carter_gets_flak_for_racism_charge__even_from_white_house.html NY Daily News, Jimmy Carter gets flak for racism charge, Sept 17 2009
62. http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/15/carter.obama/index.html "Carter again cites racism as factor in Obama's treatment", September 17, 2009
63. https://www.bet.com/News/Politics_Carter_Repeats_His_Belief_that_Obama_is_Under_Racist_Attack.htm "Carter Repeats His Belief that Obama is Under Racist Attack", September 17, 2009
64. "Carter 'Racism' Claim Draws Widespread Criticism". FOXNews.com. 16 September 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
65. "http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/09/17/2009-09-17_jimmy_carter_gets_flak_for_racism_charge__even_from_white_house.html NY Daily News, Jimmy Carter gets flak for racism charge, Sept 17 2009
66. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8260109.stm "White House rejects racism claim" BBC News, 16 September 2009
67. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-tc-nw-canada-0916-0917sep17,0,5412906.story "Gibbs: Racism not basis for opposition", Chicago Tribune, 17 September 2009
68. http://kdka.com/topstories/jimmy.carter.joe.2.1186411.html "Carter: Some Criticism Of Obama Rooted In Racism", 16 September 2009
69. "Congressional Elections: South Carolina District 02 Race: 2008 Cycle". OpenSecrets. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
70. Bailey, Holly (17 September 2008). "How Joe Wilson's Heckle Became a Campaign Cash Cow". Newsweek. Retrieved 17 September 2009. {{cite news}}: Check |authorlink= value (help); External link in |authorlink= (help)
71. Biographical note on Alan Wilson, Attorney at Willoughby & Hoefer, P. A.. Retrieved September 9, 2009.
72. O'Connor, John (August 25, 2008). "Wilson to run for attorney general". The State. Retrieved September 9, 2009.
73. Wilson, Joe (September 28, 2005). "Where the world is without fear". Rediff. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
74. "Election Statistics". Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Retrieved 2008-01-10.

External links

• U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson, U.S. House site

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Profile at Vote Smart
• Profile from SourceWatch Congresspedia
• Joe Wilson for U.S. Congress campaign site
• "Congressman with military ties backs Iraq war" Darran Simon, Medill News Service, February 18, 2004
• "Don’t Turn Back the Page on Border Security" Op-ed by Joe Wilson, February 3, 2008

Template:Persondata

• 1947 births
• Living people
• People from Charleston, South Carolina
• American Presbyterians
• Censured or reprimanded United States Representatives
• Members of the United States House of Representatives from South Carolina
• Sons of Confederate Veterans
• South Carolina Republicans
• South Carolina State Senators
• United States Army officers
• South Carolina lawyers
• Washington and Lee University alumni
• University of South Carolina alumni