Christopher Hunter Shays (born October 18, 1945) is an American politician. He previously served in the United States House of Representatives as representative of the 4th District of Connecticut from 1987 to 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Shays was the only Republican congressman from New England elected to the 110th United States Congress in the 2006 midterm elections. His loss to Jim Himes in the 2008 election made New England's House delegation entirely Democratic in the 111th Congress. He was the most senior member of the House of Representatives to be defeated in the 2008 election.
In 2009, Shays was appointed to co-chair the Commission on Wartime Contracting.Commission on Wartime Contracting The commission is an independent, bipartisan legislative commission established to study wartime contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Created in Section 841 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, this eight-member commission is mandated by Congress to study federal agency contracting for the reconstruction, logistical support of coalition forces, and the performance of security functions in Iraq and Afghanistan. He co-chaired the government watchdog commission that identified and raised alarm over $60 billion of waste, fraud, and abuse in wartime contingency contracting and presented to Congress reforms to address this wasteful spending.
Shays was a candidate for the 2012 Republican U.S. Senate nomination to replace retiring Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman. However, he lost the August 14 primary to Linda McMahon. To date, he is the last Republican to have represented Connecticut in Congress.
Background
Shays was born in Stamford, Connecticut, the son of Margaret "Peggy" (née Oliver) and Thurston Crane Shays. His maternal grandmother was born in Scotland. He grew up in Darien, and graduated from Darien High School in 1964. He attended the Christian Science Principia College in Elsah, Illinois, and received both a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Public Administration from New York University. He lives in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport, Connecticut.Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Shays, Christopher H. Retrieved October 9, 2006. Shays has always remained a Christian Scientist—a system of thought and practice derived from the writings of Mary Baker Eddy and the Bible—throughout his life.
Shays married Betsi DeRaismes in 1968. They served together in the Peace Corps in Fiji from 1968 to 1970. They have one daughter.
Connecticut General Assembly At the age of 29, Shays was first elected to the Connecticut House where he served from 1975 to 1987. He served simultaneously as the ranking member of both the Appropriations Committee and the Committee on Finance, Revenue, and Bonding. He also served as a member of the Judiciary Committee. He served six days in jail on a contempt charge when he was a member of the Connecticut Legislature protesting judicial corruption.
Member of the United States Congress In 1987, Shays won a special election to fill the vacant seat of the late Congressman Stewart McKinney. He represented the 4th congressional district (southwestern Connecticut) until losing to Jim Himes in 2008.
During his 21 years in Congress, Christopher served on the Government Reform, Financial Services, Budget and Homeland Security committees and was the first congressman to enter Iraq after the war.
Police incident In 2007, during an incident at the Capitol, a staff member under Shays' supervision attempted to bring a family through a restricted-access door.Kucinich, Jackie (July 20, 2007). "Shays Apologizes for Scuffle with Capitol Police officer". The Hill. Archived from the original on January 11, 2008. When a United States Capitol Police officer intervened and prevented their entry, Shays engaged in a heated exchange with the officer. He raised his voice, using profanities, and attempted to inspect the officer's badge for identification. Following the incident, Shays publicly acknowledged his regret for his behavior and accepted full responsibility for his actions.
Voting record Shays is a moderate Republican. From 1990 onward, Shays voted with the Republican majority 76.8% of the time, voted with the Democratic majority 57.9% of the time and missed 2.5% of the votes. A U.S. News & World Report analysis of Shays' voting record found that he is a moderate, having voted historically more often with liberals than with conservatives, although it noted he voted with Congressional Republicans 80% of the time in 2002.Halloran, Liz. One Fierce Nor'easter. U.S. News & World Report May 29, 2006.
Shays is labeled by his supporters as a "maverick"Keating, Christopher. "Rep. Shays Facing His Toughest Race in 17 Years; Incumbent's Maverick Image Concerns Fellow Republicans". Hartford Courant. Sep 13, 2004. pg. B.1 and "independent thinker", while conservative detractors regard him as a RINO ("Republican In Name Only").Buck, Rinker. Out Of Step. The Hartford Courant June 11, 2006. He and Marty Meehan were the lead sponsors of the House version of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, which President George W. Bush signed into law in 2002. Shays is pro-choice on abortion but voted for the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. Shays was endorsed by the Brady Campaign for his support for gun control and was one of only six Republicans to vote against banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers and distributors in 2005.Project VoteSmart. Representative Christopher H. Shays (CT): Gun Issues. Retrieved October 9, 2005. Despite having voted in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, Shays voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in both 2004 and 2006 that would constitutionally ban same-sex marriage, and co-sponsored a bill to overturn the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy that prohibited LGBT troops from serving openly. He was one of the few Republicans to oppose amending the Constitution to ban flag-burning. In 1999 he was one of 20 Republicans to vote against an ultimately failed bill to ban physician-assisted suicide. Shays has long been known for environmental regulations,Congressman Christopher Shays. On The Issues. Archive of House.gov from October 28, 2006. and was endorsed in the past by the League of Conservation Voters.D'Arcy, Janice. 4th District House Race Gains Attention. Hartford Courant July 15, 2004. pg. A.17 He also advocates humane treatment of animalsCongressman Christopher Shays.On the Issues: Animal Welfare. House.gov. Retrieved October 9, 2006. and ending discrimination in the workplace.Barr, Stephen. "House Bill Would Offer Domestic Partner Benefits to Unmarried Workers". The Washington Post. July 18, 2005. pg. B.02 Shays was also one of only four Republicans to vote against all four articles of impeachment against President Bill Clinton.
In April 2005, he broke with most of his party over House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's alleged ethics violations. January 2011, DeLay was convicted of money laundering and sentenced to three years in prison but was freed on bail while appealing his conviction. His comments in 2005 made Shays the first Republican to say DeLay should step down from the Majority Leader post. He fought to maintain the Republican Party rule that requires an indicted leader to step down — the rule that ultimately resulted in Tom DeLay's resignation. Shays stated that he should resign, saying, "Tom's conduct is hurting the Republican Party, is hurting this Republican majority and it is hurting any Republican who is up for re-election."Associated Press. Pressure builds on DeLay. NBC News April 11, 2005.
Shays is a member of or supported by the Republican Main Street Partnership,OnTheIssues.org. Christopher Shays on Principles & Values. Retrieved October 10, 2006. The Republican Majority for Choice,Christopher Shays Endorsements. Retrieved October 10, 2006. Republicans for Environmental Protection,Congressman Christopher Shays. Shays, Leader on Environmental Issues, Comments on Global Warming Report. Retrieved October 10, 2006. It's My Party Too, Retrieved October 10, 2006. and the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus.
Views on Iraq Shays voted in favor of the 2003 congressional resolution authorizing the use of force in Iraq. In 2003, he was the first U.S. Congressman to visit Iraq after the outbreak of war and he has traveled to Iraq 21 times overall, more than any other U.S. legislator.Associated Press "Rep. Shays Calls for Iraq Withdrawal Time Frame" 24 August 2006http://www.wartimecontracting.gov/index.php/about/commissioners/shays Wartimecontracting.gov
From 2003 until August 24, 2006, Shays was a "stalwart supporter" of the War in Iraq, and of a continued U.S. military presence there.Hernandez, Raymond. Congressman Shifts to Favor Iraq Timetable. The New York Times August 31, 2006."Since U.S. forces attacked in 2003, Rep. Christopher Shays, a moderate Republican from Connecticut's liberal 4th District, has been a stalwart defender of the Iraq war. 'I've been carrying the bucket when it comes to the war,' Shays said in September. But facing an antiwar Democratic opponent in a tough midterm election race, Shays is starting to express reservations. " The Nation; Republicans in Blue States Rethink Iraq; Some conservative defenders of the war, facing opinion polls and antiwar challengers in November, are now talking withdrawal, Los Angeles Times, August 26, 2006 Saturday, Home Edition, Main News; National Desk; Part A; Pg. 12, 931 words, Johanna Neuman, Times Staff Writer, Washington Shays has faced a continued political challenge to his views in a district where recent polls show a solid majority of voters disapprove of the 2003 US decision to invade Iraq.University of Connecticut CSRA poll. Shays Leads Farrell in Connecticut's 4th District. October 2, 2006.
On April 10, 2003, Shays told the Connecticut Post that "'The successes to date are extraordinary. The war plan has been nearly flawless. Now we need to make sure the peace plan rises to the same level,' Shays said. 'If we are able to help them form a government quickly, we will be viewed as liberators. If we are there too long, we will be viewed basically as conquerors.'" Urban, Peter "Great progress,' but caution urged." Connecticut Post. April 10, 2003. "Rep. Christopher Shays, R-4, said the fall of Baghdad is 'obviously a healthy sign' but also cautioned that American and coalition forces are still at risk and the task of establishing a permanent peace remains. 'The successes to date are extraordinary. The war plan has been nearly flawless. Now we need to make sure the peace plan rises to the same level,' Shays said. 'If we are able to help them form a government quickly, we will be viewed as liberators. If we are there too long, we will be viewed basically as conquerors.'" On August 19, 2004, Shays told reporters, "We're on the right track now.""I think he [The President] has to be willing to be very candid about the mistakes we made in Iraq [to be reelected], disbanding the army, the military and the police, having — not having the State Department not being more culturally sensitive. But we're on the right track now. And, you know, you're allowed to make a few mistakes when you make these big decisions.