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Mary Bono
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mary Bono | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office April 7, 1998– |
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| Preceded by | Sonny Bono |
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| Succeeded by | Incumbent |
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| Born | October 24, 1961 (age 45) Cleveland, Ohio |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Widowed |
| Religion | Scientology |
Mary Whitaker Bono (born Mary Whitaker on 24 October 1961), an American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1998, representing the 45th District of California (map) which includes most of central and eastern Riverside County, including Palm Springs. The district was previously the 44th District before the 2000s round of redistricting.
She was born in Cleveland, Ohio, but has lived in Southern California since 1963. She worked her way through the University of Southern California, graduating in 1984. Soon after leaving USC, she married singer-turned politician Sonny Bono and moved to Palm Springs.
Sonny Bono died in a skiing accident on 5 January 1998. Mary easily won the Republican nomination for the special election to succeed him, which is tantamount to election in the heavily Republican district. She took office on 7 April 1998. She won a full term in November and has been re-elected three times with no serious opposition. As of 2005, Bono was (along with Jo Ann Emerson, Lois Capps, and Doris Matsui) one of four representatives to be elected to their seats following the deaths of their husbands.
Unlike her husband, who was a loyal supporter of Newt Gingrich, Mary Bono has a moderate-to-liberal voting record, which is somewhat surprising given that she represents one of the most Republican districts in California. She chose not to attend the 2004 Republican National Convention because she felt her district and state were not in strong contention and her objection to the platform's opposition to any legal benefits for same-sex couples as well as opposition to gays in the military. She is a member of The Republican Main Street Partnership, The Republican Majority For Choice, Republicans For Choice, The Wish List, and Christine Todd Whitman's It's My Party, Too. However, her voting records show that she has a pro-life voting record.[1]
Bono usually votes conservatively, following the Republican Party 89% of the time and President Bush 79% of the time, according to Congressional Quarterly. She has an 84% approval rating from the Christian Coalition.[2] In 1999, she voted in favor of the Largent amendment,[3] to ban adoption by same-sex couples in Washington, DC.[4] Bono has, however, voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment twice.
She was married to Palm Springs businessman Glenn Baxley (2001 to 2005) and has a son (Chesare Elan Bono (born 1988)) and a daughter (Chianna Maria Bono (born 1991)) from her marriage to Sonny Bono. Recently, Mary Bono has been romantically linked to fellow congressman Connie Mack IV from Florida.
Bono has been linked to the Church of Scientology. Sonny Bono was a member (although he continued to claim to be a Roman Catholic on most official documents). The church has its large Gold Base headquarters in her district, but she has distanced herself from that organization. [5][6]
Bono said in May 2006 that she depended on royalties from Sonny Bono's estate to supplement her US$165,200 congressional salary in order pay her son's college expenses. In addition, in 2006, it was reported that she had received $30,000 from the later-indicted Jack Abaramoff.[7][8] In her official 2005 filing, Bono stated that her income from royalties and dividends was between US$402,000 and US$3.3 million. [9]
- ^ http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Mary_Bono.htm
- ^ http://www.cc.org/2004scorecard.pdf
- ^ http://clerk.house.gov/evs/1999/roll346.xml
- ^ http://www.commondreams.org/pressreleases/july99/072999f.htm
- ^ Mary Bono in Scientology's Published Service Completion Lists, truthaboutscientology.com
- ^ Proud Mary Bono, George, August 1999
- ^ http://www.rollcall.com/issues/51_117/hoh/13175-1.html?type=pf
- ^ http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Congresswoman_Bono_widow_claims_Reps_cant_0504.html
- ^ http://www.thedesertsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050616/NEWS10/506160332/1024
- U.S. Congresswoman Mary Bono official House site
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Federal Election Commission - Mary Bono campaign finance reports and data
- On the Issues - Mary Bono issue positions and quotes
- OpenSecrets.org - Mary Bono campaign contributions
- Project Vote Smart - Representative Mary Whitaker Bono (CA) profile
- SourceWatch Congresspedia - Mary Bono profile
- Washington Post - Congress Votes Database: Mary Bono voting record
- Congresswoman Mary Bono official campaign site
| Preceded by Sonny Bono |
U.S. Representative from California's 44th Congressional District 1998–2003 |
Succeeded by Ken Calvert |
| Preceded by Dana Rohrabacher |
U.S. Representative from California's 45th Congressional District 2003–present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |