Bob Taft
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Bob Taft |
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| Order: | 67th Governor of Ohio |
| Term of Office: | January 1999 – |
| Predecessor: | Nancy P. Hollister |
| Successor: | Incumbent |
| Date of Birth: | January 8, 1942 |
| Place of Birth: | Boston, Massachusetts |
| First Lady: | Hope Taft |
| Profession: | Lawyer |
| Political Party: | Republican |
| Lieutenant Governor: | Bruce Johnson (2005–present) |
Robert Alphonso Taft II (born January 8, 1942) has been the Republican governor of the U.S. state of Ohio since 1999. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts.
He attended Yale University, graduating in 1963. After Yale, he received a master of arts degree from Princeton University in 1967 and then a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1976.
At the age of 21, from 1963 to 1965, Taft served as a Peace Corps volunteer teaching in Tanzania, Africa.
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Political career
He was elected governor in 1998, defeating Democrat Lee Fisher 50-45 percent and reelected in 2002, defeating Democrat Tim Hagan 58-38 percent. He has been governor since January 1999.
Prior to his election as governor, Taft served as Ohio's secretary of state (1991–1998), Hamilton County commissioner (1981–1990), and in the state House of Representatives (1976–1981). In 1990, Taft was elected secretary of state, defeating incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown. In the 1994 election for Ohio secretary of state, Taft won re-election, defeating Democrat Dan Brady.
In the wake of convictions for ethics violations, Gov. Taft's approval rating dipped to a low 15%, according to a late September, 2005 poll by the Columbia Dispatch, giving him the third lowest popularity rating in the history of political polling.
Criminal charges
On August 17, 2005, Taft was charged with four criminal misdemeanors stemming from his alleged failure to disclose golf outings paid for by lobbyists. The Associated Press reported the total value of the undisclosed gifts as about US$5,800. It is the first time an Ohio governor has ever been charged with a crime while in office. [1] At his arraignment in Franklin County Municipal Court in Columbus on August 18, Taft pleaded no contest and was fined $4,000 plus court cost. Judge Mark Froehlich also ordered Taft to apologize to the people of Ohio as well as state workers. In addition, Taft's conviction is grounds under the Ohio Constitution for impeachment and removal from office by the Ohio General Assembly, although this appears unlikely at this time. Taft has also stated that he will not resign from office.
Taft does have the option to fully and unconditionally pardon himself after a potential conviction.
Family
Taft's family has been involved in Republican politics for over a century. His great-great-grandfather Alphonso Taft was Secretary of War, Attorney General, and an Ambassador; his great-grandfather William Howard Taft was President and Chief Justice of the United States; and his grandfather (Robert Alphonso Taft I) and his father (Robert Taft Jr.) were both U.S. Senators. His first cousin, William Howard Taft IV formerly served as chief legal advisor to the U.S. Department of State, before resigning after the reelection of President George W. Bush. His uncle, William Howard Taft III was an Ambassador. His great-grand-uncle Charles Phelps Taft was a U.S. Representative from Ohio and for a time, an owner of the Chicago Cubs baseball team. His great-great-great-grandfather, Peter Rawson Taft, was a member of the Vermont legislature. Other prominent relatives include Seth Chase Taft, Charles Phelps Taft II, Peter Rawson Taft II, Henry Waters Taft, Walbridge S. Taft, and Horace Dutton Taft. Kingsley A. Taft was a U.S. Senator from Ohio and Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court.
Bob Taft is also related to current President George W. Bush through at least three different marriages, ranging from eighth-cousin-once-removed to 11th-cousin-once-removed, as well as being a ninth cousin of Vice President Dick Cheney (see Cousin chart to understand these terms).
Also many of the Taft men attended Yale University and were part of a secret society called Skull and Bones, other members of this secret society are current president George W. Bush, John Kerry.
Note on Name
Bob Taft's father was a Robert and so was his grandfather. However, he is not Robert Taft III, because the names of all three men are not identical. The grandfather was Robert Alphonso Taft and the father was just plain Robert Taft. Bob Taft's full name is identical to the grandfather's but not the father's, so he is Robert Alphonso Taft II.
See also
External links
- Peace Corps biography of Bob Taft
- Official Website for Governor Bob Taft
- Taft's ethics inquiry will go to prosecutors (Toledo Blade article)
- Skull and Bones Membership(may contain errors)
| Preceded by: Sherrod Brown |
Ohio Secretary of State 1991—1999 |
Succeeded by: Ken Blackwell |
| Preceded by: Nancy P. Hollister |
Governor of Ohio 1999–present |
Incumbent |
