Laughlin was born in Bay City, Texas, and was raised in West Columbia, Texas, where he still maintains a residence, and he graduated from Texas A&M University. Laughlin served in the United States Army from 1968 to 1970 and later was a reservist. Before the election to Congress in 1988, he practiced law in Texas. He served as assistant district attorney in Houston for four years before returning to private practice.
In 1995, the Republican Party, which had gained a majority in the House for the first time in four decades, offered Laughlin a seat on the Ways and Means Committee if he joined the GOP. Laughlin did so on June 26, 1995. He claimed that, as a Democrat, he had to make some hard votes.
In the subsequent congressional election in 1996, Laughlin was endorsed by many Republican Party leaders, including then-Governor George W. Bush, Speaker of the HouseNewt Gingrich, and other members of the party from outside the district and the state. Despite this, Laughlin faced a primary challenge from former Texas Republican Congressman Ron Paul, the Libertarian Party presidential candidate in 1988, and Jim Deats, Laughlin's Republican opponent from 1994 (when Laughlin was still a Democrat). In the three-way race, Laughlin won the initial primary election with 42 percent of the vote, but by failing to win a majority he was required to face the second-place Paul in a run-off election. Paul defeated Laughlin by a 56–44 percent margin in the runoff election and went on to win the congressional seat. Paul, who unsuccessfully sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2012, held the seat until he retired in 2013.
After Congressedit
Laughlin remained in Washington, D.C., practicing law at the office of Patton Boggs, in the areas of public policy, energy, international trade, and tax law. He has since moved to the firm of Pillsbury, Winthrop, Shaw, Pittman. Laughlin was contracted to work with the controversial Israeli spyware firm NSO Group, according to documents filed with the FARA Registration Unit of the Department of Justice.[3] The firm's software was implicated in the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.[4] The software was also deployed on world leaders, journalists, dissidents and human rights activists.[5]
^Appropriations, United States Congress House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on the Treasury, Postal Service, and General Government (Dec 20, 1995). Treasury, Postal Service, and General Government Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1996: Independent agencies. U.S. Government Printing Office. ISBN9780160526770. Retrieved Dec 20, 2020 – via Google Books.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^FARA Registration Unit, Department of Justice https://efile.fara.gov/docs/5198-Exhibit-AB-20210630-57.pdf
^"Saudis behind NSO spyware attack on Jamal Khashoggi's family, leak suggests". the Guardian. 2021-07-18. Retrieved 2021-07-22.
^Priest, Dana; Timberg, Craig; Mekhennet, Souad. "Private Israeli spyware used to hack cellphones of journalists, activists worldwide". Washington Post. Retrieved 2021-07-22.
^"Cameroon priest criticises poll". October 13, 2004. Retrieved December 20, 2020 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
^Wallechinsky, David (2006). Tyrants: the World's 20 Worst Living Dictators. Regan Press. pp. 286–290. ISBN9780060590048. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
greg, laughlin, gregory, laughlin, redirects, here, professor, astronomy, astrophysics, gregory, laughlin, this, biography, living, person, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, adding, reliable, sources, contentious, material, about, livin. Gregory Laughlin redirects here For the professor of astronomy and astrophysics see Gregory P Laughlin This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification Please help by adding reliable sources Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page especially if potentially libelous Find sources Greg Laughlin news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message Gregory Haines Laughlin born January 21 1942 is a politician from Texas He is a former member of the United States House of Representatives Greg LaughlinMember of the U S House of Representatives from Texas s 14th districtIn office January 3 1989 January 3 1997Preceded byMac SweeneySucceeded byRon PaulPersonal detailsBornGregory Haines Laughlin 1 1942 01 21 January 21 1942 age 82 Bay City Texas U S Political partyDemocratic before 1995 Republican 1995 present EducationTexas A amp M University B A University of Texas at Austin J D Military serviceBranch serviceUnited States ArmyUnited States Army ReserveYears of service1964 1968 reserve 1968 1970 active 1970 1988 reserve 1991 active RankColonelBattles warsGulf War Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Election and tenure 3 After Congress 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksEarly life and education editLaughlin was born in Bay City Texas and was raised in West Columbia Texas where he still maintains a residence and he graduated from Texas A amp M University Laughlin served in the United States Army from 1968 to 1970 and later was a reservist Before the election to Congress in 1988 he practiced law in Texas He served as assistant district attorney in Houston for four years before returning to private practice Election and tenure editA conservative Democrat Laughlin ran for the United States House of Representatives in 1986 narrowly losing 2 to freshman Republican Mac Sweeney who had served as an aide in the Ronald W Reagan White House Laughlin sought a rematch in 1988 and this time he won Laughlin survived a bitter re election campaign during the next cycle despite old allegations involving favoritism to a firm Laughlin was the only member of Congress to see active duty during Operation Desert Storm as a colonel in the U S Army Reserves in 1991 In 1995 the Republican Party which had gained a majority in the House for the first time in four decades offered Laughlin a seat on the Ways and Means Committee if he joined the GOP Laughlin did so on June 26 1995 He claimed that as a Democrat he had to make some hard votes In the subsequent congressional election in 1996 Laughlin was endorsed by many Republican Party leaders including then Governor George W Bush Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and other members of the party from outside the district and the state Despite this Laughlin faced a primary challenge from former Texas Republican Congressman Ron Paul the Libertarian Party presidential candidate in 1988 and Jim Deats Laughlin s Republican opponent from 1994 when Laughlin was still a Democrat In the three way race Laughlin won the initial primary election with 42 percent of the vote but by failing to win a majority he was required to face the second place Paul in a run off election Paul defeated Laughlin by a 56 44 percent margin in the runoff election and went on to win the congressional seat Paul who unsuccessfully sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2012 held the seat until he retired in 2013 After Congress editLaughlin remained in Washington D C practicing law at the office of Patton Boggs in the areas of public policy energy international trade and tax law He has since moved to the firm of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman Laughlin was contracted to work with the controversial Israeli spyware firm NSO Group according to documents filed with the FARA Registration Unit of the Department of Justice 3 The firm s software was implicated in the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi 4 The software was also deployed on world leaders journalists dissidents and human rights activists 5 At the behest of Paul Biya Laughlin formed a bipartisan group of former members of Congress to monitor the 2004 presidential elections in Cameroon According to the BBC he stated we have never seen such a transparent way to show who got the vote 6 This was in contrast to the observations of a delegation from the Commonwealth of Nations led by former Prime Minister of Canada Joe Clark and Episcopal Conference of Cameroon 7 See also editList of American politicians who switched parties in office List of United States representatives who switched partiesReferences edit Appropriations United States Congress House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on the Treasury Postal Service and General Government Dec 20 1995 Treasury Postal Service and General Government Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1996 Independent agencies U S Government Printing Office ISBN 9780160526770 Retrieved Dec 20 2020 via Google Books a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Barone Michael and Ujifusa Grant The Almanac of American Politics 1988 p 1168 National Journal 1987 FARA Registration Unit Department of Justice https efile fara gov docs 5198 Exhibit AB 20210630 57 pdf Saudis behind NSO spyware attack on Jamal Khashoggi s family leak suggests the Guardian 2021 07 18 Retrieved 2021 07 22 Priest Dana Timberg Craig Mekhennet Souad Private Israeli spyware used to hack cellphones of journalists activists worldwide Washington Post Retrieved 2021 07 22 Cameroon priest criticises poll October 13 2004 Retrieved December 20 2020 via news bbc co uk Wallechinsky David 2006 Tyrants the World s 20 Worst Living Dictators Regan Press pp 286 290 ISBN 9780060590048 Retrieved March 31 2023 External links editUnited States Congress Greg Laughlin id L000119 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Appearances on C SPANU S House of RepresentativesPreceded byMac Sweeney Member of the U S House of Representatives from Texas s 14th congressional district1989 1997 Succeeded byRon PaulU S order of precedence ceremonial Preceded byPete Gerenas Former US Representative Order of precedence of the United Statesas Former US Representative Succeeded byKen Bentsen Jr as Former US Representative Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Greg Laughlin amp oldid 1196054647, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
