John Danforth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Danforth
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| 24th United States Ambassador to the United Nations | |
| In office July 23, 2004 – January 20, 2005 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | John Negroponte |
| Succeeded by | John Bolton |
| Special Counsel for the United States Department of Justice | |
| In office September 9, 1999 – c. July 23, 2000 |
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| Appointed by | Janet Reno |
| Deputy | Edward L. Dowd Jr. |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Position not in use |
| Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee | |
| In office January 3, 1985 – January 3, 1987 |
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| Preceded by | Bob Packwood |
| Succeeded by | Ernest Hollings |
| United States Senator from Missouri |
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| In office December 27, 1976 – January 3, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Stuart Symington |
| Succeeded by | John Ashcroft |
| 37th Attorney General of Missouri | |
| In office January 13, 1969 – December 27, 1976 |
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| Governor | Warren E. Hearnes Kit Bond |
| Preceded by | Norman H. Anderson |
| Succeeded by | John Ashcroft |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Claggett Danforth
September 5, 1936 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Sally Dobson (m. 1957) |
| Children | 5 |
| Relatives | William Danforth (brother) William H. Danforth (grandfather) |
| Education | Princeton University (AB) Yale University (JD, MDiv) |
| Profession | Politician, priest, lawyer |
John Claggett Danforth (born September 5, 1936) is an American politician, lawyer, and Episcopal priest. He has held many important roles in the United States government. He was the chief lawyer for the state of Missouri (Attorney General) from 1969 to 1976. Later, he served as a United States Senator for Missouri from 1976 to 1995.
After his time in the Senate, he worked as a special investigator for the U.S. government. From 2004 to 2005, he was the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Danforth was born in St. Louis, Missouri. His father was Donald Danforth and his mother was Dorothy Claggett. His grandfather, William H. Danforth, started the company Ralston Purina. John's brother, William Henry Danforth, was a leader at Washington University in St. Louis.
John went to St. Louis Country Day School. He then studied religion at Princeton University, graduating in 1958. He also earned degrees from Yale Law School and Yale Divinity School in 1963.
Public Service Career
Before entering politics, Danforth worked as a lawyer. He practiced law in New York from 1964 to 1966. Then he worked at a law firm in St. Louis from 1966 to 1968.
Missouri used to be a state where most politicians were from the Democratic Party. John Danforth helped change this trend when he joined the Republican Party.
Missouri Attorney General
In 1968, Danforth was elected as the Missouri Attorney General. This was a big deal because he was the first Republican to hold that job in 40 years. He was also the first Republican elected to a statewide office in Missouri in 22 years.
Many people who worked for him later became important leaders. These included future governors, senators, and even a Supreme Court Justice, Clarence Thomas. Danforth was reelected as Attorney General in 1972.
United States Senate
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John Danforth ran for the United States Senate for the first time in 1970. He ran against the current senator, Stuart Symington, but he lost that election.
Senate Elections
In 1976, Senator Symington decided to retire. Danforth ran again to take his place. He won the Republican primary easily. The Democratic primary was very close. The winner, Jerry Litton, and his family tragically died in a plane crash. Another candidate, Warren Hearnes, was chosen to run instead. In the main election, Danforth won with almost 57% of the votes.
He ran for reelection in 1982 against Harriett Woods. It was a close race, but Danforth won again. In 1988, Danforth won his last Senate election against Jay Nixon with a large lead. He decided not to run for a fourth term and left the Senate in 1995. John Ashcroft, who had worked for Danforth earlier, took his place.
Time in the Senate
During his time as a senator, John Danforth was a strong supporter of Clarence Thomas. Thomas had worked for Danforth when he was Attorney General and later as an aide in the Senate. Danforth helped Thomas during his confirmation hearings to become a U.S. Supreme Court Justice in 1991.
Danforth is against the death penalty. He made his views clear in the Senate in 1994. In 1988, George H. W. Bush thought about choosing Danforth as his running mate for president. However, Bush chose Senator Dan Quayle instead.
UN Ambassador
On July 1, 2004, John Danforth became the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. He took over from John Negroponte. He is remembered for trying to bring peace to Sudan. He only stayed at the UN for six months.
Danforth resigned on November 22, 2004. He said he wanted to spend more time with his wife, Sally. His resignation became official on January 20, 2005.
After the Senate
Political Activities
In 1999, U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno asked Danforth to investigate the FBI's actions during the 1993 Waco Siege. This investigation became known as the "Waco Investigation." Danforth's report on the incident was called the "Danforth Report."
In 2000, George W. Bush considered Danforth as a possible running mate for his presidential campaign. Bush later chose Dick Cheney. Bush wrote in his book Decision Points that Danforth would have been his choice if Cheney had not accepted.
In September 2001, President Bush appointed Danforth as a special envoy to Sudan. He helped create a peace agreement that officially ended a long civil war in Southern Sudan in January 2005.
On June 11, 2004, Danforth led the funeral service for former President Ronald Reagan at Washington National Cathedral. He also officiated at other important funerals.
In 2015, Danforth joined many other Republicans in supporting same-sex marriage. He signed a legal document asking the Supreme Court to make it legal across the country.
Danforth has been a mentor to Josh Hawley, who became Attorney General of Missouri and then a U.S. Senator. After the January 6 United States Capitol attack, Danforth said that supporting Hawley in the 2018 election "was the worst mistake I ever made in my life."
Private Sector Work
After leaving the Senate in 1995, Danforth returned to working as a lawyer. He is currently a partner at a law firm in Clayton, Missouri.
In 2012, a group led by Danforth's son-in-law, Tom Stillman, bought the St. Louis Blues hockey team. Danforth is a minority investor in this group. The group gained full ownership of the team in 2019.
John Danforth has a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame. He is also an honorary board member for Wings of Hope, a group that helps people around the world.
Personal Life
John Danforth married Sally Dobson in 1957. They have five children and 15 grandchildren.
Author
John Danforth has written several books:
- Resurrection: The Confirmation of Clarence Thomas, Viking, 1994
- Faith and Politics: How the "Moral Values" Debate Divides America and How to Move Forward Together, Viking Press, 2006. ISBN: 978-0670037872
- The Relevance of Religion: How Faithful People Can Change Politics. Random House, 2015. ISBN: 978-0812997903
See Also
- George H. W. Bush Supreme Court candidates
- List of attorneys general of Missouri
