Richard Blumenthal

Richard Blumenthal is the senior United States Senator from Connecticut, serving since 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the Attorney General of Connecticut for two decades. Known as a prominent consumer protection advocate, his tenure in the United States Senate has focused on issues including veterans' affairs, product safety, and antitrust enforcement.

Early life and education

Born in Brooklyn, he is the son of Jane Rosenstock and Martin Blumenthal. He attended Riverdale Country School in The Bronx before enrolling at Harvard University, where he served as the editorial chairman of The Harvard Crimson. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1967, he received a scholarship to study at Trinity College, Cambridge as a Mellon Fellow. He subsequently earned his Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 1973, where he was a member of the Yale Law Journal. During the Vietnam War, he served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve.

Legal and political career before the Senate

Following law school, he served as a law clerk to Second Circuit Judge Jon O. Newman. He then worked as an assistant to United States Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter appointed him as the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. He entered electoral politics in 1984, winning a seat in the Connecticut House of Representatives. In 1990, he was elected as the Attorney General of Connecticut, an office he held for five terms, becoming nationally known for lawsuits against tobacco companies, Microsoft, and various drug manufacturers.

U.S. Senate career

He was elected to the United States Senate in the 2010 election, succeeding retiring Senator Chris Dodd. In the 118th United States Congress, he serves as the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and as a senior member of the Commerce Committee and the Veterans' Affairs Committee. He has been a leading voice on technology policy, co-sponsoring bills like the Kids Online Safety Act, and has chaired major investigations into companies such as Meta and TikTok. He played a key role in the passage of the PACT Act to aid veterans exposed to Agent Orange and burn pits.

Political positions

A staunch progressive, he is a strong supporter of gun control measures, including universal background checks and an assault weapons ban. He is a leading advocate for antitrust action against major technology firms and has called for the reform of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. On foreign policy, he is a vocal supporter of Israel and a critic of the Arab League. He has consistently received high ratings from organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union and the League of Conservation Voters, while opposing the judicial philosophies of the Federalist Society and many Supreme Court appointees.

Personal life

He married Cynthia Malkin, daughter of real estate developer Peter Malkin, in 1982. The couple has four children and resides in Greenwich, Connecticut. An avid runner, he has completed the New York City Marathon. In 2020, he was diagnosed with and successfully treated for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. His brother, David Blumenthal, is a prominent healthcare policy expert and former president of the Commonwealth Fund.

Category:1946 births Category:Living people Category:United States senators from Connecticut Category:Harvard University alumni Category:Yale Law School alumni