Michael McCaul

Michael Thomas McCaul Sr. (born January 14, 1962) is an American attorney and politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Texas's 10th congressional district since 2005. A member of the Republican Party, he served as chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security during the 113th, 114th, and 115th Congresses. His district stretches from Austin to Houston. As of 2018, he was the fifth-wealthiest member of Congress.[1]

For the former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, see Michael McFaul.

Michael McCaul
Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
Assumed office
January 3, 2019
Preceded byEliot Engel
Chair of the House Homeland Security Committee
In office
January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2019
Preceded byPeter King
Succeeded byBennie Thompson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Texas's 10th district
Assumed office
January 3, 2005
Preceded byConstituency established
Personal details
Born
Michael Thomas McCaul

(1962-01-14) January 14, 1962
Dallas, Texas
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Linda Mays
Children5
Education
Net worth$113 million (2018)[1]

Early life, education, and law career

Born in Dallas, the son of Frances Jane (Lott) and James Addington McCaul, Jr., McCaul has English, Irish, and German ancestry.[2] He graduated from Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas and earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from San Antonio's Trinity University in 1984 and a Juris Doctor from St. Mary's University three years later. McCaul also completed a Senior Executive Fellowship at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.[3][4]

McCaul worked as an attorney and federal prosecutor before entering politics. He was the Chief of Counterterrorism and National Security for Texas's branch of the US Attorney's office, and also worked under the Department of Justice's Public Integrity Section. After he left, McCaul took a position as a Deputy Attorney General in 1999 with the Texas Attorney General's Office and served in this capacity until 2002.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

McCaul first ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2004 and won a crowded Republican primary in the newly created 10th District. The district, which included part of Austin, the western part of Harris County and several rural counties in between, was thought to be so heavily Republican that no Democratic candidate even filed, effectively handing him the seat.

In 2006 he defeated Democratic candidate Ted Ankrum and former Libertarian presidential candidate Michael Badnarik with 55% of the vote. McCaul was reelected again in 2008, against Democratic candidate Larry Joe Doherty and Libertarian candidate Matt Finkel,[5] 54% to 43%.

Four years later, he was reelected to a fourth term with 76% of the vote against Democratic candidate Ted Ankrum (22%) and Libertarian candidate Jeremiah "JP" Perkins (1%). McCaul won a seventh term in 2016. With 179,221 votes (57.3%), he defeated Democrat Tawana W. Cadien, who polled 120,170 (38.4%). Libertarian Bill Kelsey held another 13,209 votes (4.2%).[6]

In 2018, McCaul won an eighth term in the House with 157,166 votes (51.1%), defeating Democrat Mike Siegel, who polled 144,034 (46.8%) and Libertarian Mike Ryan, who got 6,627 votes (2.5%). It was the closest race of McCaul's career.[7]

He was elected to a ninth term in 2020, defeating Siegel in a rematch.[8]

Legislation and voting record
Congressman McCaul addressing cybersecurity at Rice University

On December 11, 2013, McCaul introduced legislation to require the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct cybersecurity activities on behalf of the federal government and codify DHS's role in preventing and responding to cybersecurity incidents involving the Information Technology (IT) systems of federal civilian agencies and critical infrastructure in the United States.[9][10] McCaul said the bill was "an important step toward addressing the cyber threat."[11]

McCaul supported Donald Trump's proposals to build a wall along the Mexico–United States border.[12]

In April 2019, McCaul spoke out against a resolution that would end US involvement in the Yemeni Civil War, saying it would "disrupt US security cooperation agreements with more than 100 countries."[13]

On December 18, 2019, McCaul voted against both articles of impeachment against Trump. Of the 195 Republicans who voted, all voted against both impeachment articles.

Committee assignments
Congressman McCaul led House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security to visit ISAF Headquarters

In December 2016, the House Republican Conference voted to appoint McCaul for a third term as the chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security Committee. The selection follows McCaul's recent publication of "A National Strategy to Win the War Against Islamist Terror", a compilation of more than 100 counterterrorism strategies and recommendations. McCaul says his approach to counterterrorism will aid in integrating the nation's homeland security policies into the digital age through the implementation of detailed screening of foreign visitors, including immigrants and refugees, by utilizing the latest technologies and intelligence.[14]

Caucus memberships
  • Co-Chair of the Congressional High Tech Caucus – Founder
  • Co-Chair of the Childhood Cancer Caucus – Co-Founder
  • Co-Chair of the Congressional Cyber Security Caucus
  • Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Sudan and South Sudan
  • Congressional Argentina Caucus - Co-Founder
  • Tuberculosis Elimination Caucus
  • United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus[16]

Personal life

McCaul is married to Linda Mays McCaul, the daughter of Clear Channel Communications founder and former chairman Lowry Mays and sister of its former CEO Mark Mays. In 2011, Roll Call named McCaul as one of the wealthiest members of the United States Congress, surpassing then U.S. Senator John Kerry (D-MA). His net worth was estimated at $294 million, about 300% higher than it was in the previous year ($74 million).[17] In 2004, the same publication estimated his net worth at $12 million: His wealth increase was due to large monetary transfers from his wife's family.[18]

He and his family live in West Lake Hills, Texas, a wealthy suburb of Austin, Texas.[19] McCaul is frequently named as one of the top-ten users of household water in the Austin area, and was the No. 1 consumer of household water in the city for 2017. According to The Dallas Morning News, "Several cities try to conserve water by creating mandatory watering schedules for residents. Dallas residents are allowed to water their lawns twice per week, with the day depending on the digits of their address. In Austin, residents are restricted to one or two days of watering per week and only during certain hours of the day."[20]

On October 28, 2020, it was reported that McCaul's real estate firms have pursued two dozen lawsuits over breaches of lease agreements. According to an American Prospect article, "Most of the businesses were owned by people of color. Tenants complained about leases being granted under false pretenses, poor conditions in the properties, or hardship events forcing their abandonment, including at least one restaurant closed by law during the coronavirus pandemic. But McCaul's companies aggressively pursued back rent and expenses anyway." [21]

See also

References
  1. Fontelo, Paul V.; Hawkings, David (February 2018). "Ranking the Net Worth of the 115th". Roll Call. Archived from the original on August 5, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  2. "michael mccaul". RootsWeb.com. Ancestry. September 22, 2008. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  3. "U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul '80 Named Jesuit Dallas Distinguished Alumnus". Jesuit Dallas News. October 16, 2014. Archived from the original on September 8, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  4. "U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul '80 Named Jesuit Dallas Distinguished Alumnus". jesuitdallas.org. Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas. October 15, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
  5. "State of Texas 2008 General Election Returns". Texas Secretary of State. November 5, 2008. Retrieved November 6, 2008.
  6. "Election Results". Texas Secretary of State. November 8, 2016. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  7. "Our Campaigns - Candidate - Michael McCaul". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  8. "Texas Election Results: 10th Congressional District (2020)". The New York Times. November 29, 2020.
  9. "CBO – H.R. 3696" (PDF). Congressional Budget Office. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
  10. "H.R. 3696 – Summary". United States Congress. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
  11. Waddell, Melanie (July 29, 2014). "House Panel Passes Cybersecurity Bills". ThinkAdvisor.com. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  12. McCaul, Michael (December 2, 2016). "Rep. McCaul: Yes, We Will Build a Wall, Put Mexico on a "Payment Plan" and Enforce the Law". Fox News. Retrieved December 3, 2016.
  13. George, Susannah (April 4, 2019). "House votes to end support for Yemen war; Trump expected to veto". The Times of Israel. Associated Press. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  14. "McCaul elected to chair House Homeland Security Committee for third term". Homeland Preparedness News. December 6, 2016. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
  15. "Member List". Republican Study Committee. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  16. "Our Members". U.S. House of Representatives International Conservation Caucus. Archived from the original on August 1, 2018. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  17. "The 50 Richest Members of Congress (2011)". Roll Call. 2011. Archived from the original on September 17, 2011.
  18. Yachnin, Jennifer (August 18, 2011). "McCaul Leaps to Top of 50 Richest Members of Congress : Roll Call News". Roll Call.
  19. "Meet the Texas Republican Going After the House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairmanship (2018)". Texas Monthly. September 26, 2018.
  20. Stone, Brianna (July 27, 2018). "Michael McCaul, one of Congress' richest members, used more water in 2017 than any Austin resident". Dallas Morning News. Austin.
  21. Gibson, Brittany (October 28, 2020). "Wealthy Congressman Repeatedly Squeezes Small-Business Tenants". The American Prospect.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Lloyd Doggett		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Texas's 10th congressional district
2005–present		 Incumbent
Preceded by
Peter King		 Chair of the House Homeland Security Committee
2013–2019		 Succeeded by
Bennie Thompson
Preceded by
Eliot Engel		 Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
2019–present		 Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Brian Higgins		 United States Representatives by seniority
82nd		 Succeeded by
Patrick McHenry
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