ED MARKEY
Character Application and Information Sheet
NS Nation Name: it ya boi
Character Name: Isaiah Maxwell "Max" O'Halloran
Character Gender: BOY
Character Age: 74 (born October 23rd, 1946)
Character Height: 6'4
Character Weight: 200 pounds
Character Position/Role/Job:
- United States Senator from Wyoming (since 1995)
- Senate Minority Leader (since January 20, 2021)
- Senate Majority Leader (2017-2021)
- Senate Majority Whip (2015-2017)
- Senate Minority Whip (2013-2015)
- Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference (2011-2013)
- Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (2009-2011)
- Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference (2007-2009)
- Chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee (2003-2007)
- United States Congressman from Wyoming's At-Large District (1989-1995)
- Natrona County Attorney (1985-1989)
- Senior Assistant Wyoming Attorney General, Criminal Division (1982-1985)
- Legal Advisor to Congressman Chuck Dickney (1979-1982)
- Assistant Wyoming Attorney General, Criminal Division(1977-1979)
- Attorney, Hennepin County District Attorney's Office of Prosecution (1975-1977)
- Minnesota Supreme Court Clerk (1972-1975)
- Minnesota Army National Guard/Army Reserves (1969-1973)
- United States Army, 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry (1965-1969)
Character Country/State of Birth: Cheyenne, Wyoming
Character State of Residence:
- Casper, Wyoming (1946-1963; 1977-present)
- Bethesda, Maryland (since 1989)
- Fargo, North Dakota (1963-1969)
- Minneapolis, Minnesota (1969-1977)
Character Party Affiliation: Republican
Main Strengths:
- Been in power for decades, between the House and the Senate, and consequently wields vast personal power in Wyoming and the rest of the West especially, but also within the GOP establishment as a whole. His control over politics in Wyoming is legendary; former staffers of his leave his office, and thanks to his influence get jobs in the state government or are elected to various positions. From there they serve as his eyes and ears and do him favors when needed.
- Deep family ties to Wyoming politics; his maternal great-grandfather served as Speaker of the State House, his mother's father served as Governor of Wyoming, and his father served as Wyoming Attorney General.
- Charismatic and entertaining speaker, with a quick wit, raspy baritone voice, and talent for off-the-cuff remarks.
- Not really every going to be in danger of a Democrat taking his seat; easily swats aside all primary challenges.
- Good personal and working relationship with President Richardson.
- Connections to oil, coal, and natural gas industries, as well as conservative think tanks and PACs. O'Halloran is a prodigious fundraiser and controls a great deal of money, which he directs to and for the benefit of his members.
- Great at responding to the needs and wants of his members and their constituencies.
Main Weaknesses:
- Fairly unproven as Republican Leader, particularly in the minority. Some members of the conference blame O'Halloran for losing the Senate in 2020, and sharks are beginning to circle him.
- Chilly relations with Tea Party and Wolfist wings of the party; O'Halloran is somewhat slow to adapt to the times, and many within the GOP see him as an "artifact". This was put on sharp display in 2012, when he had to fend off 3 credible primary challengers.
- Boogeyman to Democrats nationwide. His name in an ad is like printing money for ActBlue.
- Strained relationship with Speaker Volker.
- Undisciplined social media presence; poor relationships with the press. Doesn't respond well to negative coverage of himself or his members and can't roll with the punches well. This is in part due to his general temperamental nature, as he is prone to anger, sadness, and exhaustion
- Held to be (at least partially) responsible for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
- Declining health; while Max is generally healthy for his age (stays active, keeps himself mentally sharp), his fondness of cigarettes, alcohol, and good food as well as hard work and stress are beginning to take a toll on him as he ages. For example, in 2011, he had to have a lobe of his lung removed due to cancer.
Biography: Margaret Schoenfeld (1923-2009) was born into the lap of luxury--her paternal grandfather was the Speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives, her mother was the daughter of a New York shipping magnate, and she was the only girl among her five brothers, living on a sprawling ranch outside Casper, Wyoming. In 1940, Margaret met Cillian O'Halloran (1918-present), the poor son of Irish Catholic immigrants. Cillian, who was completing his studies at North Dakota State University, had come out to Casper to work on the Schoenfeld ranch, tagging along with a friend native to the area. Margaret was quite taken by the handsome young law student, and Cillian was similarly enamored with the boss's daughter. They had an innocent flirtation, which developed into a steady correspondence after Cillian enlisted in the Navy during World War Two. When he returned home in 1946, the pair married. Nine months later their first child, Isaiah Maxwell O'Halloran, was born.
Max was a strapping, healthy lad, growing up on the ranch. He was expected to do chores alongside the workers, such as tending the cattle and horses, before going off to school in the mornings. At school, he was an Honor Roll student and played on the football and baseball teams, as well as serving as President of the Debate Club in his senior year. When he graduated high school in 1963 (a year early, as, at his mother's insistence, he'd begun elementary school a year early), he moved hundreds of miles away, to Fargo, to attend North Dakota State University like his father had.
Isaiah was able to graduate from NDSU in just four semesters due to a heavy class load, testing out of certain classes, and credits accumulated in high school. In 1965, pushed by the desire to benefit his political career, he enlisted in the United States Army as a Second Lieutenant. He served in active duty for four years, beginning with the Battle of Ia Drang in 1965. The majority of his wartime service was unremarkable, and he was sent into the reserves in 1969.
After joining the Reserves, Max decided to continue pursuing his law degree. He moved to Minneapolis to attend the University of Minnesota Law School. In one of his classes, he met fellow law student Jeanette Harris (1947-2014) originally from Milwaukee, who fell hard and fast for Max. Jeanette would ask Max to walk with her every day to her next class, in order to get an opportunity to talk to him, and in short time he fell for her too. They were married in 1972, and had their first son in 1973.
In 1972, as he was finishing up his final years of law school, Max was hired as a clerk of the Minnesota Supreme Court. In 1973, another former clerk who had worked alongside him recommended him for a job with the Hennepin County Prosecutor, and he was hired without much fuss. However, his heart began to long for home, and he knew the politics of the place that birthed Hubert Humphrey weren't a good fit for him. He and his wife and children moved back to Casper, where a family friend helped him get a job at the Attorney General's office. He worked there for two years, building on his prosecutorial experience. Max gained a reputation as an excellent trial lawyer: his natural charisma and likeability were as much of an asset as his deep legal knowledge and keen mind. However, he was also somewhat derided as a showboat (an accurate, if hurtful, analysis)
In 1979, his father told him that Wyoming's Congressman, Chuck Dickney, was looking to hire a new legal policy advisor. Although Max wasn't exactly looking for a new job at that time, the potential to climb the ladder and build connections in Washington (his ultimate goal all alomg) was too enticing to refuse. He took the job, and for two years flew back and forth from D.C. and Casper, straining his relationships with his wife and children. In Max's book, though, this was a win: he developed a genuine closeness with Dickney, and met many movers and shakers in D.C.--elected or otherwise. In particular, Dickney, knowing of Max's ambitions to rise to the House or Senate one day, introduced him to many oil, coal, and defense lobbyists and financiers, who would later be crucial to Max's career.
After two years of working for Dickney, Jeanette gave Max an ultimatum: come home, or else. Max decided to come home, and left his job in Washington. Back in Wyoming, he was hired again at the AGs office, this time as the senior assistant Attorney General, the one in charge of the whole Criminal Division, directly under the AG himself. This arrangement suited Max, and he became known for his harsh but fair practices as a superior.
In 1985, Max grew tired of the life of a civil servant: he wanted more power, more prestige, enough to stand alongside his grandfather, great-grandfather, and father as figures in Wyoming history. He left the Attorney General's office, and ran for County Attorney in his home of Casper. He easily gained the nomination of the county GOP, and sailed to election that year.
During his four years as County Attorney, Max was known for what one judge referred to as "antics"--his penchant for showmanship in the courtroom grew ever stronger, and he took to dramatic displays of shouting, gesticulating, and speechifying while prosecuting. Although he generally won his cases, some were tossed out by judges, or else accidentally made the defendant look better in comparison to Max. Despite this, his reputation grew and got better, and many saw him as a solid candidate for Attorney General when the time came. Max won reelection as County Attorney easily in 1988, cruising over a weak Democratic opponent.
In 1989, Chuck Dickney called his old employee to give him news: he was going to be nominated for Secretary of Defense by incoming president John Burke. Dickney encouraged Max to run in the GOP primary, which Max did, announcing his run as soon as Dickney's nomination got on the news. With Dickney's implicit blessing and the support of some wealthy oil and coal companies, Max was able to barely pull out of the crowded, 10-candidate primary, winning 34.62% of the total vote, 1.8% more than a State Senator from Jackson Hole who came in second. After winning the primary, Max sailed to victory in the blood-red state and won the March special election by over fourteen thousand votes against his Democratic opponent.
In the 101st Congress, Max helped draft the Water Resources Development Act of 1990, and served as a co-sponsor in the House. He also co-sponsored the Judicial Improvements Act of 1990, although he was a fierce opponent of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990, due to it's establishment of PAYGO.
In the 102nd Congress, Max voted for and helped draft parts of The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, while fighting against the Former Soviet Union Demilitarization Act, which he called "spineless, useless, and not what our country needs". He attempted to kill the bill in committee but was unable to.
In the 103rd Congress, Max voted against the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, stating that voting rights and regulations were properly the territory of states. He also voted and railed against the Brady Act. However, he did fight for and help pass the National Defense Authorization Act, although he led the conservative opposition to Don't Ask Don't Tell, as well as the creation of NAFTA. He supported the Violence Against Women Act but did everything in his power to try and sink the Federal Assault Weapons Ban.
In 1993, the incumbent Republican Senator from Wyoming declared he wasn't going to run for reelection in 1994. Max entered the race to succeed him the next day, and faced off against a primary field of minor opponents. Unlike in his first House election, however, Max was the clear favorite in this race, and swatted aside his challengers. In the 1994 general election he defeated the states Democratic Governor by 20 points. He was sworn into the Senate in January of 1995.
In the Senate, Max kicked off his career by fighting hard against the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute, stating that "allowing federal employees the right to strike will paralyze this nation". He was selected to join the Republican Policy Committee in his first term, and served as Chair of the Committee from 2003-2007.
In the 105th Congress, Max was part of the Republican team that helped draft the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 and the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997. He was the lead Republican author and sponsor of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. During the impeachment trial of Jack Clifford, Max insisted that witnesses be physically present, and that the Senate not allow video testimony, a proposal which was shot down. He voted to find Clifford guilty. He also voted for the Iraq Liberation Act.
In the 106th Congress, he voted in favor of the Foster Care Independence Act, the Iran Nonproliferation Act, the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, and all other GOP-led legislation. He also won a second full term in the Senate, running unopposed in the GOP primary and easily crushing his Democratic opponent. He briefly considered running for President, before deciding to endorse John Jay Burke. His endorsement of Burke caused a long-lived rift in his relationship with fellow Senator Moe Johnson, and the pair didn't make up until 2008.
In the 107th Congress, Max fiercely opposed the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, saying that it was restrictive on American's free speech. In the same Congress, he championed the USA PATRIOT Act, Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, and was the chief Senate sponsor of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.
In the 108th Congress, Max wrote and sponsored the PROTECT Act, which he still refers to as "the single best piece of legislation I've got my name on", citing his experience prosecuting child abusers and predators as Natrona County Attorney. He voted for the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, as well as all other GOP legislation. As Chair of the Republican Policy Committee, he was a highly visible and influential ally of President Burke and the GOP leadership, and was ranked as "America's Best Senator" in 2003 for his behind-the-scenes efforts as Policy Committee Chairman.
In the 109th Congress, Max wrote The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005, which passed the Senate 74-25. He also cosponsored The Family Entertainment and Copyright Act and helped draft the Energy Policy Act of 2005. He worked significant subsidies for oil and coal companies into the bill, drawing criticism from Democrats. Several of these critical statements were used in advertising for Max's 2006 reelection campaign. He also opposed Terry Schiavo's Law, on the basis that the federal government had no business interfering with one woman's medical treatment.
In the 110th Congress, Max was elected Vice Chairman of the Republican Conference. While serving on the Senate Judiciary Committee, he was part of the investigation into the Burke administration's dismissal of seven U.S. Attorneys, which O'Halloran called "deeply troubling". He helped author the Preserving United States Attorney Independence Act of 2007. In early 2008, he endorsed Moe Johnson for the GOP nomination for President, giving what the New York Times called a "stirring, glowing assessment of the candidate's character and moral integrity" at a fundraiser in Salt Lake City. He also took the campaign trail to denounce Rashid Baharia as "inexperienced, untested, and undisciplined," and warned that the Baharia administration would damage American irreparably. Max, who served on the Judiciary Committee with Baharia, had never liked the younger Senator, and had a very personal desire to see him lose.
In the 111th Congress, Max was elected Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. He, along with the rest of the Conference, adopted a hardline defensive posture when it came to Baharia and the Democratic majority. He voted Nay on all legislation proposed by the Democrats in this session, including Bahariacare, which he blasted in the news as "socialism, pure and simple". He also masterminded the GOP strategy to take back the Senate, which began with slamming Baharia as often and loudly as possible--a task he embraced with gusto. He also cultivated the earliest Tea Party movement, using conservative anger against Baharia to whip up the base. In the end, although they didn't take back the Senate, the GOP captured 6 seats in the 2010 midterms, breaking the Democratic supermajority.
In the 112th Congress, after the success of his midterm election strategy, Max was elevated to Chair of the Senate Republican Conference. Along with Democratic colleague (not-Patrick Leahy), he wrote the O'Halloran Patent Reform Act, which significantly reformed the U.S. patent system, including moving from a "first to invent" system to a "first inventor to file" system. In negotiations over the 2011 federal budget, Max led a group of other Republican lawmakers from oil, coal, and natural gas producing states in opposition to subsidy cuts for those industries. He voted for all other GOP legislation during this Congress.
In 2012, Max faced a serious Senate primary race for the first time since 1994. Three Tea Party candidates--a businessman from Jackson, an attorney from Rock Springs, and a State Representative from Cheyenne--entered the primary. They decried Max as a RINO, and pictures of him and his old friend Robin Diehl were frequently circulated. In response, Max did nothing, continuing to campaign and legislate as normal. He did his customary 26 County tour, which he began during his first run for House in 1989, slammed Baharia on television and talk radio, and avoided discussing his primary opponents as much as possible. In the meantime, his allies sprung into action: insulting editorials were run in local papers, local officials decried Max's opponents, and vendors were informed that if they worked for the upstarts, they'd be unofficially blackballed by the majority of Wyoming Republicans. A political cartoon in a Casper newspaper showed a caricature of Max walking carelessly past a yard where 3 Chihuahuas labeled with his opponents names were chained up, barking at him. In the end, incumbency, money, and reputation won out, and Max won the primary with 67% of the vote and won every county, before going on to crush his Democratic opponent.
In the 113th Congress, Max was elected Minority Whip by his fellow Republicans. As Whip, he was known as a "soft touch"--he leaned on personal relationships with recalcitrant Senators to get them to do what they were told, while those who did as asked were invited to fundraisers, introduced to lobbyists, and had fundraising events held for them at Max's ranch outside Casper. He voted entirely with the majority of the GOP conference.
In the 114th Congress, the GOP took back the Senate majority, and Max was elected Majority Whip. He coauthored the Every Student Succeeds Act and the FAST Act, and voted for all GOP lead legislation. During the presidential primaries, he vocally opposed Arnold Wolf, saying he was vulgar, unRepublican, and would irreparably undermine American foreign policy. Instead, Max supported his Senate colleague Calvin Torres (not-Ted Cruz), and helped him pull to victory in Wyoming. However, as soon as Wolf won the primary, Max immediately mended fences with him, and endorsed the candidate at a rally in Phoenix. He stumped for Wolf in Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Minnesota, and Arizona, crowing about his strength of character and conservative values. He was a vocal advocate advocate for the selection of Rick Tawney as running-mate, having collaborated with Tawney on legislation in the past.
In the 115th Congress, Max was unexpectedly promoted to Leader--the Majority Leader had a heart attack while home alone, which caused him to fall down a flight of stairs and break his neck a mere week before the Congress was sworn in. As Leader, Max served as a close ally of President Wolf, particularly in his quest to remake the Federal judiciary--he personally spoke with dozens of judges on the phone and convinced them to retire, enabling Wolf to appoint young conservative firebrands to replace them. He also led the GOP crusade to repeal and replace Bahariacare, which was only stopped by Moe Johnson' s dramatic "Nay" vote. During this period, Max wrote one piece of legislation--the Right to Try Act--which passed Congress, due to his desire to focus on keeping his conference together and in line. In April of 2017, Max and the GOP Conference eliminated the filibuster on SCOTUS appointments, in order to confirm Wolf's choice of Gerry Neuberger (not-Neil Gorsuch) to the Court. In late 2018, the federal government was headed for a shutdown due to Wolf's refusal to sign any appropriations bill that didn't include funding for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, despite a funding bill already having been passed with unanimous consent by the Senate. Max blocked the Senate from considering any appropriations legislation during this period, while privately appealing to Wolf to end the shutdown and pursue the wall funding after midterm elections had ended. By January 23rd, 2019, Max had blocked four appropriations bills and one funding the Department of Homeland Security. He called on Democrats to support a funding bill that including 7 billion dollars for the border wall, along with temporary extensions for DACA recipients. The shutdown ended January 25th, 2019, when Wolf signed a 3 week funding bill with no wall money. He was reelected to the Senate in 2018.
In the 116th Congress, Max kept the GOP marching in lock step, steamrolling over Democratic legislation passed up from the House or proposed by Senators. During Wolf's impeachment trial, he blocked witnesses, and fought hard to keep the party unified around Wolf, including outright telling the press that he wasn't going to allow Wolf to be removed from office. He was widely criticized by Democrats once more, and once more used critical quotes from Democrats as advertising in his campaigns.
In the 2020 GOP primary, Max implicitly supported Nate Richardson the whole time, frequently advising his campaign and securing his victory in the Wyoming primary. After Richardson won the primary, Max stumped for him hard across the West, deploying his political machine's strength to the tune of millions of dollars of ad-time in Arizona.
Now that Richardson has won, Max is intent on working closely with the new President, winning Jon Ronson's Senate seat, and passing a new infrastructure bill. Time will only tell if he's able to achieve his goals and regain his majority.
Other Info:
- Devout Lutheran, has four children (3 boys, 1 girl).
I have read and accept the rules of the roleplay: (Your Nation's Name Here)
Do Not Remove: DRAFT87421
Senate Republican Leader.
