Rick Saccone | |
|---|---|
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| Member of thePennsylvania House of Representatives from the39th district | |
| In office January 4, 2011 (2011-01-04) – November 30, 2018 (2018-11-30) | |
| Preceded by | David Levdansky |
| Succeeded by | Mike Puskaric |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Richard Saccone |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Yong Saccone |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Weber State College (BS) University of Oklahoma (MPA) Naval Postgraduate School (MA) University of Pittsburgh (PhD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Air Force |
| Unit | Office of Special Investigations |
Richard Saccone is an American educator andfar-right politician who represented Pennsylvania's39th district in thePennsylvania House of Representatives from 2011 to 2018. ARepublican, he was his party's nominee for theMarch 2018 special election to fill in the vacant U.S. House seat for the 18th congressional district. Saccone lost toDemocratic candidateConor Lamb by a margin of 0.3%.[1]
In January 2021, Saccone posted a video of himself on Facebook while standing in view of theJanuary 6 United States Capitol attack. He posted onFacebook that, "We are storming the capitol. Our vanguard has broken thru the barricades. We will save this nation. Are you with me?" He later added that he and the other rioters would "run out all the evil people in there, and all theRINOs that have betrayed our president."[2] Following an investigation into Saccone's role in the attack on the Capitol, Saccone resigned his position as an adjunct professor atSaint Vincent College before he could be dismissed.[3]
On August 31, 2021, Saccone declared his intention to run forlieutenant governor in the2022 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election.[4] He finished second in the primary behindCarrie DelRosso.[5]
Saccone received a bachelor's degree in psychology/criminal justice fromWeber State College in 1981, a master's degree in public administration from theUniversity of Oklahoma in 1984, and a master's degree in national security affairs from theNaval Postgraduate School in 1987.[6] Saccone received a Ph.D. in public and international affairs from theUniversity of Pittsburgh in 2002.[7]
He was later on the faculty ofSaint Vincent College inLatrobe, Pennsylvania. He served as aUnited States Air Force officer, working in theOffice of Special Investigation, counter intelligence.[8] After resigning from the Air Force, Saccone was a civilian employee of theU.S. Army during theIraq War, working in Iraq from 2004 to 2005.[8] While in Iraq, Saccone worked as an interrogation consultant atAbu Ghraib prison.[9]
According to his official and campaign biographies, Saccone worked as an anchor for an English-language television news station in South Korea,[7][10] and worked for businesses in South Korea and Central America.[10] He spent 12 years in South Korea, where he met his wife.[11]
Saccone's official biography states that he worked inNorth Korea on "an agreement meant to prevent the development of nuclear weapons there."[10] However, Saccone was not a diplomat, but rather was one of several U.S. representatives for theKorean Peninsula Energy Development Organization, working there from December 2000 to December 2001. The organization handled a construction project to generate civilian nuclear energy for North Korea while preventing the country from making nuclear weapons. Former U.S. and Southern Korean colleagues said that Saccone had embellished his role, and that he was present at negotiations with North Korea only as a low-level observer.[12] Saccone wrote two books about dealing with North Korea and his time spent there,Living with the Enemy: Inside North Korea, andNegotiating with North Korea.
In 2010, Saccone challenged incumbent Democratic Rep.David Levdansky for the39th District seat in thePennsylvania House of Representatives, anddefeated Levdansky by 151 votes (50.3% to 49.7%). Levdansky challenged Saccone to a rematch in 2012; Sacconedefeated him again by a margin of 50.2%-49.8%.[13]
Saccone was re-elected with 60% of the vote in2014 and 70% in2016.[7] The district includes part ofAllegheny County and part ofWashington County.[14]
In February 2017, Saccone filed with theFEC to run forUnited States Senate in the2018 election, seeking to challenge incumbentBob Casey Jr., and officially declared his candidacy later that month.[15][16]
Saccone is a supporter ofDonald Trump and pledged to be a Trump ally if elected to the Senate.[7] On October 8, 2017, he suspended his U.S. Senate campaign to announce that he would seek the Republican nomination for the 18th Congressional District special election.[17]
On November 11, 2017, Saccone became the Republican nominee for the 18th congressional district special election held on March 13, 2018.[18] The special election attracted national attention. Republicans spent more than $8 million on television advertising, twice as much as the Democrats, and Republican stars includingDonald Trump (twice),Donald Trump Jr.,Ivanka Trump, andMike Pence came to the state to campaign for Saccone.[19] As of March 14, Lamb led Saccone by 647 votes, mainly due to winning the Allegheny County portion of the district by 15,400 votes; Saccone won the rest of the district by 14,700 votes.[20] The result of the election was considered too close to call by most news outlets, since the candidates were separated by only 0.2 percent, and a recount was expected.[21] However, when it became apparent that Saccone would not be able to overcome Lamb's slim lead, he called Lamb to concede the race on March 21.[1] In the final tally, Saccone lost by 0.3 percent.[22]
After thePennsylvania Supreme Court threw out the congressional map drawn by the state legislature and replaced it with a court-drawn map, most of the old 18th District was renumbered as the14th district. On paper, the new 14th is even more Republican than its predecessor; Trump would have won it by 29 points had it existed in 2016.[23] On March 15, Saccone announced that regardless of the final result in the special election for the 18th, he will run in the regular election for the new 14th.[24] On May 15, Saccone lost the primary for the 14th district againstGuy Reschenthaler (55%-45%).[25]
| January 6 United States Capitol attack |
|---|
| Timeline •Planning |
| Background |
2020 presidential election and other causes |
| Participants |
|
| Aftermath |
On January 6, 2021, Saccone took part in the pro-Trump riots outside theUnited States Capitol building. On his Facebook page, he posted a video, in which he said "They broke down the gates. They're macing them up there. We're trying to run out all the evil people in there and all theRINOs who have betrayed our president. We're going to run them out of their offices" and made a post captioned "We are storming the capitol... Are u [sic] with me?", during his participation.[26] Saccone subsequently deleted the video.[22] On January 7, Saccone resigned from his position of adjunct professor at St. Vincent College.[26]
During his brief 2018 Senate run, Saccone pledged to be aDonald Trump ally if elected to the Senate.[7] In January 2018, Saccone was endorsed by Trump after winning the Republican nomination for the 18th congressional district special election.[27] Saccone closely identifies with Trump and in 2018 called himself "Trump before Trump was Trump."[27][28][29]
Saccone's campaign in the 2018 special election attracted national attention, and was seen by many political analysts and commentators as abellwether on the popularity of theRepublican party,Trump's taxes on foreign-made steel and aluminum imports, and the2018 House election.[30][31][32][33][34] Saccone has purposely stoked this portrayal, and called the special election areferendum on the Presidency of Donald Trump.[29][35][36]
Saccone introduced bills to limit abortion rights.[11][37] He supported legislation that would effectively ban abortions after 20 weeks of gestation.[38]
Saccone's beliefs are strongly influenced byChristian reconstructionist and authorDavid Barton, who also introduced at a rally during Saccone's 2018 special election run.[39][40]
In 2013, Saccone attracted attention for introducing the National Motto Display Act, a bill to require public school districts in Pennsylvania to post "In God We Trust" (thenational motto) in every school building.[8][41]
The 2013 legislation failed, but in 2016, Saccone co-sponsored similar legislation (which would encourage but not mandate the posting of the motto in schools). The bill passed on a 179–20 vote in May 2016. The legislation was criticized by secular advocacy groups, such as theFreedom from Religion Foundation.[42] Also in 2013, Saccone sponsored a "day of prayer" resolution, seeking to designate April 30 as a National Fast Day.[41]
In January 2012, Saccone introduced to the state House a nonbinding resolution (Resolution No. 535) to declare 2012 as the "Year of the Bible" in Pennsylvania. The resolution passed unanimously, but was criticized byAmericans United for Separation of Church and State.[43][44] The resolution drew considerable political controversy in Pennsylvania, as well as national attention.[45]
TheFreedom from Religion Foundation filed a federal lawsuit over the resolution,Freedom From Religion Foundation v. Saccone, alleging a violation of theEstablishment Clause. U.S. District JudgeChristopher C. Conner dismissed the suit on the grounds oflegislative immunity, but criticized the legislature for using state resources to "provide a re-election sound bite for use by members of the General Assembly."[46]
In an interview in 2017 with the Pastors Network of America, Saccone stated that God wants those who have the "fear of God in them" to "rule over us".[47]
Saccone supported thefederal Republican tax legislation enacted in 2017, saying "I'm sorry I wasn’t there to vote for it."[48] Over the course of the campaign for the 2018 special election seat, Saccone distanced himself from ads which touted his support for the tax cuts and the ads, which while prominent at the start of the campaign, were cycled out.[49]
In 2017, Saccone was part of a faction of Republican state lawmakers who sought to close a $2.3 billion (~$2.89 billion in 2024) deficit in the state budget through spending cuts alone; Saccone said that he preferred to close the budget gap by redirecting non-General Fund funds in "nonperforming" (unused) special funds but that he was open to across-the-board spending cuts.[50]
While in office Saccone has consistently called for spending cuts, including to funding forearly childhood andK-12 education, public libraries, and child welfare.[51][52]
Saccone is known for his strong advocacy ofgun rights.[7][8] In 2017, he sponsored at least four bills seeking to expand the rights of gun owners; one such bill would amend state law to prohibit discrimination against gun carriers; a co-sponsorship memorandum for the bill criticizedChuck E. Cheese's for its "policy barring customers from carrying firearms inside" the venue.[7]
Saccone favorsright-to-work legislation, which makes it illegal for workers in unionized workplaces to be compelled into joining unions.[48] According to NBC News, "Saccone’s conservative record has united organized labor against him."[27] Saccone disputes the characterization, saying "the union members have always voted for me. Their leadership has never represented their members, and they know that."[48]
In 2017, Saccone sought to limit the practice of allowing some teachers to work full-time for teachers' unions under the classification "teachers on special assignment" (with those teachers' wages reimbursed by the union to theschool district). In 2017, three teachers with the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers worked full-time in that role. Saccone described the employees as "ghost teachers" and sponsored legislation that would limit teachers to no more than 15 days of union activity annually.[53]
Saccone introduced legislation that would prohibit public officials from accepting "transportation, lodging or hospitality or anything of economic value as a gift" from lobbyists. Saccone said, "I have at least 20 lobbyist groups that have never taken me out for anything. They come to my office, they make their pitch and they go away. And that is how it should be." However, it was later reported that Saccone did routinely get meals paid by lobbyists; Saccone justified getting gifted meals by lobbyists, saying that he had to have the meals with the lobbyists because other lawmakers did and he did not want to isolate himself from other lawmakers.[54]
Saccone advocated forwaterboarding,sleep deprivation, and other forms of torture in articles and his book.[55][56]
In 2017, during a special election campaign for a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama, Saccone defended Republican nomineeRoy Moore, who had beenaccused of sexual misconduct involving teenage girls; after a reporter asked a different Republican state representative (Kathy Rapp), whether she found it "compassionate that your party may soon elect an accused child molester to the United States Senate," Saccone remarked, "Do you believe in thepresumption of innocence?"[38]
According toThe Intercept, records from the Pennsylvania General Assembly showed that Saccone used his legislative expense account, which is funded by taxpayers, "for meals, per diem payments, and other items at a rate higher than most lawmakers".[51] The investigation showed that Saccone purchased 36 line items for various flag and flag accessory purchases totaling $4,436.30. Saccone also spent $117,400 to lease an office from Dowling Properties, a real estate company founded by Celine Dowling, one of his campaign donors.[51]
Saccone is aBaptist.[41] He was married to Yong Saccone, who died on July 8, 2023. He met her inSouth Korea. The couple have two sons, Nick and Matthew.[6]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rick Saccone | 2,016 | 56.03% | |
| Republican | Shawn M. Hess | 1,582 | 43.97% | |
| Total votes | 3,598 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rick Saccone | 10,761 | 50.35% | |
| Democratic | David Levdansky (incumbent) | 10,610 | 49.65% | |
| Total votes | 21,371 | 100.00% | ||
| Republicangain fromDemocratic | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rick Saccone(incumbent) | 2,644 | 63.44% | |
| Republican | Shauna D'Alessandro | 1,524 | 36.56% | |
| Total votes | 4,168 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rick Saccone(incumbent) | 14,495 | 50.19% | |
| Democratic | David Levdansky | 14,383 | 49.81% | |
| Total votes | 28,878 | 100.00% | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rick Saccone(incumbent) | 11,805 | 60.35% | |
| Democratic | Lisa Stout-Bashioum | 7,755 | 39.65% | |
| Total votes | 19,560 | 100.00% | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rick Saccone(incumbent) | 7,685 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 7,685 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rick Saccone(incumbent) | 22,034 | 68.40% | |
| Democratic | Peter Kobylinski | 10,180 | 31.60% | |
| Total votes | 32,214 | 100.00% | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district special election Republican conferree meeting[63] | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | First ballot | Pct. | Second ballot | Pct. | ||||||
| Rick Saccone | 74 | 34.4% | 123 | 57.5% | ||||||
| Guy Reschenthaler | 75 | 34.9% | 91 | 42.5% | ||||||
| Kim Ward | 66 | 30.7% | Eliminated | |||||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Conor Lamb | 114,102 | 49.86% | +49.86% | |
| Republican | Rick Saccone | 113,347 | 49.53% | −50.47% | |
| Libertarian | Drew Gray Miller | 1,381 | 0.60% | +0.60% | |
| Total votes | 228,830 | 100.00% | |||
| Plurality | 755 | 0.33% | -99.67% | ||
| Democraticgain fromRepublican | Swing | ||||
| Pennsylvania House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of thePennsylvania House of Representatives from the39th district 2011–2019 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
