James Buckley, a prominent conservative political figure who served in various high-level government positions, including one term as a U.S. senator, has died at the age of 100. Buckley, who shared his passion for conservative politics with his brother William, passed away on August 18 at a hospital in Washington, D.C., where he had been residing.
One of the most significant contributions James Buckley made to American politics was his role as the lead plaintiff in the groundbreaking campaign finance lawsuit known as Buckley v. Valeo. This lawsuit, decided in 1976, unraveled part of the post-Watergate regulation of political money. The ruling in Buckley set the stage for subsequent court decisions, including the landmark Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission case in 2010, which established the idea that money is equal to speech. This decision allowed for unlimited independent political spending.
Buckley’s involvement in the lawsuit stemmed from his successful third-party campaign for a Senate seat. He believed that proposed spending and contribution limits would hinder challengers from effectively challenging the political establishment. His victory in Buckley v. Valeo paved the way for greater independent political spending, shaping the landscape of campaign finance in the United States.
In addition to his role in campaign finance reform, James Buckley was known as a conservative intellectual with a passion for wildlife and the environment. He even brought a pet boa constrictor with him to Yale University. Later in his career, he became a defender of the Endangered Species Act. Throughout his career, Buckley critically examined the federal government, serving as a U.S. senator, president of Radio Free Europe during the Reagan administration, and a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
Born on March 9, 1923, in Manhattan, James Buckley was the fourth of ten children raised in Connecticut by parents who instilled in them the values of individual responsibility and Catholicism. His father, William F. Buckley Sr., was an independent oilman who raised his children to be “pure American” and immersed in the principles of the 18th century.
James Buckley’s political career began in 1965 when he managed his brother William’s unsuccessful campaign for mayor of New York. He later became a nettlesome figure to New York state’s moderate Republican establishment leaders, running as a third-party conservative candidate for the Senate against Senator Jacob K. Javits in 1968. Buckley won the Senate seat in 1970, defeating the incumbent Republican and a popular Democrat.
Although James Buckley was less well-known than his brother William, the founder of the National Review, he was admired as a sensitive listener and intellectual. He led a multifaceted life that included practicing law, managing the family oil business, and pursuing his interest in wildlife conservation.
James Buckley is survived by his six children and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His contributions to campaign finance reform and conservative politics will be remembered as part of his lasting legacy in American politics.
Original Story at www.washingtonpost.com – 2023-08-18 15:34:56
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