Jerry Weller

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Jerry Weller

United States Representative from Illinois's 11th district
In office 1995-present
Preceded by	George Sangmeister
Succeeded by	Incumbent

Born	July 7, 1957 Streator, Illinois
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Zury Ríos Montt
Religion	Non-denominational Protestant

Gerald C. "Jerry" Weller (b. July 7, 1957, Streator, Illinois) is an American politician who has been a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives since 1995, representing Illinois' 11th Congressional District. (map) In the November 2006 general election, Congressman Weller defeated Democratic opponent John Pavich.

1 Early life, education, and family
2 U.S. House of Representatives
- 2.1 Political actions and positions
3 Marriage to Zury Ríos Montt
4 Properties in Nicaragua
5 Contributors
- 5.1 Energy companies
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Early life, education, and family

Weller was born in Streator, Illinois to LaVern and Marilyn Weller,^[1] and raised on his family's hog farm in Dwight, Illinois. Weller is a 1979 graduate of the University of Illinois where he received his degree in agriculture. Weller has been married twice.

Weller was a staff member for state representative Tom Corcoran from 1980 to 1981, assistant to the director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture, and an aide to Secretary of Agriculture John R. Block from 1981 to 1985.

In 1988, Weller was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives where he served until 1994.

[edit] U.S. House of Representatives

Weller was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994 following the retirement of Democrat George Sangmeister. Weller defeated New Lenox attorney Robert T. Herbolsheimer in the Republican primary, and Democrat Frank Giglio in the general election.

Weller serves as Deputy Majority Whip and is a member of the Ways and Means Committee. He also sits on the House International Relations Committee where he serves as Vice Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere,^[2] which oversees all legislation and policy regarding the nations of the Americas, as well as the Terrorism and Nonproliferation Subcommittee.^[3]

[edit] Political actions and positions

Weller has gained national recognition for his efforts to eliminate the marriage penalty. He has supported the use of tax incentives to help redevelop brownfield formal industrial land, developing a proposal with Democrats, such as Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, to do so.^[4]

Weller also championed the creation of the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie and other redevelopment efforts at the former Joliet arsenal.^[4] Redevelopment of the site included the Deer Run Industrial Park, which contains the CenterPoint Intermodal Center, a new intermodal freight transport center.^[5] He also supports the creation of a third Chicago area airport in the Peotone, Illinois area to complement the intermodal center.^[6] In 1995, Weller received an Environmental Protector Award from the Chicago Audubon Society for his political service.^[7] Weller is also a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership.

[edit] Marriage to Zury Ríos Montt

In July 2004, Weller announced that he was engaged to three-term Guatemalan Congresswoman Zury Ríos Montt, daughter of General Efraín Ríos Montt.^[8] On November 20, 2004, the two married at her father's home in Antigua Guatemala, his second marriage and her fourth. (Zury Ríos has also used the combined parental surname Ríos Sosa, but in Guatemala she is nowadays best known by her father's name, Ríos Montt; her personal website uses the hybrid married form "Ríos-Montt de Weller". [1])

In 2004, Weller's Democratic opponent, Tari Renner, asked that Weller make a public statement denouncing General Ríos Montt's past actions, and those of his wife. Renner also asked that Weller step down from his seat on the House International Relations Committee because of his pending marriage to a foreign legislator. The Committee oversee all of the Americas, including Guatemala.^[9]

In August 2006, a daughter, Marizú Catherine, was born in a hospital in Guatemala City. ^[10]

Weller promised prior to his marriage to Ríos Montt that he would not vote on any legislation involving Guatemala. His advocacy and vote for CAFTA caused controversy.^[11] Weller has long supported free-trade agreements. As a FRG party leader, his wife is also a supporter of CAFTA.

[edit] Properties in Nicaragua

On October 25, 2006, the Chicago Reader reported that Weller had disclosed three parcels of land he owned in Nicaragua on his financial disclosure forms: one purchased in 2002, one purchased in April 2004, and one purchased in December 2005. The newspaper also reported that it had obtained notarized bills of sale for three more lots owned by Weller that had never been listed on his forms: a lot sold in February 2005, a lot purchased in March 2005, and lot purchased in April 2005. The failure to properly disclosure property ownership is a violation of the Ethics in Government Act and the False Statements Accountability Act of 1996.

Weller's lawyer said that he couldn’t comment because of the attorney-client privilege.^[12] Weller's campaign manager said Weller "does not own three more parcels in Nicaragua. He does not own six parcels in Nicaragua. He has filed his disclosure for everything that he owns."^[13]

[edit] Contributors

According to Federal Election Commission records, Jerry Weller has received numerous contributions from PAC’s and individuals. The contributors include several energy companies, financial services companies, labor unions, and medical associations, amongst others.

Two dividuals linked to Duke Cunningham, a former congressman who pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, mail fraud, wire fraud, and tax evasion, contributed to Weller: Mitchell Wade, the former president of defense intelligence firm MZM Inc, who pleaded guilty to several charges in February 2006, and Brent Wilkes, an unindicted co-conspirator. Wade, Wilkes, their family members and their companies’ PACs donated $20,000 to Weller. Chris Kennedy, a spokesman for Weller, said in November 2005 that the donations probably originated from Weller’s support of the research-and-development tax credit, and that the issue of giving back the money had not been discussed.^[14] ^[15]

Weller accepted a contribution directly from Jack Abramoff, a former lobbyist who has been convicted on multiple charges pertaining to public corruption. Weller also received donations from clients represented by Abramoff, mainly Indian tribes.^[16]^[17] Upon Abramoff's indictment, Weller donated the amount of his contribution to charity.^[18]

Weller accepted a donation from Americans for a Republican Majority, also called ARMPAC, which was formed by Tom DeLay.^[19]

Weller has accepted donations from tobacco companies, including: Altria Group (formerly known as Philip Morris), R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Brown & Williamson, and the Tobacco Institute.^[15] Weller has also received donations from the gambling industry, including: the American Gaming Association, Harrah's Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Station Casinos, Mandalay Resort Group, and Duchossois Industries (former owner of Arlington Park).^[15]

Weller collected financial support from various corporations, such as Wal-Mart, which opened a 3.4 million square foot distribution facility in the Elwood, Illinois intermodal hub at the former Joliet arsenal^[20] and News Corporation, the parent company of Fox News Channel. Weller has accepted funds from the Eagle Forum, an organization opposed to the Equal Rights Amendment. Weller has received donations from the National Rifle Association, Airline Pilots Association, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association as well as some labor unions such as the Directors Guild of America, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, National Air Traffic Controllers Association, United Transportation Union and the Transport Workers Union of America. He also received contributions from several agricultural interests, including the Dairy Farmers of America, ConAgra Foods and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.^[15]

[edit] Energy companies

Weller has accepted over $176 thousand dollars from major oil and gas companies, representing approximately 2.16% of total campaign contributions.^[21] Jerry Weller received donations from Exelon Corporation, the parent company of Commonwealth Edison, an electric utility serving Weller’s district as well as the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association a group representing electrical cooperatives in his district. Exelon owns three nuclear power plants in Weller's district and is being sued by Will County residents and the State's Attorney due to leaks of radioactive tritium at the Braidwood Nuclear Generating Station and the Dresden Nuclear Power Plant.^[22] The radioactive leaks have contaminated well water above the Environmental Protection Agency's federal drinking water standard. Weller sent a letter to Exelon Corp expressing his concern and recommended that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission investigate the power plants in question.^[23] Weller received multiple donations from Arthur Andersen and Enron Corporation, including after the scandal became public knowledge. Weller accepted a donation less than a month prior to Enron’s bankruptcy filing.^[15] Weller also accepted donations from El Paso Corp., owner of ANR Pipeline company, which opened a new natural gas market center in Joliet, Illinois. The new center connects several new pipelines adding larger supply capabilities and creating additional competition in the midwest, where only the Nicor Chicago hub had previously existed.^[24]