Brock Adams

Adams was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and attended public schools in Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, graduating in 1944 from Broadway High School in Seattle.{{cite web |title=Brock Adams papers - Archives West |url=https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:80444/xv30459 |website=archiveswest.orbiscascade.org |publisher=Orbis Cascade Alliance |access-date=31 December 2022}} He attended the University of Washington where, in 1948, he was elected president of the student government (ASUW) and was the first student to both serve in that post and receive the President's Medal of Excellence as the university's top scholar.{{cite web| title = Brock Adams papers-Special Collections, UW Libraries| publisher = University of Washington Libraries| url = http://www.lib.washington.edu/SpecialColl/findaids/docs/papersrecords/AdamsBrock1096.xml#a1| access-date = July 3, 2009| archive-date = June 11, 2011| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110611162542/http://www.lib.washington.edu/SpecialColl/findaids/docs/papersrecords/AdamsBrock1096.xml#a1| url-status = dead}} In 1949, Mary Maxwell served as secretary to ASUW president Adams.{{Cite web|title=Melinda French Gates: A Microsoft Mystery -- She Married High- Profile Bill Gates, But Wants Her Life Kept Private|url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19950604&slug=2124492|access-date=2021-07-26|website=archive.seattletimes.com}} Later that year, Adams introduced Maxwell to his friend and her future husband, William Henry Gates II.{{Cite book|last=Wallace|first=James|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/27431749|title=Hard drive : Bill Gates and the making of the Microsoft empire|date=1993|publisher=HarperBusiness|others=Jim Erickson|isbn=0-88730-629-2|edition=1st HarperBusiness|location=New York|pages=6|oclc=27431749}} He graduated in 1949 and was admitted to Harvard Law School, where he earned his law degree in 1952.

Adams was also a member of Phi Beta Kappa society.

Adams served in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1946, and was admitted to the Washington state bar in 1952, opening a private practice in Seattle. He was a member of the American Bar Association.

Adams taught law at the American Institute of Banking from 1954 to 1960, and served as United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington from 1961 to 1964.{{cite web| title = Biographical Directory of the United States Congress| url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=A000031| access-date = July 3, 2009 }}

Adams was elected as a Democrat to the House and served six terms beginning January 3, 1965. He was chairman of the newly created Budget Committee during the 94th Congress, and was considered a strong candidate for Speaker of the House.

On January 22, 1977, Adams resigned to become the fifth Secretary of Transportation following his appointment by President Jimmy Carter and confirmation by the Senate.

Adams's willingness to plunge into controversial issues during his time as Transportation Secretary was evident in the contrasting assessments of his tenure and accomplishments during a tumultuous period in transportation. The Wall Street Journal in 1979 called him the "biggest disappointment" in the Carter cabinet, while Public Citizen President Joan Claybrook, who led the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration under Adams, called him "absolutely one of the best transportation secretaries we've ever had".{{cite journal

| title = Brock Adams, Former DOT Secretary, Dies

| journal = Traffic World

| volume = 38

| pages = 13

| date = September 20, 2004}}

After resigning his Cabinet post on July 20, 1979, Adams resumed law practice, this time in Washington, D.C., where he was a lobbyist for CSX Corporation and other railroad carriers.{{citation needed | date=April 2023}}

File:Cabinet meeting - NARA - 175496.jpg

On November 4, 1986, Adams was elected to the U.S. Senate, narrowly defeating incumbent Republican Slade Gorton with 50.66% of the vote.{{cite web| title = Elections & Voting| url=http://www.secstate.wa.gov/elections/results_report.aspx?e=&c=gorton&c2=&t=&t2=&p=&p2=&y=&c3=| access-date = July 3, 2009 }} Serving one term, he compiled a liberal record and was strongly supportive of his party's leadership.

Kari Tupper, the daughter of a longtime friend, accused Adams of drugging and assaulting her in 1987.{{cite news|last1=Rudin|first1=Ken|title=Congressional Sex Scandals in History|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/congress.htm#adams|access-date=October 9, 2014|newspaper=The Washington Post|year=1998}}{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1992/03/22/the-seduction-of-brock-adams/8f00f4f4-45ef-4594-951b-a382d70213f3/|title=THE SEDUCTION OF BROCK ADAMS|first=Ken|last=Ringle|date=March 22, 1992|access-date=November 2, 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post}}

In 1992 eight women made statements to The Seattle Times alleging that Adams had committed various acts of sexual misconduct, including sexual assault, molestation and rape.{{cite news| title = 8 More Women Accuse Adams--Allegations of Two Decades of Sexual Harassment, Abuse - And a Rape| work=The Seattle Times| date =March 1, 1992| url =https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19920301/1478550/8-more-women-accuse-adams----allegations-of-two-decades-of-sexual-harassment-abuse---and-a-rape| access-date =July 3, 2009|first1=Susan|last1=Gilmore|first2=Eric|last2=Nalder|first3=Eric|last3=Pryne|first4=David|last4=Boardman}} Multiple women said they were drugged after being served suspicious drinks and either assaulted or raped.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-03-02-mn-2265-story.html|title= Sex Charges Bring End to Brock Adams' Career : Congress: Senator drops reelection bid after publication of allegations by 8 women of improprieties|website= Los Angeles Times|date= March 2, 1992|access-date= May 15, 2020}}

In the exposé, an unnamed source said, "Adams had long been known by his staff and associates for aggressively kissing and handling women within his reach."

A former Democratic Party activist alleged that in the early 1970s, when Adams was serving in the House of Representatives, he invited her to a Seattle bar, where he drugged her with what he called "Vitamin C", after she recalled suffering from a cold. The woman said Adams followed her home, pushed her onto a couch and raped her.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-03-02-mn-2265-story.html|title= Sex Charges Bring End to Brock Adams' Career : Congress: Senator drops reelection bid after publication of allegations by 8 women of improprieties|website= Los Angeles Times|date= March 2, 1992|access-date= May 15, 2020}}

A young woman in her thirties told The Washingtonian that while she was seated to Adams's right at a formal luncheon shortly after she had taken a new job on Capitol Hill, he slid his hand under her skirt to the upper part of her thigh, whereupon she tried to move her leg away from him. Failing that, she said she tried to remove his hand, but Adams dug his fingers into her skin.{{cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/10/26/Sen-Brock-Adams-D-Wash-already-accused-of-sexually-assaulting/1209593841600/|title= Sen. Brock Adams, D-Wash., already accused of sexually assaulting women|website= UPI|access-date= April 15, 2020}}

Adams denied the allegations in a press conference. But already under the spotlight due to previously aired allegations that he drugged and molested a young female aide in 1987, a highly publicized matter in which no charges were brought, Adams was forced to drop out of his reelection campaign.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-03-02-mn-2265-story.html|title= Sex Charges Bring End to Brock Adams' Career : Congress: Senator drops reelection bid after publication of allegations by 8 women of improprieties|website= Los Angeles Times|date= March 2, 1992|access-date= May 15, 2020}}{{cite news | author=Mark Matassa and David Schaefer | title=Who'll Run for Adams' Seat? -- Scramble on After Senator Withdraws | newspaper=Seattle Times | date=March 2, 1992}}

In retirement, Adams lived in Stevensville, Maryland. He died of complications from Parkinson's disease.{{cite news| title = Former U.S. Sen. Brock Adams dies at 77| work=The Seattle Times| date =September 10, 2004| url =http://old.seattletimes.com/html/regionalpolitics/2002032016_webadams10.html| access-date =July 3, 2009| last= Daly|first=Matthew|agency=Associated Press}}

In light of the 2017 #MeToo Movement, some see Adams's legacy as a powerful politician who systematically abused his power over young women as emblematic of the culture of harassment in the government.{{cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation-politics/women-on-capitol-hill-push-for-lasting-change-in-handling-sexual-harassment/|title= Patty Murray leads women's push for lasting change in handling sexual harassment on Capitol Hill|website= Seattle Times|date= December 7, 2017|access-date= April 15, 2020}}

In 2020, an extensive PBS exposé concerning the workplace for women in the 1990s in Washington, D.C., described the climate of "sexual harassment and sexual entitlement [that] existed in some offices in the Senate", driven by some male senators whose behavior was well known on Capitol Hill. There was a list of senators and congressmen whom young women were told to keep away from, which included Adams, John Conyers, Ted Kennedy, Bob Packwood, Mel Reynolds, Gus Savage, and Strom Thurmond .{{cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-74-former-biden-staffers-think-about-tara-reades-allegations|title= What 74 former Biden staffers think about Tara Read's allegations|website= PBS Newshour|date= May 15, 2020|access-date= May 15, 2020}}

• List of federal political sex scandals in the United States
• Lobbying in the United States

{{Portal|Biography}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:80444/xv30459 Brock Adams Papers.] 1947–1993. 326.54 cubic feet (456 boxes).
• [https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:80444/xv75937 Brock Adams photograph collection.] circa 1920–1992. Brock Adams photograph collection.
• [https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:80444/xv21182 Richard J. Carbray papers.] 1950–1994. 14.85 cubic feet including oversize material, 2 microfilm reels, 65 videocassettes, 1 audio disc, 11 reel to reel sound tapes plus 3 items.

{{Commons category|Brock Adams}}

{{congbio|A000031}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060315010713/http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/a000031/ Voting record maintained by the Washington Post]
• {{C-SPAN|2482}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-par|us-hs}}

{{s-bef|before=K. William Stinson}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Washington's 7th congressional district|years=1965–1977}}

{{s-aft|after=John E. Cunningham}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=Al Ullman}}

{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the House Budget Committee|years=1975–1977}}

{{s-aft|after=Robert Giaimo}}

|-

{{s-off}}

{{s-bef|before=William Thaddeus Coleman Jr.}}

{{s-ttl|title=United States Secretary of Transportation|years=1977–1979}}

{{s-aft|after=Neil Goldschmidt}}

|-

{{s-ppo}}

{{s-bef|before=Warren Magnuson}}

{{s-ttl|title=Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Washington
(Class 3)|years=1986}}

{{s-aft|after=Patty Murray}}

|-

{{s-par|us-sen}}

{{s-bef|before=Slade Gorton}}

{{s-ttl|title=U.S. Senator (Class 3) from Washington|years=1987–1993|alongside=Daniel J. Evans, Slade Gorton}}

{{s-aft|after=Patty Murray}}

{{s-end}}

{{USSenWA}}

{{USSecTrans}}

{{Carter cabinet}}

{{US House Budget chairs}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Adams, Brockman}}

Category:1927 births

Category:2004 deaths

Category:Broadway High School (Seattle) alumni

Category:American lobbyists

Category:Deaths from Parkinson's disease in Maryland

Category:Democratic Party United States senators from Washington (state)

Category:Harvard Law School alumni

Category:Lawyers from Portland, Oregon

Category:Politicians from Portland, Oregon

Category:Political sex scandals

Category:United States attorneys for the Western District of Washington

Category:United States Navy sailors

Category:Secretaries of transportation of the United States

Category:University of Washington alumni

Category:Carter administration cabinet members

Category:Politicians from Atlanta

Category:Military personnel from Georgia (U.S. state)

Category:Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Washington (state)

Category:20th-century Washington (state) politicians

Category:Phi Delta Theta members

Category:20th-century United States senators

Category:20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives