Emanuel Cleaver

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Emanuel Cleaver

| image = File:Emanuel Cleaver official photo.jpg

| alt = Official portrait

| state = Missouri

| district = {{ushr|MO|5|5th}}

| term_start = January 3, 2005

| term_end =

| predecessor = Karen McCarthy

| successor =

| office1 = Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus

| term_start1 = January 3, 2011

| term_end1 = January 3, 2013

| predecessor1 = Barbara Lee

| successor1 = Marcia Fudge

| office2 = 51st Mayor of Kansas City

| term_start2 = 1991

| term_end2 = 1999

| predecessor2 = Richard Berkley

| successor2 = Kay Barnes

| birth_name = Emanuel Cleaver II

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1944|10|26}}

| birth_place = Waxahachie, Texas, U.S.

| party = Democratic

| spouse = Dianne Cleaver

| children = 4

| education = Prairie View A&M University (BS)
Saint Paul School of Theology (MDiv)

| website = {{URL|https://cleaver.house.gov/|House website}}

| signature = Signature of Emanuel Cleaver.svg

| module = {{Listen|pos=center|embed=yes|filename=Rep. Emanuel Cleaver on the FY2013 Federal Budget.ogg|title=Emanuel Cleaver's voice|type=speech|description=Emanuel Cleaver presents the Congressional Black Caucus substitute for the FY2013 federal budget
Recorded March 28, 2012}}

}}

Emanuel Cleaver II (born October 26, 1944) is a United Methodist pastor and American politician who has represented {{ushr|MO|5}} in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2005. He was previously the mayor of Kansas City, Missouri from 1991 to 1999.

Cleaver represents a district that primarily consists of the inner ring of the Kansas City metropolitan area, including nearly all of Kansas City and some of its suburbs in Clay and Jackson counties, including North Kansas City, Gladstone, Independence, Lee's Summit, and some of Blue Springs. He is a member of the Democratic Party, and chaired the Congressional Black Caucus from 2011 to 2013.

In his 11th term in Congress {{as of|2025|lc=y}}, Cleaver previously served three terms on the Kansas City Council from 1979 to 1991, until he was elected mayor, serving two terms from 1991 to 1999.

Early life, education, and career

Emanuel Cleaver II was born on October 26, 1944, in Waxahachie, Texas.{{Cite web|title=CLEAVER, Emanuel, II|url=https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/C001061|access-date=2021-09-21|website=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress}} He grew up in public housing in Wichita Falls, Texas. He graduated from Prairie View A&M University, where he was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, in 1972.{{Cite web|title=Congressional Record Extensions of Remarks Articles|url=https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2019/2/14/extensions-of-remarks-section/article/E181-5|access-date=2020-07-15|website=www.congress.gov}} Cleaver then moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where he founded a branch of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference{{Cite web|last=Cheam|first=Bunthay|date=2007-04-08|title=Emanuel Cleaver (1944- ) •|url=https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/cleaver-emanuel-1944/|access-date=2020-07-15|language=en-US}} and received a Master of Divinity degree from St. Paul School of Theology.{{Cite web|title=Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress – Retro Member details|url=https://bioguideretro.congress.gov/Home/MemberDetails?memIndex=C001061|access-date=2020-07-15|website=bioguideretro.congress.gov}}

Cleaver was the pastor at the St. James United Methodist Church in Kansas City, Missouri, from 1972 to 2009.{{Cite web|url=http://www.stjamesumc.com/our-story/history/|title=History » St. James UMC|website=www.stjamesumc.com|access-date=August 23, 2018|archive-date=March 7, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307092142/http://stjamesumc.com/our-story/history|url-status=dead}}

Kansas City councilman and mayor

Cleaver served as a Kansas City councilman from 1979 to 1991 and as mayor of Kansas City from 1991 until 1999. He was Kansas City's first African American mayor.{{Cite web|date=2017-02-02|title=Black History Month: Emanuel Cleaver II|url=https://www.kshb.com/lifestyle/tasteseekc/kansas-citys-first-african-american-mayor-emanuel-cleaver-ii|access-date=2020-07-15|website=KSHB|language=en}}

David Helling, an opinion columnist for the Kansas City Star, wrote of Cleaver's tenure as mayor: "Kansas City's first African-American mayor defined the modern concept of the job: a professional staff, high visibility and a clear agenda. He was also a moral leader. His speech at a local rally after the Rodney King verdict averted a riot and was his finest moment. Yet Cleaver's actual record as mayor is spotty. Tax and spending initiatives floundered at the polls, and City Hall scandal was common. The crime rate was far too high."David Helling, [https://web.archive.org/web/20180614065549/https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/dave-helling/article213011289.html KC's best and worst mayors: Where does Sly James rank?], Kansas City Star (June 12, 2018).

Cleaver is a cousin of exiled Kansas City Black Panther leader Pete O'Neal. In 1997, Cleaver unsuccessfully attempted to obtain a pardon for O'Neal from President Bill Clinton.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/23/world/a-black-panther-s-mellow-exile-farming-in-africa.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm|title=A Black Panther's Mellow Exile: Farming in Africa|last=McKinley|first=James C. Jr.|work=The New York Times |date=November 23, 1997 |access-date=August 23, 2018}} Cleaver is also a cousin of the late Eldridge Cleaver, another prominent figure in the Black Panther Party.{{Cite web|date=2015-11-04|title=Office Space: Emanuel Cleaver's BBQ House|url=https://www.rollcall.com/2015/11/04/office-space-emanuel-cleavers-bbq-house-2/|access-date=2020-11-19|website=Roll Call|language=en}}

U.S. House of Representatives

After the compromise Budget Control Act deal had been reached to resolve the 2011 debt-ceiling crisis, Cleaver called the deal a "sugar-coated Satan sandwich".{{cite web|last=Kim |first=Seung Min|title=House liberals roar|publisher=Politico |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2011/08/house-liberals-roar-060423|access-date=August 2, 2011|date=August 1, 2011}}

= Committee assignments =

Committee on Financial Services
Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance (Ranking Member)
Subcommittee on Capital Markets

= Caucus membership =

Congressional Black Caucus{{cite web|title=Membership|url=https://cbc.house.gov/membership/|publisher=Congressional Black Caucus|access-date=March 7, 2018}}
Congressional Coalition on Adoption{{Cite web|title=Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute|url=https://www.ccainstitute.org|language=en}}
Congressional Equality Caucus{{cite web|title=Congressional Equality Caucus Members|date=February 6, 2023 |url=https://equality.house.gov/about-cec/membership}}
Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment{{cite web|title=Membership|author=|url=https://bush.house.gov/era/about/membership|format=|publisher=Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment|date=|accessdate=17 September 2024}}
Rare Disease Caucus{{cite web|title=Rare Disease Congressional Caucus|author=|url=https://everylifefoundation.org/rare-advocates/rarecaucus/rarecaucus-members/|format=|publisher=Every Life Foundation for Rare Diseases|date=|accessdate=22 November 2024}}

= Tenure =

During his tenure, Cleaver has voted with the Democratic Party 95.8% of the time.{{cite web|title=Voting Statistics for Emanuel Cleaver |url=http://www.thepoliticalguide.com/Profiles/House/Missouri/Emanuel_Cleaver/VotingStatistics/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207013326/http://www.thepoliticalguide.com/Profiles/House/Missouri/Emanuel_Cleaver/VotingStatistics/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=February 7, 2012|publisher=The Political Guide |access-date=June 19, 2012}} He has been recognized as "not shy about earmarks" and has brought many federal tax dollars back to Kansas City.{{cite news|title=Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II |url=http://jacksoncountydemocraticcommittee.org/elected-officials/emanuel-cleaver/ |access-date=June 19, 2012 |newspaper=Jackson County Democratic Committee |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604022805/http://jacksoncountydemocraticcommittee.org/elected-officials/emanuel-cleaver/ |archivedate=June 4, 2012}} As of 2022, he had voted with President Joe Biden's stated position 100% of the time, according to FiveThirtyEight.{{Cite web |last1=Bycoffe |first1=Aaron |last2=Wiederkehr |first2=Anna |date=2021-04-22 |title=Does Your Member Of Congress Vote With Or Against Biden? |url=https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-congress-votes/house/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423141050/https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-congress-votes/house/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 23, 2021 |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=FiveThirtyEight |language=en}}

Cleaver has called for ethics charges against fellow U.S. Representatives Charlie Rangel and Maxine Waters to be dropped, saying, "The process has been tainted."{{cite news|last=Kraske |first=Steve |title=Cleaver wants ethics charges against Waters, Rangel dropped |url=http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/kraske-cleaver-wants-charges-against-waters-rangel-dropped/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130129150715/http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/kraske-cleaver-wants-charges-against-waters-rangel-dropped/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 29, 2013 |access-date=June 19, 2012 |newspaper=The Kansas City Star |date=June 15, 2012 }}

On December 18, 2019, Cleaver voted for both articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump and is one of only two Missouri House members to do so, along with Lacy Clay.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-impeachment-vote-results-house-2019-12| date=December 18, 2019 | title=WHIP COUNT: Here's which members of the House voted for and against impeaching Trump|first=Grace|last=Panetta|website=Business Insider | access-date=February 12, 2020}}

= Office attack =

On September 11, 2014, around 2:50 a.m., what appeared to be a Molotov cocktail was thrown through the window of Cleaver's Kansas City office. He was in Washington D.C. at the time and no staff members were present during the attack.{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/fbi-probes-vandalism-congressmans-office-25431185 |title=FBI Probes Vandalism as Congressman's Office |publisher=ABC News |date=September 11, 2014 |access-date=September 11, 2014}}

Political campaigns

File:Emanuel Cleaver, official Congressional photo portrait.JPG

In late 2003, Karen McCarthy, who had represented the 5th congressional district since 1995, announced her retirement. Though he served in city government for 20 years, including eight as mayor, Cleaver initially posted weak numbers in the Democratic primary and general elections, but defeated former Clinton Administration official Jamie Metzl in the Democratic primary, 60%-40%. In the general election, Republican Jeanne Patterson made the race far more competitive than conventional wisdom would suggest for the district, which has long been reckoned as Missouri's second-most Democratic district, behind the St. Louis-based 1st. The Democrats have held this seat for all but eight years since 1909, and without interruption since 1949. McCarthy won 65% of the vote in 2002.

= 2008 Democratic presidential primary election =

During the 2008 Democratic presidential primaries, Cleaver endorsed Hillary Clinton.[http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/release/view/?id=2953 Missouri Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II Endorses Clinton] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070822192321/http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/release/view/?id=2953 |date=August 22, 2007 }} hillaryclinton.com, August 21, 2007 He claimed that African American superdelegates who supported Clinton were subjected to harassment, threatened with primary opponents and called "Uncle Tom." He said they were told, "'You’re not black if you’re not supporting Barack Obama' … It's ugly."[http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/10266 Cleaver: Black superdelegates backing Clinton are being "threatened"] Kansas City Star, Keith Chrostowski, February 28, 2008 On March 30, 2008, Cleaver said he realized he was on the losing team: "Even though I don't expect the Kansas City Chiefs to beat the Indianapolis Colts, I cheer for the Kansas City Chiefs."[http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/trailhead/archive/2008/04/01/what-not-to-say-on-canadian-radio.aspx What Not To Say on Canadian Radio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090307074253/http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/trailhead/archive/2008/04/01/what-not-to-say-on-canadian-radio.aspx |date=March 7, 2009 }}, Christopher Beam, Slate, April 1, 2008 According to [http://blackmissouri.com/ BlackMissouri.com].,[http://blackmissouri.com/digest/emanuel-cleaver-of-missouri-endorses-hillary-clinton.html Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri Endorses Hillary] blackmissouri.com, February 15, 2008 U.S. Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois asked Cleaver, "If it comes down to the last day and you're the only superdelegate? … Do you want to go down in history as the one to prevent a black from winning the White House?" Cleaver said, "I told him I'd think about it." Cleaver said during the primary he'd be shocked if Obama wasn't the next president but made clear he still supported Clinton until she suspended her bid.

Political positions

Cleaver voted to provide Israel with support following 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.{{Cite news |last=Demirjian |first=Karoun |date=2023-10-25 |title=House Declares Solidarity With Israel in First Legislation Under New Speaker |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/25/us/politics/house-israel-vote.html |access-date=2023-10-30 |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |last1=Washington |first1=U. S. Capitol Room H154 |last2=p:225-7000 |first2=DC 20515-6601 |date=2023-10-25 |title=Roll Call 528 Roll Call 528, Bill Number: H. Res. 771, 118th Congress, 1st Session |url=https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023528 |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives |language=en}}

Electoral history

{{Election box begin no change| title=Kansas City Mayoral election, 1991}}

{{Election box winning candidate no change|

|party = Nonpartisan

|candidate = Emanuel Cleaver

|votes = 50,204

|percentage = 53

}}

{{Election box candidate no change|

|party = Nonpartisan

|candidate = Bob Lewellen

|votes = 43,989

|percentage = 47

}}

{{Election box begin no change| title=Kansas City Mayoral election, 1995}}

{{Election box winning candidate no change|

|party = Nonpartisan

|candidate = Emanuel Cleaver

|votes = 51,057

|percentage = 55

}}

{{Election box candidate no change|

|party = Nonpartisan

|candidate = Dan Cofran

|votes = 41,024

|percentage = 45

}}

{{Election box begin no change

|title= 2004 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 5th Congressional District

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Emanuel Cleaver

|votes = 161,727

|percentage = 55.19

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Jeanne Patterson

|votes = 123,431

|percentage = 42.12

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Libertarian Party (United States)

|candidate = Rick Bailie

|votes = 5,827

|percentage = 1.99

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Constitution Party (United States)

|candidate = Darin Rodenberg

|votes = 2,040

|percentage = 0.70

}}

{{Election box begin no change

|title= 2006 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 5th Congressional District

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Emanuel Cleaver

|votes = 136,149

|percentage = 64.25

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Jacob Turk

|votes = 68,456

|percentage = 32.30

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Libertarian Party (United States)

|candidate = Randy Langkraehr

|votes = 7,314

|percentage = 3.45

}}

{{Election box begin no change

|title= 2008 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 5th Congressional District

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Emanuel Cleaver

|votes = 197,249

|percentage = 64.37

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Jacob Turk

|votes = 109,166

|percentage = 35.63

}}

{{Election box begin no change

|title= 2010 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 5th Congressional District

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Emanuel Cleaver

|votes = 102,076

|percentage = 53.32

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Jacob Turk

|votes = 84,578

|percentage = 44.18

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Libertarian Party (United States)

|candidate = Randy Langkraehr

|votes = 3,077

|percentage = 1.61

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Constitution Party (United States)

|candidate = Dave Lay

|votes = 1,692

|percentage = 0.88

}}

{{Election box begin no change

|title= 2012 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 5th Congressional District

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Emanuel Cleaver

|votes = 200,290

|percentage = 60.52

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Jacob Turk

|votes = 122,149

|percentage = 36.91

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Libertarian Party (United States)

|candidate = Randy Langkraehr

|votes = 8,497

|percentage = 2.57

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Write-in candidate|Write-ins

|candidate = Others

|votes = 6

|percentage = 0.00

}}

{{Election box begin no change

|title= 2014 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 5th Congressional District

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Emanuel Cleaver

|votes = 79,256

|percentage = 51.59

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Jacob Turk

|votes = 69,071

|percentage = 44.96

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Libertarian Party (United States)

|candidate = Roy Welborn

|votes = 5,308

|percentage = 3.46

}}

{{Election box begin no change

|title= 2016 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 5th Congressional District

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Emanuel Cleaver

|votes = 190,766

|percentage = 58.83

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Jacob Turk

|votes = 123,771

|percentage = 38.17

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Libertarian Party (United States)

|candidate = Roy Welborn

|votes = 9,733

|percentage = 3.00

}}

{{Election box begin no change

|title= 2018 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 5th Congressional District

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Emanuel Cleaver

|votes = 175,019

|percentage = 61.67

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Jacob Turk

|votes = 101,069

|percentage = 35.61

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Libertarian Party (United States)

|candidate = Alexander Howell

|votes = 4,725

|percentage = 1.66

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Green Party (United States)

|candidate = Maurice Copeland

|votes = 2,091

|percentage = 0.74

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Constitution Party (United States)

|candidate = E. C. Fredland

|votes = 876

|percentage = 0.31

}}

{{Election box write-in with party link no change

| votes = 5

| percentage = 0.00

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title=2020 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 5th Congressional District

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Emanuel Cleaver (incumbent)

| votes = 207,180

| percentage = 58.79

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Ryan Derks

| votes = 135,934

| percentage = 38.57

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Libertarian Party (United States)

| candidate = Robin Dominick

| votes = 9,272

| percentage = 2.63

}}

{{Election box write-in with party link no change

| votes = 44

| percentage = 0.0

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title=2022 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 5th Congressional District

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Emanuel Cleaver (incumbent)

| votes = 140,688

| percentage = 61.02

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Jacob Turk

| votes = 84,008

| percentage = 36.44

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Libertarian Party (United States)

| candidate = Robin Dominick

| votes = 5,859

| percentage = 2.54

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title=2024 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 5th Congressional District

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Emanuel Cleaver (incumbent)

| votes = 199,900

| percentage = 60.22

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Sean Smith

| votes = 120,957

| percentage = 36.44

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Libertarian Party (United States)

| candidate = Bill Wayne

| votes = 6,658

| percentage = 2.01

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Green Party (United States)

| candidate = Michael Day

| votes = 4,414

| percentage = 1.33

}}

Personal life

Emanuel Cleaver and his wife, Dianne, have four children. They reside in Kansas City.{{cite web|title=Full Biography|url=http://cleaver.house.gov/about-me/full-biography|publisher=U.S. House of Representatives|access-date=June 19, 2012}}

In 2000, a road in Kansas City was renamed Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard. The new route consisted of Brush Creek Blvd., E. 47th St., and the portion of Van Brunt Blvd. south of 31st St.City of Kansas City [MO] (June 15, 2000). Ordinance #000771, Council of Kansas City. kcmo.org, passed June 15, 2000, effective June 25, 2000. Retrieved from http://cityclerk.kcmo.org/LiveWeb/Documents/Document.aspx?q=Kuh8rXvHZqk3AMAQH1LHksLCIicTHNYXojLZy1x/0AsdOxTi42VHlGoLabg22X7B.

In 2012, Bank of America sued Emanuel and Dianne Cleaver and Cleaver Company LLC, alleging that the company had defaulted on a $1.46 million commercial real estate loan obtained a decade earlier for a Grandview car wash.{{cite news|title=BOA sues Cleaver, company for $1.5 million |url=http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-04/D9TVG6EG3.htm |newspaper=BusinessWeek |date=April 6, 2012 |agency=Associated Press |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304030506/http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-04/D9TVG6EG3.htm |archivedate=March 4, 2016}}{{cite news|last1=Helling|first1=Dave|last2=Kraske|first2=Steve|title=Taxpayers could have to cover Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's bad loan|url=http://www.kansascity.com/2012/04/06/3540958/taxpayers-could-have-to-cover.html |newspaper=The Kansas City Star|date=April 6, 2012|url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120408022358/http://www.kansascity.com/2012/04/06/3540958/taxpayers-could-have-to-cover.html#disqus_thread|archivedate=April 8, 2012}}[https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article317823.html Bank, U.S. Rep. Cleaver settle lawsuit over car wash], Kansas City Star (April 17, 2013). In 2013, the lawsuit was settled. Cleaver's congressional wages were garnished to repay the money owed.Dave Helling, [https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article339514.html Court issues order to garnish Emanuel Cleaver’s congressional wages in car wash case], Kansas City Star (February 18, 2014).

In June 2023, Emanuel Cleaver officiated the wedding of fellow Democratic Congressman and former House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2023/06/30/rahm-emanuel-is-not-done-with-politics-00104365 | title=Playbook: Rahm Emanuel is not done with politics | website=Politico | date=June 30, 2023 }}