Rob Andrews

Andrews was born in Camden, New Jersey, the son of Josephine (née Amies) and Ernest Andrews; he is predominantly of Scottish and Scotch-Irish descent and counts American portrait painter Charles Willson Peale and Johannes Roosevelt among his ancestors.{{cite web|url=http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~battle/genealogy/reps/andrews.htm|title=Robert Andrews ancestry|website=freepages.rootsweb.com|access-date=March 4, 2019}} He grew up in Bellmawr and attended Triton Regional High School in Runnemede.[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=a000210 Robert Ernest Andrews], Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved October 7, 2007. Andrews was the first in his family to attend college, graduating from Bucknell University in 1979 with a BA in political science, summa cum laude. He later attended Cornell University Law School, earning his JD degree with honors in 1982. Before his election to Congress, Andrews was involved in legal education as a member of Cornell Law Review‍‍ '‍s board of editors.

He worked as an attorney and an adjunct professor at the Rutgers School of Law–Camden. Starting in 1983, Andrews operated a private legal practice. In 1986, he was elected as a member of the Camden County Board of Chosen Freeholders, where he served for four years, including two years as freeholder director (1988–1990).

First elected to Congress in 1990, Andrews served for 24 years as the U.S. representative for New Jersey's 1st congressional district, which includes most of Camden County and parts of Burlington County and Gloucester County. In the U.S. House of Representatives, he served on the Committee on Armed Services, Committee on the Budget, and Committee on Education and Labor, where he served as chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.{{cite web|url=http://politi.co/11aRJyl|title=Politics, Policy, Political News|website=POLITICO|access-date=March 4, 2019}}

In 1990, after 15-year incumbent Democratic U.S. Congressman James Florio resigned from the U.S. House of Representatives to take office as Governor of New Jersey, Andrews won the 1990 special election and simultaneous general election against Gloucester County Freeholder Daniel J. Mangini.{{cite news |url=http://articles.philly.com/1990-11-07/news/25930201_1_freeholder-director-washington-township-party-activists |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224091457/http://articles.philly.com/1990-11-07/news/25930201_1_freeholder-director-washington-township-party-activists |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 24, 2013 |title=Andrews Holds Off Mangini's Challenge Captures Seat In Congress Held For Years By Florio |date=November 7, 1990 |first=Alan |last=Sipress |newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer |access-date=December 22, 2013}} He subsequently won re-election every two years until his retirement. Andrews had the 10th longest tenure among U.S. Representatives in New Jersey history, and the fifth longest among Democrats in the state.{{cite web |url=http://editions.lib.umn.edu/smartpolitics/2014/02/04/andrews-exits-us-house-with-to/ |title= Andrews Exits US House with Top 10 Longest Tenure in New Jersey History |work=Smart Politics |first=Eric |last=Ostermeier |date= February 4, 2014}} In November 2004, he received more votes than anyone ever elected to the U.S. House from New Jersey, a record which he broke again in 2008 and 2012.{{cite news|work=Congressman Robert E. Andrews|title=Biography|url=http://www.house.gov/andrews/about_biography.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070428105042/http://www.house.gov/andrews/about_biography.shtml|archive-date=April 28, 2007|df=mdy-all}}{{Failed verification|date=June 2019}}

• Committee on Armed Services
• Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
• Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities
• Committee on Education and the Workforce
• Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training
• Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (Ranking Member)
• Co-Chairman of the Steering and Policy Committee{{cite web |url=http://www.democraticleader.gov/Pelosi_Announces_Steering_And_Policy_Members |title=Pelosi Announces Steering and Policy Committee Co-Chairs, Members | Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi |access-date=January 23, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202141616/http://www.democraticleader.gov/Pelosi_Announces_Steering_And_Policy_Members |archive-date=February 2, 2014 |df=mdy-all }}

• Congressional Arts Caucus
• Congressional Fire Services Caucus{{cite web|url=https://www.cfsi.org/legislation-advocacy/congressional-fire-services-caucus/|title=Congressional Fire Services Caucus - Congressional Fire Services Institute|website=www.cfsi.org|access-date=March 4, 2019}}
• Hunger Caucus{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/|title=The Voter's Self Defense System|website=Vote Smart|access-date=March 4, 2019}}

The New York Times characterized Congressman Andrews as "fiscally conservative but socially moderate."[http://www.house.gov/andrews/about_biography.shtml Robert E. Andrews - First District of New Jersey] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070428105042/http://www.house.gov/andrews/about_biography.shtml |date=April 28, 2007 }} He has a lifetime rating of 17.24 from the American Conservative Union and a 2007 rating of 100 from Americans for Democratic Action.{{cite web|url=http://www.acuratings.org/2007all.htm#NJ|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510125244/http://www.acuratings.org/2007all.htm#NJ|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 10, 2008|title=2007 Votes by State Delegation|date=May 10, 2008|access-date=March 4, 2019}} He has a liberal rating of 76.2 and a conservative rating of 23.8 from the National Journal.[http://www.nationaljournal.com/voteratings/states/index.htm?state=nj#vr National Journal's 2007 Vote Ratings for New Jersey]{{dead link|date=April 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

According to President Barack Obama, he was an original author of the Affordable Care Act that was designed to cut the costs for American taxpayers on healthcare.{{Cite web|title = Statement from the President on the Retirement of Congressman Rob Andrews|url = https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/02/04/statement-president-retirement-congressman-rob-andrews|via = National Archives|work = whitehouse.gov|date = February 4, 2014|access-date = October 2, 2015}}

On December 2, 2008, the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a complaint against Andrews and four other politicians to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) for allegedly violating the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA).{{Cite web|url=https://www.citizensforethics.org/press-release/complaint-against-candidates-for-buying-clothing-with-campaign-funds/|title=CREW Files Complaint Against Candidates For Buying Clothing With Campaign Funds|website=Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington|language=en-US|access-date=October 7, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/local/20081203_Andrews_campaign_s_spending_criticized.html|title=Andrews campaign's spending criticized|first=Sharon|last=Theimer|agency=Associated Press|work=The Philadelphia Inquirer|date=December 3, 2008 |language=en-US|access-date=October 7, 2019}} In the complaint, CREW stated that Andrews's campaign committee spent $952.04 of campaign funds on clothing, which FECA classified as personal spending.{{Cite web|url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/storage.citizensforethics.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/20022430/CREW_FEC_Clothing_Complaint_20081202.pdf|title=Federal Election Commission Complaint|date=December 2, 2008|website=Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington|first=Melanie|last=Sloan|author-link=Melanie Sloan|access-date=October 7, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/1208/Handful_of_candidates_spent_campaign_money_on_clothes.html|title=Handful of candidates spent campaign money on clothes|last=Grim|first=Ryan|author-link=Ryan Grim|website=Politico|date=December 2, 2008 |language=en|access-date=October 7, 2019}} A spokesman for Andrews responded that the clothing was intended to replace lost luggage from a flight, and that Andrews deposited $952.04 into his campaign account after the airline reimbursed him.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/group-several-got-campaign-funded-clothes/|title=Group: Several Got Campaign-Funded Clothes|date=December 2, 2008|publisher=Associated Press|via=CBS News|language=en-US|access-date=October 7, 2019}} The FEC dismissed the complaint on July 16, 2009, but affirmed in the dismissal that the purchases violated campaign finance laws.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna31951021|title=FEC: No clothes-buying with campaign funds|date=July 16, 2009|publisher=Associated Press|via=MSNBC|language=en|access-date=October 7, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.fec.gov/files/legal/murs/current/75287.pdf|title=RE: MUR 6140 – Robert E. Andrews|last=Lebeaux|first=Susan L.|date=July 14, 2009|website=Federal Election Commission|access-date=October 7, 2019}}

The Star-Ledger reported on November 20, 2011 that Andrews financed a family vacation to Edinburgh, Scotland and other European destinations with over $9,000 of campaign funds. The report claimed that Andrews "mixed personal and political expenses in an unorthodox way" on multiple occasions. These expenses included a $10,000 house party celebrating both his career anniversary and his daughter's graduation, a $12,500 donation to the Walnut Street Theatre – where his daughter performed, and trips to California that overlapped with his daughter's auditions. Andrews and his chief of staff replied that the vacation involved attending an adviser's wedding, the party was primarily for "political associates", the theatre donation was in support of its outreach program, and his daughter assisted him with fundraising during their trips.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/news/2011/11/south_jersey_congressman_spend.html|title=South Jersey congressman spent $9,000 from campaign funds on donor's wedding|last=Friedman|first=Matt|date=November 20, 2011|website=The Star-Ledger|language=en|access-date=October 7, 2019}}

CREW filed another compliant with the FEC on November 30, 2011 based on The Star-Ledger{{'}}s article.{{Cite web|url=https://www.citizensforethics.org/legal-filing/crew-files-fec-complaint-against-rob-andrews/|title=CREW Files Second FEC Complaint Against Rep. Rob Andrews|website=Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington|language=en-US|access-date=October 7, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/storage.citizensforethics.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/20022501/113011%20Andrews%20FEC%20Complaint.pdf|title=Federal Election Commission Complaint|last=Sloan|first=Melanie|author-link=Melanie Sloan|date=November 30, 2011|website=Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington|access-date=October 7, 2019}} Andrews described the complaint as "baseless" and stated, "The campaign has fully complied with all laws with respect to the proper expenditure and disclosure of campaign funds. All personal aspects of any expenditures or activities have always been paid in full from our family’s personal funds."{{Cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/news/2011/12/dc_watchdog_group_nj_rep_rob_a.html|title=D.C. watchdog group: N.J. Rep. Rob Andrews 'knowingly and willfully' violated law in campaign funds controversy|last=Friedman|first=Matt|date=December 1, 2011|website=The Star-Ledger|language=en|access-date=October 7, 2019}} The Associated Press elaborated on March 28, 2012 that Andrews's 18 trips to California from 2007 to 2012 resulted in over $97,000 of campaign expenses and $260,000 of donations, short of the 3:1 ratio of donations to expenses that is expected from political fundraising trips.{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/stories/0312/74623.html|title=Campaign funds for personal trips?|publisher=Associated Press|via=Politico|date=March 28, 2012|language=en|access-date=October 7, 2019}}

The United States House Committee on Ethics started researching the complaint on July 17, 2012,{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/stories/0712/78634.html|title=Andrews ethics case advances|last=Bresnahan|first=John|website=Politico|date=July 17, 2012 |language=en|access-date=October 7, 2019}} and decided on August 31 that it would proceed with an investigation.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/2chambers/post/report-offers-new-details-in-campaign-fund-ethics-probe-of-rep-rob-andrews/2012/08/31/377d4c9e-f3a2-11e1-892d-bc92fee603a7_blog.html|title=House Ethics Committee continues probing Rob Andrews for improper using of campaign funds|last=O'Keefe|first=Ed|author-link=Ed O'Keefe (journalist)|date=August 31, 2012|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=October 7, 2019}} On March 19, 2013, the Committee declared that a special panel would examine whether Andrews's travel expenses from the Edinburgh and California trips complied with campaign finance laws.{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/fba999359e9f4fc59ba0d1db9121273f|title=Ethics committee investigates Reps. Young, Andrews|website=Associated Press|first=Henry C.|last=Jackson|date=March 19, 2013|access-date=October 7, 2019}} Andrews resigned from Congress on February 4, 2014.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/05/us/politics/rob-andrews-to-resign-from-congress.html|title=Amid Ethics Inquiry, South Jersey Democrat Is Giving Up House Seat for a New Job|last=Horowitz|first=Jason|date=February 4, 2014|work=The New York Times|access-date=October 6, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/blogs/capitolinq/Andrews-to-leave-Congress-in-Feb.html|title=Rob Andrews to leave Congress|last=Tamari|first=Jonathan|website=The Philadelphia Inquirer|date=February 4, 2014 |language=en-US|access-date=October 6, 2019}} He said that the campaign finance probe had "no role at all" in his resignation, and that he was departing for a position at the Dilworth Paxson law firm.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/politics/2014/02/us_rep_rob_andrews_says_investigation_played_no_role_in_resignation.html|title=U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews says investigation played 'no role' in resignation|last=Friedman|first=Matt|date=February 4, 2014|website=The Star-Ledger|language=en|access-date=October 7, 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2014/02/04/n-j-democrat-rob-andrews-expected-to-resign-from-congress/|title=N.J. Democrat Rob Andrews to resign from Congress|first=Ed|last=O'Keefe|author-link=Ed O'Keefe (journalist)|newspaper=The Washington Post|language=en|access-date=October 6, 2019|date= February 4, 2014}} The FEC dismissed the complaint on June 3, 2014 with "prosecutorial discretion", noting that Andrews reimbursed his campaign for the Edinburgh trip before he received the complaint, and that any violations in the California trips were "relatively small".{{Cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/politics/2014/06/rob_andrews_let_off_the_hook_by_federal_agency_over_use_of_campaign_funds_for_family_trip_to_scotlan.html|title=Complaint against Rob Andrews for alleged misuse of campaign funds is dismissed|last=Friedman|first=Matt|date=June 3, 2014|website=The Star-Ledger|language=en|access-date=October 7, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.courierpostonline.com/story/news/local/south-jersey/2014/06/03/andrews-cleared/9920605/|title=FEC rejects complaint against Andrews|last=Walsh|first=Jim|website=Courier-Post|language=en|access-date=October 7, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.fec.gov/|title=MUR #6511|website=Federal Election Commission|language=en|access-date=October 7, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/storage.citizensforethics.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/07202017/andrews-fec-decision.pdf|title=Re: MUR 6511 – Rep. Robert E. Andrews|last=Shonkwiler|first=Mark|date=May 28, 2014|website=Federal Election Commission|access-date=October 7, 2019}}

In February 2014, Andrews resigned from his position in the middle of his term, while being investigated by the United States House Committee on Ethics for alleged violations related to his use of campaign funds for personal expenses. Andrews stated it was to take a job with a law firm in Philadelphia.{{Cite news|title=N.J. Democrat Rob Andrews to resign from Congress|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2014/02/04/n-j-democrat-rob-andrews-expected-to-resign-from-congress/|access-date=2021-12-22|issn=0190-8286}} The complaint was dismissed in June 2014.

In 1997, Andrews ran for Governor of New Jersey. In the Democratic primary, he was defeated 40%–37%, a margin of 9,993 votes, by State Senator Jim McGreevey.Pulley, Brett. [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B03E1DD103DF937A35755C0A961958260 "McGreevey Wins Democratic Nod for Governor"], The New York Times, June 4, 1997. Retrieved November 28, 2007.

Andrews was a candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 2008 U.S. Senate election. Andrews lost to incumbent Frank Lautenberg, but subsequently won re-election to his House seat, with Andrews "[receiving] more votes in November 2008 than anyone ever elected to the U.S. House in New Jersey, breaking his own record."{{cite news| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/robert-e-andrews-d-nj/gIQAJy6OAP_print.html| title = Robert E. Andrews (D-N.J.) - The Washington Post| newspaper = The Washington Post}}

Andrews is married and has two daughters.[http://camlaw.rutgers.edu/bio/912/ Profile of Camille Spinello Andrews] from Rutgers School of Law - Camden. Retrieved December 23, 2006. He is an Episcopalian.{{cite web|url=https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2012/11/113-congress-relig-affil.pdf|title=THE RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION OF EACH MEMBER OF CONGRESS |publisher=Pew Research Center}}

{{Reflist}}

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• [http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/vacancies_pr.aspx?pr=house&vid=89 Office of former Congressman], constituent services
• {{CongLinks | congbio=a000210 | votesmart=26949 | fec=H0NJ01066 | congress=robert-andrews/21 }}
• {{C-SPAN|19670}}

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Category:1957 births

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