Path to Power
The son of an Israeli immigrant, Emanuel grew up north of Chicago, and began his career at Illinois Public Action, a consumer rights group. He got an early start in politics when ex-Rep. Tony Coelho (D-Calif.) recruited him to join the DCCC in the 1980s, and he went on to work for Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley (D).
In 1991, after volunteering on an Israeli army supply base during the Persian Gulf War, he joined Bill Clinton’s campaign for president, and worked vigorously as a fundraiser. When Clinton won, Emanuel became a top aide in his White House, working on welfare reform, gun control and children’s’ health care, an issue he would embrace in Congress as well. As White House political director, his aggressive tactics rubbed some people the wrong way and he was demoted to manager of special legislative efforts. He once sent a rotting fish to a pollster he didn’t like (Alan Secrest), and he was known for yelling at Democrats he thought were disloyal to the party.
Despite his tactics, he worked his way back up the Clinton ladder to become a senior adviser again when George Stephanopoulos left the administration in 1996. Emanuel left in 1999 and worked as an investment banker for a couple years, making millions. Roll Call estimates his wealth at $5.02 million, making him the 50th richest member of Congress. Among other skills, he is a classically trained ballet dancer.
Emanuel got back into politics in 2002, easily winning the Illinois 5th district seat vacated by future Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D-Ill.). His opponent in the primary, state Rep. Nancy Kaszak (D), tried to paint Emanuel as a carpetbagger, but her campaign stumbled in the final weeks. Emanuel’s political clout gave him a huge advantage as well. Already a prolific fundraiser for other candidates with a large rolodex of wealthy Democrats, Emanuel threw a fundraiser at Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s (D-N.Y.) house and drew praise from Democratic National Committee Chair Terry McAuliffe. He was one of the nation’s most prolific congressional fundraisers in his inaugural campaign, raising $1.98 million in the first quarter of 2002. "I wish I had 200 of him running for Congress," McAuliffe said. "He will get in, he will mix it up, he will stand tall for the Democratic Party."
Even before he was elected to the House, Emanuel made it known that he wanted a seat on the influential Ways and Means Committee, a statement that rubbed some the wrong way. He didn’t get the coveted spot in his first term, but he did manage to nab one in his second.
In January 2005, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) appointed Emanuel to chair the DCCC, the committee where he got his political start as a staffer. Emanuel thrived in the role, actively recruiting moderate Democrats to challenge Republicans who were struggling politically because of the unpopularity of President George W. Bush and the Iraq war. He also fought with party Chairman Howard Dean about Dean’s “50-state strategy” that required investing funds even in states where the GOP traditionally ran strong.
Unlike Dean, Emanuel wanted more money dedicated to House candidates and less to the party’s state infrastructure. When he didn’t get as much as he hoped, he encouraged candidates to raise massive sums of money and run ruthless campaigns. His strategy worked, and House Democrats picked up 30 seats in the 2006 midterm elections. "You've got to have a thirst for winning," Emanuel said. "You know what our party thinks? `We're good people with good ideas. That's just enough, isn't it?' Being tough enough, mean enough and vicious enough is just not what they want. ... They just want to be patted on the back for the noble effort. No."
The overwhelming election victory had Emanuel’s stock soaring in November 2006, and he briefly thought about running for House majority whip. But he decided Clyburn’s support was too strong, especially in the Congressional Black Caucus. Instead, Emanuel was unanimously elected chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, where he presided over the election of a stream of socially moderate Democrats that has broadened, and challenged, his party.
Emanuel formally resigned from his House seat on Jan. 2, 2009, and Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich set the date for a special election ti replace him.Vacant House seats in Illinois are filled through a special election, while the governor appoints someone to any empty Senate slot.
In the immediate aftermath of the 2008 elections, Emanuel's name surfaced during the investigation of Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) for attempting to sell the Senate seat vacated by then-Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.). Emanuel was allegedly instructed by Obama to approach the governor's aides to talk about candidates Obama supported for the seat. But Emanuel was not accused of discussing a quid pro quo for the seat. According to the indictment against Blagojevich that came down in April 2009, Emanuel, referred to as 'Congressman A,' was allegedly the target of extortion by Gov. Blagojevich in 2006. The indictment said Blagojevich tried to withhold money requested by Emanuel for a school unless Emanuel's brother held a fundraiser for the governor. The fundraiser never happened, and the indictment doesn't say whether Emanuel ever actually learned about the request.
