Current Position: Republican staff director for the Senate Banking Committee (since January 2007)
Why He Matters
William Duhnke is the Republican staff director for the Senate Banking Committee, and he works for Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.), the ranking Republican on the committee and one of the most prominent foes of the $700 billion financial bailout bill that passed in fall 2008. Because of his position on the Banking Committee, Shelby is uniquely positioned to examine the bailout package moving forward. Duhnke says they will look at the origins of the financial crisis in the 111th Congress and whether to pursue widespread reform of the financial sector.
At a Glance
Current Position: Republican staff director for the Senate Banking Committee (since 2007)
Career History: Staff Director and counsel for the Senate Banking Committee (July 2006 to Jan. 2007); Staff Director and chief counsel for the Senate Intelligence Committee (Jan. 2003 to June 2006); Minority Staff Director for the Senate Intelligence Committee (June 2001 to Jan. 2003)
Birthday: April 25, 1962
Hometown: Milwaukee, Wis.
Alma Mater: University of Wisconsin-Madison, B.A., 1984; Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, J.D., 1996
Spouse: Laurie Ann Schoeben
Religion: N/A
DC Office: 534 Senate Dirksen Office Building, 202-224-739
Email
Web site
Path to Power
Duhnke is a lifetime public servant, and has spent 15 years on the Hill, but has only spent two years on the Banking Committee. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madision, Duhnke, a Wisconsin native, joined the U.S. Navy and packed his bags for Pensacola, Fla., where he attended Aviation Officer Candidate School and graduated first in his class as a Distinguished Naval Graduate. He served in Hawaii and while still in the Navy worked in the White House before completing his naval service in 1991.
Duhnke worked on the Commission on the Assignment of Women in the Armed Forces and the 1993 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission, but he wanted to work in the legislative branch after spending some time in the executive branch. When he saw a job open up in Shelby’s office, he applied. While working on Shelby’s staff and doing work for the commissions, he attended Catholic University Columbus School of Law and earned his J.D.
On Shelby’s staff, he started out working as a legislative assistant specializing in defense appropriations, NASA and veterans issues. He joined the Senate Intelligence Committee in 1997 and served as counsel, budget director, deputy staff director, staff director and chief counsel.
When Kathleen Casey, staff director for the Senate Banking Committee left to take a seat on the Securities and Exchange Commission, Shelby hired Duhnke as staff director. He doesn’t have a background in banking but is known as a hard worker who always does his homework.
Duhnke supervises his staff and advises Sen. Shelby on issues before the committee. “All I do is eat, drink and sleep financial services,” he told the Almanac of the Unelected.
The Issues
Duhnke describes his expertise as “managing the legislative process at the staff level.” But after a handful of years in the Navy and a dozen years working on the Intelligence Committee, he is extremely knowledgeable about intelligence issues. Former Intelligence Chair Pat Roberts (R-Kansas), who is now the ranking Republican on that panel, was a leading advocate for domestic wiretapping of suspected terrorists after Sept. 11, and Duhnke said Roberts believes the wiretapping program is “necessary and critical to protect us from another terrorist attack.”
Duhnke says Shelby’s priorities for the 111th Congress will be examining “in detail, the origins of the current financial crisis and whether the 111th Congress should undertake comprehensive regulatory reform.” Shelby was one of the critics of the $700 billion bailout in the fall of 2008. “The choice we faced was between pursuing an informed response or panic," he said. "Unfortunately we chose panic and are now about to spend $700 billion on something we have not examined closely.”
The Network
Duhnke has worked with
Shelby for most of his career in Congress. He also was staff director for the Senate Intelligence Committee while Roberts was chairman.
