Chris Dodd

Chris Dodd
CEO of the Motion Picture Association
In office
March 17, 2011 – September 5, 2017
Preceded byDan Glickman
Succeeded byCharles Rivkin
United States Senator
from Connecticut
In office
January 3, 1981 – January 3, 2011
Preceded byAbraham Ribicoff
Succeeded byRichard Blumenthal
Chair of the Senate Banking Committee
In office
January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011
Preceded byRichard Shelby
Succeeded byTim Johnson
Chair of the Senate Health Committee
Acting
June 9, 2009 – September 9, 2009
Preceded byTed Kennedy
Succeeded byTom Harkin
Chair of the Senate Rules Committee
In office
June 6, 2001 – January 3, 2003
Preceded byMitch McConnell
Succeeded byTrent Lott
General Chair of the Democratic National Committee
In office
January 21, 1995 – January 21, 1997
Serving with Donald Fowler (National Chair)
Preceded byDebra DeLee (Chair)
Succeeded byRoy Romer
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Connecticut's 2nd district
In office
January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1981
Preceded byRobert Steele
Succeeded bySam Gejdenson
Personal details
Born
Christopher John Dodd

(1944-05-27) May 27, 1944 (age 79)
Willimantic, Connecticut, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouses
Susan Mooney
(m. 1970; div. 1982)
Jackie Clegg
(m. 1999)
Children2
RelativesThomas J. Dodd (father)
Thomas J. Dodd Jr. (brother)
Helena Foulkes (niece)
EducationProvidence College (BA)
University of Louisville (JD)
Signature
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1969–1975
Unit United States Army Reserve

Christopher John Dodd (born May 27, 1944) is an American lobbyist, lawyer, and Democratic Party politician who served as a United States senator from Connecticut from 1981 to 2011. Dodd is the longest-serving senator in Connecticut's history. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 1981.

Dodd is a Connecticut native and a graduate of Georgetown Preparatory School in Bethesda, Maryland, and Providence College. His father, Thomas J. Dodd, was also a United States Senator from 1959 to 1971. Chris Dodd served in the Peace Corps for two years prior to entering the University of Louisville School of Law, and during law school concurrently served in the United States Army Reserve.

Dodd returned to Connecticut, winning election in 1974 to the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut's 2nd congressional district and was reelected in 1976 and 1978. He was elected to the United States Senate in 1980. Dodd served as general chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1995 to 1997. He served as Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee from 2007 until his retirement from politics.[1] In 2006, Dodd decided to run for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States, but eventually withdrew after running behind several other competitors.

In January 2010, Dodd announced that he would not run for re-election.[2] Dodd was succeeded by fellow Democrat Richard Blumenthal. Dodd then served as chairman and chief lobbyist for the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) from 2011 to 2017.[3][4] In 2018, Dodd returned to the practice of law, joining the firm Arnold & Porter. In addition to being a member of the ReFormers Caucus of Issue One, Dodd is a close advisor to President Joe Biden and served on his vice presidential selection committee.[5][6]

  1. ^ Moore, Heidi (November 9, 2007). "Wall Street experts invade Washington". Financial News Online US. Archived from the original on November 13, 2007.
  2. ^ Abrupt Dem retirements show tough landscape Associated Press; January 6, 2010
  3. ^ "Chris Dodd's leading role". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 2, 2011.
  4. ^ Faughnder, Ryan (April 28, 2017). "Christopher Dodd will leave MPAA and be replaced by Charles Rivkin". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  5. ^ "Issue One – ReFormers Caucus". Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  6. ^ "Dodd draws fire — and praise — as Biden VP vetter". POLITICO. July 30, 2020. Retrieved August 1, 2020.