Fmr Dem Rep Barney Frank, sharp-tongued liberal trailblazer, Dodd-Frank co-author dies
Former Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., whose biting wit, liberal politics and mastery of financial policy made him one of the most recognizable members of Congress for more than three decades,...
By Fox News · Fox News
Former Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., whose biting wit, liberal politics and mastery of financial policy made him one of the most recognizable members of Congress for more than three decades, has died at 86. Frank died late Tuesday, Jim Segel, Frank’s former campaign manager and close friend, confirmed to The Associated Press. "I have been trying to decide, by the way, personally, whether it's better to be an icon or an emoji," Frank, with his caustic wit, told CNN’s "State of the Union" in a May 3 interview while in hospice for congestive heart failure. He disclosed before his death that his condition had left him with little energy but not much pain. "Essentially, after 86 years, my heart’s just wearing out," Frank, who appeared gaunt, told Jake Tapper. Frank represented Massachusetts in the House from 1981 to 2013, serving 16 terms and becoming chairman of the House Financial Services Committee during the 2008 financial crisis. His name became attached to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the sweeping 2010 law he co-authored with then-Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., after the collapse of the housing market and the near-failure of the U.S. financial system. FORMER NY DEMOCRATIC REP CHARLIE RANGEL DEAD AT 94 The law, signed by President Barack Obama on July 21, 2010, imposed new rules on major financial firms, derivatives, mortgage lending and consumer protection. For supporters, Dodd-Frank was the most consequential financial regulatory overhaul since the New Deal, an attempt to rein in Wall Street excess and prevent another taxpayer-backed rescue of large institutions. For Republican critics, including President Donald Trump, it became a symbol of regulatory overreach . It was partially repealed in 2018, providing regulatory relief to community and mid-sized banks. For Frank, it was the capstone of a career built on unapologetic liberalism, legislative detail and a willingness to fight in public. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS DISCOVER THE BIG SECRET A…