U.S . House of Representatives
Barbara Comstock took which position from 2015 to 2019?
Barbara Comstock Barbara Jean Comstock ( née Burns ; born June 30 , 1959 ) is an American attorney and politician . As a Republican , she was elected to two terms in Congress representing Virginias 10th congressional district . From 2010 to 2014 , she was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates . She first won election to her seat in 2009 . She has worked in numerous positions for various government agencies , including as chief counsel of the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee , director of public affairs at the Department of Justice , and as a Congressional staffer . In 2019 , she joined the lobbying firm Baker Donelson as a senior advisor . Early life and education . Comstock was born Barbara Jean Burns in Springfield , Massachusetts , on June 30 , 1959 . She is the daughter of Sally Ann Burns , a teacher , and John Ferguson Burns , national manager of polymer sales for Shell Chemicals . Comstock graduated from Westchester High School in Houston , Texas in 1977 . She graduated cum laude from Middlebury College in 1981 . In college , Comstock spent a semester interning for Senator Ted Kennedy . While interning for Kennedy , Comstock , who was raised a Democrat , became a Republican . Years later , she recalled that she had long reckoned herself as a Reagan Democrat , and during her internship she found herself agreeing more with Orrin Hatch of Utah than with Kennedy . She then attended law school at Georgetown University , graduating with a Juris Doctor degree in 1986 . Career . After working as a lawyer in private practice , Comstock served from 1991 to 1995 as a senior aide to Congressman Frank Wolf . Comstock then served as chief investigative counsel and senior counsel for the U.S . House of Representatives Committee on Government Reform from 1995 to 1999 , working as one of Washingtons most prominent anti-Clinton opposition researchers . Comstock worked on behalf of the 2000 presidential campaign of George W . Bush . Her research team built massive stores of paper and electronic data , known as The Gore File , that were a key source of information on the former vice president for GOP publicists and ad-makers . Comstock is credited with writing the Republican playbook defending Bush nominees such as John Ashcroft for U.S . Attorney General . Comstock later served as director of public affairs for the Justice Department from 2002 to 2003 . Comstock and Barbara Olson , the wife of United States Solicitor General Theodore Olson , formed a partnership known to Washington insiders as the Two Barbaras . Barbara Olson died in the September 11 , 2001 terrorist attacks . She was a founding partner and co-principal of the public relations firm Corallo Comstock . Comstock joined law firm Blank Rome in 2004 . Comstock assisted the defense teams of both Scooter Libby and former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay . In 2005 , Comstock was hired by Dan Glickman to lobby on behalf of the Motion Picture Association of America . In 2008 , Comstock was a consultant on the presidential campaign of Mitt Romney . Comstock is a former Co-Chair of the Executive Committee of the Susan B . Anthony List . Prior to running for office , she was registered as a lobbyist . Virginia House of Delegates . In 2009 , Comstock was elected to a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates . She defeated incumbent Democrat Margaret Vanderhye by 316 votes . While in the state legislature , Comstock was involved in enacting legislation that increased the penalties for teen sex trafficking . Comstocks public relations firm consulted for the Workforce Fairness Institute ( WFI ) , a conservative group advocating on a variety of federal labor policy issues , from 2008 through 2012 . According to a 2014 report by Politico , during her time in the Virginia House of Delegates , Comstock sponsored legislation that advanced WFIs overall public policy objectives . Legislation sponsored by Comstock called for union votes by secret ballot , prevented employers from giving employees information to unions , and prohibited awarding contracts for state-funded construction projects exclusively to unionized firms . Comstocks campaign responded to the report by saying Barbara Comstock disclosed her federal clients under Virginia law as required . Comstock was re-elected to her seat in the Virginia House of Delegates in 2011 and 2013 . When she won a seat in the U.S . Congress in 2014 , she formally resigned her seat in the Virginia House of Delegates and a special election was called to replace her . She was succeeded by Democrat Kathleen Murphy , who had been her opponent in 2013 . U.S . House of Representatives . Elections . 2014 . On January 7 , 2014 , Comstock announced her candidacy for the U.S . House of Representatives from Virginias 10th District , following the announcement that incumbent Frank Wolf would retire at the end of the 113th Congress . On April 26 , 2014 , Comstock won the Republican nomination for the U.S . House of Representatives in the 10th District primary , defeating five other candidates and winning approximately 54% of the total vote . Comstock and Republican U.S . Senate candidate Ed Gillespie planned on attending a public meeting of the Northern Shenandoah Valley Tea Party in early August 2014 . After rumors arose that the gathering could be infiltrated by Democrats , both candidates initially moved the meeting to a private location before opting to speak with the group by phone instead . This decision prompted a statement from David Sparkman , chairman of the Tea Party group , who said Im disappointed , I wanted to look these politicians in the eye and take their measure . Comstock received the endorsements of the United States Chamber of Commerce , the National Federation of Independent Business , and both the Virginia Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors . On August 28 , 2014 , Comstock received the endorsement of the Virginia Police Benevolent Association ( VAPBA ) . In 2012 , the VAPBA had endorsed the Democratic challenger to Representative Frank Wolf in the same district . Shortly before the 2014 election , Comstocks Democratic opponent , Fairfax County Supervisor John Foust , said that she had never had a “real job.” “Although he claims he was referring to her jobs in partisan politics,” stated the Weekly Standard , “Comstock’s campaign attacked this as a sexist remark.” Comstock herself called the remark “offensive and demeaning.” Comstock won the election on November 4 , 2014 , defeating Democrat John Foust with 56 percent of the vote . 2016 . Comstock faced Democrat LuAnn Bennett , a real estate executive and ex-wife of former Virginia Congressman Jim Moran , in the 2016 election . Given the swing state status of Virginia in the 2016 presidential election , the race was expected to be one of the most heavily contested races in the country . Democratic strategist Ellen Qualls said the 10th District is essentially the swingiest district in the swingiest state . In early October , following the release of the Donald Trump Access Hollywood tape , Comstock called for Donald Trump to drop out of the presidential race . She released a statement that in part said This is disgusting , vile , and disqualifying . No woman should ever be subjected to this type of obscene behavior and it is unbecoming of anybody seeking high office . In light of these comments , Donald Trump should step aside and allow our party to replace him with Mike Pence or another appropriate nominee from the Republican Party . I cannot in good conscience vote for Donald Trump . Comstock won re-election by a margin of 53–47% . In February 2015 , some constituents called for Comstock to host an in-person town hall meeting rather than a tele-town hall conducted via phone . 2018 . In early 2017 , the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee named Comstock and her 10th district seat one of their top targets in the 2018 midterm elections . Hillary Clinton had easily won the 10th in 2016 with 52 percent of the vote to Donald Trumps 42 percent . By May 2017 , five Democrats had announced their candidacy for the Democratic nomination to run against Comstock . In July 2017 , Republican Shak Hill , who ran for the Republican nomination for U.S . Senate in 2014 , announced that he was preparing to mount a primary challenge against Comstock in 2018 . Comstock won the June 12th primary easily . “Republicans in purple districts are leaving Congress in droves,” reported The Washington Post in April 2018 . “So why does Barbara Comstock want to stay?” Her answer was : “Im healthy , my familys healthy , my kids are healthy , I love this job.” Comstock had been named as a potential candidate for the U.S . Senate against incumbent Tim Kaine in the 2018 election but decided not to run against him . In the general election , she ran for re-election against Democratic State Senator Jennifer Wexton in what was considered one of the most competitive House races , given that Clinton and Governor Ralph Northam easily won her district in 2016 and 2017 , respectively . After Democrats made significant gains in Northern Virginia in the 2017 elections , Comstock was the only elected Republican above the county level in much of the district . She was the last Republican to represent a congressional district based in the Washington suburbs . In the November 2018 general election , Comstock was defeated by Wexton , who took 56% of the vote to Comstocks 44% . Committee assignments - Committee on House Administration - Committee on Science , Space and Technology - Subcommittee on Energy - Subcommittee on Research and Technology ( Chair ) - Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure - Subcommittee on Aviation - Subcommittee on Economic Development , Public Buildings and Emergency Management - Subcommittee on Highways and Transit Caucus memberships - Congressional Arts Caucus - Climate Solutions Caucus Political positions . , Comstock had voted with President Trumps position 97.8% of the time and was the second-most partisan Trump supporter versus her districts own voting patterns in the U.S . House . In the 115th United States Congress , she had voted with the Republican Party 94.7% of the time . Comstock was ranked as the 82nd most bipartisan member of the U.S . House of Representatives during the 114th United States Congress in the Bipartisan Index created by The Lugar Center . She was a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership . Vote Smart Political Courage Test . Vote Smart , a non-profit , non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States , researched presidential and congressional candidates public records to determine candidates likely responses on certain key issues . According to Vote Smarts 2016 analysis , Comstock generally supported pro-life legislation , opposes an income tax increase , supported federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth , supported lowering taxes as a means of promoting economic growth , supported the building of the Keystone Pipeline , supported government funding for the development of renewable energy , opposes the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions , opposed gun-control legislation , supported repealing the Affordable Care Act , supported requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to be deported , opposed same-sex marriage , and supported increased American intervention in Iraq and Syria beyond air support . Abortion . Comstock supported a ban on abortion except in cases of rape , incest , or when the mothers life is in danger . In 2011 , Comstock voted in favor of HB 462 , which required women to have transvaginal ultrasounds before receiving an abortion . When opponents pointed out that this would necessitate an internal ultrasound for early-term pregnancies , an amendment was passed to limit the requirement to external ultrasounds only . She also voted in favor of the amendment . She supported making birth control available to women over the counter . Environment . In March 2017 , Comstock signed onto a Republican resolution acknowledging the impact of human activities on global climate . Health care . She was one of twenty Republicans in the House to vote against the American Health Care Act of 2017 ( H.R . 1628 ) , the House Republican bill to repeal and replace the ACA . Internet . Comstock opposed net neutrality . In 2015 , in the wake of a Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ) ruling protecting net neutrality , Comstock said that net neutrality is government overreach and robs the internet of its freedom . In March 2017 she voted to reverse a landmark FCC ruling , opening the door for internet service providers to sell customer data . During the preceding election cycle , she accepted $56,457 in donations from corporations in the telecom industry and employees of those corporations . Immigration . In a 2014 election debate , Comstock criticized President Barack Obamas executive orders on immigration ( see Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals , Deferred Action for Parents of Americans ) , calling for immigration-law policy changes to be made via legislation . Comstock also suggested tracking people entering the U.S . like FedEx can track packages coming in here all of the time . Comstock criticized President Donald Trumps 2017 executive order to impose a temporary ban on entry to the U.S . to citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries , saying : The presidents Executive Order [ goes ] beyond the increased vetting actions that Congress has supported on a bipartisan basis and inexplicably applied to Green Card holders . This should be addressed and corrected expeditiously . Comstock supported Trumps proposed border wall on the Southern border . In February 2018 , Comstock “generated national headlines when she rebuked the president during a meeting...at the White House on the dangers of the deadly gang MS-13.” Trump said that “if congressional Democrats would not support a legislative crackdown on dangerous illegal immigrants , he would advocate shutting down the federal government.“ Comstock replied , “We dont need a government shutdown...I think both sides have learned that a government shutdown was bad , it wasnt good for them.” While Comstock described the exchange as a polite conversation,” The Washington Post said that “ [ e ] veryone else called it an extraordinary public scolding of a sitting U.S . president.” In 2018 , the U.S . Senate passed a bill introduced by Comstock which gave the federal government greater latitude in deporting immigrants who were suspected of gang activity . LGBT rights . Comstock opposed same-sex marriage . In 2012 , she voted for legislation that allowed private adoption and foster care agencies to deny adoptions to gay individuals . She supported the nomination of Tracy Thorne-Begland to the Richmond Circuit Court in 2013 , Virginias first openly gay judge . She has voted in favor of legislation to strengthen schools anti-bullying policies . Science . In February 2017 , President Donald Trump signed into law the INSPIRE Women Act , a bill sponsored by Comstock , which compels the director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA ) to encourage women and girls to pursue an education in the science , technology , engineering , and mathematics ( STEM ) fields . She supported adult stem cell research . Transportation . In April 2016 , Comstock said she would support legislation introduced by Democrat John Delaney to overhaul the board that oversees the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which runs Washingtons Metrorail system . The legislation would have required the next three federal appointments to the authoritys board of directors to be either a certified transit , management , or financial expert . Women . In 2017 “Comstock joined first lady Melania Trump and first daughter Ivanka Trump in the Oval Office as the president signed Comstocks bill , the INSPIRE Women Act , which encouraged women and girls to study math and science as well as pursue aerospace careers.“ In November 2017 , Comstock opposed the Senate candidacy of Roy Moore in Alabama because of sexual abuse allegations . “To date Roy Moore has not provided any credible explanation or response to the detailed allegations,” Comstock said . In November 2017 , Comstock told a House hearing on sexual harassment on Capitol Hill “that she was told about a staffer who quit her job after a lawmaker asked her to bring work material to his house , then exposed himself.” A December 2017 article in the Weekly Standard stated that Comstock had “taken a leading role in pushing for congressional reforms aimed at combatting sexual harassment.” She had “co-sponsored a resolution that , among other small changes , requires all lawmakers and their staff to complete anti-harassment and anti-discrimination training at the start of each session,” but she saw that proposal “as a quick fix , and was looking to make broader , more authoritative changes to the law.” In February 2018 , Comstock told a House subcommittee that women were being pushed out of jobs in science and technology . In May 2018 , Comstock joined with Congresswoman Lois Frankel ( D-FL ) in calling on airlines to address sexual harassment on flights . “Approximately 80 percent of flight attendants are female and they are often objectified on a daily basis by passengers , coworkers , and superiors,” the congresswomen wrote . “It is perhaps not surprising that sexual harassment is prevalent given the industry’s past objectification of flight attendants.” Gun policy . , Comstock had an A rating from the National Rifle Association ( NRA ) . In the 2014 and 2016 election cycles , she received $14,850 in campaign contributions from the NRA . In 2017 , she was one of 213 co-sponsors of legislation seeking to amend the federal criminal code to allow a qualified individual to carry a concealed handgun into or possess a concealed handgun in another state that allows individuals to carry concealed firearms . She voted for H.J.Res 40 , signed into law in February 2017 , which nullifies a rule that implements a plan to provide to the National Instant Criminal History Background Check System the name of an individual who meets certain criteria , including that benefit payments are made through a representative payee because the individual is determined to be mentally incapable of managing them . ( Current law prohibits firearm sale or transfer to and purchase or possession by a person who has been adjudicated as a mental defective. ) In April 2018 , NBC News reported that in the wake of the Parkland shooting and the national movement that has followed , gun control supporters hope they can change that dynamic in the 2018 midterm elections , starting with Comstock’s district in northern Virginia . Several of her Democratic opponents were making gun control centerpieces of their campaigns . Mark Rozell of George Mason University said that demographic changes and current events added up to almost a perfect storm against her . Fairness doctrine . In October 2008 , Comstock and Democratic operative Lanny Davis co-wrote an article in the National Review in which they expressed strong opposition to the call for reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine . “Historically,” they wrote , “opposition to the Fairness Doctrine has been genuinely a bipartisan issue.” They noted that opponents of the Fairness Doctrine included liberals like Dan Rather and Alan Colmes and right-wingers like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity , and recalled that in 1978 “NBC aired a show on the Holocaust and was sued by a group demanding air time to argue that the Holocaust was a myth . The network had to defend itself for over three years.” They concluded that “we need more speech , not less , and not government regulated speech.” Post-political career . She now regularly appears on MSNBC , Fox News , CNN , and other media outlets as a policy and political commentator . Personal life . She has been married to Elwyn Charles Comstock , whom she had met in high school , since October 9 , 1982 . They have three children together . Comstock received her Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center in 1986 . Among Comstocks close friends is Democrat Donna Brazile , whom Comstock helped when she “couldnt find family and friends caught up in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita,” Comstock said of Brazile , “We dont agree on many issues , but we consider each other to be worthy of respect.” She is also close to retired Supreme Court Justice Anthony M . Kennedy , who when her father was rushed to the hospital went to her parents house to “monitor...the pumpkin bread baking in their kitchen.” Comstock was friends with legal analyst Barbara Olson , who was killed on 9/11 . Another good friend is David N . Bossie , president of Citizens United and Donald Trumps deputy campaign manager . “ [ Trump ] is the hardest-working man Ive ever been around,” Bossie said . “Barbara Comstock is the hardest-working woman Ive ever been around.”