Rod Grams

Rod Grams

Rod Grams (* 4. February 1948 in Princeton , Minnesota , † 8. October 2013 in Crown , Isanti County , Minnesota) was an American politician of the Republican Party and television host and television producer . He represented the state of Minnesota in both houses of Congress .

Life

Career

After attending compulsory school, Grams graduated from Brown College from 1966 to 1968 , then, from 1970 to 1972, from Anoka-Ramsey Community College, and finally, from 1974 to 1975, from Carroll College in Wisconsin .

Grams' career began as a presenter in television, first at KFBB-TV in Great Falls ( Montana ). He also worked at WSAU-TV in Wausau (Wisconsin) and at WIFR-TV in Rockford ( Illinois ). In 1982 he was appointed editor-in-chief of KMSP-TV in Minneapolis, Minnesota; he remained in this position until 1991.

In parallel with his television work, Grams also distinguished himself as an entrepreneur who founded Sun Ridge Builders in 1985 , a construction company operating in the Minneapolis / St. Paul area , of which he was CEO .

Political career

In 1992, Grams, who is a member of the Republican Party, successfully ran for a seat in the US House of Representatives and served from January 3, 1993 to January 3, 1995. In 1994, he was elected US Senator and served a six-year term from January 3, 1995 . January 1995 to January 3, 2001.

At the end of his tenure, Grams was embroiled in a political scandal when his staff member Christine Erikstrup-Gunhus sent e-mails to 150 Democratic party officials in the 2000 Senate elections, in which she described the Democratic candidate Mike Ciresi as "anti-unionists" and "environmental destroyers" defamed. The mails were sent under the name Katie Stevens. When a real Katie Stevens could be traced, she knew nothing of the emails she had sent. In the course of the Anoka County 's sheriff's investigation , Christine Erikstrup-Gunhus and two other Rod Grams employees were found. Ciresi withdrew from the election campaign. Erikstrup-Gunhus was then indicted in June 2001 and sentenced to an unknown fine.

Late life

It was no surprise that Grams was defeated by Democratic challenger Mark Dayton (43%: 49%) in the 2000 Senate election . He later divorced his first wife Lolly and married Christine Erikstrup-Gunhus. In 2004 Grams, who was back in business, acquired three radio stations in Little Falls, Minnesota .

In 2006 Grams ran again for a seat in the House of Representatives, which was not crowned with success, as Grams got 34%, his Democratic rival Jim Oberstar 64% of the votes of his constituency.

Web links

• Rod Grams in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

Individual evidence

1. ^ Former Sen. Rod Grams dies at age 65, remembered for his service, dedication