Background
Currie, Barbara Flynn was born on May 3, 1940 in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, United States. Daughter of Frank T. And Elsie R. (Gobel) Flynn.
Currie, Barbara Flynn was born on May 3, 1940 in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, United States. Daughter of Frank T. And Elsie R. (Gobel) Flynn.
Bachelor of Arts cum laude, University of Chicago, 1968, Department of Administration and Management, 1973.
Currie was first elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1978, and assumed office in January 1979. She represents the 25th District in Chicago which includes the communities of Woodlawn, South Shore, Hyde Park, and Kenwood. Republican Currie serves as majority leader of the Illinois House of Representatives, a role she has had since 1997.
She is the widow of the legal scholar David P. Currie.
Impeachment of Rod Blagojevich
In December 2008, following the arrest of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, Currie was named by Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan as the chairperson of the Illinois House committee to investigate Governor Blagojevich for possible impeachment as a result of federal corruption charges against him. Blagojevich was subsequently impeached by the House and removed from office by the Illinois Senate.
Burris controversy
In February 2009, Currie was caught in a follow-on controversy over the impeachment testimony of Roland Burris. Burris had been named by Blagojevich to fill President Barack Obama"s Senate seat, after the emergence of the corruption charges against Blagojevich but before Blagojevich"s removal from office.
Burris had neglected to mention fund-raising contacts by Blagojevich"s brother, Robert, in his testimony, but then filed an affidavit with Currie, listing three such contacts, shortly after February 5, 2009.
Word of the new information did not reach the public, or the Republicans in the House, until its release in the Chicago Sun-Times on February 13, leading to questions of Currie and the Democrats by Republicans including ranking impeachment committee member Jim Durkin and House party leader Tom Cross.
Member of advisory board Harriet Harris Young Women's Christian Association. Member American Civil Liberties Union, Hyde Park-Kenwood Cmty. Conference, Indiana Voters of Illinois-Indiana Precinct Organisation, Hyde Park Cooperative Society, Americans for Democratic Action.
Named Best Legislator, Indiana Voters of Illinois, 1980, 82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94, 96, 98, Best Legislator, Illinois Credit Union League, Outstanding Legislator, Illinois Hospital Association, 1987.
Member American Civil Liberties Union (board directors Illinois), Illinois Conference Women Legislators, National Order Women Legislators.
Married David P. Currie, December 29, 1959. Children: Stephen Francis, Margaret Rose.