Background
Darden was born in Hancock County, Georgia and graduated from Sparta High School in Sparta, Georgia in 1961.
United States representative lawyer politician member of the Georgia House of Representatives
Darden was born in Hancock County, Georgia and graduated from Sparta High School in Sparta, Georgia in 1961.
George Washington University. University of Georgia (Bachelor of Arts, 1965. Juris Doctor, 1967).
He earned his Bachelor of Arts (AB) at the University of Georgia (UGA) in Athens in 1965 and his Juris Doctor from the UGA School of Law in 1967. Upon graduation from law school, Darden was employed in the office of the District Attorney of Cobb County, Georgia. After serving as assistant district attorney in Cobb County from 1968 to 1972, he was elected District Attorney and served from 1973 to 1977.
Darden was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1980. He served in that body from 1981 until 1983. Upon the sudden death of U.S. Representative Larry McDonald in the 1983 downing of Korean Air Lines Flight 007, Darden resigned from the Georgia General Assembly after winning the special election to fill McDonald's seat for the remainder of the Ninety-eighth Congress.
During his tenure in office, Darden sponsored 61 bills, including H.R.2044, legislation that authorize and direct the National Park Service to assist the State of Georgia in relocating a highway affecting the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park in Georgia. Darden also shepherded numerous bills, including those benefiting Lockheed Aeronautical Corp., through Congress as part of the Armed Services Committee and co-sponsored others. "You don't have to introduce a tiny little bill with your name on it to make a difference," he said.
He opposed federal funding for Medicaid abortions except in cases of rape, incest or threat to the life of the mother. He supported the death penalty. Darden advocated maintaining a strong defense in spite of improved East-West relations.
He said any money saved from a "peace dividend" should go to deficit reduction. In 1992, the Americans for Democratic Action gave Darden's 1991 voting record 40 points out of 100. The American Conservative Union gave him 35 points.
He was reelected to five more terms in that seat until losing his reelection bid in 1994 to Bob Barr. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House in 2002. Post Congress
Since leaving Congress, Darden has served as a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1996, 2000 and 2004.
Darden also served as chairman of the Judicial Nominating Commission in the administration of Georgia Governor Roy Barnes from 1999 to 2003. In 2002, Darden was named Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and served as Chairman for five years. He retired as Chair in 2007.
In recognition of his service to the college, LaGrange College conferred on him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree on May 19, 2007. Darden was the commencement speaker at the graduation ceremony during which he was honored.
Quotations: "You don't have to introduce a tiny little bill with your name on it to make a difference,".
Darden was a member of the Standards of Official Conduct committee, elected in 1991, and served on the Committee on Armed Services and Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. In 2000, President Clinton announced the recess appointment of Darden to serve as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). In 1992, Darden became a member of the Board of Trustees for LaGrange College in LaGrange, Georgia.