Background
Paxon, Bill was born on April 29, 1954 in Buffalo. Son of Leon W. and Mary P. (Sellers) Paxon.
United States representative politician
Paxon, Bill was born on April 29, 1954 in Buffalo. Son of Leon W. and Mary P. (Sellers) Paxon.
Bachelor, Canisius College, 1977. Doctor of Philosophy (honorary), Daeman College. Doctor of Philosophy (honorary), Roberts Wesleyan College.
Doctor of Philosophy (honorary), Canisius College.
At the age of 15, Paxon volunteered for the first congressional campaign of former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jack Kemp. Kemp, decades later, was the Republican Vice Presidential nominee in 1996. He was elected to the Erie County Legislature in November 1977 at the age of 23, making him the youngest member ever when elected.
In addition, he holds honorary doctorates from Daemen College, Roberts Wesleyan College and Canisius College.
Foreign many years, he lived in Western New York State, including Gowanda, New New York He was elected to the 101st, 102nd, 103rd, 104th and 105th United States Congresses, holding office from January 3, 1989, to January 3, 1999.
Paxon chaired the Republican House Leadership committee during the 105th Congress. In 1992, Paxon was elected to chair the National Republican Congressional Committee.
In the summer of 1997 several House Republicans, who saw Newt Gingrich"s public image as a liability, attempted to replace him as Speaker.
The challenge began July 9 with a meeting between Republican conference chairman John Boehner of Ohio and Republican leadership chairman Paxon. According to their plan, House Majority Leader Dick Armey, House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, Boehner and Paxon were to present Gingrich with an ultimatum: resign, or be voted out. However, Armey balked at the proposal to make Paxon the new Speaker, and told his chief of staff to warn Gingrich about the coup.
On July 11, Gingrich met with senior Republican leadership to assess the situation.
He explained that under no circumstance would he step down. If he was voted out, there would be a new election for Speaker, which would allow for the possibility that Democrats, along with dissenting Republican, would vote in Dick Gephardt as Speaker.
After leaving Congress, Paxon became an advisor to Grand Old Party congressional members. Following his 21-year public service career, Paxon joined the law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld Limited Liability Partnership, where, since January 1999, he has advised a wide range of public and private sector clients on policy issues.
He has consistently been rated one of Washington"s top lobbyists.
Paxon was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1983 to 1988, sitting in the 185th, 186th and 187th New York State Legislatures. On July 16, Paxon offered to resign his post, feeling that he had not handled the situation correctly, as the only member of the leadership who had been appointed to his position, by Gingrich, instead of elected. Paxon was hired by Boeing to lobby members of Congress.
Married Susan Molinari, July 3, 1994. Children: Susan Ruby, Katherine Mary.