Happy 100th Birthday to Senator, Undersecretary, and Judge James L. Buckley

A remarkable life, with service in all three branches of government.

On Thursday, James L. Buckley turns 100 years old. Most law students will know his name from the seminal case of Buckley v. Valeo. But he did so much more. He served as a lieutenant in the Navy. He was elected as New York Senator on the conservative party ticket. President Reagan appointed Buckley as undersecretary of state for international security. And Reagan latter tapped Buckley as a judge on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. He is one of the most remarkable public servants of the 20th century. (I would add Judge Silberman to that list.)

I had the honor of meeting Judge Buckley at Justice Thomas's Story Lecture in 2021.I don't get star-stuck easily, but I got star-struck when I shook Judge Buckley's hand. I mentioned that I always teach his case in First Amendment, and he made a comment about the partisans that tried to shut him down.

The Wall Street Journal published an Op-Ed commemorating Buckley's birthday:

The oldest living former U.S. senator turns 100 Thursday. James L. Buckley is among the few in American history who have served in the upper echelons of all three branches of our government.

And there is a proposal to honor Buckley's legacy in my backyard:

Despite his exemplary public service, Mr. Buckley has yet to be honored in the way he deserves. There are public landmarks named for former U.S. senators from New York, including the Moynihan Train Hall, the Javits Center and the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge. But nothing as yet for Mr. Buckley.

A new bill could change that. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R., N.Y.) has introduced legislation to rename the Staten Island expanses of the Gateway National Seashore for the centenarian who in the early 70s co-sponsored the measure to create this very park. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R., Alaska) is co-sponsoring the bill. Why would an Alaskan want to honor the esteemed New York senator? Mr. Sullivan was an intern in Judge Buckley's chambers and admires him greatly.

As a native Staten Islander, who spent a lot of time at Gateway National park, I wholeheartedly endorse this proposal! Funny story: when I was a kid, my dad was pulled over by the federal park police while driving down Hylan Boulevard near Gateway park. He asked whether the park police even had the power (that is, jurisdiction) to pull us over. My dad said that the federal government has priority over the state government.  That was the first time I realized there was such a thing as the federal government that was different from the local police department. I suppose I owe Judge Buckley some credit for that early lesson in constitutional law.

Comments

[Sarcastr0]

Staten Island.

Figures,

[Noscitur a sociis]

Agreed, Judge Buckley deserves a hell of a lot better.

[Dan Schiavetta]

Unlike Josh, I never met Judge Buckley personally. But I have often driven on the Hutchinson Parkway, the road he (or his chauffeur) must have driven on the few times he, a Connecticut resident and a rich kid from the “horse country”, actually went to New York, the state he was supposed to be representing in Congress.

[Mr. Bumble]

If you're inferring he was a carpetbagger, NY has had several including RFK and Madam Hillary.

[Dan Schiavetta]

True but they had the approval of a majority of New Yorkers. Buckley was persuaded to run as part of the Nixon Administration’s campaign to drive liberals out of the Republican Party (such as the incumbent, Charles Goodell). In a three way race Buckley squeaked in with 38% of the vote. His heart was not in the job and he decided not to run again.

[Hugo S. Cunningham]

Buckley did run again in 1976, and lost to Democrat Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

Moynihan had a somewhat conservative reputation in 1976, after ridiculing America's enemies as Ambassador to the UN. Once elected to the Senate, however, Moynihan made peace with the Left wing of NY's Democratic Party. It was prudent considering his razor-thin plurality in the Democratic primary against far-Left Bella Abzug.

[Dr. Ed 2]

It was Moynahan who raised the issue of Black illegitimacy...

[Hugo S. Cunningham]

In 1996, Senator Moynihan, now in the mainstream of NY's Democratic Party, would oppose the welfare reform bill.

[Hugo S. Cunningham]

Carpetbagger? James Buckley was a much closer neighbor in the NYC suburbs of SW Connecticut, than was Robert F. Kennedy of DC and Boston, and Hillary Clinton of DC and Arkansas.

New York has long considered itself the capital of the World. If outside politicians wanted to make a go there, it testified to NY's attractive power, rather than to a poverty in local talent.

[Dan Schiavetta]

Bill and Hillary moved to NY in 2000 and have lived there ever since. I actually saw Bill jogging outside of Pleasantville in around 2016. People slowed down and honked and he waved at us.

[Dr. Ed 2]

I met him once -- a great man and naming a beach for him is a worthy cause.

[Noscitur a sociis]

No, you didn't.

[arbitrary aardvark]

Buckley v Valeo is an important case for many reasons. But one thing it got wrong was extremely permissive review of disclosure rules. This was recently mostly fixed by the Bonta case,which added a narrow tailoring requirement. The 9th Circuit yesterday got this wrong again in the San Francisco Prop B case. Both cases, Valeo and Bonta, were funded by the Koch Brothers. The Libertarian Party was a co-plaintiff along with Buckley.

[Jett's Pop]

“He was elected as New York Senator on the conservative party ticket.”

Capital "C" and "P" if you don't mind. It was an actual third party.

[Syd Henderson]

I come across James Buckley's name every year when I take a training course on FERPA, which protects confidential student information. It's also known as the Buckley amendment.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

I wonder what students today would think if they were historically literate enough to know who has a student-rights law named after him.

[Hugo S. Cunningham]

>The oldest living former U.S. senator turns 100 Thursday. James L. Buckley is among the few in American history who have served in the upper echelons of all three branches of our government.

A nephew of his wrote a political farce involving the upper echelons of all three branches of our government.

[RichmondAtty]

I am sure that James Buckley is a great man. However, I have long objected to naming any public facility for a living person.

The Post Office maintains a rule not to have any living person on a stamp. I objected when Congress renamed Washington National Airport for Reagan; I objected when the Naming Commission renamed Fort Lee in Virginia for Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg, who remains living, currently 94 years old.

Some states prohibit naming of public facilities for living persons. I am sure James Buckley is well deserving of this honor, but not now.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

Well, time the renaming to occur after their deaths. Until then keep the old name. Or in the case of Fort Lee, "Fort to be Named Later" (if Lee's name has to be purged right away).

[The Margrave of Azilia]

I got the perfect solution. Call it the Buckley National Seashore, specifying that “Buckley” means the late William F. Buckley, Jr. Add a proviso that after James Buckley’s death it will be considered to be named after James Buckley.

An elegant, lawyerly solution to a perplexing problem.

[Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland]

Not even the top James Buckley on Wikipedia. It appears the modern world isn’t all that interested in obsolete culture war losers.

[Hugo S. Cunningham]

In contrast, the name of progressive icon Enver Hoxha (pronounced “Hodja”) will resound in solitary splendor through the ages!

“Enver Hoxha tungjatjeta”
“Long live Enver Hoxha,
as long as these mountains and as these cliffs!”