Frist, W SEN

Senate majority leader, Bill Frist, Republican of Tennessee,http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Bill_Frist  bailed
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<h3>Entering politics</h3>

Though he was a public policy major in college, Frist was late to

take an interest in politics; he did not vote for the first time until

he was 36. In 1990, he met with former Senate Majority Leader <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Baker" class="extiw" title="w:Howard Baker">Howard Baker</a>

about the possibilities of public office. Baker advised him to pursue

the Senate, and in 1992 suggested that Frist begin preparations for a

U.S. Senate election in 1994. Frist began to build support. He served on

Tennessee's Governor's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Medicaid&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Medicaid (page does not exist)">Medicaid</a> Task Force from 1992 to 1993, the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Republican_National_Committee" title="Republican National Committee">Republican National Committee</a>'s Health Care Coalition's National Steering Committee, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=George_H.W._Bush" title="George H.W. Bush" class="mw-redirect">George H.W. Bush</a>-<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Dan_Quayle" title="Dan Quayle" class="mw-redirect">Dan Quayle</a>

'92, and was deputy director of the Tennessee Bush-Quayle '92 campaign.

As part of Frist's preparations for political office, in December 1993

he ended his membership in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nashville,_Tennessee" class="extiw" title="w:Nashville, Tennessee">Nashville, Tennessee</a>'s racially segregated Belle Meade Country Club, which he had joined in the 1980s following family tradition.

During his first campaign, Frist repeatedly accused his opponent, incumbent Senator <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Sasser" class="extiw" title="w:Jim Sasser">Jim Sasser</a>, of "sending Tennessee money to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington,_DC" class="extiw" title="w:Washington, DC">Washington, DC</a>, to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_Barry" class="extiw" title="w:Marion Barry">Marion Barry</a>

... While I've been transplanting lungs and hearts to heal Tennesseans,

Jim Sasser has been transplanting Tennesseans' wallets to Washington,

home of Marion Barry." During that campaign, he also attacked Sasser for

his attempt to become Senate Majority Leader, claiming that his

opponent would be spending more time taking care of Senate business than

Tennessee business. Frist won the election, defeating incumbent Sasser

in the 1994 Republican sweep of both Houses of Congress by 13 points,

thus becoming the first physician in the Senate since 1928. There were

claims that Frist had used Barry and other symbolic issues to appeal to

Tennessee's Southern conservative, white majority; the Frist camp denied

it.

In <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.Senate_election,2000" class="extiw" title="w:U.S. Senate election, 2000">U.S. Senate election, 2000</a>,

Frist easily won reelection with 66 percent of the vote. He was elected

by the largest vote total ever received by a candidate for statewide

election in the history of Tennessee, although <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Gore" class="extiw" title="w:Al Gore">Al Gore</a> won a higher percentage of the vote (70%) in his 1990 Senate re-election.

</a><h3><a name="National_prominence" id="National_prominence">National prominence</a></h3>

<a name="National_prominence" id="National_prominence">Frist first entered the national spotlight when two Washington police

officers were shot outside the United States Capitol. Frist, the

closest doctor, provided immediate medical attention. He also was the

Congressional spokesman during the </a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_anthrax_attacks" class="extiw" title="w:2001 anthrax attacks">2001 anthrax attacks</a>.

As the chairman of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Republican_Senatorial_Committee" title="National Republican Senatorial Committee">National Republican Senatorial Committee</a>,

he helped Republicans win back the Senate in the 2002 midterm election.

His committee collected $66.4 million for 2001-2002, 50% more than the

previous year. Shortly afterwards, Senator <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Trent_Lott" title="Trent Lott">Trent Lott</a> made comments at a <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Strom_Thurmond" title="Strom Thurmond">Strom Thurmond</a>

birthday celebration in which he said that if Thurmond's segregationist

presidential bid of 1948 had succeeded, "we wouldn't have all these

problems today". In the aftermath, Lott resigned his position as Senate

Majority Leader and Frist was chosen unanimously by Senate Republicans

as his replacement. He became the second youngest Senate Majority Leader

in US history. In his 2005 book, "Herding Cats, A Lifetime in

Politics", Lott accuses William Frist of being "one of the main

manipulators" in the debate that ended Senator Lott's leadership in the

Republican Senate. Lott wrote that Senator Frist's actions amounted to a

"personal betrayal." Frist "...didn't even have the courtesy to call

and tell me personally that he was going to run." "If Frist had not

announced exactly when he did, as the fire was about to burn out, I

would still be majority leader of the Senate today." Lott wrote.

In the 2003 legislative session, Frist enjoyed many successes. He was

able to push many initiatives through to fruition, including the Bush

administration's third major tax cut and legislation that was against

partial-birth abortion (currently on appeal to the Supreme Court).

However, the tactics which he used to achieve those victories alienated

many Democrats. In 2004, by comparison, he saw no major legislative

successes, with the explanations ranging from delay tactics by Democrats

to lack of unity within the Republican Party.

In a prominent and nationally broadcast speech to the Republican

National Convention in August, 2004, Frist highlighted his background as

a doctor and focused on several issues related to health care.<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50446-2004Aug31.html" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50446-2004Aug31.html" rel="nofollow">[1]</a> He spoke in favor of the recently passed <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Medicare" title="Medicare">Medicare</a> prescription drug benefit and the passage of legislation providing for <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Health_Savings_Accounts&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Health Savings Accounts (page does not exist)">Health Savings Accounts</a>.

He described President Bush's policy regarding stem cell research,

limiting embryonic stems cells to certain existing lines, as "ethical."

In an impassioned argument for medical malpractice <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Tort_reform" title="Tort reform">tort reform</a>,

Frist called personal injury trial lawyers "predators": "We must stop

them from twisting American medicine into a litigation lottery where

they hit the jackpot and every patient ends up paying."<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50446-2004Aug31.html" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50446-2004Aug31.html" rel="nofollow">[2]</a>

Frist has been an advocate for imposing caps on the amount of money

courts can award plaintiffs for noneconomic damages in medical

malpractice cases.

During the 2004 election season, Frist employed the unprecedented

political tactic of going to the home state South Dakota of the

opposition party (Democrat)'s minority leader, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Tom_Daschle" title="Tom Daschle">Tom Daschle</a>, a moderate Democrat, and actively campaigned against him, quite successfully, since Daschle's Republican opponent, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=John_Thune" title="John Thune">John Thune</a>, defeated Daschle. After the 2004 elections, Frist played a role in the controversy over <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Arlen_Specter" title="Arlen Specter">Arlen Specter</a>'s

post-election remarks. Frist demanded a public statement from Specter

in which Specter would repudiate his earlier remarks and pledge support

for Bush's judiciary nominees. Frist rejected an early version of the

statement as too weak, and gave his approval to the statement which

Specter eventually delivered.

Frist is widely seen as a potential presidential candidate for the Republican party in 2008, much in the same tradition as <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Bob_Dole" title="Bob Dole">Bob Dole</a>, a previous holder of the Senate Majority Leader position. In a June 2004 interview with Christian Science Monitor

Frist downplayed the possibility of being a presidential candidate. "It

is not a goal of mine. I am a heart- and lung-transplant surgeon ...

and that's my life. My intention is to serve in the ... Senate for 12

years and then return to Nashville." <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0621/p20s04-usmb.html" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0621/p20s04-usmb.html" rel="nofollow">[3]</a>

However, there has been increasing dissent within the Republican

caucus over his handling of the Majority Leader position, and his near

invisibility as a spokesman for the Republican caucus, which has damaged

his reputation. His supporters within the caucus point to his success

in moving tax legislation important to the executive branch as a sign

that he is simply filling his place on the team, namely to bring

important bills to a vote, and then ensure that gains made on the floor

are preserved in the conference committee process.

Many of Frist's opponents have attacked him for what they see as

pandering to future Republican primary voters. They claim that he has

taken extreme positions on social issues such as the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Terri_Schiavo" title="Terri Schiavo">Terri Schiavo</a>

matter in order to please them. On the other hand, Frist changed his

position on stem cell research, contradicting the wishes of the

religious right.

There has also been controversy regarding the "<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Nuclear_option" title="Nuclear option">nuclear option</a>,"

under which the Republicans would change a rule in the Senate to

prevent the filibuster of judicial nominations. Although Frist claimed

that "[n]ever before has a minority blocked a judicial nominee that has

majority support for an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor," critics

pointed to the nearly two century history of the filibuster, including

the successful four-day 1968 Republican filibuster of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyndon_Johnson" class="extiw" title="w:Lyndon Johnson">Lyndon Johnson</a>'s chief justice nominee, Abe Fortas. (see <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45149-2005Mar17.html" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45149-2005Mar17.html" rel="nofollow">[4]</a>, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/10/opinion/10Mitchell.html" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/10/opinion/10Mitchell.html" rel="nofollow">[5]</a>);

some Republicans, however, dispute the claim that Fortas enjoyed

majority support in the Senate. Other conservatives note that there is

nothing unconstitutional about changing rules over the filibuster; for

example, until 1975, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Cloture" title="Cloture" class="mw-redirect">cloture</a>

required a two-thirds majority, rather than the three-fifths majority

in today's Senate. In 1998 Frist did participate in the Republican <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Filibuster" title="Filibuster" class="mw-redirect">filibuster</a> to stall the nomination of openly gay <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=James_C._Hormel&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="James C. Hormel (page does not exist)">James C. Hormel</a> to be ambassador to Luxembourg; Hormel eventually received a recess appointment from President <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Bill_Clinton" title="Bill Clinton">Bill Clinton</a>, bypassing a Senate vote.

More criticism of perceived weakness came in the midst of an extended

confirmation fight over Bush's pick for US ambassador to the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=United_Nations" title="United Nations">United Nations</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=John_R._Bolton" title="John R. Bolton">John R. Bolton</a>.

Twice Frist failed to garner the 60 votes to break cloture, getting

less votes the second time and even losing one conservative Republican (<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=George_Voinovich" title="George Voinovich">George Voinovich</a> of Ohio). On June 21, 2005, Frist said the situation had been "exhausted" and there would be no more votes. Only an (see <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/06/21/bolton.vote.ap/index.html" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/06/21/bolton.vote.ap/index.html" rel="nofollow">[6]</a>)

hour later, after speaking to the White House, Frist said: "The

president made it very clear he wants an up-or-down vote." The sudden

switch in strategy led to charges of flip-flopping in response to

pressure from the Bush administration. Nevertheless, no up-and-down vote

was held, and Bush made a recess appointment of Bolton.

</a><h3><a name="Ideology_and_issues" id="Ideology_and_issues">Ideology and issues</a></h3>

<a name="Ideology_and_issues" id="Ideology_and_issues">Frist's primary legislative focus has been on issues of concern to

the health care industry. He opposes guarantees that health care be

provided to all Americans, favoring instead </a><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Free_market" title="Free market" class="mw-redirect">free markets</a> for health care services. The senator also opposes <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Abortion" title="Abortion" class="mw-redirect">abortion</a>. In the Senate, he led the fight against <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/intact_dilation_and_extraction" class="extiw" title="w:intact dilation and extraction">intact dilation and extraction</a> (also known as partial-birth abortion). He voted for the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Partial-Birth_Abortion_Act&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Partial-Birth Abortion Act (page does not exist)">Partial-Birth Abortion Act</a>

of 2003, voted against an amendment to include a women's health

exception (as he considered the procedure to be hazardous to a women's

health), and is opposed to all federal funding of abortion. <a href="http://frist.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=1366" class="external autonumber" title="http://frist.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=1366" rel="nofollow">[7]</a>

Despite this, Frist retains a large personal stock holding in the Frist

family's for-profit hospital chain (Hospital Corporation of America),

which provides abortions. At least one pro-life mutual fund refuses to

invest in HCA because of its abortion services. <a href="http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=30124" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=30124" rel="nofollow">[8]</a><a href="http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/809651/posts" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/809651/posts" rel="nofollow">[9]</a> Frist supports a total ban on <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Human_cloning&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Human cloning (page does not exist)">human cloning</a>, even for purposes of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Stem_cell_research" title="Stem cell research" class="mw-redirect">stem cell research</a>. He supports programs to fight <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=HIV/AIDS" title="HIV/AIDS">HIV/AIDS</a> and African poverty. He travels to Africa frequently to provide medical care.

Since 2001, Frist had stood beside President Bush in his insistence

that only currently existing lines be used for stem cell research. In

June 2004 he expressed concern that there were unrealistic expectations

of what stem cell research could achieve. "As a physician, you don't

want to give undue hope or over-promise therapy to patients.... It is a

disservice, and I would say ethically irresponsible to overpromise on

research. [With] Alzheimer's, that's what happening. If you listed 20

promising research efforts [for Alzheimer's], stem-cell wouldn't be

there. Yet, in the mind of the American people, you would put it No. 1.

That is overpromising." <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0621/p20s04-usmb.html" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0621/p20s04-usmb.html" rel="nofollow">[10]</a>

But in July 2005, Frist reversed course and <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5176053,00.html" class="external text" title="http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5176053,00.html" rel="nofollow">endorsed</a>

a House-passed plan to expand federal funding of the research, saying

"it's not just a matter of faith, it's a matter of science." Up to that

point the legislation had been considered bottled up in the Senate. The

decision quickly drew criticism from social conservatives such as <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=James_Dobson" title="James Dobson">James Dobson</a>, but garnered praise from Democrats and former First Lady <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Nancy_Reagan" title="Nancy Reagan">Nancy Reagan</a>.

During an interview on December 5, 2004, Frist, who is a supporter of

abstinence-only education, was asked about a government-funded

abstinence education program that stated AIDS could be transmitted by

sweat and tears. Despite there being no medical evidence to support such

a statement, Frist responded: "I don't know. You can get the virus in

tears and sweat. But in terms of infecting somebody, it would be very

hard."

On education, Frist supports the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=No_Child_Left_Behind_Act" title="No Child Left Behind Act">No Child Left Behind Act</a>, which passed in 2001 with bipartisan support. In August 2005 he announced his support for teaching <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Intelligent_design" title="Intelligent design">intelligent design</a> ideology in public school science classes.

In November, 2005, Frist told reporters that he was less concerned

about torture at CIA secret prisons than he was about compromising the

security of millions of Americans.<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/11/10/frist.secretprisons.ap/index.html" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/11/10/frist.secretprisons.ap/index.html" rel="nofollow">[11]</a>.

</a><h4><a name="Iraq_War" id="Iraq_War">Iraq War</a></h4>

<a name="Iraq_War" id="Iraq_War">Frist voted for the </a><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Authorization_for_Use_of_Military_Force_Against_Iraq" title="Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq" class="mw-redirect">Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq</a> in Oct. 2002.

<div style="margin:0.5em 0.75em 0.5em 0.75em; border-collapse: collapse; background: #dce8f8; border: 1px solid #5c79b5; padding:.25em .25em 0.25em .25em;">For more information see the chart of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=U.S._Senate_votes_on_the_Iraq_War" title="U.S. Senate votes on the Iraq War">U.S. Senate votes on the Iraq War</a>.</div>

</a><h4><a name="2006_Elections" id="2006_Elections">2006 Elections</a></h4>

<a name="2006_Elections" id="2006_Elections">With Frist announcing that he would retire at the end of his term, </a><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Democratic_Party" title="Democratic Party" class="mw-redirect">Democrats</a> nominated <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Harold_E.Ford_Jr&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Harold E. Ford Jr (page does not exist)">Harold E. Ford Jr</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Republican_Party" title="Republican Party" class="mw-redirect">Republicans</a> nominated <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Bob_Corker" title="Bob Corker">Bob Corker</a> to contest the November 2006 election for his Senate seat. (See <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=U.S.congressional_elections_in_2006" title="U.S. congressional elections in 2006" class="mw-redirect">U.S. congressional elections in 2006</a>) <a href="http://opensecrets.org/states/election.asp?State=AL&year=2006" class="external autonumber" title="http://opensecrets.org/states/election.asp?State=AL&year=2006" rel="nofollow">[12]</a>

</a><h3><a name="Personal_Wealth" id="Personal_Wealth">Personal Wealth</a></h3>

<a name="Personal_Wealth" id="Personal_Wealth">Frist's net worth was between $15 million and $45 million based on his financial disclosure forms released in 2005. </a><a href="http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050921/NEWS02/509210418" class="external autonumber" title="http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050921/NEWS02/509210418" rel="nofollow">[13]</a>

</a><h3><a name="Written_works" id="Written_works">Written works</a></h3>

<a name="Written_works" id="Written_works">In June, 1989, Frist published his first book, Transplant: A Heart Surgeon's Account of the Life-And-Death Dramas of the New Medicine. With J.H. Helderman, he edited "Grand Rounds in Transplantation" in 1995. In October, 1999, Frist co-authored Tennessee Senators, 1911-2001: Portraits of Leadership in a Century of Change with J. Lee Annis, Jr. In March, 2002, Frist published his third book, When Every Moment Counts: What You Need to Know About Bioterrorism from the Senate's Only Doctor. While generally well received, the book later spurred accusations of hypocrisy regarding his remarks about </a><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Richard_A._Clarke" title="Richard A. Clarke">Richard A. Clarke</a>. When Clarke published his book Against All Enemies

in 2004, Frist stated "I am troubled that someone would sell a book,

trading on their service as a government insider with access to our

nation's most valuable intelligence, in order to profit from the

suffering that this nation endured on <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=September_11,_2001" title="September 11, 2001">September 11, 2001</a>."

In response, readers "monkeywrenched" the Amazon.com user reviews of

his book. In December 2003, Frist and coauthor Shirley Wilso released Good People Beget Good People: A Genealogy of the Frist Family, to lukewarm reviews. Frist has also written medical articles.

</a><h3><a name="Charitable_Activities" id="Charitable_Activities">Charitable Activities</a></h3>

<a name="Charitable_Activities" id="Charitable_Activities">In 1998 he visited </a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa" class="extiw" title="w:Africa">African</a> hospitals and schools with the Christian aid group <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samaritan%27s_Purse" class="extiw" title="w:Samaritan's Purse">Samaritan's Purse</a> - which seeks "the advancement of the Christian faith through educational projects and the relief of poverty".

Frist has a fortune in the millions of dollars, most of it the result of his ownership of stock in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hospital_Corporation_of_America" class="extiw" title="w:Hospital Corporation of America">Hospital Corporation of America</a>,

the for-profit hospital chain founded by his brother and father.

Frist's 2005 financial disclosure form lists blind trusts valued between

$7 million and $35 million.

Members of the Frist family have been major donors to Princeton

University, pledging a reported $25 million in 1997 for the construction

of the Frist Campus Center. <a href="http://www.princeton.edu/%7Epaw/archive_old/PAW97-98/03-1022/1022note.html" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.princeton.edu/_{paw/archive_old/PAW97-98/03-1022/1022note.html}" rel="nofollow">[14]</a>

Frist has said that, a few years after his 1974 graduation from

Princeton, "I made a commitment to myself that if I was ever in a

position to help pull together the resources to establish a center [on

the Princeton campus] where there could be an informal exchange of

ideas, and to establish an environment that is conducive to the casual

exchange of information, I would do so." <a href="http://www.princetonspectator.com/news/2001/05/09/Interview/An.Interview.With.Senator.Bill.Frist.74-75174.shtml" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.princetonspectator.com/news/2001/05/09/Interview/An.Interview.With.Senator.Bill.Frist.74-75174.shtml" rel="nofollow">[15]</a>

</a><h2><a name="Meet_the_Cash_Constituents" id="Meet_the_Cash_Constituents">Meet the Cash Constituents</a></h2>

<table class="prettytable"><tbody><tr><th colspan="3">Links to more campaign contribution information for Bill Frist

from the Center for Responsive Politics' <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/" class="external text" title="http://www.opensecrets.org" rel="nofollow">OpenSecrets.org</a> site.</th></tr><tr><td>Fundraising profile:</td><td><a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.asp?cycle=2006&cid=N00003147" class="external text" title="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.asp?cycle=2006&cid=N00003147" rel="nofollow">2006 election cycle</a></td><td><a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allsummary.asp?cid=N00003147" class="external text" title="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allsummary.asp?cid=N00003147" rel="nofollow">Career totals</a></td></tr><tr><td>Top contributors by organization/corporation:</td><td><a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?cycle=2006&cid=N00003147" class="external text" title="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?cycle=2006&cid=N00003147" rel="nofollow">2006 election cycle</a></td><td><a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allcontrib.asp?cid=N00003147" class="external text" title="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allcontrib.asp?cid=N00003147" rel="nofollow">Career totals</a></td></tr><tr><td>Top contributors by industry:</td><td><a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/indus.asp?cycle=2006&cid=N00003147" class="external text" title="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/indus.asp?cycle=2006&cid=N00003147" rel="nofollow">2006 election cycle</a></td><td><a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allindus.asp?cid=N00003147" class="external text" title="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allindus.asp?cid=N00003147" rel="nofollow">Career totals</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

</a><h2><a name="Controversy" id="Controversy">Controversy</a></h2>

</a><h3><a name="Shielding_vaccine_companies" id="Shielding_vaccine_companies">Shielding vaccine companies</a></h3>

<a name="Shielding_vaccine_companies" id="Shielding_vaccine_companies">In what has been described as a </a><a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2006/05/08/vaccine-industry-giveaway/" class="external text" title="http://thinkprogress.org/2006/05/08/vaccine-industry-giveaway/" rel="nofollow">brazen</a> move by Senator Frist and House Speaker <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Dennis_Hastert" title="Dennis Hastert">Dennis Hastert</a> (R-IL), the lawmakers <a href="http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060508/NEWS02/605080356" class="external text" title="http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060508/NEWS02/605080356" rel="nofollow">covertly</a>

inserted language [in December 2005] in a fiscal year 2006 Defense

spending conference reportâthe bill, H.R. 2863, was ultimately signed

into law as <a href="http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_public_laws&docid=f:publ148.109" class="external text" title="http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_public_laws&docid=f:publ148.109" rel="nofollow">Public Law 109-148</a>âthat would grant certain legal immunity to vaccine manufacturers, even in cases of <a href="http://www.citizen.org/documents/050406PandemicFinal_1.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.citizen.org/documents/050406PandemicFinal_1.pdf" rel="nofollow">willful misconduct</a>.

This language was added quietly and in the dead of night, receiving no

debate on the House floor. Despite strong opposition from congressional

members, Frist and Hastert used their power in the Senate and House to

force the language through. The potential impact of this addition is

that American citizens would have little legal recourse in the event of

serious injury or death resulting from vaccines designed to combat an

avian influenza pandemic. Several news articles have reported that both

Frist and Hastert (and others, including Hastert's son) benefited from

their actions. The <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Biotechnology_Industry_Organization" title="Biotechnology Industry Organization">Biotechnology Industry Organization</a> (<a href="http://www.bio.org/" class="external text" title="http://www.bio.org" rel="nofollow">BIO</a>) is purported to be the key author of the language additions. This <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Trade_association" title="Trade association" class="mw-redirect">trade association</a> represents virtually all major vaccine manufacturers.

See <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Bill_Frist/Articles_and_Commentary" title="Bill Frist/Articles and Commentary">Articles</a> on Bill Frist for references and documentation.

</a><h3><a name="Medical_school_experiments" id="Medical_school_experiments">Medical school experiments</a></h3>

While in medical school, Frist obtained cats from animal shelters,

under pretense of adoption as pets, for school research experiments in

which he killed the animals. In a 1989 autobiography, Frist described

his deception in obtaining these shelter cats as "heinous and

dishonest". He attributed his behavior to the pressures of school. The

incident sparked controversy after a 2002 Boston Globe story repeated the account.

</a><h3><a name="Saddam_Hussein_and_Weapons_of_Mass_Destruction" id="Saddam_Hussein_and_Weapons_of_Mass_Destruction">Saddam Hussein and Weapons of Mass Destruction</a></h3>

<a name="Saddam_Hussein_and_Weapons_of_Mass_Destruction" id="Saddam_Hussein_and_Weapons_of_Mass_Destruction">Ahead of the </a><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=2003_invasion_of_Iraq" title="2003 invasion of Iraq">U.S.-led invasion</a> of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Iraq" title="Iraq">Iraq</a>, Frist repeatedly emphasized that a central reason for military action was that <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Saddam_Hussein" title="Saddam Hussein">Saddam Hussein</a>'s regime possessed <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Weapons_of_mass_destruction" title="Weapons of mass destruction">weapons of mass destruction</a>

which posed a potential threat to the U.S. "Let there be no mistake

about our Nation's purpose in confronting Iraq -- Saddam Hussein's

regime poses a clear threat to the people of United States, its friends

and its allies, and it is a threat that we must address now," he said in

a speech to the Senate on March 7, 2003. <a href="http://frist.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=1364&Month=3&Year=2003" class="external autonumber" title="http://frist.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=1364&Month=3&Year=2003" rel="nofollow">[16]</a> In an opinion column in the Washington Post

shortly afterwards, Frist invoked a medical metaphor to justify the

invasion. "Getting rid of Saddam Hussein's regime is our best

inoculation. Destroying once and for all his weapons of disease and

death is a vaccination for the world," he wrote. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A27804-2003Mar14?language=printer" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A27804-2003Mar14?language=printer" rel="nofollow">[17]</a> However, three months later, in an interview on NBC's Today Show,

Frist downplayed the threat of weapons of mass destruction as a

justification for the war. "I'm not sure that's the major reason we went

to war," he said. <a href="http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/936122/posts" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/936122/posts" rel="nofollow">[18]</a>

</a><h3><a name="Terri_Schiavo_case" id="Terri_Schiavo_case">Terri Schiavo case</a></h3>

<a name="Terri_Schiavo_case" id="Terri_Schiavo_case">Senator Frist has been criticized for the </a><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Terri_Schiavo" title="Terri Schiavo">Terri Schiavo</a>

case. During his tenure as the Senate Majority Leader, Senator Frist

watched videotapes that were made and edited by an advocacy group that

felt that Florida resident Terri Schiavo should not be disconnected from

equipment that sustained her bodily functions.

From this viewing of a videotape, he contradicted the diagnosis of

all the attending physicians that Terri Schiavo was brain dead, and said

that Florida doctors had erred in saying Terri Schiavo is in a

"persistent vegetative state."

"I question it based on a review of the video footage which I spent

an hour or so looking at last night in my office," he said in a lengthy

speech in which he quoted medical texts and standards. "She certainly

seems to respond to visual stimuli." His speech on the floor of the

senate: "I have looked at the video footage. Based on the footage

provided to me, which was part of the facts of the case, she does

respond." (see <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48119-2005Mar18.html" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48119-2005Mar18.html" rel="nofollow">[19]</a>)

A subsequent autopsy after Ms. Schiavo's death showed long-term and

irreversible brain damage that laid to rest any argument that Ms.

Schiavo had retained any higher brain function. The autopsy also showed

Terri Schiavo to have been blind. Subsequently the senator backpedaled,

even going so far as to say "I never said 'She responded.'" (see <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/index.php?p=1106" class="external autonumber" title="http://thinkprogress.org/index.php?p=1106" rel="nofollow">[20]</a>)

Even before this autopsy, Frist had been criticized for his comments

about Ms. Schiavo. His critics said that it was unprofessional to

diagnose someone who he had never examined and had only seen on a

videotape. They also pointed out that Frist is not a neurosurgeon.

A complaint to the Tennessee Bureau of Health Licensure and

Regulation regarding Senator Frist's intervention into another attending

physician's case was filed. The complaint brought the Frist Senate

Office's July 11, 2005, response that Doctor Frist "did not violate the

statutes and/or rules governing the practice of medicine in the State of

Tennessee". (His statements were made in Washington, DC about Ms.

Schiavo's Florida hospitalization.)

</a><h3><a name="HCA-Conflict_of_interest_allegations" id="HCA-Conflict_of_interest_allegations">HCA-Conflict of interest allegations</a></h3>

<a name="HCA-Conflict_of_interest_allegations" id="HCA-Conflict_of_interest_allegations">Frist placed his investments in a blind trust when he joined the

Senate to avoid accusations of conflicts of interest. Asked in a

television interview in January 2003 whether he should sell his </a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hospital_Corporation_of_America" class="extiw" title="w:Hospital Corporation of America">Hospital Corporation of America</a>

stock, Frist responded, "Well, I think really for our viewers it should

be understood that I put this into a blind trust. So as far as I know, I

own no HCA stock." However, Frist's blind trust provided him with

regular updates on the status of his assets.<a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05268/577419.stm" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05268/577419.stm" rel="nofollow">[21]</a>

Some have suggested that this is because compliance with Senate ethics

rules requires disclosure of the blind trust portfolios, and that no

Congressperson can be unaware of their holdings.<a href="http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2005/09/none_so_blind.html" class="external autonumber" title="http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2005/09/none_so_blind.html" rel="nofollow">[22]</a>

</a><h3><a name="HCA-Medicare_investigation" id="HCA-Medicare_investigation">HCA-Medicare investigation</a></h3>

<a name="HCA-Medicare_investigation" id="HCA-Medicare_investigation" /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hospital_Corporation_of_America" class="extiw" title="w:Hospital Corporation of America">Hospital Corporation of America</a>

was the subject of a decade-long Federal investigation into

double-bookkeeping and suspected criminal fraud involving the bilking of

<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Medicare" title="Medicare">Medicare</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Medicaid&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Medicaid (page does not exist)">Medicaid</a>, and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Tricare&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Tricare (page does not exist)">Tricare</a>

(the federal program that provides health insurance to members of the

military and their families). During this period no one in the Frist

family had any executive position in HCA. HCA has paid a total of $1.7

billion in fines, the largest fraud settlement in U.S. history. Shortly

after Frist assumed his position as Senate Majority Leader, a final fine

of $631 million was assessed and the ongoing Justice Department

investigation into HCA was dropped. Rick Scott, who had been hired to

run the company after Frist's brother's retirement, quickly left the

company. Frist's brother, a billionaire, returned to HCA to get the

company back on track; in addition, HCA was allowed to continue its

Medicare contracts.<a href="http://www.laweekly.com/ink/03/08/news-ireland.php" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.laweekly.com/ink/03/08/news-ireland.php" rel="nofollow">[23]</a><a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/12/14/national/main257330.shtml" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/12/14/national/main257330.shtml" rel="nofollow">[24]</a>

</a><h3><a name="Insider_trading_allegations_and_the_SEC_Investigations" id="Insider_trading_allegations_and_the_SEC_Investigations">Insider trading allegations and the SEC Investigations</a></h3>

<a name="Insider_trading_allegations_and_the_SEC_Investigations" id="Insider_trading_allegations_and_the_SEC_Investigations">On September 20, 2005, the Associated Press reported that Frist sold

his HCA shares, which had been in a blind trust, two weeks before the

company announced that earnings would not meet expectations, which

caused a substantial drop in the share price. A spokeswoman said that

Frist told the trustee who managed his HCA shares to sell them on June

13, and Frist had no control over the exact date when they were sold.

Frist further claimed that the order was given to avoid allegations of

conflict of interest over his participation in healthcare legislation,

and that he possessed no non-public information when the stock was sold.

The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York has issued

subpoenas to investigate the sale, and the </a><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=U.S._Securities_and_Exchange_Commission" title="U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission" class="mw-redirect">U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission</a> is investigating. Frist has retained the Washington, D.C. law firm of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Wilmer_Cutler_Pickering_Hale_and_Dorr" title="Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr" class="mw-redirect">Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr</a> to defend him in connection with these investigations.

The investigation was closed in April 2007 without any charges being filed.<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Bill_Frist#cite_note-0" title="">[1]</a>

</a><h3><a name="FEC_Violation" id="FEC_Violation">FEC Violation</a></h3>

<a name="FEC_Violation" id="FEC_Violation">On June 1, 2006, the FEC announced that Frist violated federal

campaign finance laws by failing to report a $1.44 million loan jointly

taken out by Frist 2000, Inc. and by Frist's 1994 campaign committee,

Bill Frist for Senate, Inc. Only the 1994 committee disclosed the loan,

while the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) requires 100% disclosure

of all loans taken out by campaign committees. Frist was fined $11,000

by the FEC for the violation. </a><a href="http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/FEC_finds_Frist_violated_law_by_0601.html" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/FEC_finds_Frist_violated_law_by_0601.html" rel="nofollow">[25]</a>

</a><h3><a name="Financial_disclosures" id="Financial_disclosures">Financial disclosures</a></h3>

It was reported by the AP that Internal Revenue Service forms showed

that Frist and his wife are the only trustees managing a family

foundation. However, he has not been listing his position as head of

these foundations on his Senate disclosure forms. These disclosure forms

are made public by law and the last year that a tax form was avaliable

for the foundation was in 2004. During this year the foundation had more

than $2 million in assets.

<a name="Financial_disclosures" id="Financial_disclosures">In response to a phone call by the AP regarding this matter, Frist's

spokeperson stated that "It was recently discovered that Senator Frist's

Senate financial disclosure forms may contain some inadvertent errors

which are under review and will be promptly corrected by amending his

financial disclosure."</a><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/31/AR2006073100530.html?nav=rss_politics" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/31/AR2006073100530.html?nav=rss_politics" rel="nofollow">[26]</a>

</a><h3><a name="Failing_to_participate_in_continuing_medical_education" id="Failing_to_participate_in_continuing_medical_education">Failing to participate in continuing medical education</a></h3>

<a name="Failing_to_participate_in_continuing_medical_education" id="Failing_to_participate_in_continuing_medical_education">On August 31, 2006, it was announced that Frist, a heart and lung

surgeon, would likely be fined for failing to partake in continuing

medical education that is required of all Tennessee doctors. His

spokeswoman, Andrea Turner, said that he is expected to be fined $40 for

each hour of education he did not compete. In addition, he will need to

make up the missed hours within six months. A spokesperson for the

Tennessee Department of Health said that additional disciplinary action,

such as the suspension of his medical license, is unlikely. </a><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Frist-Medical-License.html?r=1&oref=login" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Frist-Medical-License.html?r=1&oref=login" rel="nofollow">[27]</a>

</a><h4><a name="Named_one_of_the.22most_corrupt.22" id="Named_one_of_the.22most_corrupt.22">Named one of the "most corrupt"</a></h4>

<a name="Named_one_of_the.22most_corrupt.22" id="Named_one_of_the.22most_corrupt.22">In both 2005 and 2006, the group </a><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Citizens_for_Responsibility_and_Ethics_in_Washington" title="Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington">Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington</a> singled out Frist as one of the most "corrupt" members of Congress, and filed a complaint with the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Senate_Ethics_Committee" title="Senate Ethics Committee" class="mw-redirect">Senate Ethics Committee</a> calling for an investigation of the stock sale, an alleged cover-up, and an allegedly mishandled disclosure of a campaign loan.<a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-ethics25sep25,1,759138.story?page=2&coll=la-headlines-nation" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-ethics25sep25,1,759138.story?page=2&coll=la-headlines-nation" rel="nofollow">[28]</a>

Frist denies any violation of campaign finance laws; others have

claimed that, because Frist has no formal relationship with HCA, he

cannot be an "insider" for purposes of insider-trading prohibitions

under the securities laws, and that SEC investigations of sales in

advance of important announcements are routine.<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/23/AR2005092301811.html?nav=rss_politics" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/23/AR2005092301811.html?nav=rss_politics" rel="nofollow">[29]</a>.

However, under Â§10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, any

person who trades in securities for personal profit, using confidential

information misappropriated in breach of a fiduciary duty to the source

of the information, may be held both civilly and criminally liable

according to the U.S. Supreme Court. <a href="http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?navby=search&court=US&case=/us/000/96%2D842.html" class="external autonumber" title="http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?navby=search&court=US&case=/us/000/96%2D842.html" rel="nofollow">[30]</a>

Thus, if Frist traded on information illegally passed to him by his

relatives, he could be convicted under the Securities Exchange Act.

</a><h2><a name="Committees_and_Affiliations" id="Committees_and_Affiliations">Committees and Affiliations</a></h2>

=

<h2>Entering politics</h2>

<a name="Committees_and_Affiliations" id="Committees_and_Affiliations">In 1990, Frist met with former Senate Majority Leader </a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Baker" title="Howard Baker">Howard Baker</a>

about the possibilities of public office. Baker advised him to pursue

the Senate, and in 1992 suggested that Frist begin preparations to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.Senate_election,1994" title="U.S. Senate election, 1994" class="mw-redirect">run in 1994</a>. Frist began to build support. He served on Tennessee's Governor's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicaid" title="Medicaid">Medicaid</a> Task Force from 1992 to 1993, joined the National Steering Committee of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_National_Committee" title="Republican National Committee">Republican National Committee</a>'s Health Care Coalition, and was deputy director of the Tennessee <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_H.W._Bush" title="George H.W. Bush" class="mw-redirect">Bush</a>-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Quayle" title="Dan Quayle">Quayle</a> '92 campaign.
sw commnets:
"William H. Frist (born February 22, 1952) is the junior Republican

Senator from Tennessee and a cardiac surgeon. He enjoys a much closer

relationship with the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=George_W._Bush" title="George W. Bush" class="mw-redirect">George W. Bush</a> administration than most other senators. On December 23, 2002 he was voted to succeed <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Trent_Lott" title="Trent Lott">Trent Lott</a> as Senate Majority Leader."

"From 1997-2002 his primary donors were health professionals ($600,000) and money-management companies ($265K), <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Federal_Express&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Federal Express (page does not exist)">Federal Express</a> ($30K), <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Vanderbilt_University&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Vanderbilt University (page does not exist)">Vanderbilt University</a> ($30K), <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Powell_Construction&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Powell Construction (page does not exist)">Powell Construction</a> ($25K), and HCA ($25K).
===
wiki

With Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) looking on, President <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush" title="George W. Bush">George W. Bush</a> signs into law <a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-109publ353/content-detail.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">Pub.L. 109-353</a>, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Korea" title="North Korea">North Korea</a> Nonproliferation Act of 2006.</div>

</div>

During the 1994 election Frist promised not to serve for more than two terms.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Frist#cite_note-4">[5]</a> He accused his opponent, incumbent Senator <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Sasser" title="Jim Sasser">Jim Sasser</a>, of "sending Tennessee money to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington,_DC" title="Washington, DC" class="mw-redirect">Washington, DC</a>",

and said, "While I've been transplanting lungs and hearts to heal

Tennesseans, Jim Sasser has been transplanting Tennesseans' wallets to

Washington, home of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_Barry" title="Marion Barry">Marion Barry</a>."

During the campaign he also criticized Sasser for trying to become

Senate Majority Leader, claiming that his opponent would be spending

more time taking care of Senate business than Tennessee business. Frist

won the election, defeating Sasser by 13 points in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Revolution" title="Republican Revolution">1994 Republican sweep</a> of both Houses of Congress, thus becoming the first physician in the Senate since June 17, 1938, when <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_S._Copeland" title="Royal S. Copeland">Royal S. Copeland</a> died.

In his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.Senate_election,2000" title="U.S. Senate election, 2000" class="mw-redirect">2000 reelection campaign</a>,

Frist easily won with 66 percent of the vote. He received the largest

vote total ever by a statewide candidate. Frist's 2000 campaign

organization was later fined by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Election_Commission" title="Federal Election Commission">Federal Election Commission</a> for failing to disclose a $1.44 million loan taken out jointly with the 1994 campaign organization.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Frist#cite_note-5">[6]</a>

<h2>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Frist&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: National attention">edit</a>] National attention</h2>

Frist first entered the national spotlight when <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.Capitol_shooting_incident%281998%29" title="U.S. Capitol shooting incident (1998)" class="mw-redirect">two Capitol police officers were shot</a> inside the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Capitol" title="United States Capitol">United States Capitol</a> by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Eugene_Weston_Jr." title="Russell Eugene Weston Jr." class="mw-redirect">Russell Eugene Weston Jr.</a>

in 1998. Frist, the closest doctor, provided immediate medical

attention (he was unable to save the two officers, but was able to save

Weston). He also was the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Congress" title="United States Congress">Congressional</a> spokesman during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_anthrax_attacks" title="2001 anthrax attacks">2001 anthrax attacks</a>.

As the chairman of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Republican_Senatorial_Committee" title="National Republican Senatorial Committee">National Republican Senatorial Committee</a>, he helped Republicans win back the Senate in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_midterm_Congressional_elections" title="2002 midterm Congressional elections" class="mw-redirect">2002 midterm election</a>. His committee collected $66.4 million for 2001Ã¢ÂÂ2002, 50% more than the previous year. Shortly afterwards, Sen. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trent_Lott" title="Trent Lott">Trent Lott</a> made comments at a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strom_Thurmond" title="Strom Thurmond">Strom Thurmond</a>

birthday celebration in which he said that if Thurmond's presidential

bid of 1948 had succeeded, "we wouldn't have had all these problems over

all these years". In the aftermath, Lott resigned his position as

Senate Majority Leader and Frist was chosen unanimously by Senate

Republicans as his replacement. He became the third youngest Senate

Majority Leader in US history. In his 2005 book, "Herding Cats, A

Lifetime in Politics", Lott accuses William Frist of being "one of the

main manipulators" in the debate that ended Senator Lott's leadership in

the Republican Senate. Lott wrote that Senator Frist's actions amounted

to a "personal betrayal." Frist "... didn't even have the courtesy to

call and tell me personally that he was going to run ... If Frist had

not announced exactly when he did, as the fire was about to burn out, I

would still be majority leader of the Senate today," Lott wrote.

In the 2003 legislative session, Frist enjoyed many successes. He was

able to push many initiatives through to fruition, including the Bush

administration's third major <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_cut" title="Tax cut">tax cut</a> and legislation that was against <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partial-birth_abortion" title="Partial-birth abortion" class="mw-redirect">partial-birth abortion</a>.

However, the tactics that he used to achieve those victories alienated

many Democrats. In 2004, by comparison, he saw no major legislative

successes, with the explanations ranging from delay tactics by Democrats

to lack of unity within the Republican Party.

Sen. Frist with Sen. Lamar Alexander and Interior Secretary <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gale_Norton" title="Gale Norton">Gale Norton</a>.</div>

</div>

In a prominent and nationally broadcast speech to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_National_Convention" title="Republican National Convention">Republican National Convention</a>

in August 2004, Frist highlighted his background as a doctor and

focused on several issues related to health care. He spoke in favor of

the recently passed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicare_%28United_States%29" title="Medicare (United States)">Medicare</a> prescription drug benefit and the passage of legislation providing for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_Savings_Accounts" title="Health Savings Accounts" class="mw-redirect">Health Savings Accounts</a>. He described President Bush's policy regarding <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell" title="Stem cell">stem cell</a>

research, limiting embryonic stems cells to certain existing lines, as

"ethical." In an impassioned argument for medical malpractice <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tort_reform" title="Tort reform">tort reform</a>, Frist called personal injury trial lawyers "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predator" title="Predator" class="mw-redirect">predators</a>":

"We must stop them from twisting American medicine into a litigation

lottery where they hit the jackpot and every patient ends up paying."

Frist has been an advocate for imposing caps on the amount of money

courts can award <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaintiff" title="Plaintiff">plaintiffs</a> for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damages" title="Damages">noneconomic damages</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_malpractice" title="Medical malpractice">medical malpractice</a> cases.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Frist#cite_note-6">[7]</a>

During the 2004 election season, Frist employed the unprecedented political tactic of going to the home state (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Dakota" title="South Dakota">South Dakota</a>) of the opposition party (Democrat)'s minority leader, Democrat <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Daschle" title="Tom Daschle">Tom Daschle</a>, and actively campaigned against him. Daschle's Republican opponent, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Thune" title="John Thune">John Thune</a>,

defeated Daschle. In Daschle's farewell address, Frist arrived late.

After the 2004 elections, Frist played a role in the controversy over <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arlen_Specter" title="Arlen Specter">Arlen Specter</a>'s

post-election remarks. Frist demanded a public statement from Specter

in which Specter would repudiate his earlier remarks and pledge support

for Bush's judiciary nominees. Frist rejected an early version of the

statement as too weak, and gave his approval to the statement that

Specter eventually delivered.

Frist received some criticism within the Republican caucus in the

Senate over his handling of the Majority Leader position, and his near

invisibility as a spokesman for the Republican caucus, which has damaged

his reputation. His supporters within the caucus pointed to his success

in moving tax legislation important to the executive branch as a sign

that he was simply filling his place on the team, namely to bring

important bills to a vote, and then ensure that gains made on the floor

were preserved in the conference committee process.

Many of Frist's opponents have attacked him for what they see as pandering to future Republican <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_election" title="Primary election">primary</a> voters. They claim that he has taken extreme positions on social issues such as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terri_Schiavo_case" title="Terri Schiavo case">Terri Schiavo case</a> in order to please them. On the other hand, Frist changed his position on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell" title="Stem cell">stem cell</a> research.

There has also been controversy regarding the "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_option" title="Nuclear option">nuclear option</a>",

under which the Republicans would change a rule in the Senate to

prevent the filibuster of judicial nominations. Although Frist claimed

that "[n]ever before has a minority blocked a judicial nominee that has

majority support for an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor," critics

pointed to the nearly two-century history of the filibuster, including

the successful four-day 1968 minority Republican filibuster of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyndon_Johnson" title="Lyndon Johnson" class="mw-redirect">Lyndon Johnson</a>'s chief justice nominee, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abe_Fortas" title="Abe Fortas">Abe Fortas</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Frist#cite_note-7">[8]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Frist#cite_note-8">[9]</a> Also, in 1998 Frist participated in the Republican <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filibuster" title="Filibuster">filibuster</a> to stall the nomination of openly gay <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_C._Hormel" title="James C. Hormel" class="mw-redirect">James C. Hormel</a> to be ambassador to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxembourg" title="Luxembourg">Luxembourg</a>; Hormel eventually received a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recess_appointment" title="Recess appointment">recess appointment</a> from President <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton" title="Bill Clinton">Bill Clinton</a>, bypassing a Senate vote. Frist also helped block the 1996 nomination of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Paez" title="Richard Paez">Richard Paez</a>

to the 9th Federal Court of Appeals, a four-year filibuster that was

defeated in 2000 when 14 Republicans dropped their support for it and

allowed Paez to be confirmed by a simple majority.

More criticism of perceived weakness came in the midst of an extended

confirmation fight over Bush's pick for US ambassador to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations" title="United Nations">United Nations</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_R._Bolton" title="John R. Bolton">John R. Bolton</a>.

Twice Frist failed to garner the 60 votes to break cloture, getting

fewer votes the second time and even losing the support of one moderate

Republican (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Voinovich" title="George Voinovich">George Voinovich</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio" title="Ohio">Ohio</a>).

On June 21, 2005, Frist said the situation had been "exhausted" and

there would be no more votes. Only an hour later, after speaking to the

White House, Frist said: "The president made it very clear he wants an

up-or-down vote." This sudden switch in strategy led to charges of

flip-flopping in response to pressure from the Bush administration.

Nevertheless, no up-and-down vote was held, and Bush made a recess

appointment of Bolton.

In September 2006, working with Arizona Senator <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Kyl" title="Jon Kyl">Jon Kyl</a>, Frist was a major Senate supporter of H.R. 4411 Ã¢ÂÂ the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unlawful_Internet_Gambling_Enforcement_Act_of_2006" title="Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006">Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006</a>.

Frist's bill called for restrictions on banking transactions for online

gambling, while Frist has received contributions from land-based

casinos. The bill, which passed without debate as part of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAFE_Port_Act" title="SAFE Port Act">SAFE Port Act</a>, also allowed horse racing and lotteries to remain legal.

<h2>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Frist&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Political future">edit</a>] Political future</h2>

Frist at the inauguration of his successor <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Corker" title="Bob Corker">Bob Corker</a>. Along with former <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee" title="Tennessee">Tennessee</a>'s Senator <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Baker" title="Howard Baker">Howard Baker</a> (second to right), and Senior Senator <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamar_Alexander" title="Lamar Alexander">Lamar Alexander</a> (far right).</div>

</div>

Frist pledged to leave the Senate after two terms in 2006, and did

not run in the 2006 Republican primary for his Senate seat. He

campaigned heavily for Republican nominee <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Corker" title="Bob Corker">Bob Corker</a>, who won by a small margin over Congressman <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Ford,Jr." title="Harold Ford, Jr.">Harold Ford, Jr.</a> in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_United_States_Senate_election,2006" title="Tennessee United States Senate election, 2006" class="mw-redirect">general election</a>.

Frist was seen as a potential presidential candidate for the Republican party in 2008, like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Dole" title="Bob Dole">Bob Dole</a>,

a previous holder of the Senate Majority Leader position. On November

28, 2006, however, he announced that he had decided not to run, and

would return to the field of medicine.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Frist#cite_note-autogenerated1-9">[10]</a>

Frist's name was mentioned as a possible candidate for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor_of_Tennessee" title="Governor of Tennessee" class="mw-redirect">Governor of Tennessee</a> in 2010 when incumbent Governor <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Bredesen" title="Phil Bredesen">Phil Bredesen</a> was barred from running again due to term limits. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_Republican_Party" title="Tennessee Republican Party">Tennessee Republican Party</a> Chairman Bob Davis has said that "he'd have a lot of support" if he chose to run.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Frist#cite_note-10">[11]</a> However, Frist announced that he had decided not to seek that office in January 2009.

<h2>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Frist&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: ONE campaign">edit</a>] ONE campaign</h2>

After his Senate career he became a Co-Chair of ONE VOTE '08, an initiative of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ONE_campaign" title="ONE campaign" class="mw-redirect">ONE campaign</a>, with Former Senate Majority Leader <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Daschle" title="Tom Daschle">Tom Daschle</a> (D-SD). According to <a href="http://onevote08.org/" class="external text" rel="nofollow">onevote.org</a>,

"ONE Vote '08 is an unprecedented, non-partisan campaign to make global

health and extreme poverty foreign policy priorities in the 2008

presidential election."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Frist#cite_note-11">[12]</a>

He traveled to Africa in support of various initiatives for the ONE

campaign in July 2008 and an extensive blog about his trip exists,

complete with videos.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Frist#cite_note-12">[13]</a>

<h2>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Frist&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Other professional and charitable activities">edit</a>] Other professional and charitable activities</h2>

In June 1989, Frist published his first book, Transplant: A Heart Surgeon's Account of the Life-And-Death Dramas of the New Medicine, in which he wrote, "A doctor is a man whose job justifies everything . . . Life [is] a gift, not an inalienable right."

With J. H. Helderman, he edited "Grand Rounds in Transplantation" in 1995. In October, 1999, Frist co-authored Tennessee Senators, 1911Ã¢ÂÂ2001: Portraits of Leadership in a Century of Change with J. Lee Annis, Jr. In March, 2002, Frist published his third book, When Every Moment Counts: What You Need to Know About Bioterrorism from the Senate's Only Doctor. While generally well received, the book later spurred accusations of hypocrisy regarding his remarks about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_A._Clarke" title="Richard A. Clarke">Richard Clarke</a>. When Clarke published his book Against All Enemies

in 2004, Frist stated "I am troubled that someone would sell a book,

trading on their service as a government insider with access to our

nation's most valuable intelligence, in order to profit from the

suffering that this nation endured on September 11, 2001." In December,

2003, Frist and co-author Shirley Wilson released the self-promoting

book, Good People Beget Good People: A Genealogy of the Frist Family.

In 1998 Frist visited <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa" title="Africa">African</a> hospitals and schools with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian" title="Christian">Christian</a> aid group <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samaritan%27s_Purse" title="Samaritan's Purse">Samaritan's Purse</a>.

Frist has continued to make medical mission trips to Africa every year

since 1998. He has also been vocal in speaking out against the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_Darfur" title="War in Darfur">genocide occurring in Darfur</a>.

During 2007-2008, Frist was the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_H._Schultz" title="Frederick H. Schultz">Frederick H. Schultz</a> Professor of International Economic Policy in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodrow_Wilson_School_of_Public_and_International_Affairs" title="Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs">Woodrow Wilson School</a> at Princeton University.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Frist#cite_note-OS01-13">[14]</a>

In 2008, he became a partner in Chicago-based <a href="http://www.cresseyco.com/" class="external text" rel="nofollow">Cressey & Co.</a> investing in the nation's health care market.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Frist#cite_note-14">[15]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Frist#cite_note-15">[16]</a> In 2009, Frist began teaching at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanderbilt_University_Owen_Graduate_School_of_Management" title="Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management" class="mw-redirect">VanderbiltÃ¢ÂÂs Owen School of Management</a> and at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanderbilt_University_School_of_Medicine" title="Vanderbilt University School of Medicine">Medical School</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Frist#cite_note-OS01-13">[14]</a> where he taught before his 1994 election, while becoming a chairman of the Nashville-based nonprofit organization <a href="http://hopethroughhealinghands.org/" class="external text" rel="nofollow">Hope Through Healing Hands</a> that centers on health and education around the world.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Frist#cite_note-16">[17]</a> He also launched a statewide education reform initiative targeting K-12 education called <a href="http://www.tnscore.org/" class="external text" rel="nofollow">SCORE (State Collaborative on Reforming Education)</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Frist#cite_note-17">[18]</a>

In May 2009, Frist joined forensic chemical and drug-testing laboratory <a href="http://www.aegislabs.com/" class="external text" rel="nofollow">Aegis Sciences Corp.</a>

as a health care advisor and member of its board of directors. His new

responsibilities include assisting in AegisÃ¢ÂÂs development of a strategic

alliance with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanderbilt_University_Medical_Center" title="Vanderbilt University Medical Center">Vanderbilt University Medical Center</a>,

providing counsel on the companyÃ¢ÂÂs research and development for new

laboratory-based toxicology assessments, and advise Aegis on general

health care issues.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Frist#cite_note-18">[19]</a>

On November 2009, Frist joined the board of directors of engineering, construction and technical services firm <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/URS_Corp." title="URS Corp." class="mw-redirect">URS Corp.</a> to bring his expertise and unique perspective on a wide range of economic issues.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Frist#cite_note-19">[20]</a>

In March, 2010, Frist was appointed a member of the six-person board of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinton_Bush_Haiti_Fund" title="Clinton Bush Haiti Fund">Clinton Bush Haiti Fund</a>, which had raised $36 million to date for immediate <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Haiti_earthquake" title="2010 Haiti earthquake">earthquake</a> relief and long-term recovery efforts in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribbean" title="Caribbean">Caribbean</a> country.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Frist#cite_note-20">[21]</a> Frist had also traveled to Haiti with Samaritan's Purse in January, 2010.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Frist#cite_note-OS01-13">[14]</a>

Frist also serves as a Senior Fellow at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipartisan_Policy_Center" title="Bipartisan Policy Center">Bipartisan Policy Center</a>, where he is a co-leader of the Health Project<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Frist#cite_note-21">[22]</a>

<h2>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Frist&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Personal life">edit</a>] Personal life</h2>

In 1982, Frist married Karyn McLaughlin, whom he met at a Boston

emergency hospital. They have three sons: Harrison, Jonathan, and Bryan.

The Frist family are members of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presbyterianism" title="Presbyterianism">National Presbyterian Church</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington,_D.C." title="Washington, D.C.">Washington, D.C.</a>.

Frist has been a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviator" title="Aviator">pilot</a> since the age of 16. He holds commercial, instrument and multi-engine ratings. He has also run seven <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon_%28sport%29" title="Marathon (sport)" class="mw-redirect">marathons</a> and two half-marathons.

<h2>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Frist&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Financial status">edit</a>] Financial status</h2>

Frist has a fortune in the millions of dollars, most of it the result of his ownership of stock in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hospital_Corporation_of_America" title="Hospital Corporation of America">Hospital Corporation of America</a>,

the for-profit hospital chain founded by his brother and father.

Frist's 2005 financial disclosure form lists blind trusts valued between

$15 million and $45 million

Frist, W SEN

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