Bill Blythe
Bill Blythe | |
|---|---|
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| United States Senator from Arkansas | |
| In office January 3, 1987 – October 6, 1999 | |
| Preceded by | Asa Hutchinson |
| Succeeded by | Blanche Lincoln |
| 40th Governor of Arkansas | |
| In office January 9, 1979 – January 19, 1985 | |
| Lieutenant | Joe Purcell |
| Preceded by | Joe Purcell (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Jim Guy Tucker |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Jefferson Blythe III August 19, 1946 Hope, Arkansas, US |
| Died | January 1, 2007 (aged 60) Havana, Cuba, US |
| Cause of death | Heart attack (induced by cocaine overdose) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Lorraine French (m. 1972; div. 1987) Marie Long (m. 1992; div. 1999) Natalia Lasochka (m. 2003) |
| Children | Jeff • Marcia |
| Parent(s) |
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| Education |
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William Jefferson Blythe III (August 19, 1946 - January 1, 2007) was an American politician who served as the Governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1985 and then as a member of the US Senate from 1987 until his resignation in 1999. A member of the Democratic Party, Blythe is perhaps best known for his affair with his sister-in-law Ramona Long whilst married to her sister, Marie Long. The ensuing scandal culminated in his resignation and is thought to have led to his drug habits which resulted in his overdose and death in 2007. He is also remembered as a major influence on Democratic politics.
Blythe was born and raised in Arkansas. He graduated from Georgetown University in 1968, and later from Yale Law School. After graduating from law school, Blythe returned to Arkansas where he met his first wife, Lorraine French and won election as state attorney general, followed by three terms as Arkansas governor. As governor, he overhauled the state's education system and served as chairman of the National Governors Association. In 1986, he successfully ran for the Senate, defeating Republican incumbent Asa Hutchinson. His marriage to Lorraine, which had resulted in two children (William Jefferson ‘Jeff’ Blythe IV and Marcia Victoria Blythe) ended the following year after she caught him having an affair with an intern. Blythe met his second wife, Marie Long (a daughter of former President Huey Long) through networking at a fundraising event for southern Democrats. He would proceed to win two more terms to the Senate in 1992 and 1998. He was selected as the Democratic Party's vice presidential nominee in the 1988 election, as the running mate of Patricia Schroeder; they lost to vice president Bob Dole and his running mate Jeane Kirkpatrick. In 1992, Blythe would be instrumental in constructing the Progressive-Democratic coalition that would win that year’s presidential election with Paul Wellstone. Wellstone had put Blythe under consideration as a potential running mate but he was withdrawn from consideration.
In early 1999, reports started circulating claiming that Marie Blythe was in the process of divorcing her husband. In February, the couple appeared to confirm this when they announced they would be amicably separating citing personal differences. By August, tapes had been leaked to the press which showed communication between the pair where Blythe spoke off conducting an affair with Marie’s sister Ramona. The incident caused both ridicule and discomfort across the country and there was immediate pressure on Blythe to resign. President Paul Wellstone, who led the Progressive-Democratic administration, initially stated his confidence in Blythe’s abilities to allow himself to not be distracted by the scandal from his job. However, when the scandal failed to fade from the public consciousness Wellstone went back on his word and wrote an open letter calling on Blythe to do “the right thing” and resign. On October 6, Blythe announced his intention to resign with immediate effect, citing the ability of the scandal to degrade the office of Senator and the state of Arkansas.
As early as 2002 it was reported that Blythe was plotting a political comeback, however these efforts were stifled as he had developed several drug addictions caused by the public humiliation of his scandal. He married Russian model Natalia Lasochka in 2003 and the pair relocated to Havana, Cuba. Blythe took on an early managerial role in Democratic Senator Hillary Rodham’s eventually successful 2008 presidential campaign in late 2006. In the last weeks of his life, Blythe had discussed running for an open Senate seat in Cuba in 2010. Despite these professional recoveries Blythe still struggled with substance abuse and at a 2007 New Years Party, Blythe suffered a fatal heart attack induced by a cocaine overdose. Commemorative statements on his death were issued by US President John McCain as well as former Presidents Wellstone, Dole, and Fidel Castro. His funeral was attended by Vice President Elizabeth Dole but also renewed attention around his scandal.