Former Rep. Barney Frank, a Democratic icon and architect of the landmark Dodd-Frank Act for Wall Street reform, died Tuesday at age 86, his former campaign manager confirmed to MS NOW.
It was revealed last month that Frank had entered hospice care for congestive heart failure.
“He was a giant in Congress but also had a huge impact both on the city of Boston and the state of Massachusetts,” said James Segel, Frank’s former campaign manager and friend.
During his more than three decades in Congress, the Massachusetts Democrat earned a reputation for being an outspoken, colorful and, at times, combative Capitol Hill character.
Frank — a self-described “left-handed gay Jew” — was a trailblazer for LGBTQ and other marginalized communities. In 1987, he became the first member of Congress to come out as gay voluntarily. He was also the first member of Congress to enter into a same-sex marriage.
He served as chair of the House Financial Services Committee from 2007 to 2011, and co-sponsored the Dodd-Frank reforms in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.
Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., mourned Frank as “an iconic champion” for America’s working families, touting his help in creating “the strongest consumer financial protections in history.”
“In the wake of the financial crisis, he was a force for reining in an out-of-control financial system: crafting the landmark Dodd-Frank reforms, establishing a consumer financial protection agency and improving transparency in the markets,” Pelosi said in a statement, adding, “All of us fortunate enough to serve alongside him were blessed by his boundless knowledge, sage wisdom and great humor.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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