Alan K. Simpson: A Straight-Talking Senator's Legacy
Alan K. Simpson, a candid former Republican senator from Wyoming known for his push for immigration reforms and support for conservative Supreme Court candidates, often engaged in fierce debates with women’s groups, environmentalists, and the media. He passed away on Friday in Cody, Wyoming, at the age of 93.
Simpson had been recuperating from a broken hip sustained in December, according to a family statement and the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, where he served as a board member for an impressive 56 years. His recovery was complicated by frostbite to his left foot suffered five years ago, necessitating the amputation of his left leg below the knee.
Known for his folksy, straightforward demeanor, Simpson stood tall at 6-foot-7 with a lean frame and a relaxed rancher’s drawl. He served as a Wyoming senator from 1979 to 1997. His colorful rants in the Senate, aimed at what he called “bug-eyed zealots” and “super-greenies,” amused schoolchildren and tourists alike, eager to see the oddball “Mr. Smith goes to Washington” type.
The son of a former Wyoming governor and U.S. senator, Simpson’s teenage years were marked by reckless behavior. He was involved in shooting up mailboxes, killing a cow with friends, and setting fire to abandoned federal property. He even punched a police officer. Though no one was seriously harmed, he faced the possibility of prison but was instead placed on probation and made restitution.
He admitted, “I was a monster,” in a 2009 plea to the U.S. Supreme Court for clemency for two accused juveniles, referencing the second chance he received decades earlier, transformed with the help of a probation officer.
Simpson later earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Wyoming, served two years in the Army, worked as a city attorney in Cody, and entered politics. He spent 13 years in the Wyoming State Legislature before inheriting his father’s Senate seat. He counted Dick Cheney and President George H.W. Bush among his close friends; Bush even considered him as a vice-presidential running mate in 1988.
Simpson’s relationship with the press was complicated. Journalists often appreciated his earthy humor and accessibility, but his sharp tongue and disregard for media decorum occasionally fueled contempt. He famously overstepped by labeling CNN’s Peter Arnett as an enemy “sympathizer” for his Gulf War coverage, baselessly alleging bias due to Arnett’s marriage to a Vietnamese woman.
His political stance was sometimes enigmatic. Supporting abortion rights, he also endorsed right-wing Supreme Court nominees likely opposed to Roe v. Wade. With roots in friendship since his Boy Scout days, he advocated for an apology to interned Japanese Americans.
Described as entertainingly unpredictable, “one of the most refreshing breezes…to remind that all is not lost,” by The Washington Post, Simpson considered himself candid in an often pompous Congress. He famously answered his own phone and once jokingly identified himself as “that skinny bastard” to a caller.
During the early 1980s, Simpson sought to tighten border controls and address illegal immigration alongside Representative Peter Rodino by sanctioning employers who hired unauthorized workers while offering legal status to many residing illegally.
Simpson and Rodino’s 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, signed by President Reagan, mandated employer verification of employees’ immigration status, penalized hiring of illegal immigrants, and legalized certain undocumented aliens meeting specific criteria.
The law faced criticism as an “administrative nightmare,” yet subsequent reforms with Senator Edward M. Kennedy improved immigrant opportunities while illegal immigration surged until enhanced security post-9/11.
Simpson supported abortion rights, opposed broad bans, but limited federal funding to dire circumstances, often clashing with women’s and civil rights groups during controversial Supreme Court nominations, unwaveringly backing Judges Bork, Souter, and Thomas, supportive of judicial interpretations perceived as threatening to landmark rulings like Roe v. Wade.
Despite backlash, he supported President Bush’s nominees amid fierce debate, and contested Anita Hill’s allegations against Clarence Thomas, downplaying her claims and questioning her credibility.
Interviewed in 2018 for this obituary, Simpson dismissed nuanced judicial ideologies, prioritizing candidates’ capabilities over stances on Roe v. Wade.
Not seeking re-election in 1996, Simpson recounted his Senate experiences in a memoir, “Right In the Old Gazoo: A Lifetime of Scrapping With the Press,” garnering both criticism and recognition for his bipartisan success and humor.
Reflecting on his career, Simpson noted humor’s role in enduring turbulent political rides, with his wife Ann cautiously steering clear as he veered into verbal faux pas.
Meeting with President Obama in 2010 at the White House, Simpson co-chaired the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. A long-time supporter of LGBTQ rights, he advocated amending the Constitution to counter Citizens United v. FEC, challenging political spending in campaigns.
Recalling his friendship with George H.W. Bush, whose bond began in 1962, Simpson delivered a poignant eulogy shared by former President George W. Bush, highlighting Simpson’s wit noting the humility of those “traveling the high road in Washington, D.C.,” navigating notably lighter foot traffic.