Jon Kyl

Jon Kyl

Republican politician and lobbyist who served as a United States Senator for Arizona from 1995 to 2013 and again in 2018. A Republican, he held both of Arizona's Senate seats at different times, serving alongside John McCain during his first stint. Kyl was Senate Minority Whip from 2007 until 2013. He first joined the lobbying firm Covington & Burling after retiring in 2013, then rejoined in 2019. Kyl did not seek re-election to the Senate in 2012 and retired at the end of his third term. He expressly ruled out running for further office except, if offered, the Vice Presidency. After leaving the Senate in 2013, he worked as an attorney and lobbyist and then worked to shepherd the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh. In September 2018, Kyl was appointed by Governor Doug Ducey to serve in the Senate seat left vacant by the death of John McCain. At a press conference accepting the appointment, Kyl stated that he would not run for the remainder of the term following the 2020 special election. Kyl is the first person to return to the Senate via appointment since New Hampshire Republican Norris Cotton in 1975. Kyl resigned from the Senate effective December 31, 2018, and was succeeded by Martha McSally.

The Remarkable Tale Of The Corporate Lobbyist Sworn In As A Temporary U.S. Senator

Dec. 10, 2018

Former Dark Money Lobbyist Who Guided Kavanaugh Will Provide Critical Confirmation Vote

"Watchdog groups call on Sen. Jon Kyl to recuse himself after recent work as a lobbyist for the Judicial Crisis Network and serving as Kavanaugh's 'shepra' through the confirmation process."

Oct. 6, 2018

Jon Kyl, Brett Kavanaugh's ‘Sherpa,’ Wants To Be Left Alone. Great, Then Resign

Oct. 3, 2018

John McCain’s Replacement Even Worse On LGBT Issues

'John McCain may have been a lovely man, but he was no friend of the LGBT community. His appointed successor, however, is even worse. On September 5th, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey appointed former Sen. Jon Kyl to fill McCain’s Senate seat. Kyl represented Arizona in the US Senate from 1995 until he retired in 2013. [...] In 2006, McCain was a vocal supporter of an Arizona state constitutional amendment to bar same-sex marriage. And in 2010, he opposed repeal of “Don’t ask, don’t tell.” McCain’s dismal record was relieved only by his opposition to the federal marriage amendment in 2004 and 2006, and his vote in favor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) in 2013. Sad to say, Kyl’s record of hostility to the LGBT community lacks even that saving grace. In 1996, Kyl also voted for DOMA. Six years later, he voted not to add sexual orientation to the federal definition of hate crimes. In 2004 and 2006, he also voted for a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.'

Sep. 19, 2018

Anti-LGBTI Politician Jon Kyl Chosen To Replace The Late John McCain

Sep. 5, 2018

The Wildest Things Jon Kyl Actually Tried To Argue For

"Kyl has been keeping himself busy since he left the Senate. Among his projects, he’s been lobbying on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry, helping Facebook figure out whether it has a liberal bias, and shepherding Brett Kavanaugh through his nomination process to the Supreme Court."

Sep. 4, 2018

Jon Kyl's Search And Destroy Mission

"Jon Kyl is different from you and me. In the days following Hurricane Katrina, the nation was reeling over the death and destruction in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast. But Kyl, now the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, saw opportunity: According to a voice-mail recording left at the time by Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), Kyl and Sessions were hoping to find a business owner killed in the storm so they could use that in their campaign to repeal the estate tax."

Nov. 22, 2011

Senator Jon Kyl's Lies About Planned Parenthood "Not Intended To Be Factual Statement"

"As the United States government creeped closer to shutting down on Friday ~~because far-right-wing-nuts don't like abortion~~, Senator Jon Kyl took to the Senate floor to give a less-than-"factual statement" about the amount of abortions performed by Planned Parenthood, a federally funded organization that's been known to end a pregnancy or two. "Everybody goes to clinics, to hospitals, to doctors, and so on. Some people go to Planned Parenthood. But you don't have to go to Planned Parenthood to get your cholesterol or your blood pressure checked. If you want an abortion, you go to Planned Parenthood, and that's well over 90 percent of what Planned Parenthood does," the senator crowed.

Apr. 12, 2011

3 Days After Renouncing Earmarks, Sen. Jon Kyl Sends Home Extra $200 Million

Nov. 23, 2010

Jon Kyl: Illegals' Kids Shouldn't Be Citizens

"Screw the Constitution; Jon Kyl thinks it's time to stop automatically giving the children of illegal immigrants born on US soil citizenship. The Arizona senator yesterday got behind Lindsey Graham's call to repeal the 14th Amendment"

Aug. 2, 2010

Kyl: “I Don’t Need Maternity Care” So Employers Shouldn’t Be Required To Provide It

Nov. 25, 2009

Senate Votes To Add Sexual Orientation To Hate Crime Protections

"Senator Jon Kyl, Republican of Arizona, raised objections."

Jul. 17, 2009

Dutch Anti-Muslim Politician Geert Wilders To Screen Fitna Film In Washington

"Republican Senator Jon Kyl is hosting a film screening at the Capitol building in Washington for a the controversial Right-wing Dutch politician"

Feb. 24, 2009