George C. Rockefeller
George C. Rockefeller | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States Senator from New York | |
| Assumed office January 26, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Hillary Clinton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | George Cassius Rockefeller April 18, 1958 New York City, New York, United States |
| Political party | Republican (until 1980) Independent (1980-present) |
| Spouse | Michelle Pfeiffer (m. 1991) |
| Children |
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| Parent(s) | Cassius Curtis Jane Rockefeller |
| Relatives | Rockefeller family |
| Education | Harvard University (BEc, MEc, PhD) |
George Cassius Rockefeller (born 18 April 1958) is an American actor, businessman, and politician currently serving as the junior United States Senator from New York. A political independent and member of the Rockefeller family, prior to entering politics, Rockefeller initially fame as a Hollywood actor, starring in a number of commercially successful films for over two decades, with his debut role in the 1987 film, The Untouchables seeing him first gain international acclaim. Aside from that, as the sole heir to his family's joint ownership of The R&S Organisation, Rockefeller was also a considerably successful businessman in his own right, with Rockefeller himself eventually taking up the ownership of the company in 2007 following his mother's passing.
Originally a registered Republican, in 1980, George, along with his mother, Jane together left the Republican Party, in a protest against the selection of former Governor of California Ronald Reagan as the party candidate for the 1980 presidential election. Following that, George, owing to his own business acumen, went on to serve as his mother's informal advisor and assistant, during which he gained a reputation for excellence and professionalism despite his relatively young age. However, in 1993, despite initial expectations, following his mother's resignation from the junior Senate seat of New York to serve as the United States Secretary of Treasury under President Bill Clinton, Rockefeller, by then a well-known and commercially successful actor, chose not to directly succeed his mother as New York senator, with the seat itself subsequently going to Daniel Patrick Moynihan. However, following the resignation of the incumbent, Hillary Clinton in 2009, Rockefeller was appointed as the new senator by then-Governor of New York David Paterson, before he himself went on to win a following special election the following year and further subsequent elections, making him the second member of the Rockefeller family to become New York senator and the second independent politician to do so. Much like his late mother, Rockefeller is generally described by many as a liberal with several progressive views, with Rockefeller himself having vocally championed a number of issues, namely abortion rights, gender equality, social welfare, and the environment.
In 1991, Rockefeller married the American actress, Michelle Pfeiffer, with whom he has three children, namely Anthony, Jane, and Elizabeth Rockefeller. Moreover, with an estimated net worth of roughly $61 billion, Rockefeller is generally regarded as the richest serving United States Senator, with the majority of his wealth originating from the multi-billion dollar conglomerate, The R&S Organisation.