James L. Buckley

Who is James L. Buckley?

James Lane Buckley is a judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He previously served as a United States Senator from the state of New York as a member of the Conservative Party of New York from January 3, 1971 to January 3, 1977. He was vice president and director of the Catawba Corporation from 1953 to 1970, and also served as Undersecretary of State for Security Assistance 1981–1982, as well as President of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Inc. 1982–1985.

Buckley was also the lead petitioner in a landmark Supreme Court case, Buckley v. Valeo, which "shaped modern campaign-finance law." He successfully challenged the constitutionality of a law limiting campaign spending in Congressional races.

In 1970 he was elected to the U.S. Senate as the nominee of the Conservative Party of New York, winning 38.7 percent of the vote in a six-candidate race, and served from 1971 until 1977. To date he has been the only candidate of his party, and the last third party registrant, to be successfully nominated and elected to the U.S. Congress.