Tom Rooney (politician)

Tom Rooney is the Republican candidate in the 2008 U.S. congressional elections for the 16th Congressional District ( [http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/fl16_109.gifmap] ) of Florida and the U.S. Congress|Florida. He won in 2008 U.S. congressional election primary elections which took place on August 26, 2008.

Biography

Tom Rooney was raised in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and graduating from the Benjamin School in North Palm Beach. In college, Rooney played football for Syracuse University and Washington and Jefferson College outside of Pittsburgh where he earned his B.A in English Literature.

After working for Sen. Connie Mack in Washington D.C., Rooney attended the University of Florida where he received his masters degree. From there he went to the University of Miami, School of Law where he received his J.D. and became a member of the Florida Bar in 1999.

He then spent over four years in the United States Army JAG Corps. Most notably, he served as Special Assistant U.S Attorney at Fort Hood, Texas, prosecuting all civilian crimes on post.

In 2002, Rooney began teaching Constitutional and Criminal Law at the United States military Academy at West Point, New York. He received two Army Commendation Medals for his service and remains in the U.S. Army Inactive Ready Reserves.

Rooney returned to Florida where he went to work as an Assistant Attorney General under Charlie Crist. While working as a criminal prosecutor for the Office of Attorney General, he became involved with “The Children’s Place at Home Safe,” a local charity that helps abused, neglected, and abandoned children. Because of his work as director of Home Safe, Governor Jeb Bush appointed Rooney to the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County Board of Directors in January 2006. After his second year as director, Rooney returned to the Board of Directors of Children’s Place and resumed his practice of law in Stuart, Florida with the law firm of Kramer, Sopko & Levenstein, P.A.

External resources

* [http://www.2008racetracker.com/page/FL-16 2008 Race Tracker page on Florida's 16th Congressional District]
* [http://www.tomrooney.com/ Official Tom Rooney for Congress website]