the Speaker of the House, responded to the scuffle by informing Dornan that violence was a violation of House rules. Later career A close confidante of Al Gore since their days in the House of Representatives, Downey played Jack Kemp in Gore's 1996 Vice Presidential debate rehearsals. He was set to play George W. Bush in Gore's rehearsals for the 2000 Presidential debates; however, after mysteriously receiving a package containing Bush's debate preparation materials, he stepped aside to avoid the appearance of an improper advantage for Gore. Since leaving politics, Downey has worked as a lobbyist and chair of Downey McGrath Group, Inc., a lobbying firm he founded in 1993. The president is Ray McGrath, also a former U.S. Representative from New York. Downey represented Dubai Ports World and lobbied Congress to approve the controversial ports deal. Downey argues that "they would have made this country more secure" because "DP World is one of the few companies that could have worked with us to truly improve security, both at home and abroad." Other past clients included energy companies like Chevron and the Standard Renewable Energy Group, several foreign countries, and the Albright Group. He retired from lobbying in 2015. He has served on the advisory board for Council for a Livable World, a non-partisan advocacy organization dedicated to reducing the danger of nuclear weapons. He is also a member of the ReFormers Caucus of Issue One. Personal life In 1978, Downey married Chris Milanos, with whom he is the father of two children, Lauren Katherine and Theodore Jonathan. They later divorced, and on June 21, 2007, Downey married Carol Browner, the former head of the Environmental Protection Agency. References External links 1949 births Cornell University alumni County legislators in New York (state) Living people Washington College of Law alumni American lobbyists Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state) People from Queens, New York People from Amityville, New York Members of Congress who became lobbyists