Former U.S. Sen. Paul Sarbanes, who represented Maryland for 30 years in the Senate and helped write a landmark anti-fraud legislation and draft the first article of impeachment against Republican President Richard Nixon as a congressman, died Sunday night. He was 87. Following Sarbanes' death, tributes to the longtime lawmaker, who was born in Salisbury, Md., began pouring in from state and national leaders. Some of those tributes are below:
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan
"Paul Sarbanes honorably served alongside my father on the House Judiciary Committee during Watergate before going on to represent Maryland in the U.S. Senate. Over his many decades of public service, Sen. Sarbanes was a sincere and passionate advocate for our state and its natural resources. Today, we mourn his loss and send our deepest sympathies to his family.
"In memory of Sen. Sarbanes, I have ordered that the Maryland flag fly at half-staff on the day of his burial."
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, (D-Md.)
“Today we mourn the loss of the son of Greek immigrants who rose from humble roots on Maryland’s Eastern Shore to make an important and lasting impact on our entire country and help millions of his fellow Americans – Paul Sarbanes. Both during his time serving in the House of Delegates and as our state’s second-longest serving United States Senator, Paul Sarbanes was a tireless advocate on behalf of all Marylanders. His leadership in preserving the Chesapeake Bay, expanding access to affordable housing, and protecting Main Street investors in the bill that bears his name, Sarbanes-Oxley, are enduring testaments to his legacy of positive change.
“On a personal note, I will never forget Paul’s kindness when I worked with him as a staff member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the 1980s, or his mentorship during my first term in the House, and his willingness to offer advice and counsel when I was elected to the Senate in 2016. Katherine and I send our condolences to his children John, Michael, and Janet, to his brother Tony, and to all of Paul's family during this difficult time. Paul Sarbanes left a legacy of compassion, integrity, humility, and hard work that Marylanders will never forget.”
Democratic National Committee
DNC Chair and former Labor Secretary Tom Perez released the following statement:
“On behalf of the Democratic Party, I send my deepest condolences on the passing of former Maryland Senator Paul Sarbanes. He was a man of great integrity and accomplishment. Humble to his core, he once said of his ‘stealth senator’ moniker that ‘if you let somebody else take the credit, you can get the result.’
“As a legislator, he was a workhorse, not a show horse – from strengthening corporate oversight with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, to his tireless efforts to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay, to his commitment to safeguarding our democracy through a lead role in the Watergate proceedings.
“In Maryland, the name Sarbanes is synonymous with integrity, service, and helping those in need. Sen. Sarbanes leaves a legacy as a true public servant, and a warrior for the most vulnerable. My heartfelt thoughts are with his family as they cope with this tremendous loss. The Democratic Party, my home state of Maryland, and the entire nation are stronger for his leadership.”
Salisbury University President Charles Wight
“Senator Paul Sarbanes had a long history with Salisbury University, dating back to his teen years. Accepting an honorary Doctor of Laws during SU’s 2006 Fall Commencement ceremony, shortly before his retirement after 30 years as a U.S. senator, he reminisced about playing basketball in the University’s gymnasium while growing up in the local community.
“Senator Paul Sarbanes had a long history with Salisbury University, dating back to his teen years. Accepting an honorary Doctor of Laws during SU’s 2006 Fall Commencement ceremony, shortly before his retirement after 30 years as a U.S. senator, he reminisced about playing basketball in the University’s gymnasium while growing up in the local community.
“During his time in office, the Senator was a friend to SU, helping to secure funding to expand educational opportunities in the then-Department (now School) of Nursing and to establish the Franklin P. Perdue School of Business’ international business curriculum. In 2002, he initiated the Paul S. Sarbanes Lecture Series through SU’s Institute of Public Affairs and Civic Engagement (PACE), bringing some of the nation’s most prominent legislators to campus. In addition to Senator Sarbanes, high-profile guests included civil rights icon Representative John Lewis and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
“As a national leader on civil rights, an original composer of the Americans with Disabilities Act, an ally of environmental conservation (including legislation to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay), and a staunch supporter of consumer protection and corporate reform, exemplified by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, Senator Sarbanes exemplifies many of the values in which we believe at SU. He was a role model to our students and many others in the greater community.
“We offer our condolences to members of the entire Sarbanes family, who have had many ties to SU over the years.”
Maryland Democratic Party
"We're heartbroken by the news of Sen. Sarbanes' passing. A tireless advocate for Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay, Sen. Sarbanes' long legacy of steadfast service will live on. Our state and our nation are a better place because of him; he will be deeply missed by all. The sincerest condolences to his family, Maryland is with you."
Baltimore Mayor Jack Young
"I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes. He was a dedicated public servant with almost four decades of service to the state he loved and called home. Sen. Sarbanes was my type of politician, he was more focused on the people and the policy rather than the press conferences. Our sincere condolences go out to John, Janet, Michael, and the rest of his family at this difficult time."
Chesapeake Conservancy
The following statement is attributable to Chesapeake Conservancy President and CEO Joel Dunn on the passing of former U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes of Maryland, a member of Chesapeake Conservancy’s Board of Directors and the recipient of the organization’s 2016 Champions of the Chesapeake Award:
"As a member of the Maryland General Assembly he co-authored the public law creating the real estate transfer tax mechanism for financing Maryland’s Program Open Space – one of the most progressive programs to fund state and local parks and land conservation in the country. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1970 and to the United States Senate in 1976, where he served five terms and helped enact every major piece of legislation to enhance the nation’s environmental quality — including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and Superfund, to name only a few.
"As Chair of the Maryland Congressional Delegation and as the senior member of Congress from the Chesapeake watershed, Sarbanes led Congressional efforts to restore the health of the Chesapeake from 1987 to his retirement in 2007. Among his legislative accomplishments are: EPA’s Chesapeake Restoration Act, the restoration of Poplar Island, NOAA’s Chesapeake statutory authority and Bay Education Program, the federal native oyster restoration program, the National Park Service’s Chesapeake Gateways and Watertrails Program, and the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, enacted in 2006. He has received numerous awards and recognition from the National and Maryland Leagues of Conservation Voters, the Waterkeeper Alliance, and the University of Maryland’s Truitt Award, Chesapeake Conservancy, among others, for his environmental achievements.
“U.S. Senator Sarbanes has been a champion for the environment, for conservation and for the Chesapeake Bay since he was first elected to public office in 1966. While in the Maryland General Assembly, he coauthored the legislation that enabled Program Open Space, and while in the U.S. Senate he coauthored the Environmental Protection Agency's Chesapeake Restoration Act, both of which have been instrumental in helping to restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay."
“Senator Sarbanes often said, ‘If a state could have a soul, Maryland’s would be the Chesapeake.’ Last night, the Chesapeake lost one of its most dedicated advocates.
“As a member of Chesapeake Conservancy’s Board of Directors, he served as a mentor to our relatively young organization and to me, personally. As a force behind the creation of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, in many ways he was also a force behind the creation of our nonprofit.
“Senator Sarbanes was known as a quiet titan of intellect who worked diligently for Marylanders and for the American people. Our Chesapeake community was extremely fortunate to have the dedicated support of Senator Sarbanes, and his legacy of protecting and restoring the Chesapeake Bay continues today and will continue long into the future.”