Sen. Jay Rockefeller dies at age 89
John D. “Jay” Rockefeller IV, the former West Virginia governor and five-term U.S. senator, died at his Washington home at age 89. CNN, citing a WETA spokeswoman, said he died Thursday night; outlets citing The Washington Post said he died Friday. His family did not disclose a cause.
Bias breakdown and outlet coverageon the RUSH story page →The death
CNN reported that Rockefeller died Thursday night at his home in Washington, D.C., citing Mary Stewart, vice president for external affairs at WETA, the public broadcasting station where Rockefeller’s wife, Sharon, serves as president and CEO.
The Daily Wire and the New York Post reported that he died Friday at his Washington home, citing The Washington Post. The Daily Wire said the Post did not say what caused his death. Straight Arrow News reported that a family representative confirmed the news to The Washington Post but did not disclose the cause of death.
Career and tributes
Rockefeller was born on June 18, 1937, The Daily Wire reported, weeks after the death of his great-grandfather, Standard Oil founder John D. Rockefeller. CNN reported that he moved to the West Virginia mining community of Emmons at age 27 to participate in the Volunteers in Service to America program, was elected to the state House of Delegates as a Democrat in 1966, served two terms as governor and spent 30 years as a U.S. senator, from 1985 to 2015.
CNN reported that he authored legislation in 1997 that created the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which assists poor families whose incomes are too high to qualify for Medicaid. The Daily Wire said he sponsored legislation to broaden eligibility for the Children’s Health Insurance Program and later argued that the Bush administration took the nation to war in Iraq on false premises.
The Epoch Times quoted West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey praising Rockefeller’s efforts to strengthen healthcare, protect coal miners and their families, and support veterans.
Why this matters
Rockefeller’s death closes a career that ran from an anti-poverty posting in West Virginia through two terms as governor and five Senate terms. Officials have not released a cause of death, and major outlets differ on whether he died Thursday night or Friday.