How a single Republican representative made history with a tripartisan legislative effort in 2020
In short: Tom McClintock, a long-serving California politician, is known for his staunch fiscal conservatism and opposition to tax increases. Yet, in 2020, he became the only House Republican to join a bipartisan group in sponsoring legislation aimed at ending qualified immunity, creating a rare moment of tripartisan cooperation in Congress.
Born in 1956, Thomas Miller McClintock II began his political career in the California State Assembly in 1982. Over decades of service in both the state legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives, he has consistently championed limited government, performance-based budgeting, and the reduction of state bureaucracy. His legislative record includes authoring California's lethal injection law and advocating for the abolition of the vehicle license fee, reflecting his long-standing commitment to tax reduction and fiscal accountability.
McClintock's approach to governance often defies simple partisan categorization. While he frequently aligns with conservative principles—such as signing a 2009 pledge against global warming legislation that would raise taxes—he has also demonstrated a willingness to break with his party. In 2017, he called for a special prosecutor to investigate President Donald Trump following the firing of James Comey. Similarly, in 2019, he was one of only two members of California's congressional delegation to vote against a resolution condemning the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the Syrian border.
The 2020 Ending Qualified Immunity Act stands as a notable example of his independent legislative style. Introduced by Justin Amash and Ayanna Pressley in response to the death of George Floyd, the bill sought to reform legal protections for law enforcement. Because Amash was registered as a Libertarian at the time, McClintock's decision to cosponsor the act alongside 62 Democrats marked it as the first tripartisan federal legislation in modern U.S. history. This move highlighted his focus on constitutional standards, a theme that also appeared in his later opposition to censure motions against political opponents, which he argued eroded necessary legislative standards.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Tom McClintock
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