Panetta, Leon E., 1938-

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Leon Edward Panetta was born on June 28, 1938, in Monterey, California. His parents were both immigrants from Italy. He was raised in the Monterey area and attended Santa Clara University, graduating in 1960 with a degree in political science. In 1963, he graduated with a law degree from Santa Clara University School of Law and served in the U.S. Army until 1965.

He began his political career as a legislative aid for Republican Senator Thomas Kuchel of California in 1966. In 1969, Panetta went to work for the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in the administration of President Richard Nixon. He was appointed head of the U.S. Office for Civil Rights but left in 1970 after disagreeing with the administration's slow approach to school desegregation. He returned to California and practiced law.

After switching from a Republican to a Democrat, Panetta was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1976 and served until 1993. He left office to join the administration of President Bill Clinton as director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). He then became chief of staff for Clinton in 1994. When he left the Clinton White House in 1997, he went back to his home state and established the Panetta Institute for Public Policy at California State University, Monterey Bay. In 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Panetta to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). As director of the CIA, Panetta oversaw the operation that found and killed Osama bin Laden, the Al Qaeda leader who masterminded the attacks of September 11, 2001. President Obama then appointed Panetta as secretary of Defense in 2011; the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed his nomination. Secretary Panetta oversaw the end of the Iraqi War, extended benefits to same sex couples in the military, and lifted the ban on women in combat. After leaving the Obama administration, he returned to California and the Panetta Institute.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Monterey Public Library. California History Room. Political campaigns clippings 1906-2008 Monterey Public Library
referencedIn NPS Biographical Collection finding aid NPS Dudley Knox Library, Naval Postgraduate School
contributorOf White House Correspondence - Collection Finding Aid William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
creatorOf Monterey Public Library. California History Room Archives. U.S. Army-Fort Ord-base conversion clippings 1993-2007 Monterey Public Library
referencedIn Video Recordings of the White House Television Office (Clinton Administration). 1/20/1993 - 1/20/2001. Video Recordings Relating to the Clinton Administration. 1/20/1993 - 1/20/2001. Video Recording on Announcement of White House Staff Changes William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
referencedIn Monterey Public Library. California History Room. Distinguished visitors clippings 1903-2007 Monterey Public Library
creatorOf Panetta, Leon E., 1938-. Leon E. Panetta : commercials , 1984-1990. University of Oklahoma, Political Community Archives
creatorOf Monterey Public Library. California History Room. Immigration clippings 1990-1994 Monterey Public Library
contributorOf An Oral History Interview with Leon Panetta Richard Nixon Library
referencedIn Monterey Public Library. California History Room. Biography clippings : PANETTA, Leon 1951-2005. Monterey Public Library
referencedIn Antioch Review mss., 1940-2007 Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington)
creatorOf Records of the Office of the Chief of Staff (Clinton Administration). 1993 - 2001. Leon Panetta's Files, ca. 1993 - ca. 2001 William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
referencedIn Finding Aid to the California Human Rights Advocates Records Coll2013.035 ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives.
referencedIn Monterey Public Library. California History Room. Panetta Institute clippings 2002-2007. Monterey Public Library
referencedIn Government Shutdown - Collection Finding Aid William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
referencedIn Monterey Public Library. California History Room. Oil leases clippings 1979-1990 Monterey Public Library
referencedIn Finding Aid for the Howard H. Baker Papers Second Addendum MPA.101.002 University of Tennessee, Knoxville
creatorOf Records of Temporary Committees, Commissions, and Boards. 1893 - 2008. Sound Recordings Relating to Foreign Language and International Studies National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Tom McCall Forum Collection, 1982-2007 Pacific University Archives
referencedIn Finding Aid for the Garry South Political Campaign records, 1982-2004 University of California, Los Angeles. Library Special Collections.
creatorOf Records of the Office of the Chief of Staff (Clinton Administration). 1993 - 2001. Leon Panetta's Files, ca. 1993 - ca. 2001 William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Antioch review. corporateBody
subordinateOf Clinton, Bill, 1946- person
memberOf Democratic Party (U.S.) corporateBody
subordinateOf Obama, Barack, 1961- person
founderOf Panetta Institute for Public Policy. corporateBody
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Santa Clara University (Calif.) corporateBody
associatedWith Tom McCall Forum corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Central Intelligence Agency corporateBody
memberOf United States. Congress. House corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Department of Defense corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Office of Management and Budget corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Santa Clara CA US
Monterey CA US
Washington, D. C. DC US
Subject
Advertising, political
Television advertising
Occupation
Cabinet officers
Member of the House of Representatives
Professor
Activity

Person

Birth 1938-06-28

Male

Americans

English

Information

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