Riegle, who represented Michigan in Congress for nearly three decades across eras of U.S. presidents, died Friday at his home in San Diego at age 88, his family said in a statement released Sunday, citing cardiac arrest.
In the statement, Riegle’s family described him as “a kind, loving, courageous leader” and said he taught them “to stand up for justice, economic opportunity, and fairness for everyone.” The family said he was proud of fighting for the rights of working people and of leading the Senate opposition to the North American Free Trade Agreement, which his family said contributed to the loss of many jobs in Michigan.
The statement also said Riegle pushed for economic development and for the expansion of health insurance in Michigan. His family said he remained engaged in public service priorities that they linked to working families, and said he spent retirement time with grandchildren and other relatives at his homes in Michigan and California.
Riegle’s career began when he was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1966 as a Republican at age 28, according to the family and the reporting. In 1973, he crossed the aisle to join the Democratic Party, and three years later, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he served until 1994.
Before leaving office, Riegle chaired the Senate Banking Committee, where he pushed for financial reforms for the savings and loan industry, the family statement said. The statement also said he was instrumental in efforts to secure treatment for Gulf War syndrome for veterans who fought in the Persian Gulf in 1991.
Riegle was also caught up in the Keating Five controversy, when he and four other senators faced Ethics Committee hearings in 1990 about whether they pressured federal regulators to go easy on Charles Keating, a savings-and-loan executive. The committee found, according to the reporting, that Riegle did not break federal laws or Senate rules, but it determined that his conduct created the appearance of impropriety.
After leaving the Senate, Riegle became chairman of government relations for public relations firm APCO Worldwide in 2001, the family statement said. The statement said his wife of 48 years, Lori Hansen Riegle, was by his side when he died, and that memorial services were pending.