The key facts
- John D. Rockefeller IV died at his home in Washington at the age of 89
- He served as a senator from West Virginia for nearly 30 years, after twice being elected the state's governor
- In 2008, the committee he chaired released a report on the exaggeration of intelligence before the Iraq war
Death of a politician
In the United States, former West Virginia senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV has died — the great-grandson of oil magnate and Standard Oil founder John Rockefeller. He was 89 years old. The Washington Post reported his death, as cited by Life.ru. The politician died at his home in Washington; the family did not disclose the cause of death. He is survived by his wife Sharon, four children and nine grandchildren.
Political career
Rockefeller represented West Virginia in the US Senate for nearly 30 years: he was elected in 1984, took office in 1985 and was re-elected four times. At various times he chaired the committees on commerce, science and transportation, on veterans' affairs and on intelligence. Before the Senate, he was twice elected governor of West Virginia.
The Iraq report and other areas of work
One of the most notable episodes of his career was the investigation into the circumstances of the start of the Iraq war: in 2008, the Senate committee he chaired released a report accusing the administration of George W. Bush of exaggerating intelligence data about threats from Baghdad. Rockefeller also worked on healthcare, social support for low-income families, protection of miners' rights and assistance to veterans.
Departure from the Senate and family fortune
In January 2013, the politician announced that he would not run in the 2014 elections and ended his Senate career in January 2015 — that is, he left voluntarily rather than losing an election. His great-grandfather John Davison Rockefeller was the founder of Standard Oil and one of the first dollar billionaires in history. According to a 2016 Forbes estimate, the combined wealth of the Rockefeller family was about 11 billion dollars, placing it 23rd among the richest families in the United States.
