Acting
Joe Barton
Joseph Linus Barton, born on September 15, 1949, is a notable American politician who served as a Republican representative for Texas's 6th congressional district from 1985 until 2019. His district encompassed Arlington, parts of Fort Worth, along with various small towns and rural regions in the southern expanse of the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex. As a member of the Tea Party Caucus, Barton distinguished himself in Congress, becoming the longest-serving member of the Texas congressional delegation by 2014.
Barton positioned himself as a staunch advocate for conservative principles and championed deregulation within the electricity and natural gas sectors. He held the role of vice-chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committees and was known for his skepticism regarding the impact of manmade carbon emissions on climate change. A firm supporter of fossil fuel usage, he backed the 2017 GOP initiative to repeal the Affordable Care Act and endorsed President Donald Trump's controversial immigration ban targeting predominantly Muslim countries. His efforts included successfully leading the repeal of the oil export ban in the House that same year. Barton's environmental stance earned him the moniker "Smokey Joe," reflecting his defense of industries against stricter pollution regulations.
His political career was marked by controversy, notably after a heated exchange during a town hall meeting, where he told a constituent to "shut up." Further scandal emerged in 2017 when explicit photos he had sent surfaced online. Subsequently, Barton announced he would not seek re-election in 2018.
