History of Clay Higgins in Timeline
Glen Clay Higgins is an American politician and reserve law enforcement officer from Louisiana. A member of the Republican Party, Higgins serves as the U.S. representative for Louisiana's 3rd congressional district. This district, located in the southwestern part of the state, encompasses cities such as Lafayette, Lake Charles, and New Iberia. Higgins secured his congressional seat by winning a runoff election on December 10, 2016, where he defeated fellow Republican Scott Angelle.
August 24, 1961: Birth of Clay Higgins
Glen Clay Higgins was born on August 24, 1961. This event marks the beginning of his life.
1979: Clay Higgins Enlists in the Louisiana National Guard
At the age of 18, Clay Higgins began his military service by joining the Military Police Corps of the Louisiana National Guard in 1979.
1999: Divorce from Rosemary "Stormy" Rothkamm-Hambrice
Higgins and his second wife, Rosemary "Stormy" Rothkamm-Hambrice, divorced in 1999. He adopted one child from her previous marriage, and they had two more children together.
2004: Clay Higgins Becomes a Patrol Officer in Opelousas
Clay Higgins's career in law enforcement began in 2004 when he took on the role of a patrol officer for the Opelousas City police department.
2005: Request for Reduced Child Support Payments
Higgins requested reduced child support payments in 2005 after switching careers to law enforcement, but the matter remained unresolved.
2007: Clay Higgins Resigns from Opelousas Police Department
In 2007, Clay Higgins resigned from his position at the Opelousas City police department following accusations of using excessive force and providing false statements during an internal investigation.
2010: Clay Higgins's Tenure at Port Barre Police Department Ends
Clay Higgins's time working for the Port Barre police department concluded in 2010.
2011: Clay Higgins Joins the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office
In 2011, Clay Higgins joined the St. Landry Parish sheriff's office, marking another step in his law enforcement career.
October 2014: Clay Higgins Becomes Public Information Officer for St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office
Clay Higgins was appointed to the position of public information officer and promoted to captain within the St. Landry Parish sheriff's office in October 2014.
2015: Clay Higgins Gains National Recognition for Crime Stoppers Videos
Clay Higgins gained national attention in 2015 for his unconventional and often intimidating Crime Stoppers videos, leading to his nickname "Cajun John Wayne."
February 2016: Clay Higgins Resigns from St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office
In February 2016, Clay Higgins resigned from the St. Landry Parish sheriff's office after receiving warnings about his conduct and alleged policy violations.
March 2016: Clay Higgins Receives Kentucky Colonel Title
Kentucky governor Matt Bevin bestowed upon Clay Higgins the title of Kentucky colonel in March 2016.
March 2016: Clay Higgins Becomes Reserve Deputy Marshal in Lafayette
Shortly after leaving the St. Landry Parish sheriff's office, Clay Higgins was sworn in as a reserve deputy marshal for the city of Lafayette, Louisiana, in March 2016.
May 2016: Clay Higgins Announces Candidacy for Congress
Clay Higgins formally announced his candidacy for Louisiana's 3rd congressional district in the 2016 election in May of that year.
September 2016: Clay Higgins Disputes Reasons for Resignation During Campaign
During his 2016 congressional campaign, Clay Higgins publicly contested the reasons behind his resignation from the Opelousas police department in 2007, leading to a public disagreement with the retired police chief.
December 10, 2016: Clay Higgins Wins Congressional Runoff Election
On December 10, 2016, Clay Higgins secured victory in the runoff election for Louisiana's 3rd congressional district, defeating fellow Republican Scott Angelle.
2016: Lawsuit for Unpaid Child Support
Higgins was sued by his second wife for over $140,000 in unpaid child support the day after the 2016 election.
January 3, 2017: Clay Higgins Sworn into the House of Representatives
Clay Higgins officially began his term in the House of Representatives on January 3, 2017.
July 2017: Auschwitz Video Controversy
Higgins posted a video from Auschwitz concentration camp in July 2017, which was widely criticized for being inappropriate, leading him to remove the video and apologize.
December 2017: Clay Higgins Supports the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
In December 2017, Clay Higgins joined other Republicans in voting for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
2017: Clay Higgins Expresses Strong Stance on Gun Rights
In 2017, Clay Higgins articulated his firm stance on gun rights, expressing his opposition to firearm regulation and characterizing concerns about gun violence as a sign of a "weakened society."
2017: Clay Higgins Defends Trump's Travel Ban
Clay Higgins publicly defended President Trump's 2017 executive order that placed temporary restrictions on travel from several countries. He characterized the order, which was widely criticized, as a "reasonable" measure to address security concerns.
2017: Clay Higgins Votes in Favor of the American Health Care Act
Clay Higgins aligned with his Republican colleagues in 2017 to vote for the American Health Care Act, a bill that sought to replace significant parts of the Affordable Care Act.
July 2018: Clay Higgins Supports ICE Amidst Calls for Abolition
In July 2018, when House Democrats pushed for a vote to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Clay Higgins sided with House Republicans who opposed the measure. He and Kevin McCarthy subsequently introduced a resolution expressing support for ICE.
2019: Clay Higgins Retires as Reserve Deputy Marshal
In 2019, Clay Higgins chose to retire his commission as a reserve deputy marshal in Lafayette.
January 2020: COVID-19 Diagnosis
Higgins and his family tested positive for COVID-19 twice, first in January 2020, and again later, but his vaccination status remains undisclosed.
May 2020: Comments on Face Masks and COVID-19
Higgins questioned the effectiveness of face masks in preventing COVID-19 during a CNN interview in May 2020, drawing criticism.
September 1, 2020: Facebook Post Removal and Response
On September 1, 2020, Higgins had another Facebook post removed for inciting violence. He responded by criticizing government control and hinting at future actions.
September 2020: Facebook Post Controversy
In September 2020, Higgins's Facebook post suggesting he would shoot Black militia members protesting police brutality was removed by Facebook for inciting violence.
December 2020: Support for Texas Election Lawsuit
Higgins was among the 126 Republican Representatives who supported a lawsuit disputing the 2020 presidential election results in December 2020. The Supreme Court rejected the case.
2020: Vote Against Certifying 2020 Election Results
Higgins voted against certifying the 2020 election results, leading to criticism and being called a "traitor."
2020: Clay Higgins Makes Threatening Statement on Social Media
In 2020, Clay Higgins sparked controversy by posting a message on Facebook suggesting he would use a gun against left-wing protesters.
May 2021: Opposition to Vaccine Mandates
Higgins expressed his opposition to vaccine mandates, mask mandates, and vaccine passports in May 2021.
July 2021: Bill Against Employer Vaccine Mandates
In July 2021, Higgins introduced a bill to prevent employers from requiring employee vaccination.
August 2021: Physical Fight Challenge
Higgins challenged a critic to a physical fight in August 2021 after being called a "traitor" for his vote against certifying the 2020 election results. The fight did not occur.
February 28, 2022: Tweet Regarding Ukraine Invasion
On February 28, 2022, Higgins posted a tweet criticizing "millennial leftists" in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, sparking debate about its meaning.
2022: Planned Fight in Alaska
Higgins planned to have the fight with the critic in Alaska in 2022, but it did not take place.
2022: Vote Against PACT Act and MORE Act
In 2022, Higgins voted against both the PACT Act, which expanded benefits for veterans exposed to toxic chemicals, and the MORE Act, concerning cannabis.
May 17, 2023: Clay Higgins Involved in Altercation with Protester
On May 17, 2023, Clay Higgins was captured on video engaging in a physical altercation with a protester during an event in Washington DC.
November 15, 2023: Clay Higgins Presents Conspiracy Theory at House Hearing
During a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on November 15, 2023, Clay Higgins put forward an unsubstantiated conspiracy theory, alleging that the violence during the January 6 protests was orchestrated by undercover FBI agents disguised as Trump supporters.
2023: Response to Trump Indictment
Following the indictment of Donald Trump in 2023, Higgins made controversial tweets suggesting the indictment was a political attack and urging Trump's supporters to remain calm. He later downplayed his comments.
2023: Vote Against Fiscal Responsibility Act
Higgins voted against the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.
March 19, 2024: Vote Against Condemning Child Abduction from Ukraine
On March 19, 2024, Higgins was one of nine Republicans who voted against a resolution condemning the abduction of children from Ukraine to Russia.
July 29, 2024: Clay Higgins Joins Task Force Investigating Assassination Attempt
On July 29, 2024, Clay Higgins was selected as one of seven Republican members to participate in a bipartisan task force formed to investigate the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.
September 25, 2024: Derogatory Tweet About Haitians
On September 25, 2024, Higgins posted a tweet making disparaging remarks about Haitians, drawing criticism for its offensive language and sentiment.