Former Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), who served in Congress for over three decades, has entered hospice care at his home in Maine.
The 86-year-old stated progressive Democrats have “embraced an agenda that goes beyond what’s politically acceptable.”
Frank, who served in the House from 1981 to 2013, said he feels “very good — no pain, no discomfort” but has entered hospice care due to congestive heart failure. He remains at his home in Ogunquit, Maine, where he moved with his husband after retiring from Congress.
“At 86, I’ve made it longer than I thought,” Frank said. “At some point, my heart’s just going to give out, and it’s reaching that stage. So I’m taking it easy at home and dealing with it by relaxing.”
Known for his acerbic wit and sometimes combative style, Frank chaired the House Financial Services Committee through the 2008 financial crisis from 2007 to 2011. His name is synonymous with Democrats’ last signature achievement in financial policy—a sweeping 2010 rewrite of Wall Street oversight known as the Dodd-Frank Act that introduced new scrutiny on U.S. banks.
When asked about his legacy, Frank said he is “very proud of Dodd-Frank.” He added that the law has been vindicated against critics from both the left and right, noting that any successful effort to roll it back was narrow in scope.
Frank also highlighted progress on gay rights, stating he was the first member of Congress to come out voluntarily as gay and the first to enter a same-sex marriage while serving in office.
In an interview, Frank expressed support for Maine Gov. Janet Mills in her Senate bid over Graham Platner. “I worry a little bit about the tendency on the Democratic side to fall for the flavor of the month,” he said. “There is this flirtation or attraction to people who are new and very good at articulating responses to anger but without talking about what you do about it.”
Frank also noted one of his “regrets” is not witnessing “the continued implosion of Donald Trump.”