A giant has fallen. Former US House member Barney Frank has died.
Frank had been admitted to hospice care with congestive heart failure. He passed away late in the evening Tuesday, May 19 at the age of 86.
Born Barnett Frank in 1940 (he later legally changed his name to Barney), he represented the Massachusetts 4th Congressional District for more than 30 years. His greatest political achievement is widely regarded as the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, signed into law in 2008 and enacted in 2010. It changed the shape of the financial regulatory system.
The Democratic politician was also a champion for LGBTQ+ rights, not only on the House floor but across the country and in numerous media appearances. He was one of, if not the most prominent, openly gay lawmakers in American history.
Frank came out publicly in 1987.
It could be argued that Frank missed his calling. According to friends, such as US Senator Elizabeth Warren, his ability to throw out one-line stingers was well-honed. According to a statement on the Senator’s website, “His one-liners were wicked and wickedly funny.”
Though Frank had retired before the Trump era, he was a constant and intelligent critic of President Trump. Frank revealed to Politico in April that one of his regrets “is that I won’t see the continued implosion of Donald Trump.” In an interview with Boston radio station WBUR published May 14, Frank characterized Trump as an “idiot savant.”
Frank said in that interview, “He [Trump] has just one talent: an ability to exploit anger that got him into power. But having gotten into power, he’s got nothing left, and that’s why now he’s just floundering.”
Speaking at the PFLAG National Love Takes Justice event in 2025, Frank said, “Look, Donald Trump, we originally thought was a joke. And then he turned out to be very good at one thing, exploiting voters’ discontent.”
Not only was Frank an openly gay legislator, but he was the first sitting member of Congress to enter into a same-sex marriage in 2012. He and husband Jim Ready were married in July of that year in Newton, Mass., on the banks of the Charles River.
The two had met at a political fundraiser in 2005. Following the death of Ready’s then partner, Frank and Ready began developing a friendship, which eventually became a serious, loving relationship that culminated in matrimony.
Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson issued this statement following the announcement of Frank’s death: “Barney Frank was nothing short of a trailblazer. At a time when being openly gay in public service could cost you everything, he chose visibility. At a time when our community was being devastated by AIDS and too many leaders looked away, he demanded action. He helped pave the way for the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ stronger federal protections, marriage equality and a future where LGBTQ+ people could see themselves not just represented by leading at the highest levels of government. We are holding his husband, family and loved ones in our hearts as we honor his life of service.”
Openly gay and married, former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg posted this on his X account: “Seeing coverage of Congress as a young man in Indiana, I remember watching Barney Frank run circles around bad-faith arguments with his formidable intellect and unique political style.
“Years later, I’m not sure I would have had the chance to serve if Barney Frank hadn’t demonstrated that courage, commitment and skill can matter more than others’ imagination about what voters are ‘ready’ for. He will be missed and remembered, for generations.”
He will be. LGBTQ+ Americans owe a great debt to Frank. His tireless work, his “New Jerseyness,” his courage, his sense of humor, his presence in the political world and in the LGBTQ+ community will be sorely missed.