Michael Steele

Description

Michael Steele
Former Lt. Governor of Maryland, Former Chairman of the Republican National Committee

Monday, November 8, 2021 at 12:00 pm

The Forum Club of the Palm Beaches will present Michael Steele on Monday, November 8, for a discussion on the nation's electoral process and the national popular vote initiative. When he was elected Lt. Governor of Maryland in 2003, Michael Steele made history as the first African American elected to statewide office; and again with his subsequent chairmanship of the Republican National Committee in 2009.

As chairman of the RNC, Michael Steele was charged with revitalizing the Republican Party. A self-described "Lincoln Republican," under Steele’s leadership the RNC broke fundraising records (over $198 million raised during the 2010 Congressional cycle) and Republicans won 63 House seats, the biggest pickup since 1938. His commitment to grassroots organization and party building at the state and local levels produced 12 governorships and the greatest share of state legislative seats since 1928 (over 760 seats).

As Lt. Governor of Maryland, Mr. Steele’s priorities included reforming the state's Minority Business Enterprise program, improving the quality of Maryland's public education system (he championed the State’s historic Charter School law), expanding economic development in the state and fostering cooperation between government and faith-based organizations to help those in need.

Mr. Steele’s ability as a communicator and commentator has been showcased through his current role as a political analyst for MSNBC. He has appeared on Meet the Press, Face the Nation, HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, and Comedy Central's The Daily Show. In addition to his work in television, Mr. Steele co-hosted the daily radio program, Steele & Ungar on the POTUS Channel on SiriusXM and is the host of the podcast The Michael Steele Podcast.

Mr. Steele’s writings on law, business and politics have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Hill.com, The Grio.com, Politico.com, The Root.com, BET.com, Townhall.com, The Journal of International Security Affairs and Catholic University Law Review, among others.

Born at Andrews Air Force Base in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Mr. Steele was raised in Washington, DC. Upon graduating Johns Hopkins University (‘81’), he entered the Order of St. Augustine where studied for the priesthood. He is a graduate of Georgetown Law Center (’91), an Aspen Institute Rodel Fellow in Public Leadership, a University of Chicago Institute of Politics Fellow and a Senior Fellow at Brown University’s Institute for International and Public Affairs.

Forum Club 2021-2022 COVID-19 Procedures

We look forward to gathering with you during the 2021-2022 Season. With everyone's health and safety in mind, our programs will operate slightly differently. Please find an overview of our current COVID-19 procedures below.

This is an evolving situation, and our processes and procedures may change as more information is given to us by our venues, the CDC and other governmental authorities. We will communicate all changes with you as soon as they are received and ask that you have patience and understanding as we navigate these circumstances.

Should you have any questions about any of the following, please do not hesitate to contact Sarah Elwell at selwell@forumclubpb.com or (561) 304-0570.

1.     Audience Capacity: Forum Club event attendance will be restricted to comply with each venue’s social distancing requirements. Many of our events will initially be limited to Forum Club members with the ability to register guests after the first week of registration has passed. This will ensure that our members have the first opportunity to register for events. The only exceptions to this will be President’s Gold Circle, President’s Circle and season table reservations that have guests included as one of the perks of their sponsorship. Please contact Sarah Elwell if you are interested in any of these opportunities.

2.     Virtual Option: The Forum Club will offer a virtual attendance option for those members and guests who wish to take advantage of it. Virtual registration is separate from in-person registration and does not provide admittance to the venue. The cost to attend virtually will be $25 for members and $30 for non-members.

3.     Seating: All tables will be seated for eight. We cannot currently expand tables beyond this capacity.

4.     Mask Wearing and Social Distancing: Forum Club and venue staff and volunteers will wear face coverings during events. The Forum Club will adhere to the CDC’s guidance and recommendations, at the time of the event, as they relate to face coverings and social distancing for attendees. For the most-recent guidance, please visit the CDC’s website.

5.  Meals: All meals will be plated as opposed to buffet. No food will be preset. Instead, your meal will be brought to you as soon as you are seated. Therefore, we highly encourage you to make your way to your seat once you enter the venue. Vegetarian options will be available upon request.