Melvin L. Watt

Melvin L. Watt served as a Representative from North Carolina in the United States Congress from 1993 to 2014. A member of the Democratic Party, Melvin L. Watt contributed to the legislative process during 11 terms in office.

Melvin L. Watt’s service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history. As a member of the House of Representatives, Melvin L. Watt participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of constituents.

Melvin Luther Watt (born August 26, 1945) is an American politician who served as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency from 2014 to 2019. He was appointed by President Barack Obama. He is a former United States representative for North Carolina’s 12th congressional district, from 1993 to 2014. He is a member of the Democratic Party. A lawyer from Charlotte, North Carolina, Watt served one term as a state senator and was the campaign manager for Charlotte mayor Harvey Gantt. On May 1, 2013, President Barack Obama nominated Watt to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which, among other agencies, administers or has oversight for the FHA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac. The U.S. Senate confirmed Watt on December 10, 2013, and he resigned from the House on January 6, 2014. On September 27, 2018, Watt was called to testify before Congress about allegations that he had sexually harassed a female employee at the Federal Housing Finance Agency. On November 29, 2018, Watt was found guilty of two counts of misconduct. He ended his term as director on January 6, 2019, and issued the following quote: “In my view, it’s time for me to ride off into the sunset because the standards have become so confused that it’s difficult to operate in them,” he said, according to a transcript of his interview with investigators.