Ed Buck

Edward Bernard Peter Buck is an American businessman, LGBTQ political activist, and Democratic political fundraiser. A former model and actor, he made a significant amount of money running and selling the data service company Gopher Courier. He became involved in politics after the election of Evan Mecham as Governor of Arizona in 1986; Buck, an Arizona native, led the effort to recall him from office due to Mecham's perceived racism and corruption, which ended in Mecham's impeachment by the Arizona Senate in 1988 on the basis of various charges, including misusing government funds, before a recall election could occur. The experience led Buck to change his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat, and he has since donated heavily to Democratic politicians. In 2007, he ran an unsuccessful campaign for the city council of West Hollywood, California.