SAN DIEGO (AP) — Donald W. Riegle, who represented Michigan in Congress for nearly three decades under seven presidents, has died, his family said Sunday. He was 88.
Riegle, who began his career as a Republican and later became a Democrat, died Friday of cardiac arrest at his home in San Diego, according to a family statement.
“The cornerstone of our family, Don was a kind, loving, courageous leader who taught us to stand up for justice, economic opportunity, and fairness for everyone,” the statement said.
His family said Riegle was proud of fighting for the rights of working people and leading the Senate opposition to NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement that resulted in the loss of many jobs in his home state. He pushed for economic development and the expansion of health insurance in Michigan.
The native of Flint, Michigan, was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Republican in 1966 at age 28. As a congressman, he challenged President Richard Nixon's policies on the Vietnam War and crossed the aisle to join the Democratic Party in 1973. Three years later, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he served until 1994.
As chair of the Senate Banking Committee, Riegle pushed for financial reforms of the savings and loan industry. Later he was instrumental in getting treatment for Gulf War syndrome for military veterans who fought in the Persian Gulf in 1991.
Riegle was caught up in the Keating Five controversy, when he and four other senators faced Ethics Committee hearings in 1990 about whether they pressured federal regulators to go easy on savings and loan kingpin Charles Keating after receiving campaign contributions from him. The committee found Riegle did not break any federal laws or Senate rules, but determined his conduct gave the appearance of being improper.
In 2001, Riegle became chairman of government relations for public relations firm APCO Worldwide.
In retirement, he spent time with his grandchildren and other family at his homes in Michigan and California, his family said. His wife of 48 years, Lori Hansen Riegle, was by his side when he died, the statement said.
Memorial services are pending.
FILE - President Bill Clinton signs the Interstate Banking and Branching Efficiency Act of 1994, in the Cash Room of the Treasury Department, Sept. 29, 1994, in Washington, as Sen. Don Riegle, D-Mich., chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, left, and Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen look on. (AP Photo/Doug Mills, File)
FILE - President Jimmy Carter, right, shakes hands with the Michigan delegation, in Washington, April 24, 1980, who were present for the signing by Carter of a bill that would enable Volkswagen to operate an auto assembly plant in a Detroit suburb. Sen. Don Riegle, D-Mich., next to Carter, and Michigan Senate Majority Leader William Faust seated center, look on. (AP Photo, File)
MONTREAL (AP) — Brandon Hagel scored his NHL playoffs-leading fifth and sixth goals in the third period and the Tampa Bay Lightning rallied to beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 on Sunday night in Game 4 to tie the series.
After the first three games in the first-round series went to overtime, Tampa Bay overcame a two-goal deficit to end it in regulation.
Hagel gave the Lightning the lead with 4:43 left, deflecting linemate Nikita Kucherov’s shot past Jakub Dobes. Hagel scored minutes after the Lightning had a 5-on-3 man advantage for 1:11.
“He’s definitely become the straw that stirs our drink,” Lightning coach John Cooper said about Hagel. “Even when we went down 2-0, he stood up and looked both ways and, literally I think, captivated the bench with what he was saying and the message he was delivering."
Tampa Bay held on after the Canadiens got a power-play chance with 2:33 left when Kucherov was called for slashing.
Lightning top-line center Jake Guentzel had a goal and assist, and Kucherov and defenseman J.J. Moser each had two assists. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 16 saves.
Game 5 is Wednesday night in Tampa.
The Lightning rebounded after falling 3-2 on Friday night on defenseman Lane Hutson’s OT slap shot.
Hagel tied it on a power play at 1:40 off a centering pass from Kucherov. The Lightning got the man advantage when Oliver Kapanen was sent off for high-sticking Dominic James.
Before this spring, Hagel had had six career Stanley Cup playoff goals in 37 games with the Lightning across four playoff runs.
“He just does it all,” Guentzel said. “He’s a 200-foot player who plays both sides of the body. Obviously,, he’s the hottest guy in the league right now. He’s done it all year.”
Guentzel cut it to 2-1 with 54 seconds to go the second, beating Dobes from the left side off a feed from Moser.
“That’s a massive goal for us,” Hagel said. "I think going into the third period sometimes down two goals, could be a little bit dicey at times. To get one there, the period ends and you kind of take the crowd out of it right there. Then we get to come onto the ice and just kind of build off that.”
Zachary Bolduc and Cole Caufield scored for Montreal in 3:23 span in the second. Caufield scored for the first time in the series after having 51 goals in the regular season. Dobes made 17 saves.
Bolduc opened the scoring with 9:54 left in the second. He took a long pass from defenseman Kaiden Guhle, held off Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh and had the puck deflect in off his body as he cut across the front of the goal.
Caufield struck on a power play with 6:31 left in the period, with Guentzel off for slashing Dobes’ glove. Caufield took Nick Suzuki’s centering pass in the slot and redirected the puck in.
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Tampa Bay Lightning's Brandon Hagel (38) celebrates with teammate Nikita Kucherov (86) after scoring against Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) as Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky (20) looks on during third period NHL playoff hockey action in Montreal, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) and defenceman Mike Matheson (8) look back on their goal after being scored Tampa Bay Lightning's Brandon Hagel (38) during third period of an NHL playoff hockey action in Montreal, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press, via AP)
Tampa Bay Lightning's Jake Guentzel (59) scores against Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) as Canadiens' Jayden Struble (47) defends during the second period of Game 4 in a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series in Montreal, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)
Tampa Bay Lightning's Jake Guentzel (59) crashes into Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes, bottom left, as Canadiens' Nick Suzuki, center, looks for the puck during the second period of Game 4 in a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series in Montreal, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)
Tampa Bay Lightning's Jake Guentzel (59) celebrates with teammates J.J. Moser (90) and Anthony Cirelli (71) after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period of Game 4 in a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series in Montreal, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Tampa Bay Lightning's Max Crozier (24) checks Montreal Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky (20) during the second period of Game 4 in a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series in Montreal, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)
Tampa Bay Lightning's Brandon Hagel (38) scores past Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) and Mike Matheson (8) during the third period of an NHL playoff hockey game, in Montreal, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)
