Ed Buck

Democratic political activist and fundraiser[9]

What is Ed Buck known for?

Edward Bernard Peter Buckmelter, known as Ed Buck, was born on August 24, 1954, in Steubenville, Ohio, and grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. He is an alumnus of North High School in Phoenix, Arizona and a graduate of Phoenix College. Buck started his professional life as a fashion model in Europe, acting in television commercials and films. He later bought Rapid Information Services, a friend's company, renamed it Gopher Courier, and went on to make a sizable fortune selling it after five years.

His political activism began with his opposition to Evan Mecham, Governor of Arizona, in 1986. As a resident of Arizona, Buck led the effort to recall Mecham from office, citing allegations of racism and corruption. This was a significant turning point in his political affiliations as he switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party. He has since been a significant donor to Democratic politicians and even ran for city council of West Hollywood, California in 2007, though unsuccessful.

However, Buck's life took a dark turn when he was implicated in the deaths of two African-American men at his West Hollywood home in 2017 and 2019. Reports suggested that he had a pattern of bringing African-American men home to administer high doses of crystal methamphetamine for sexual gratification. These allegations led to calls from civil rights organizations for an official investigation. In 2019, Buck was arrested and charged with battery causing serious injury, administering methamphetamine, and maintaining a drug house. He was convicted of nine federal charges in 2021 and subsequently sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Links for further reading: NBC News Report on Ed Buck's Arrest LA Times Article on Buck's Conviction Associated Press News on Buck's Case