James DeVaine McKinney Jr.
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efault font sizeLarger font sizeARLINGTON, Va. — James “Jim” DeVaine McKinney Jr., 77, died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at home with his family on June 25, 2008.
Mr. McKinney was born Dec. 13, 1931, and raised in Muscatine.
He graduated from Muscatine High School in 1949. He graduated from the University of Iowa with his bachelor of arts and L.L.B. in 1956 and 1958 respectively, and joined the Washington D.C. law firm of Ross, Marsh and Foster. After three years, he became a partner, serving until 2007.
He represented energy companies, particularly natural gas pipelines, before the Federal Power Commission and its successor, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. He successfully presented the case of seven pipeline companies before the United States Supreme Court concerning what they could charge for their own production. The Supreme Court’s decision was five to four in favor of the pipelines, overturning the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission decision. The case was Public Service Commission of the State of New York, Arizona Electric Power Cooperative Inc., Michigan and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Petitioners v. Mid Louisiana Gas Co., et al, 463 U.S. 319, 103 S. Ct. 3024 (1983).
He made numerous factual and educational presentations to Congress, the Federal Power Commission and its successor, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
He was a Korean War veteran.
He is listed in Who’s Who in American Law and Who’s Who in America. He was on the Board of the Energy Bar Association for several years and served as secretary of that organization.
He was a member of the Washington Golf and Country Club, The Metropolitan Club and Ausable Club in St. Huberts, N.Y.
He was a lifelong tennis enthusiast, connoisseur of fine wine, prolific reader and fan of Broadway and classical music.
He was the proud recipient of the Lee Highway Beautification Committee Award.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Betty; brother, Jerry McKinney of Davenport; son, Jim McKinney of Arlington; daughters, Cynthia Drayton of Valley Forge, Pa., and Jennifer Long of Richmond, Va.; and eight grandchildren, Mac, Geoffrey, Heyward, Olivia, Alexander, Annabel, Hannah and Davis.