E-Paper
Barney Frank dies: When husband Jim Ready said ‘had a crush on him for 20 years’
Barney Frank and Jim Ready met in 2005 and formed a friendship that blossomed into love after Ready's partner passed away.
Barney Frank’s husband Jim Ready once said he had been drawn to him long before they ever met. As reported by The New York Times, Ready recalled: “I told him I had a crush on him for 20 years,” inspired by Frank’s public decision in 1987 to become the first sitting member of Congress to voluntarily come out as gay.
Frank, reacting with humor to that revelation at their first meeting, said, “That I’m being rewarded for coming to this fund-raiser.”
The two first met at a political fundraiser in 2005, where Ready had been brought by his longtime partner, Robert Palmer, who was seriously ill at the time. According to the New York Times, Palmer had encouraged the meeting partly so someone might look out for Ready in the future.
Friendship to relationship
Frank and Ready initially formed a friendship after that meeting. Their relationship later evolved following Palmer’s death in January 2007. Frank told The New York Times he was deeply moved by Ready’s devotion as a caregiver, saying he had not seen that kind of relationship closely before.
After Palmer’s death, Frank traveled to Maine to console Ready, and what began as supportive visits gradually turned into dates.
Ready later said of the early stage, “It was platonic, but I didn’t want it to be.”
Also Read: Barney Frank family and net worth: How rich was former US congressman? All we know after his death
Marriage in Newton
Frank and Ready were married in July 2012 in Newton, Massachusetts, in a brief ceremony on the banks of the Charles River. The service was officiated by then-Governor Deval Patrick and attended by senior political figures including Nancy Pelosi and John Kerry.
Frank, a Democrat from Massachusetts and a major figure in financial policymaking, had already made history in 1987 by coming out while in office.
Their marriage marked another milestone, as he became the first sitting member of Congress to marry a same-sex partner.
The couple’s vows reflected both personal and public life, pledging to stay together “on MSNBC or on Fox” and “in Congress or in retirement,” referencing Frank’s decision not to seek another term.
Also Read: Barney Frank dies: When Trump tweeted about gay icon's ‘disgusting nipples’
Life together amid Washington pressures
Their relationship unfolded during Frank’s demanding years in Congress, including his central role in financial regulation during major banking turmoil. Ready often spent time near Capitol Hill during long legislative nights, at times waiting while Frank worked on urgent negotiations.
Frank’s colleagues reportedly noticed a change in his demeanor, with some saying he appeared noticeably more relaxed and congenial in Ready’s presence.
Ready, a carpenter and welder, was described as a steady presence who often encouraged Frank to take better care of himself. The couple stayed connected even when apart, including watching television together over the phone.
