Donald Wayne Riegle Jr. (/ˈriːɡəl/ REE-gəl; born February 4, 1938) is an American politician, author, and businessman from Michigan.

[2] Riegle defeated incumbent Democratic U.S. Representative John C. Mackie, to be elected from Michigan's 7th congressional district to the 90th Congress.

[2] In 1973, Riegle changed party affiliation to become a Democrat over differences with the Nixon-Agnew Administration regarding the Vietnam War and the "Southern strategy".

Sponsored by Congresswoman Bella Abzug, the Equal Credit Opportunity was passed by the House and the Senate in 1974 and was signed into law by President Gerald Ford on October 28, 1974.

Riegle was elected to the United States senate on November 2nd 1976 over republican Marvin Esch on December 30, 1976, before the new term began, Riegle was appointed early by Governor William Milliken Due to the death of Senator Hart for the term ending January 3, 1977.

The legislation also provided increased consumer protections for high rate home equity loans, contained measures to increase credit availability to small businesses, streamline the regulation of depository institutions, and reform the National Flood Insurance Program.

In 1994, Riegle led an investigation of the illnesses being experienced by veterans of the Gulf War, using the jurisdiction of the Senate Banking Committee over "dual use" exports—materials and technology that could be converted to military use.

The book provides an inside look at the workings of Congress, Riegle's opposition to the Vietnam War, and his break with the Nixon White House.