Manley Caldwell Butler (June 2, 1925 – July 28, 2014) was an American lawyer and politician widely admired for his integrity, bipartisanship and courage.

[1][2] A native of Roanoke, Butler served his hometown and wider community first as a member of the Republican Party in the Virginia General Assembly (1962–1972) and later the United States House of Representatives (1972–1983).

After training at Columbia University, Butler was commissioned an ensign in the United States Navy, assigned to command a rescue boat in Rhode Island.

He married June Parker Nolde of Richmond, and in their 64 years of marriage they raised four sons: Manley, Henry, Jimmy, and Marshall.

He fought corruption, such as a local highway commissioner with a conflict of interest,[5] and revitalized a two-party system as the Byrd Organization crumbled.

[6] Butler became involved in redistricting controversies, necessitated by censuses, as well the Supreme Court decision in Davis v. Mann and federal civil rights legislation.

However, as the Watergate tapes revealed dirty tricks and chicanery at the White House, Butler joined six other Republicans and three conservative Southern Democrats—known among themselves as "the unholy alliance"—in questioning Nixon's conduct.

Despite his mother's warnings about endangering his political career, Butler never questioned the appropriateness of his vote, though fellow Republicans may have disciplined him with unfavorable committee assignments.

In 1982, he chose not to seek re-election but instead resumed practicing law in Roanoke the following year with Woods, Rogers & Hazelgrove although he also served on the National Bankruptcy Review Commission in 1995–1997.