John Frohnmayer

Chairman of the NEA from 1989-1992, Frohnmayer largely bowed to political pressure from the religious right to deny finding to controversial artists, but did fend off Congressional attempts for more restrictive funding oversight by Congress.

Frohnmayer personally overrode the recommendations of a panel of experts in order to deny funding to individual artists (the NEA 4). He also instituted a policy requiring artists to sign an anti-obscenity pledge.