| Arlen
Specter |
|
|
| Incumbent |
Assumed office
January 5, 1981
Serving with Bob Casey, Jr. |
| Preceded by |
Richard Schweiker |
| Succeeded by |
Incumbent (2011) |
|
| Born |
February 12 1930 (1930--) (age 77)
Wichita, Kansas |
| Political party |
Republican |
| Spouse |
Joan Specter |
| Alma mater |
University of Pennsylvania
Yale University
|
| Religion |
Jewish |
| Signature |
 |
Arlen "Phil" Specter (born February 12 1930) is a
United States Senator from Pennsylvania. He
is a member of the Republican Party, and was first elected in 1980.
Biography
Early life and career
Specter was born in Wichita, Kansas to Jewish parents
Lillie Shanin and Harry Specter.[1] He was raised in
Russell, Kansas (also the hometown of 1996 Republican Presidential nominee
Bob Dole). His father was Harry Specter, a peddler, tailor and
junkyard owner; both he and his mother immigrated to the United States from Russia. Specter studied at universities before and
after serving in the United States Air Force from 1951 to 1953, during the
Korean War. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from
the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring
in International Relations, in 1951 and from Yale Law School in 1956. He passed the
Pennsylvania Bar in 1956.
In 1953, he married Joan L. Levy, a former at-large member of the Philadelphia City Council. The couple now have two sons,
Shanin and Steve.
Soon after graduation from Yale, Specter became a prominent lawyer in Philadelphia and active in politics, beginning his political life as a Democrat. At the recommendation of Rep. Gerald R.
Ford, he worked for the Warren Commission, investigating the assassination of
John F. Kennedy. As an assistant counsel for the commission, he authored the controversial "single bullet theory" to attempt to explain the commission's finding that a lone assassin killed
Kennedy.
He eventually became a Republican and scored an upset by winning a 1965 race for District
Attorney in heavily Democratic Philadelphia running on an anti-corruption platform against the Democratic machine. His
slogan, deemed "brilliant" by The Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne, was "We
need these guys to watch those guys."[2] Before his run for District Attorney, Specter briefly represented the "unicorn killer,"
Ira Einhorn, who remained at large for years after Specter successfully argued that Einhorn
should only pay 10% of his $40,000 bond.
He mounted an unsuccessful campaign for mayor of Philadelphia in 1967
and was defeated for re-election to a third term as district attorney in 1973. He was defeated in the 1976 Republican Primary for
U.S. Senate by John Heinz and in the 1978 primary for Governor of Pennsylvania by Dick
Thornburgh.[3]
He also made an abortive bid for the Republican nomination in the 1996 presidential race, before withdrawing and endorsing future nominee Bob
Dole.
Senate career
Elections
Senator Specter's official portrait
In 1980, Specter became the Republican candidate for Senate when
Republican incumbent Richard Schweiker announced his retirement. Specter won the election and was reelected in 1986, 1992,
1998 and 2004. He is the longest-serving Senator in Pennsylvania's history; no one else from
the state has been elected to five terms in that body.
In 2004, Specter, who is often dubbed a "Republican In Name Only" (RINO) by
more conservative critics, faced a challenge in the Republican primary election from
conservative Congressman Pat Toomey. Toomey charged that Specter was too much of a liberal
and big spender to represent the Republican Party. The match-up was closely watched nationally, being seen as a symbolic clash
between the conservative and moderate wings of the
Republican Party. However, most of the state's Republican establishment, including the state's other senator at the time,
Rick Santorum (who is almost as conservative as Toomey), closed ranks behind Specter.
Polls showed that had Toomey won the primary, he would have almost certainly lost to the Democratic candidate, Congressman
Joe Hoeffel. Specter was strongly supported by President George W. Bush. Specter narrowly avoided a major upset with 51 percent of the vote. Some considered this
primary battle to have damaged his re-election hopes, moving him to the right of his past moderate stances. In the general
election, he faced Hoeffel, Betsy Summers of the Libertarian Party, and Constitution Party candidate James Clymer in
November 2004's general election.
He was easily reelected.
Recent reports suggest that he is planning to run for re-election to his Senate Seat in 2010,
when he will be eighty-one.[4] He was briefly a candidate for the Republican Presidential nomination in the 1996 election, but dropped out early in the race. He was chairman of the
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence from 1995,
when the Republicans gained control of the Senate, until 1997, when he became chairman of the Committee on Veterans Affairs. He
chaired that committee until 2001 and again from 2003 to 2005, during the times the Republicans controlled the Senate. He also
chaired the Judiciary Committee from 2005 to 2007.
Political leanings
Overview
Specter is a leading moderate Republican, reflecting his roots in Kansas and in Philadelphia. He is generally considered
pro-choice on abortion (although he received a 50% rating from pro-choice group
NARAL) and supports LGBT social
movements.[5] On the immigration issue,
Senator Specter supports a "pathway to citizenship" and a "guest worker program" which opponents call amnesty. He introduced
Senate Bill S. 2611 (the Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Act of 2006 on April 6 2006 and it was passed on May 25 2006, before reaching a stalemate in the House. He supports affirmative
action and voted for the Civil Rights Act of 1990. He was one of only four Republicans to vote against the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act and in recent years has been less
enthusiastic about lawsuit reform than many members of his party. In 1995 he was the only Republican to vote to limit tax cuts to
individuals with incomes of less than one million dollars. He voted against CAFTA. Specter also supports an increase in the federal minimum
wage. In part because of these stances, he won his first three reelection bids (1986, 1992, and 1998) during bad years for
Republicans.
On the conservative side, he strongly supports the death penalty and opposes most gun
control, voting against the Brady Bill, background checks
at gun shows, the ban on assault weapons, and trigger locks for handguns. His work has included numerous articles on the
deterring effect the death penalty has on future crimes.
His opposition to Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork is seen as an important factor in the nomination's failure; indeed, many conservative
Republicans have never forgiven him for opposing Bork. However, he raised the ire of many Democrats who had supported him for
years with his aggressive questioning of Anita Hill during the Clarence Thomas hearings.
In 1998 and 1999, Specter criticized his own party for its impeachment of President
Bill Clinton. Believing that Clinton had not received a fair trial, Specter famously cited
Scots law to render a verdict of "not proven" on President
Clinton's impeachment. However, his verdict was recorded as "not guilty" in the Senate records.
Specter is a member of The Republican Main Street Partnership and
supports stem cell research. He is also a member of The Republican Majority For Choice, Christine Todd Whitman's Its My Party Too, Republicans
For Choice and Republicans for Environmental
Protection.
On March 16 2006, Specter upset some conservative Republican activists when he proclaimed, "The Republican Party is now principally moderate, if
not liberal!" after securing $7 billion for domestic spending programs. This has only further cemented the attitude of many
Republicans that Specter is a Republican In Name Only.[6]
In April 2006, he was selected by Time as one of "America's 10 Best Senators."
According to polls by SurveyUSA, Specter has a higher approval rating among registered
Democrats in Pennsylvania than Republicans (though the difference is within the margin of error).
Reputation as abrasive
Specter is notoriously abrasive, and has earned the nickname "Snarlin' Arlen" among his foes on Capitol Hill and in the public. Specter, through a feud with Senator Harry Reid on the floor of the Senate, his position as Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee and his
opposition to a new budget plan proposed by the Bush administration, has
emerged as a nationally recognized figure from his previous, more taciturn role in the public eye.
Opinions on the Supreme Court
Soon after the 2004 election, Specter stepped into the public spotlight as a result of controversial statements about his
views of the future of the Supreme Court. At a press conference, he
stated that "when you talk about judges who would change the right of a woman to choose, overturn Roe vs. Wade, I think
[confirmation] is unlikely. The president is well aware of what happened, when a number of his nominees were sent up, with the
filibuster. ... And I would expect the president to be mindful of the considerations which I am mentioning." Activist groups
interpreted his comments as warnings to President Bush about the implications of
nominating Supreme Court justices who are opposed to the Roe v. Wade decision.
Specter maintained his comments were a prediction, not a warning. He met with many conservative Republican senators, and based
on assurances he gave them, he was recommended for the Judiciary Committee's chairmanship in late 2004. He officially assumed
that position when the 109th Congress convened on January 4 2005. The Judiciary Committee is responsible for holding hearings on federal judicial nominations made by the
President, including Supreme Court nominees, for oversight of the United
States Department of Justice, and for other matters.
Tax issues
Despite Specter's mixed voting record on tax issues, he is a strong advocate of the flat tax
system. On May 15 2003, he submitted an amendment calling on the
Senate Finance Committee and the Joint Economic Committee to hold hearings and consider legislation providing for a flat tax. The
amendment passed 70-30, and was supported by all Republican Senators.
Criticism of Bush for wire tapping and classified intelligence leak
Specter while he was being interviewed by
Margot Adler for an episode of
Justice Talking on Presidential Signing statements
Specter has been very critical of President Bush's wiretapping of
US persons without warrants. When the story first broke, he called the effort "inappropriate" and "clearly and
categorically wrong." He said he intended to hold hearings into the matter early in 2006, and had Alberto Gonzales appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee to answer for the program (though Specter
declined to force Gonzales to testify under oath). On January 15 2006, Specter mentioned impeachment and criminal
prosecution as potential remedies if President Bush broke the law, though he downplayed the likelihood of such an
outcome.
On April 9 2006 Specter, speaking on Fox News about the Bush administration's leaking of classified intelligence, said that "The president
of the United States owes a specific explanation to the American people"[7]
Controversies
On June 9 2006 The
Washington Post reported Specter had proposed legislation that would allow Bush to seek a warrant from a special court
for an electronic surveillance program "such as the one being conducted by the National Security Agency." Adding to that,
Specter's bill would also grant "blanket amnesty to anyone who authorized warrantless surveillance under presidential
authority."[2] Specter denied
his bill would grant blanket amnesty, calling it an "erroneous report".[8]
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported December 25 2006, that Specter met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over the protest of Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice.[9].
| Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy |
- Main issues
- Timeline
- Summary of attorneys
- Documents
- Congressional hearings
- List of Dismissed Attorneys
- Complete list of related articles
|
On March 9, 2006, The USA
PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 was signed into law. It amended the process for interim appointments
of U.S. Attorneys, written into the bill by Arlen Specter during his chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee.[10] The change allowed the Bush
Administration to appoint interim U.S. attorneys without term limits, and without confirmation by the Senate. The Bush
administration used the law to place at least eight interim attorneys into office in 2006. Specter claims that the changes were
added by staffer Brett Tolman.[11] For more information, see dismissal of
U.S. Attorneys controversy.
Health problems
On February 16 2005, Specter announced that he had been
diagnosed with an advanced form of Hodgkin's disease, a type of cancer. Despite the advanced form, Specter continued working during chemotherapy. He ended treatment on July 22. Senator John Sununu (R-New Hampshire) shaved his head to show solidarity
with Specter when he was undergoing chemotherapy and was temporarily bald.
Electoral history
2004 Race for U.S. Senate
2004 Race for U.S. Senate — Republican Primary
- Arlen Specter (R) (inc.), 51%
- Pat Toomey (R), 49%
1998 Race for U.S. Senate
- Arlen Specter (R) (inc.), 61%
- Bill Lloyd (D), 35%
1998 Race for U.S. Senate — Republican Primary
1992 Race for U.S. Senate
- Arlen Specter (R) (inc.), 49%
- Lynn Yeakel (D), 47%
- John Perry (Libertarian), 5%
1992 Race for U.S. Senate — Republican Primary
- Arlen Specter (R) (inc.), 65%
- Stephen Friend (R), 35%
1986 Race for U.S. Senate
- Arlen Specter (R) (inc.), 56%
- Bob Edgar (D), 43%
1986 Race for U.S. Senate — Republican Primary
- Arlen Specter (R) (inc.), 76%
- Richard Stokes (R), 24%
1980 Race for U.S. Senate
- Arlen Specter (R), 50%
- Pete Flaherty (D), 48%
1980 Race for U.S. Senate — Republican Primary
- Arlen Specter (R), 36%
- Harold Haabestad (R), 33%
- Ed Howard (R), 13%
References
- ^ http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~battle/senators/specter.htm
- ^ a b E.J. Dionne. ""Watch Those Guys"", Washington Post, May
24 2005. Retrieved on 2007-7-16.
- ^ Terence
Samuel. "Irritating Them All", US News and World Report,
September 4 2005. Retrieved on 2007-7-16.
- ^ Jonathan Singer, (Monday
March 19 2007). Senate 2010: Snarlin' Arlen Wants Another
Six Years. Direct Democracy blog. Retrieved on July
16, 2007.
- ^ Congressional Record on Choice by State. NARAL. Retrieved on July 16, 2007.
- ^ A rising conservative star.
Free Republic blog (March 23 2006). Retrieved on 2007-7-16.
- ^ David
Jackson. "Specter urges Bush, Cheney to explain CIA leak", USA Today,
April 10 2006. Retrieved on 2007-7-16.
- ^ Specter denies giving Amnesty over NSA
wiretapping, Crooks and liars, June 11
2006
- ^ [1],
- ^ http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/news/nation/16555903.htm
- ^ http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002487.php
See also
External links
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:
Articles
Preceded by
Richard Schweiker |
United States Senator (Class 3) from Pennsylvania
1981–
Served alongside: H. John Heinz III, Harris
Wofford, Rick Santorum, Bob Casey,
Jr. |
Succeeded by
Incumbent |
Preceded by
David L. Boren
Oklahoma
|
Chairman of Senate Intelligence Committee
1995–1997 |
Succeeded by
Richard Shelby
Alabama
|
Preceded by
Alan K. Simpson
Wyoming
|
Chairman of Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
1997–2001 |
Succeeded by
Jay Rockefeller
West Virginia
|
Preceded by
Jay Rockefeller
West Virginia
|
Chairman of Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
2003–2005 |
Succeeded by
Larry Craig
Idaho
|
Preceded by
Orrin Hatch
Utah
|
Chairman of Senate Judiciary Committee
2005–2007 |
Succeeded by
Patrick Leahy
Vermont
|
|
Pennsylvania's current
delegation to the United States Congress |
| Senators |
Arlen Specter (R),
Bob Casey, Jr. (D) |
| Representative(s) |
Bob Brady
(D), Chaka Fattah (D), Phil English (R), Jason Altmire (D), John Peterson (R), Jim Gerlach (R), Joe Sestak (D), Patrick Murphy (D), Bill Shuster (R), Chris
Carney (D), Paul Kanjorski (D),
John Murtha (D), Allyson Schwartz (D), Mike Doyle (D), Charles Dent (R), Joe Pitts (R), Tim Holden (D), Tim Murphy (R), Todd Platts (R) |
| All delegations |
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming — American Samoa •
District of Columbia •
Guam • Puerto Rico • U.S. Virgin Islands |
|
Current members of the
United States Senate |
|
AL: Shelby (R), Sessions
(R)
AK: Stevens (R), Murkowski
(R)
AZ: McCain (R), Kyl (R)
AR: Lincoln (D), Pryor
(D)
CA: Feinstein (D), Boxer
(D)
CO: Allard (R), Salazar
(D)
CT: Dodd (D), Lieberman
(I)
DE: Biden (D), Carper
(D)
FL: Nelson (D), Martinez
(R)
GA: Chambliss (R), Isakson
(R)
HI: Inouye (D), Akaka
(D)
ID: Craig (R), Crapo
(R)
IL: Durbin (D), Obama
(D)
|
IN: Lugar (R), Bayh (D)
IA: Grassley (R), Harkin
(D)
KS: Brownback (R), Roberts
(R)
KY: McConnell (R), Bunning
(R)
LA: Landrieu (D), Vitter
(R)
ME: Snowe (R), Collins
(R)
MD: Mikulski (D), Cardin
(D)
MA: Kennedy (D), Kerry
(D)
MI: Levin (D), Stabenow
(D)
MN: Coleman (R), Klobuchar
(D)
MS: Cochran (R), Lott
(R)
MO: Bond (R), McCaskill
(D)
|
MT: Baucus (D), Tester
(D)
NE: Hagel (R), Nelson
(D)
NV: Reid (D), Ensign (R)
NH: Gregg (R), Sununu
(R)
NJ: Lautenberg (D), Menendez
(D)
NM: Domenici (R), Bingaman
(D)
NY: Schumer (D), Clinton (D)
NC: Dole (R), Burr
(R)
ND: Conrad (D), Dorgan
(D)
OH: Voinovich (R), Brown
(D)
OK: Inhofe (R), Coburn
(R)
OR: Wyden (D), Smith (R)
|
PA: Specter (R), Casey
(D)
RI: Reed (D), Whitehouse
(D)
SC: Graham (R), DeMint
(R)
SD: Johnson (D), Thune
(R)
TN: Alexander (R), Corker
(R)
TX: Hutchison (R), Cornyn
(R)
UT: Hatch (R), Bennett
(R)
VT: Leahy (D), Sanders
(I)
VA: Warner (R), Webb (D)
WA: Murray (D), Cantwell
(D)
WV: Byrd (D), Rockefeller
(D)
WI: Kohl (D), Feingold
(D)
WY: Enzi (R), Barrasso
(R)
|
|
|
|
| Persondata |
| NAME |
Specter, Arlen J. |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES |
|
| SHORT DESCRIPTION |
United States Senator from Pennsylvania |
| DATE OF BIRTH |
February 12 1930 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH |
Wichita, Kansas |
| DATE OF DEATH |
|
| PLACE OF DEATH |
|
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