Arlen Specter: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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{{Infobox Senator | name=Arlen Specter

~~swallows~~

| image name=Arlen Specter, official Senate photo portrait.jpg

| jr/sr=Senior Senator

| state=[[Pennsylvania]]

| party=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]

| term_start=[[January 5]], [[1981]]

| alongside=Bob Casey, Jr.

| preceded=[[Richard Schweiker]]

| succeeded=

| date of birth={{birth date and age|1930|02|12}}

| place of birth=[[Wichita, Kansas]]

| dead=alive

| date of death=

| place of death=

| spouse=Joan Specter

| alma_mater= [[University of Pennsylvania]]

[[Yale University]]

| religion=[[Judaism|Jewish]]

}}

'''Arlen J. Specter''' (born [[February 12]] [[1930]]) is a [[United States Senate|United States Senator]] from [[Pennsylvania]]. He is a member of the [[United States Republican Party|Republican Party]], and was first elected in 1980.

==Biography==

===Early life and career===

Specter was born in [[Wichita, Kansas]] to [[Jew]]ish parents Lillie Shanin and Harry Specter.<ref>http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~battle/senators/specter.htm</ref> He was raised in [[Russell, Kansas]] (also the hometown of 1996 Republican Presidential nominee [[Bob Dole]]). His father's occupations were [[peddler]], tailor and junkyard owner; both his parents had immigrated to the United States from Russia. Specter studied at various 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 examination]] in 1956.

In 1953, he married Joan L. Levy, a former at-large member of the Philadelphia City Council. The couple have two sons, Shanin and Steve.

Soon after graduation from Yale, Specter became a prominent lawyer in [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia]] and active in politics, beginning his political life as a [[United States Democratic Party|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 or co-authored<ref>Warren Commission staff lawyer Norman Redlich was asked by author Vincent Bugliosi in 2005 whether Specter was the sole author of the single bullet theory and he said, "No, we all came to this conclusion simultaneously." When asked who he meant by "we," he said, "Arlen, myself, Howard Willens, David Belin, and Mel Eisenberg." Specter did not respond to Bugliosi's request for a clarification on the issue. ''Reclaiming history: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy'', Vincent Bugliosi (W.W. Norton & Company, New York, 2007) Endnotes, pp.301-6</ref> the controversial "[[single bullet theory]]," which suggested the non-fatal wounds to President Kennedy and [[Governor of Texas|Texas Governor]] [[John Connally]] were caused by the same bullet. This was a crucial assertion for the Warren Commission, since if the two had been wounded by separate bullets, that would have demonstrated the presence of a second assassin and therefore a conspiracy.<ref>''Reclaiming history: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy'', Vincent Bugliosi (W.W. Norton & Company, New York, 2007) p.456</ref>

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."<ref name=WashingtonPost>

{{cite news

| url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/23/AR2005052301337_pf.html

| title="Watch Those Guys"

| author=[[E.J. Dionne]]

| publisher=[[Washington Post]]

| date=[[May 24]] [[2005]]

| accessdate=2007-7-16

}}</ref>

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 [[Bail bond|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 [[H. John Heinz III|John Heinz]] and in the 1978 primary for [[Governor of Pennsylvania]] by [[Dick Thornburgh]].<ref name=UsNewsAndWorldReport>

{{cite news

| url=http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/050912/12specter_2.htm

| title=Irritating Them All

| date=[[September 4]] [[2005]]

| publisher=[[US News and World Report]]

| author=[[Terence Samuel]]

| accessdate=2007-7-16

}}</ref>

He also made an abortive bid for the Republican nomination in the [[United States presidential election, 1996|1996 presidential race]], before withdrawing and endorsing future nominee Bob Dole.

==Senate career==

===Elections===

[[Image: Arlen Specter official portrait.jpg|thumb|Senator Specter's official portrait]]

In [[U.S. Senate election, 1980|1980]], Specter became the Republican candidate for Senate when Republican incumbent [[Richard Schweiker]] announced his [[retirement]]. Specter won the election and was reelected in [[U.S. Senate election, 1986|1986]], [[U.S. Senate election, 1992|1992]], [[U.S. Senate election, 1998|1998]] and [[U.S. Senate election, 2004|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 [[Conservatism|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, [[Elizabeth Summers|Betsy Summers]] of the [[United States Libertarian Party|Libertarian Party]], and [[United States Constitution Party|Constitution Party]] candidate [[James Clymer]] in [[November]] 2004's [[U.S. Senate election, 2004|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 80 years old.<ref name="DirectDemocracy20070318">

{{cite web

| url=http://www.mydd.com/story/2007/3/19/15528/9239

| title=Senate 2010: Snarlin' Arlen Wants Another Six Years

| author=Jonathan Singer,

| date=Monday [[March 19]] [[2007]]

| publisher=[[Direct Democracy]] blog

| accessdate=July 16

| accessyear=2007

}}</ref>

He was briefly a candidate for the Republican [[President of the United States|Presidential]] nomination in the [[U.S. presidential election, 1996|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 Pro-Choice America|NARAL]]) and supports [[LGBT social movements|LGBT rights]] with mixed positions.<ref name=Naral>

{{cite web

| title=Congressional Record on Choice by State

| publisher=[[NARAL]]

| url=http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/choice-action-center/in-congress/congressional-record-on-choice/state.html?state=PA

| accessdate=July 16

| accessyear=2007

}}</ref>

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 [[United States Supreme Court|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 [[Conservatism|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]].<ref name=FreeRepublic060323>

{{cite web

| url=http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1602154/posts

| title=A rising conservative star

| publisher=[[Free Republic]] blog

| date=[[March 23]] [[2006]]

| accessdate=2007-7-16

}}</ref>

In April 2006, he was selected by ''[[Time (magazine)|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).

====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 of the United States|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 [[George W. Bush|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.

====Criticism of Bush for wire tapping and classified intelligence leak====

[[Image:Arlen Specter.jpg|thumb|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 [[NSA warrantless surveillance controversy|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 [[Movement to impeach George W. Bush|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"<ref name=UsaToday060409>

{{cite news

| url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-04-09-specter-cia_x.htm?csp=34

| publisher=[[USA Today]]

| title=Specter urges Bush, Cheney to explain CIA leak

| date=[[April 10]] [[2006]]

| author=[[David Jackson]]

| accessdate=2007-7-16

}}</ref>

====NFL Destruction of Spygate Tapes====

During the [[2007]]-[[2008]] [[NFL]] Season, Senator Specter wrote to NFL commissioner [[Roger Goodell]] concerning the destruction of [[New England Patriots]] Spygate tapes. Questions have been raised about Senator Specter's relationship with Comcast and their ongoing battle with the NFL over fees related to the NFL Network. Arlen Specter has taken $153,600 in campaign contributions from Comcast or those affiliated with Comcast as employees or through its PAC. The only firm which has given more money to Specter is the law firm Blank Rome, LLP, which represents Comcast and which has given Specter $358,453 although the organization itself did not donate, rather the money came from the organization's PAC, its individual members or employees or owners, and those individuals' immediate families. <ref> http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allcontrib.asp?CID=N00001604 </ref>. On February 1, 2008, the commissioner stated that the Tapes were destroyed because "they confirmed what I already knew about the issue." [[Bill Belichick]], the team's coach, refused to respond from [[Glendale, Arizona]], the site of [[Super Bowl XLII]], stating "It is a league issue. I know nothing about it."

===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."<ref name=WashingtonPost>

{{cite news

| url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/08/AR2006060801992.html

| title==Specter Offers Compromise on NSA Surveillance

| author=[[Walter Pincus]]

| publisher=[[Washington Post]]

| date=Friday, [[June 9]] [[2006]]

| accessdate=2007-7-16

}}</ref>

Specter denied his bill would grant blanket amnesty, calling it an "erroneous report".<ref name=CrooksAndLiars061106>

[http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/06/11.html#a8673 Specter denies giving Amnesty over NSA wiretapping], ''[[Crooks and liars]]'', [[June 11]] [[2006]]</ref>

''[[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]].<ref name=Philly>[http://www.aei.org/publications/filter.all,pubID.25366/pub_detail.asp], </ref>.

On [[March 9]], [[2006]], The [[USA PATRIOT Act|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]].<ref>{{cite news

|first=Dahlia

|last=Lithwick

|title=Specter Detector

|publisher=Slate

|url=http://www.slate.com/id/2161260/pagenum/all/#page_start

|date=[[2007-03-05]]

|accessdate=2008-01-07]]

}}</ref> The change allowed the [[George W. Bush administration|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]].<ref>http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002487.php</ref> For more information, see [[Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy|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 E. Sununu|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'''

*Arlen Specter (R) (inc.), 53%

*[[Joe Hoeffel]] (D), 42%

'''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'''

*Arlen Specter (R) (inc.), 67%

*Larry Murphy (R), 18%

*[[Tom Lingenfelter]] (R), 15%

'''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%

*[[Peter F. Flaherty|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==

==See also==

*[[List of notable brain tumor patients]]

== External links ==

*[http://specter.senate.gov/ United States Senator Arlen Specter] '''official Senate site'''

*[http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/ US Senate Committee on the Judiciary]

{{CongLinks | congbio = s000709 | fec = S6PA00100 | opensecrets = N00001604 | votesmart = S0761103 | ontheissuespath = Senate/Arlen_Specter.htm}}

;Articles

*[http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/s/arlen_specter/index.html New York Times — Arlen Specter News] collected news and commentary

*{{cite news

| url=http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20070716/OPINION/707160422/1030

| title=Tale of injustice

| date=[[July 16]] [[2007]]

| accessdate=2007-7-16

| publisher=[[Sarasota Herald Tribune]]

}}

*[http://historymatters.com/essays/frameup/EvenMoreMagical/EvenMoreMagical.htm The Magic Bullet; Even More Magical Than We Knew], Gary Aguilar and Josiah Thompson, ''History Matters''

*[http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/14802 After Yale, Specter Still a Force], Andrew Mangino, ''Yale Daily News'', [[September 23]] [[2005]]

*[http://thepolitic.org/content/view/28/37/ Interview with Arlen Specter]

{{s-ttl|title=Chairman of the [[United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence|Senate Intelligence Committee]]|years=1995 – 1997}}

{{s-ttl|title=Chairman of the [[United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs|Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee]]|years=1997 – 2001}}

{{s-ttl|title=Chairman of the [[United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs|Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee]]|years=2003 – 2005}}

{{s-ttl|title=Chairman of the [[United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|Senate Judiciary Committee]]|years=2005 – 2007}}

{{s-ttl|title=[[List of United States Senators from Pennsylvania|Senator from Pennsylvania (Class 3)]]|years=1981 – present|alongside=[[H. John Heinz III]], [[Harris Wofford]],<br> [[Rick Santorum]], [[Bob Casey, Jr.]]}}

{{Persondata

|NAME= Specter, Arlen J.

|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=

|SHORT DESCRIPTION=[[United States Senate|United States Senator]] from [[Pennsylvania]]

|DATE OF BIRTH=[[February 12]] [[1930]]

|PLACE OF BIRTH= [[Wichita, Kansas]]

|DATE OF DEATH=

|PLACE OF DEATH=

}}

[[Category:1930 births]]

[[Category:Living people]]

[[Category:District attorneys]]

[[Category:Dismissal of United States Attorneys controversy]]

[[Category:Jewish American politicians]]

[[Category:John F. Kennedy assassination]]

[[Category:Pennsylvania lawyers]]

[[Category:People from Kansas]]

[[Category:People from Philadelphia]]

[[Category:Republicans (United States)]]

[[Category:United States Air Force officers]]

[[Category:United States presidential candidates]]

[[Category:United States Senators from Pennsylvania]]

[[Category:University of Pennsylvania alumni]]

[[Category:Warren Commission]]

[[Category:Yale Law School alumni]]

[[Category:Pennsylvania Republicans]]

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