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Politicians in Trouble: W


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  Sol Wachtler — of Manhasset, Nassau County, Long Island, N.Y. Judge of New York Court of Appeals, 1972; chief judge of New York Court of Appeals, 1985-93. In 1993, he was sentenced to 15 months in prison for extortion in connection with his harassment of an ex-lover. Still living as of 1993.
  Books about Sol Wachtler: John M. Caher, King of the Mountain : The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of Chief Judge Sol Wachtler
  Joe David Waggonner, Jr. (1918-2007) — also known as Joe Waggonner, Jr. — of Plain Dealing, Bossier Parish, La. Born near Plain Dealing, Bossier Parish, La., September 7, 1918. Son of Joe David Waggonner and Elizzibeth (Johnston) Waggonner. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Navy during World War II; served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean conflict; wholesale petroleum products distribution business; member, Louisiana state board of education, 1960-61; U.S. Representative from Louisiana 4th District, 1961-79. Methodist. Member, American Legion; Forty and Eight; Freemasons; Shriners; Elks; Lions; Kappa Sigma. Arrested in Washington, D.C., 1976, for soliciting a policewoman posing as a prostitute. Died in Shreveport, Caddo Parish, La., October 7, 2007 (age 89 years, 30 days). Interment at Plain Dealing Cemetery, Plain Dealing, La.
  Relatives: Married, December 14, 1942, to Mary Ruth Carter.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page
  Louis Waldman (b. 1892) — of Manhattan, New York County, N.Y.; Brooklyn, Kings County, N.Y. Born in 1892. Socialist. Civil engineer; member of New York state assembly from New York County 8th District, 1918, 1920; expelled 1920; defeated, 1920; candidate for New York state senate 14th District, 1922; candidate for New York state attorney general, 1924; candidate for Governor of New York, 1928, 1930, 1932; delegate to New York convention to ratify 21st amendment, 1933. Expelled from the New York State Assembly over alleged disloyalty, along with the other four Socialist members, April 1, 1920. Burial location unknown.
  James John Joseph Walker (1881-1946) — also known as James J. Walker; Jimmy Walker; "Beau James"; "The Night Mayor" — of Manhattan, New York County, N.Y. Born in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York County, N.Y., June 19, 1881. Son of William H. Walker. Democrat. Lawyer; songwriter; member of New York state assembly from New York County 5th District, 1910-14; member of New York state senate, 1915-25 (13th District 1915-18, 12th District 1919-25); resigned 1925; delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1924, 1928, 1932; mayor of New York City, N.Y., 1926-32; resigned 1932. Catholic. Irish ancestry. Member, Elks. Resigned as mayor during an investigation of corruption in his administration. Died in New York, New York County, N.Y., November 18, 1946 (age 65 years, 152 days). Interment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, N.Y.
  Relatives: Son of William H. Walker; married to Janet Allen (divorced 1933); married, April 18, 1933, to Betty Compton (actress; divorced 1941).
  See also Wikipedia article — Internet Movie Database profile
  Books about Jimmy Walker: Gerald Leinwand, Mackerels in the Moonlight : Four Corrupt American Mayors
  Edward John Walsh (1904-1975) — also known as Edward J. Walsh — of Detroit, Wayne County, Mich. Born in Detroit, Wayne County, Mich., October 22, 1904. Democrat. Automobile worker; constable; member of Michigan state house of representatives from Wayne County 1st District, 1933-44; removed 1944; charged on January 22, 1944 (along with 19 other current and former state legislators) with accepting bribes; tried, convicted, and sentenced to 3-5 years in prison; charged on December 6, 1944 (along with four other legislators) with accepting bribes from naturopathic physicians; tried in 1945, but the jury was unable to reach a verdict; retried and convicted; charged on July 20, 1946 (along with 18 other legislators) with accepting bribes to vote against a banking bill, but the entire case collapsed when the star prosecution witness, Charles F. Hemans, refused to testify. Died in 1975 (age about 70 years). Burial location unknown.
  Michael Walsh (1810-1859) — of New York, New York County, N.Y. Born in Youghal, County Cork, Ireland, May 4, 1810. Democrat. Member of New York state assembly, 1839, 1847-48, 1852; convicted about 1845 for publication of a libel; U.S. Representative from New York 4th District, 1853-55. Died in New York, New York County, N.Y., March 17, 1859 (age 48 years, 317 days). Interment at Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, N.Y.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Find-A-Grave memorial
  David Lee Walters (b. 1951) — also known as David Walters — of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Okla. Born in Canute, Washita County, Okla., November 20, 1951. Democrat. Governor of Oklahoma, 1991-95; candidate for U.S. Senator from Oklahoma, 2002; member, Rules Committee, Democratic National Convention, 2008. While Governor, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor election law violation. Still living as of 2009.
  See also National Governors Association biography — NNDB dossier
  John Calloway Walton (1881-1949) — also known as John C. Walton; Jack C. Walton — of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Okla. Born near Indianapolis, Marion County, Ind., March 6, 1881. Son of Lewis W. Walton (1850-1939) and Emma Sarah (Calloway) Walton (1850-1934). Democrat. Served in the U.S. Army during the Spanish-American War; mayor of Oklahoma City, Okla., 1919-23; Governor of Oklahoma, 1923; impeached and removed from office as Governor, 1923; candidate for U.S. Senator from Oklahoma, 1924. Died in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Okla., November 25, 1949 (age 68 years, 264 days). Interment at Rose Hill Burial Park, Oklahoma City, Okla.
  Relatives: Married, February 3, 1905, to Madeline Cecile Orrick (1883-1947).
  See also National Governors Association biography — Find-A-Grave memorial
  Henry Clay Warmouth (1842-1931) — also known as Henry C. Warmouth — of Lawrence, Plaquemines Parish, La. Born in McLeansboro, Hamilton County, Ill., May 9, 1842. Republican. Delegate to Republican National Convention from Louisiana, 1868, 1888, 1896, 1900, 1908, 1912; Governor of Louisiana, 1868-72; U.S. Collector of Customs, 1888-92. Episcopalian. Impeached as Governor in 1872 during election contest over successor. Died in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, La., September 30, 1931 (age 89 years, 144 days). Interment at Metairie Cemetery, New Orleans, La.
  Presumably named for: Henry Clay
  Relatives: Married, May 30, 1877, to Sally Durand.
  See also National Governors Association biography — Wikipedia article
  Marvin Leon Warner (1919-2002) — also known as Marvin L. Warner — of Ohio. Born in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Ala., 1919. Major in the U.S. Army during World War II; U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland, 1977-79. One of 13 part-owners of the New York Yankees baseball team in 1973-75, and was also part owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Birmingham Stallions football teams. Horses he owned or bred competed in the Kentucky Derby. His first wife later married Albert Sabin, inventor of the oral polio vaccine. Head of the Cincinnati-based Home State Savings Bank when it collapsed in 1985, touching off a run on other Ohio banks. Convicted on fraud charges in 1987 and served 28 months in prison. Also charged in federal court, but acquitted. On a visit to witness a launch of the space shuttle Atlantis, suffered a heart attack and died, at Cape Canaveral, Brevard County, Fla., April 8, 2002 (age about 82 years). Interment at Lakeside Cemetery, Miami, Fla.
  Thomas Edward Watson (1856-1922) — also known as Thomas E. Watson — of Thomson, McDuffie County, Ga. Born in Columbia County, Ga., September 5, 1856. Son of John S. Watson and Ann Eliza (Maddox) Watson. Lawyer; member of Georgia state house of representatives, 1882-83; Presidential Elector for Georgia, 1888; U.S. Representative from Georgia 10th District, 1891-93; candidate for Vice President of the United States, 1896; Populist candidate for President of the United States, 1904, 1908; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Georgia, 1912; controversial for his writings attacking the Catholic Church; arrested in 1912 on obscenity charges over three chapters in his book The Catholic Hierarchy; tried and acquitted in 1916; U.S. Senator from Georgia, 1921-22; died in office 1922. Died September 26, 1922 (age 66 years, 21 days). Interment at Thomson Cemetery, Thomson, Ga.
  Cross-reference: John I. Kelley
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Wikipedia article
  Thomas Hill Watts (1819-1892) — also known as Thomas H. Watts — of Alabama. Born near Greenville, Butler County, Ala., January 3, 1819. Lawyer; member of Alabama state house of representatives, 1842-45, 1880-81; member of Alabama state senate, 1847-53; candidate for U.S. Representative from Alabama 1st District, 1855; delegate to Alabama secession convention, 1861; colonel in the Confederate Army during the Civil War; Confederate Attorney General, 1862-63; Governor of Alabama, 1863-65. Baptist. Arrested by Union forces in Union Springs, Alabama, in May 1865, and imprisoned for a few weeks. Died in Montgomery, Montgomery County, Ala., September 16, 1892 (age 73 years, 257 days). Interment at Oakwood Cemetery, Montgomery, Ala.
  See also National Governors Association biography
  William L. Webster (b. 1953) — of Jasper County, Mo. Born September 17, 1953. Son of Richard M. Webster. Republican. Lawyer; member of Missouri state house of representatives, 1981-84; Missouri state attorney general, 1985-93; candidate for Governor of Missouri, 1992. Member, American Bar Association. Pleaded guilty in 1993 to embezzlement and conspiracy, and sentenced to two years in prison. Still living as of 1993.
  See also Wikipedia article
  Caspar Willard Weinberger (1917-2006) — also known as Caspar W. Weinberger; Cap Weinberger; "Cap the Knife" — of San Francisco, Calif.; Hillsborough, San Mateo County, Calif. Born in San Francisco, Calif., August 18, 1917. Son of Herman Weinberger. Republican. Served in the U.S. Army during World War II; member of California state assembly, 1953-56; delegate to Republican National Convention from California, 1956 (alternate), 1960 (member, Committee on Rules and Order of Business); California Republican state chair, 1964; member, Federal Trade Commission, 1969-70; chair, Federal Trade Commission, 1970; chair, Federal Trade Commission; director, U.S. Office of Management and Budget; U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, 1973-75; U.S. Secretary of Defense, 1981-87. Episcopalian. Jewish ancestry. Member, Phi Beta Kappa. Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1987. To forestall any prosecution for alleged misdeeds in connection with the Iran-Contra affair, he was pardoned by President George Bush in 1992. Died, of kidney ailments and pneumonia, in Eastern Maine Medical Center, Bangor, Penobscot County, Maine, March 28, 2006 (age 88 years, 222 days). Interment at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va.
  Relatives: Son of Herman Weinberger; step-son of Cerise (Carpenter) Weinberger; married, August 12, 1942, to Jane Dalton.
  Epitaph: "Peace Through Strength"
  See also Wikipedia article — NNDB dossier — Internet Movie Database profile — Find-A-Grave memorial
  Books by Caspar Weinberger: Fighting for Peace: Seven Critical Years in the Pentagon (1990) — In the Arena : A Memoir of the 20th Century, with Gretchen Roberts — Home of the Brave, with Wynton C. Hall — The Next War, with Peter Schweizer
  Fiction by Caspar Weinberger: Chain of Command, with Peter Schweizer
  Melvyn I. Weiss (b. 1935) — of Oyster Bay Cove, Nassau County, Long Island, N.Y. Born in Bronx, Bronx County, N.Y., August 1, 1935. Democrat. Lawyer; alternate delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1996. Pleaded guilty in 2008 to federal charges of making illegal kickbacks to clients to induce them to sue; sentenced to 30 months in prison, fined $250,000, and ordered to pay restitution of $9.75 million. Still living as of 2010.
  See also Wikipedia article
  Paul David Wellstone (1944-2002) — also known as Paul Wellstone; "Senator Welfare" — of Minnesota. Born in Washington, D.C., July 21, 1944. Son of Leon Wexelstein and Minnie (Danishevsky) Wexelstein. College professor; arrested during a Vietnam War protest at the federal building in Minneapolis, 1970; arrested again during a protest of farm foreclosures at a bank in Paynesville, Minn., 1984; candidate for Minnesota state auditor, 1982; member of Democratic National Committee from Minnesota, 1984-91; U.S. Senator from Minnesota, 1991-2002; died in office 2002; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Minnesota, 1996, 2000. Jewish. Member, Phi Beta Kappa. Killed in a plane crash, along with his wife and daughter, near Eveleth, St. Louis County, Minn., October 25, 2002 (age 58 years, 96 days). Interment at Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Minn.
  Relatives: Married 1963 to Sheila Ison (1944-2002).
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — votes in Congress from the Washington Post — Wikipedia article — NNDB dossier — Find-A-Grave memorial
  Books by Paul Wellstone: The Conscience of a Liberal: Reclaiming the Compassionate Agenda (2001) — How the Rural Poor Got Power: Narrative of a Grass-Roots Organizer (1978) — Powerline: The First Battle of America's Energy War, with Barry M. Casper (1981)
  Books about Paul Wellstone: Terry Gydesen, Twelve Years and Thirteen Days: Remembering Paul and Sheila Wellstone — Dennis J. McGrath & Dane Smith, Professor Wellstone Goes to Washington: The Inside Story of a Grassroots U.S. Senate Campaign — Don Jacobs & James Fetzer, American Assassination: The Strange Death Of Senator Paul Wellstone
  Daniel W. West — of Detroit, Wayne County, Mich. Democrat. Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Michigan, 1960, 1964 (alternate); member of Michigan state house of representatives, 1963-65 (Wayne County 6th District 1963-64, 24th District 1965); defeated in primary, 1954 (Wayne County 6th District), 1956 (Wayne County 6th District), 1958 (Wayne County 6th District), 1960 (Wayne County 6th District), 1965 (24th District). Convicted of various crimes, including burglary, larceny, and forgery, in Minnesota, Iowa, and Washington, D.C., and was sentenced to prison in those places; came to Michigan and assumed the identity of a deceased New York attorney of the same name; indicted in late 1964 on state charges of voter registration fraud and federal charges of income tax fraud and forgery; in January 1965, his seat in the Michigan House was declared vacant. Still living as of 1965.
  James Elton West (1951-2006) — also known as James E. West; Jim West — of Spokane, Spokane County, Wash. Born in Salem, Marion County, Ore., March 28, 1951. Son of Jack West. Republican. Deputy sheriff; member of Washington state house of representatives, 1982-86; member of Washington state senate 6th District, 1986-2003; mayor of Spokane, Wash., 2004-05. Member, Rotary; Gay. Following a scandal involving use of his position to obtain sex with young men, and an FBI investigation, he was recalled from office as mayor in 2005. Died, from complications of colon cancer, in the University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, King County, Wash., July 22, 2006 (age 55 years, 116 days). Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Married 1990 to Ginger Marshall (divorced 1995).
  See also Wikipedia article — NNDB dossier
  John Westergaard (1931-2003) — of Manhattan, New York County, N.Y. Born July 2, 1931. Democrat. Candidate for New York state senate, 1960; campaign treasurer for Daniel Patrick Moynihan, 1965-94; delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1996. Norwegian ancestry. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed civil fraud charges against him in 2000; Paul J. Curran volunteered to serve as defense counsel pro bono; in 2001, the fraud charges were withdrawn, and the case was settled with no penalty. Died, of prostate cancer, at Calvary Hospice, Bronx, Bronx County, N.Y., January 31, 2003 (age 71 years, 213 days). Burial location unknown.
  Bruce Weyhrauch — of Juneau, Alaska. Republican. Lawyer; member of Alaska state house of representatives 4th District, 2003-07; arrested in May 2007, along with Pete Kott and Vic Kohring, and charged with bribery and extortion over soliciting and receiving money and favors from VECO Corporation in return for votes on an oil tax; trial pending. Still living as of 2009.
  See also Wikipedia article
  Isadore A. Weza (b. 1906) — of Ontonagon, Ontonagon County, Mich. Born near Ontonagon, Ontonagon County, Mich., March 22, 1906. Democrat. School teacher; superintendent of schools; member of Michigan state house of representatives from Ontonagon District, 1937-40; charged on January 22, 1944 (along with 19 other current and former state legislators) with accepting bribes, but not tried and convicted with the others. Presumed deceased. Burial location unknown.
  Thomas J. Whelan (1922-2002) — of Jersey City, Hudson County, N.J. Born January 28, 1922. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II; mayor of Jersey City, N.J., 1963-71; removed 1971; delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Jersey, 1964. Catholic. Tried on federal charges of extortion and conspiracy; convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Died following a heart attack, in a nursing home in Naples, Collier County, Fla., July 31, 2002 (age 80 years, 184 days). Burial location unknown.
  Arthur H. Wicks (b. 1887) — also known as A. H. Wicks — of Kingston, Ulster County, N.Y. Born in New York, New York County, N.Y., December 24, 1887. Republican. Worked in piano manufacturing business; employed in the engineering department of the New York City Board of Water Supply, and then in construction of subways; owner and operator of steam laundry in Kingston; director, Governor Clinton Hotel; member of New York state senate, 1927-56 (29th District 1927-44, 34th District 1945-56); delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1940 (alternate), 1944 (alternate), 1948, 1952, 1956; resigned in November 1953 as Senate Majority Leader and acting Lieutenant Governor, while under threat of ouster over his Sing Sing prison visits to convicted extortionist and labor leader Joseph S. Fay. Member, Freemasons; Junior Order; Rotary. Burial location unknown.
  Louis Trezevant Wigfall (1816-1874) — also known as Louis T. Wigfall — of Texas. Born near Edgefield, Edgefield County, S.C., April 21, 1816. Democrat. Killed Thomas Bird in a duel around 1840; wounded Rep. Preston S. Brooks in another duel; member of Texas state house of representatives, 1849; member of Texas state senate, 1857; U.S. Senator from Texas, 1859-61; when the Civil War began, he left Washington but did not resign his seat in the Senate; one of ten Southern senators expelled in absentia on July 11, 1861; general in the Confederate Army during the Civil War; Delegate from Texas to the Confederate Provisional Congress, 1861-62; Senator from Texas in the Confederate Congress, 1862-65. Died in Galveston, Galveston County, Tex., February 18, 1874 (age 57 years, 303 days). Interment at Trinity Episcopal Church Cemetery, Galveston, Tex.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page
  Robert William Wilcox (1855-1903) — also known as Robert W. Wilcox — of Honolulu, Island of Oahu, Honolulu County, Hawaii. Born in Kahalu, Honuaula, Island of Maui, Maui County, Hawaii, February 15, 1855. Delegate to U.S. Congress from Hawaii Territory, 1900-03. Leader of the Hawaiian revolution of 1889; tried for treason, but acquitted by a jury. Was involved in the rebellion of 1895 and subsequently court-martialed, found guilty, and sentenced to death; the sentence was later commuted to 35 years; pardoned by the Hawaiian president in 1898. Died in Honolulu, Island of Oahu, Honolulu County, Hawaii, October 23, 1903 (age 48 years, 250 days). Interment at Catholic Cemetery, Honolulu, Island of Oahu, Hawaii.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page
  Wallace G. Wilkinson (1941-2002) — also known as "The Weasel" — of Lexington, Fayette County, Ky. Born in Casey County, Ky., December 12, 1941. Democrat. Governor of Kentucky, 1987-91. During bankruptcy proceedings in 2001, it was revealed that Wilkinson had been operating a Ponzi scheme, and that his liabilities exceeded his assets by $300 million; he repeatedly refused to answer questions under oath, invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. However, he died before any prosecution could take place. Died, of lymphatic cancer and a stroke, in St. Joseph Hospital, Lexington, Fayette County, Ky., July 5, 2002 (age 60 years, 205 days). Entombed at Sarasota Memorial Park, Sarasota, Fla.
  See also National Governors Association biography — Wikipedia article — NNDB dossier
  Anthony J. Wilkowski (b. 1898) — of Detroit, Wayne County, Mich. Born in Detroit, Wayne County, Mich., April 16, 1898. Son of Anton Wilkowski and Veronica (Skelnik) Wilkowski. Democrat. Hardware store owner; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Michigan, 1932 (alternate), 1936, 1940; member of Michigan state senate 2nd District, 1933-38, 1945-46, 1949-50; defeated in primary, 1942 (3rd District), 1946 (2nd District), 1951 (2nd District), 1952 (2nd District), 1955 (2nd District); chair of Wayne County Democratic Party, 1934; tried and convicted, along with Democratic state chairman Elmer B. O'Hara, on vote fraud charges in 1936, and sentenced to four to five years in prison; member of Michigan Democratic State Central Committee, 1939; candidate in primary for Lieutenant Governor of Michigan, 1940; delegate to Michigan state constitutional convention from Wayne County 9th District, 1961-62. Catholic. Polish ancestry. Member, Knights of Columbus; Polish National Alliance. Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of Anton Wilkowski and Veronica (Skelnik) Wilkowski; married, February 10, 1945, to Ann Chrzanowski; brother of Leo Joseph Wilkowski.
  Leo Joseph Wilkowski (1902-1955) — also known as Leo J. Wilkowski — of Detroit, Wayne County, Mich. Born in Detroit, Wayne County, Mich., April 5, 1902. Democrat. Hardware business; member of Michigan state senate 2nd District, 1939-44; nominated, but withdrew 1944; Charged on January 22, 1944 (along with 19 other current and former state legislators) with accepting bribes; tried, convicted, and sentenced to 3-5 years in prison; charged on December 16, 1944 (along with other legislators) with accepting bribes from naturopathic physicians; tried and convicted; charged on July 20, 1946 (along with 18 other legislators) with accepting bribes to vote against a banking bill, but the last set of charges were dismissed when he agreed to testify. Polish ancestry. Member, Polish National Alliance. Died of heart trouble, March 23, 1955 (age 52 years, 352 days). Interment at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Detroit, Mich.
  Relatives: Brother of Anthony J. Wilkowski; married 1925 to Theresa D. Kozlowski.
  William Forte Willett, Jr. (1869-1938) — also known as William Willett, Jr. — of Far Rockaway, Queens, Queens County, N.Y.; Woodmere, Nassau County, Long Island, N.Y. Born in Brooklyn, Kings County, N.Y., November 27, 1869. Son of William Willett and Marion Willett. Democrat. Lawyer; U.S. Representative from New York 14th District, 1907-11; defeated, 1904; candidate for Justice of New York Supreme Court 2nd District, 1911; indicted in 1912 on charges that he bought the nomination for Supreme Court justice; tried and convicted in 1914, sentenced to one year in prison and fined $1,000; released on parole in 1916. Member, Freemasons; Odd Fellows; Elks. Died, from a heart attack, in his room at the Hotel McAlpin, Manhattan, New York County, N.Y., February 12, 1938 (age 68 years, 77 days). Interment at The Evergreens Cemetery, Brooklyn, N.Y.
  Relatives: Married 1895 to Marie R. Van Tassel.
  Cross-reference: William Berri — Joseph Cassidy
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page
  Harrison Arlington Williams, Jr. (1919-2001) — also known as Harrison A. Williams; Pete Williams — of Westfield, Union County, N.J.; Bedminster, Somerset County, N.J. Born in Plainfield, Union County, N.J., December 10, 1919. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Navy during World War II; lawyer; candidate for New Jersey state house of assembly, 1951; U.S. Representative from New Jersey 6th District, 1953-57; U.S. Senator from New Jersey, 1959-70, 1971-82; resigned 1982; delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Jersey, 1964, 1980. Member, Elks; Americans for Democratic Action. Implicated in the Abscam sting, in which FBI agents impersonating Arab businessmen offered bribes to political figures; allegedly accepted an 18% interest in a titanium mine; indicted on October 30, 1980; convicted on May 1, 1981, of nine counts of bribery, conspiracy, receiving an unlawful gratuity, conflict of interest, and interstate travel in aid of racketeering; resigned his seat March 11, 1982, when it appeared that the Senate would vote to expel him; sentenced to three years in prison and fined $50,000; released in 1986. Died, of cancer and heart ailments, in St. Clare's Hospital, Denville, Morris County, N.J., November 17, 2001 (age 81 years, 342 days). Burial location unknown.
  Cross-reference: Gerry E. Studds
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — NNDB dossier
  Hosea Lorenzo Williams (1926-2000) — also known as Hosea Williams — of Savannah, Chatham County, Ga.; Atlanta, Fulton County, Ga.; Decatur, DeKalb County, Ga. Born in Attapulgus, Decatur County, Ga., January 5, 1926. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Army during World War II; walked with a cane due to wartime injury; ordained minister; candidate in primary for U.S. Senator from Georgia, 1972; member of Georgia state house of representatives 54th District, 1975-85; candidate for mayor of Atlanta, Ga., 1989. African ancestry. Member, NAACP; Phi Beta Sigma; Elks; Freemasons; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Disabled American Veterans; American Legion. Civil rights leader; active in sit-ins and protest marches in Savannah and elsewhere; arrested at least 135 times. As Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "field general" in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, led the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery march which helped galvanize support for black voting rights. In 1968, he was present at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn., when King was assassinated. Convicted in 1981 of leaving the scene of an accident, and jailed for six months. Died, of cancer, at Piedmont Hospital, Atlanta, Fulton County, Ga., November 16, 2000 (age 74 years, 316 days). Entombed at Lincoln Cemetery, Atlanta, Ga.
  Relatives: Married to Juanita Elizabeth Terry Williams.
  Personal motto: "Unbought and unbossed."
  See also Wikipedia article — Find-A-Grave memorial
  John Williams (1752-1806) — of New York. Born in Barnstable, England, 1752. Colonel in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War; member of New York state senate Eastern District, 1777-78, 1782-95; member of New York state assembly from Charlotte County, 1781-82; delegate to New York convention to ratify U.S. constitution from Washington and Clinton counties, 1788; U.S. Representative from New York 9th District, 1795-99; county judge in New York. Expelled for misconduct from the state senate in 1778. Died in Salem, Washington County, N.Y., July 22, 1806 (age about 54 years). Interment at Salem Cemetery, Salem, N.Y.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page
  Charles E. Williamson (born c.1880) — of Darien, Fairfield County, Conn. Born in Darien, Fairfield County, Conn., about 1880. Republican. Lawyer; member of Connecticut state house of representatives from Darien, 1909-12, 1915-16; member of Connecticut state senate 26th District, 1917-20; member of Connecticut Republican State Central Committee, 1922; delegate to Republican National Convention from Connecticut, 1924, 1932 (alternate). Charged in May, 1938, along with Mayor T. Frank Hayes and 25 others, with conspiracy to cheat and defraud the city of Waterbury of more than a million dollars; tried in 1938-39 and convicted; sentenced to one year in jail and fined $500. Burial location unknown.
  Addison Graves Wilson (b. 1947) — also known as Joe Wilson — of West Columbia, Lexington County, S.C.; Springdale, Lexington County, S.C. Born in Charleston, Charleston County, S.C., July 31, 1947. Republican. Staff for U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond, and for U.S. Rep. Floyd Spence; lawyer; delegate to Republican National Convention from South Carolina, 1972, 2008; member of South Carolina state senate, 1984-2001; U.S. Representative from South Carolina 2nd District, 2001-; rebuked by the House of Representatives in September, 2009, for a breach of decorum; he had shouted "You Lie!" during an address by President Barack Obama. Presbyterian. Still living as of 2009.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — votes in Congress from the Washington Post — Wikipedia article — NNDB dossier
  Charles Herbert Wilson (1917-1984) — also known as Charles H. Wilson — of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, Calif. Born in Magna, Salt Lake County, Utah, February 15, 1917. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Army during World War II; member of California state assembly, 1955-63; delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1960, 1964; U.S. Representative from California 31st District, 1963-81. Member, American Legion; Freemasons; Shriners; Elks; Kiwanis. Reprimanded by the House of Representatives in 1978 for accepting a $1,000 wedding gift from a key figure in the Koreagate scandal; censured by the House of Representatives in 1980 for financial misconduct; no criminal charges were filed. Died, of a heart attack, at Southern Maryland Hospital, Clinton, Prince George's County, Md., July 21, 1984 (age 67 years, 157 days). Interment at Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, Calif.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Wikipedia article
  Nick Wilson (born c.1943) — of Pocahontas, Randolph County, Ark. Born about 1943. Democrat. Lawyer; member of Arkansas state senate, 1971-98. Convicted in November, 1999, on federal tax evasion charges. Pleaded guilty in March, 2000 to fraud; 128 other charges were dropped in return for his agreement to testify against three others. Still living as of 2000.
  Robert Wilson (1793-1856) — also known as "Honest Bob" — of Texas. Born in Easton, Talbot County, Md., December 7, 1793. Served in the U.S. Army during the War of 1812; delegate to Texas Convention of 1832 from District of San Jacinto, 1832; served in the Texas Army during the Texas War of Independence; member of Texas Republic Senate from District of Harrisburg and Liberty, 1836-38, 1839; candidate for President of the Texas Republic, 1838, 1843; delegate to Texas state constitutional convention, 1845. Member, Freemasons. Expelled from Texas Republic Senate, December 26, 1838, for using profanity and disclosing secrecy; subsequently returned to office. Died May 25, 1856 (age 62 years, 170 days). Original interment in private or family graveyard; reinterment at Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Tex.
  Samuel Davis Wilson (1881-1939) — also known as S. Davis Wilson — of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pa. Born in Boston, Suffolk County, Mass., August 31, 1881. Mayor of Philadelphia, Pa., 1936-39; died in office 1939; candidate in Democratic primary for U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, 1938; twice indicted by a grand jury in 1938-39 on charges related to vice and gambling in Philadelphia; never tried. Died, from cerebral thrombosis and hypertension, in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pa., August 19, 1939 (age 57 years, 353 days). Cremated.
  William A. Wilson (b. 1914) — of California. Born in 1914. U.S. Ambassador to Vatican, 1984-86; reprimanded by the State Department for his unauthorized diplomatic mission to Libya. Still living as of 1991.
  Gerald Burton Winrod (1900-1957) — also known as Gerald B. Winrod — Born in Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kan., March 7, 1900. Republican. One of the founders, in 1925, of the group Defenders of the Christian Faith; candidate in primary for U.S. Senator from Kansas, 1938; sympathized with the Adolf Hitler and the Nazis, and and blamed the Depression and World War II on Jews, Catholics, and Communists; indicted in July 1942, with others, for sedition over an alleged conspiracy to cause insubordination in the Armed Forces in wartime; a mistrial was declared and charges were dropped. Died in Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kan., November 11, 1957 (age 57 years, 249 days). Interment at White Chapel Memorial Gardens, Wichita, Kan.
  Mary Winsor (b. 1873) — of Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pa. Born in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pa., March 28, 1873. Daughter of James Davis Winsor and Rebecca (Chapman) Winsor. Socialist. Suffragette; participant in the first U.S. birth control conference, New York City, November 1921; on November 13, police arrived to forcibly shut down the event, and she was arrested, along with Margaret Sanger, for attempting to speak; charged with disorderly conduct, but released soon after; candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, 1930; candidate for U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania 17th District, 1932. Female. Member, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom; American Civil Liberties Union. Burial location unknown.
  See also OurCampaigns candidate detail
  Carl Winter (1906-1991) — of Manhattan, New York County, N.Y.; Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minn.; Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, Calif.; Michigan. Born in 1906. Communist. Candidate for New York state senate 13th District, 1932; candidate for U.S. Senator from Minnesota, 1940; convicted in 1949 under the Smith Act, for conspiring to advocate the overthrow of the government; served five years in prison. Died in 1991 (age about 85 years). Interment at Forest Home Cemetery, Forest Park, Ill.
  Relatives: Married to Helen Allison Winter (daughter of Alfred Wagenknecht and Hortense Allison Wagenknecht; niece of Elmer T. Allison). See Wagenknecht-Winter family.
  Robert Ellsworth Wise, Jr. (b. 1948) — also known as Bob Wise — of Charleston, Kanawha County, W.Va.; Clendenin, Kanawha County, W.Va.; Washington, D.C. Born in Washington, D.C., January 6, 1948. Democrat. Lawyer; member of West Virginia state senate 17th District, 1981-82; resigned 1982; U.S. Representative from West Virginia, 1983-2001 (3rd District 1983-93, 2nd District 1993-2001); delegate to Democratic National Convention from West Virginia, 1996, 2000, 2004; Governor of West Virginia, 2001-05. Member, American Bar Association. In 2003, he was accused of having an extramarital affair with a married female state employee; he admitted the affair, and dropped his campaign for re-election. Still living as of 2010.
  Relatives: Married, July 28, 1984, to Sandra Casber.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — votes in Congress from the Washington Post — National Governors Association biography — Wikipedia article — NNDB dossier
  Mortimer J. Wohl (1888-1931) — of Brooklyn, Kings County, N.Y. Born in Brooklyn, Kings County, N.Y., March 20, 1888. Son of Samuel Wohl and Fannie Whol. Republican. Lawyer; served in the U.S. Army during World War I; candidate for New York state assembly from Kings County 18th District, 1921. Member, American Legion. In 1929, he was one of several Brooklyn lawyers who were charged with ambulance chasing activities; he disputed the charges. Died, from septicemia, in Jewish Hospital, Brooklyn, Kings County, N.Y., October 14, 1931 (age 43 years, 208 days). Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Married, November 11, 1923, to Adelaide Finkelstein.
  Oliver Wolcott, Jr. (1760-1833) — of Litchfield, Litchfield County, Conn. Born in Litchfield, Litchfield County, Conn., January 11, 1760. Son of Oliver Wolcott, Sr.. Connecticut state comptroller, 1788-90; U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, 1795-1800; Governor of Connecticut, 1817-27; delegate to Connecticut state constitutional convention, 1818. Congregationalist. Accused, by political adversaries in 1800, of setting fire to the State Department, and resigned from the Cabinet in protest against the investigation. Died in New York, New York County, N.Y., June 1, 1833 (age 73 years, 141 days). Interment at East Cemetery, Litchfield, Conn.
  Relatives: Grandson of Roger Wolcott; second cousin once removed of William Pitkin and William Wolcott Ellsworth; son of Oliver Wolcott, Sr.; nephew of Ursula Wolcott (who married Matthew Griswold (1714-1799)); first cousin of Roger Griswold; first cousin twice removed of Matthew Griswold (1833-1919). See Livingston-Seymour-Lee-Williams family of New York.
  See also National Governors Association biography — Wikipedia article — Find-A-Grave memorial
  Harry Benjamin Wolf (1880-1944) — also known as Harry B. Wolf — of Baltimore, Md. Born in Baltimore, Md., June 16, 1880. Democrat. U.S. Representative from Maryland 3rd District, 1907-09. Jewish. Disbarred, 1922; reinstated, 1940. Died in Baltimore, Md., February 17, 1944 (age 63 years, 246 days). Interment at Hebrew Friendship Cemetery, Baltimore, Md.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page
  Marvin Lee Worthington (1940-2000) — also known as Marvin L. Worthington; Pete Worthington — of Washington, Mason County, Ky. Born December 5, 1940. Engineer; farmer; member of Kentucky state house of representatives, 1978-2000; died in office 2000. Baptist. Member, Freemasons; Farm Bureau; Odd Fellows. Charged with drunken driving and speeding in Fayette County, Ky., in 1992; pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of reckless driving. Driving on U.S. Highway 68 while intoxicated, he crossed the center line and collided with another car; both he and the other driver (Sherri Commodore Chambers) were killed, near Mayslick, Mason County, Ky., October 12, 2000 (age 59 years, 312 days). Burial location unknown.
  James Claude Wright, Jr. (b. 1922) — also known as Jim Wright, Jr. — of Weatherford, Parker County, Tex.; Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Tex. Born in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Tex., December 22, 1922. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II; member of Texas state house of representatives, 1947-49; mayor of Weatherford, Tex., 1950-54; U.S. Representative from Texas 12th District, 1955-89; resigned 1989; Speaker of the U.S. House, 1987-89; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1980, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008; candidate in primary for U.S. Senator from Texas, 1961. Presbyterian. He was subject of an investigation by the House Ethics Committee in 1989; it appeared from the report that he had evaded limits on gifts and speaking fees; resigned under fire in June, 1989. Still living as of 2009.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Wikipedia article — NNDB dossier
  Samuel D. Wright (1925-1998) — of Brooklyn, Kings County, N.Y.; Hilton Head Island, Beaufort County, S.C. Born in Brooklyn, Kings County, N.Y., February 13, 1925. Democrat. Member of New York state assembly, 1966-73 (39th District 1966, 37th District 1967-72, 54th District 1973); candidate for U.S. Representative from New York, 1976. African ancestry. Member, NAACP. Convicted in 1978 of soliciting a bribe and sentenced to jail. Died, of Parkinson's disease, in Hilton Head, Beaufort County, S.C., January 20, 1998 (age 72 years, 341 days). Burial location unknown.

 

 


 
   
"Enjoy the hospitable entertainment of a political graveyard."
Henry L. Clinton, Apollo Hall, New York City, February 3, 1872
The Political Graveyard

The Political Graveyard is a web site about U.S. political history and cemeteries. Founded in 1996, it is the Internet's most comprehensive free source for American political biography, listing 234,420 politicians, living and dead.
 
  The coverage of the site includes (1) the President, Vice President, members of Congress, elected state and territorial officeholders in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories; and the chief elected official, typically the mayor, of qualifying municipalities; (2) candidates at election, including primaries, for any of the above; (3) all federal judges and all state appellate judges; (4) certain federal officials, including the federal cabinet, diplomatic chiefs of mission, consuls, U.S. district attorneys, collectors of customs and internal revenue, and members of major federal commissions; and (5) state and national political party officials, including delegates, alternate delegates, and other participants in national party nominating conventions.  
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Copyright notice: Facts are not subject to copyright; see Feist v. Rural Telephone. Original material, programming, selection and arrangement are © 1996-2011 Lawrence Kestenbaum. This work is also licensed for free non-commercial re-use, with attribution, under a Creative Commons License.

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