Clare Hoffman
Encyclopedia
Clare Eugene Hoffman was a United States Representative from Michigan
.
Hoffman was born in Vicksburg, Union County, Pennsylvania
, where he attended the public schools. He graduated from the law department of Northwestern University
in Evanston, Illinois
, in 1895. He was admitted to the Michigan bar
in 1896 and commenced practice in Allegan, Michigan
, where he also became prosecuting attorney for the county from 1904–1910.
In 1934, Hoffman ran as the Republican
candidate for Michigan's 4th congressional district
, defeating incumbent Democrat
George Ernest Foulkes
. Hoffman was elected to the Seventy-fourth and was re-elected to the thirteen succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1935 until January 3, 1963. He was seen as a "a bitter lone wolf" during much of his time in office, unable to work with either the Democrats or the Republicans.
Hoffman was a vocal opponent of the National Polio Immunization Program
, claiming that the U.S. Public Health Service had been heavily infiltrated by Russian-born doctors. In addition, he was known as an anti-Semite with fascist sympathies, even speaking at rallies held for the far-right America First Party (1944)
.
He was chairman, Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Departments (Eightieth Congress
) and the Committee on Government Operations (Eighty-third Congress
). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1962 to the Eighty-eighth Congress
.
Hoffman retired to his home in Allegan, Michigan
, where he died at age 92. He was interred at Oakwood Cemetery in Allegan.
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Buffalo Township, Union County, Pennsylvania
Buffalo Township is a township in Union County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. The population was 3,207 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , all of it land....
, where he attended the public schools. He graduated from the law department of Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in Evanston, Illinois
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
, in 1895. He was admitted to the Michigan bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in 1896 and commenced practice in Allegan, Michigan
Allegan, Michigan
Allegan is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 4,838. It is the county seat of Allegan County. The city lies within Allegan Township, but is administratively autonomous....
, where he also became prosecuting attorney for the county from 1904–1910.
In 1934, Hoffman ran as the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidate for Michigan's 4th congressional district
Michigan's 4th congressional district
Michigan's 4th congressional district is a United States Congressional district that currently includes portions of Northern and Central Michigan, consisting of all of...
, defeating incumbent Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
George Ernest Foulkes
George Ernest Foulkes
George Ernest Foulkes was a United States Representative from Michigan.Foulkes was born in Chicago, Illinois and attended the public schools of Chicago. He graduated from the law department of Lake Forest University, Chicago, in 1900. He was admitted to the bar the same year and commenced...
. Hoffman was elected to the Seventy-fourth and was re-elected to the thirteen succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1935 until January 3, 1963. He was seen as a "a bitter lone wolf" during much of his time in office, unable to work with either the Democrats or the Republicans.
Hoffman was a vocal opponent of the National Polio Immunization Program
Polio vaccine
Two polio vaccines are used throughout the world to combat poliomyelitis . The first was developed by Jonas Salk and first tested in 1952. Announced to the world by Salk on April 12, 1955, it consists of an injected dose of inactivated poliovirus. An oral vaccine was developed by Albert Sabin...
, claiming that the U.S. Public Health Service had been heavily infiltrated by Russian-born doctors. In addition, he was known as an anti-Semite with fascist sympathies, even speaking at rallies held for the far-right America First Party (1944)
America First Party (1944)
The America First Party was an isolationist political party which was founded on January 10, 1943. Its leader, Gerald L. K. Smith, was the party's presidential candidate in the 1944 U.S...
.
He was chairman, Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Departments (Eightieth Congress
80th United States Congress
The Eightieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1947 to January 3, 1949, during the third and fourth...
) and the Committee on Government Operations (Eighty-third Congress
83rd United States Congress
The Eighty-third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1953 to January 3, 1955, during the first two years...
). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1962 to the Eighty-eighth Congress
88th United States Congress
The Eighty-eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1963 to January 3, 1965, during the last year of...
.
Hoffman retired to his home in Allegan, Michigan
Allegan, Michigan
Allegan is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 4,838. It is the county seat of Allegan County. The city lies within Allegan Township, but is administratively autonomous....
, where he died at age 92. He was interred at Oakwood Cemetery in Allegan.
Additional reading
- Hoffman's entry at American National BiographyAmerican National BiographyThe American National Biography is a 24 volume biographical encyclopedia set containing approximately 17,400 entries and 20 million words, first published in 1999 by Oxford University Press under the auspices of the American Council of Learned Societies. A 400-entry supplement appeared in 2002...
Online.