Franz Leichter
Encyclopedia
Franz S. Leichter is an American
Democratic Party
politician who served in both the New York State Assembly
and the New York Senate.
Leichter was born in Austria and graduated with a degree from Harvard Law School
in 1957. His mother Käthe Leichter, née Pick, was killed in a Nazi concentration camp in 1942, his father, Otto Leichter, died in New York City in 1973. Both had been Viennese by birth. His brother Henry O. Leichter, born 1924 in Austria, lawyer, died in New York City on December 20, 2010. After the Anschluss
in 1938, both brothers could be brought out of Nazi Germany with the help of some friends; their father reached the U.S. later, staying in Belgium and France with exiled Austrians before.
Franz S. Leichter was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 1968. He drafted a bill expanding abortion rights together with Republican
Assemblywoman Constance Cook
of upstate Tompkins County, New York
, proposing legislation that included no restrictions on the practice of abortion. The bill passed in the Senate on March 18, 1970 after five hours of debate by a vote of 31–26. For the Assembly, the bill was amended to allow for women to have abortions until their 24th week of pregnancy or at any time to protect the life of the mother. As the roll call progressed in the Assembly on April 9, 1970, the legislature deadlocked at 74 in favor and 74 opposed, with one member absent and the Assembly speaker not voting, leaving the count two short of the absolute majority of 76 members of the 150-member Assembly needed to pass the bill. George Michaels
, an Assemblyman from Cayuga County
who represented a largely conservative Roman Catholic district, had earlier voted against the proposal, but rose to speak, stating "I realize, Mr. Speaker, that I am terminating my political career, but I cannot in good conscience sit here and allow my vote to be the one that defeats this bill", and asked "that my vote be changed from 'no' to 'yes'", a prediction that turned out to be correct. With the switch by Michaels, the measure passed by a margin of 76 to 73 in the Assembly. Governor of New York
Nelson Rockefeller
signed the law the next day and the U.S. Supreme Court patterned its ruling in its landmark January 1973 decision Roe v. Wade
on the New York law.
Leichter became a member of the New York Senate in 1974, representing a district in Manhattan until 1998, when he announced that he would not run for re-election. Leichter was viewed as a political maverick who would criticize governors of New York, both Republican and Democrat. In the legislature, Leichter supported campaign finance reform
, viewing the state's existing campaign finance laws as too weak, and opposed the granting of tax subsidies to businesses by New York State. In much of the 1990s, with the Senate controlled by Republicans, the liberal Democrat described his primary responsibility as "raising issues and making noise", which he accomplished in debate in the Senate and through frequent news conferences in the Senate lobby in the New York State Capitol
and at New York City Hall
.
After announcing his retirement in 1998 at age 67, Leichter indicated that he had discussed possible positions serving in the Clinton Administration, indicating that "I've certainly let it be known that if there's a position where I could be helpful, I'd be interested".
Among the Democrats seeking to fill his seat representing the 30th State Senate District on Manhattan's Upper West Side
was Daniel O'Donnell
, a former public defender and brother of entertainer Rosie O'Donnell
, who announced his intention to run for the seat and would have become the first openly gay man in the New York State Legislature if he was successful in his bid for office.
Eric Schneiderman
was the winner of the Democratic primary and the general election in 1998.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Democratic Party
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...
politician who served in both the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
and the New York Senate.
Leichter was born in Austria and graduated with a degree from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1957. His mother Käthe Leichter, née Pick, was killed in a Nazi concentration camp in 1942, his father, Otto Leichter, died in New York City in 1973. Both had been Viennese by birth. His brother Henry O. Leichter, born 1924 in Austria, lawyer, died in New York City on December 20, 2010. After the Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
in 1938, both brothers could be brought out of Nazi Germany with the help of some friends; their father reached the U.S. later, staying in Belgium and France with exiled Austrians before.
Franz S. Leichter was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 1968. He drafted a bill expanding abortion rights together with 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...
Assemblywoman Constance Cook
Constance Cook
Constance E. Cook was an American Republican Party politician who served in the New York State Assembly, where she co-authored a bill signed into law that legalized abortion in New York three years before the Roe v...
of upstate Tompkins County, New York
Tompkins County, New York
Tompkins County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and comprises the whole of the Ithaca metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 101,564. The county seat is Ithaca, and the county is home to Cornell University, Ithaca College and Tompkins Cortland Community...
, proposing legislation that included no restrictions on the practice of abortion. The bill passed in the Senate on March 18, 1970 after five hours of debate by a vote of 31–26. For the Assembly, the bill was amended to allow for women to have abortions until their 24th week of pregnancy or at any time to protect the life of the mother. As the roll call progressed in the Assembly on April 9, 1970, the legislature deadlocked at 74 in favor and 74 opposed, with one member absent and the Assembly speaker not voting, leaving the count two short of the absolute majority of 76 members of the 150-member Assembly needed to pass the bill. George Michaels
George Michaels
George M. Michaels was an American Democratic Party politician from New York, who served in the New York State Assembly from 1961 to 1966 and 1969 to 1970, where he was best known for his changed vote that played a pivotal role in the passage of an expanded abortion rights law in New York...
, an Assemblyman from Cayuga County
Cayuga County, New York
Cayuga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was named for one of the tribes of Indians in the Iroquois Confederation. Its county seat is Auburn.- History :...
who represented a largely conservative Roman Catholic district, had earlier voted against the proposal, but rose to speak, stating "I realize, Mr. Speaker, that I am terminating my political career, but I cannot in good conscience sit here and allow my vote to be the one that defeats this bill", and asked "that my vote be changed from 'no' to 'yes'", a prediction that turned out to be correct. With the switch by Michaels, the measure passed by a margin of 76 to 73 in the Assembly. Governor of New York
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
Nelson Rockefeller
Nelson Rockefeller
Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller was the 41st Vice President of the United States , serving under President Gerald Ford, and the 49th Governor of New York , as well as serving the Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower administrations in a variety of positions...
signed the law the next day and the U.S. Supreme Court patterned its ruling in its landmark January 1973 decision Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade, , was a controversial landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court on the issue of abortion. The Court decided that a right to privacy under the due process clause in the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution extends to a woman's decision to have an abortion,...
on the New York law.
Leichter became a member of the New York Senate in 1974, representing a district in Manhattan until 1998, when he announced that he would not run for re-election. Leichter was viewed as a political maverick who would criticize governors of New York, both Republican and Democrat. In the legislature, Leichter supported campaign finance reform
Campaign finance reform
Campaign finance reform is the common term for the political effort in the United States to change the involvement of money in politics, primarily in political campaigns....
, viewing the state's existing campaign finance laws as too weak, and opposed the granting of tax subsidies to businesses by New York State. In much of the 1990s, with the Senate controlled by Republicans, the liberal Democrat described his primary responsibility as "raising issues and making noise", which he accomplished in debate in the Senate and through frequent news conferences in the Senate lobby in the New York State Capitol
New York State Capitol
The New York State Capitol is the capitol building of the U.S. state of New York. Housing the New York State Legislature, it is located in the state capital city Albany, on State Street in Capitol Park. The building, completed in 1899 at a cost of $25 million , was the most expensive government...
and at New York City Hall
New York City Hall
New York City Hall is located at the center of City Hall Park in the Civic Center area of Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA, between Broadway, Park Row, and Chambers Street. The building is the oldest City Hall in the United States that still houses its original governmental functions, such as...
.
After announcing his retirement in 1998 at age 67, Leichter indicated that he had discussed possible positions serving in the Clinton Administration, indicating that "I've certainly let it be known that if there's a position where I could be helpful, I'd be interested".
Among the Democrats seeking to fill his seat representing the 30th State Senate District on Manhattan's Upper West Side
Upper West Side
The Upper West Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, that lies between Central Park and the Hudson River and between West 59th Street and West 125th Street...
was Daniel O'Donnell
Daniel O'Donnell
Daniel or Danny O'Donnell may refer to:* Daniel O'Donnell, Irish singer* Daniel O'Donnell , American legislator from the state of New York* Danny O'Donnell * Danny O'Donnell...
, a former public defender and brother of entertainer Rosie O'Donnell
Rosie O'Donnell
Roseann "Rosie" O'Donnell is an American stand-up comedian, actress, author and television personality. She has also been a magazine editor and continues to be a celebrity blogger, LGBT rights activist, television producer and collaborative partner in the LGBT family vacation company R Family...
, who announced his intention to run for the seat and would have become the first openly gay man in the New York State Legislature if he was successful in his bid for office.
Eric Schneiderman
Eric Schneiderman
Eric T. Schneiderman is the 65th and current New York Attorney General.-Early life, education, and early career:Schneiderman graduated from Amherst College in 1977 with a B.A...
was the winner of the Democratic primary and the general election in 1998.