Fritz Windhorst
Encyclopedia
Fritz Heinrich Windhorst (born ca. 1935) is a Gretna
, Louisiana
, attorney who served from 1972 to 1992 as a member of the Louisiana State Senate
from Jefferson
and Orleans parishes, originally District 8, and later District 7. Windhorst was a conservative Democrat
from 1972 to 1985, when he switched to Republican
affiliation. His son, Stephen J. Windhorst
, served as a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
from 1992 to 2000, when he resigned to accept a state court judgeship.
and Italian
extraction, Richard E. Windhorst Sr. (1913–1985), and the former Jenny Mary Motto (1916–2001), a native of Donaldsonville
, the seat of Ascension Parish
near Baton Rouge
, Louisiana. She was the daughter of Carmello Motto and the former Angelina Latino. His brother is
Richard Windhorst, Jr., and his sister was Angela Windhorst Tripkovich (1938–1999) of Metairie
in Jefferson Parish.
Windhorst is currently married to the former Barbara Turner (born ca. 1941), and the two are particularly active in civic and community matters.
in Louisiana
. On June 27, 1990, near the end of his Senate tenure, the Louisiana State Legislature penned the strongest pro-life law in the nation, sponsored by Democratic Senator Mike Cross
of Baker
in East Baton Rouge Parish. Because it provided no exceptions for impregnations stemming from rape
and incest
, the measure was vetoed by Governor Buddy Roemer
, a Democrat, who switched parties the following year. The state House overrode Roemer’s veto, but the state Senate fell three votes short of the required two-thirds majority to enact the measure over Roemer’s objection.
Windhorst said that the bill was an outgrowth of the failure of the United States Supreme Court to clarify regulations by the states on abortion: "We are here today because the U.S. Supreme Court did not have the courage or the resolve to be decisive." The Louisiana bill included an 1855 law that made abortion a felony
punishable by imprisonment; the sole exception permitted was to save the life of the mother in a medical emergency.
Windhorst also voted with economic conservatives in the Senate. In a special session
in 1988, he joined his colleagues in giving newly elected Governor Roemer the power to slash as much as 20 percent from department budgets, abolish or suspend certain programs, and to close institutions if necessary to keep the state financially solvent. Windhorst said that the powers transferred to Roemer were necessary: "It is either this or a much greater evil. If we don't like what he does, we can undo it during the regular session."
Sidney Barthelemy
, the second African American
to head the municipal government in New Orleans. Windhorst described the Democrat Barthelemy, originally elected with considerable white support, accordingly: “Sidney doesn’t whine or complain when things go badly…He doesn’t threaten people who cross him. Just having him as mayor has sharply reduced the anti-New Orleans feelings in the legislature.”
Windhorst was a delegate to the 1988 Republican National Convention
which met in New Orleans to nominate the George Herbert Walker Bush and J. Danforth Quayle
ticket.
When Windhorst retired in 1991, two-term Democratic State Representative Francis C. Heitmeier was elected to the position with 55 percent of the vote in the nonpartisan blanket primary against five opponents. The lone Republican candidate hoping to succeed Windhorst finished with fewer than 17 percent of the ballots. Because African-American influence in the Westbank increased throughout the 1990s, Heitmeier won with 58 percent of the vote in the 1995 primary and faced no opponents in 1999 and 2003. Heitmeier was term-limited in 2007.
Windhorst is Catholic. He is also a member of the West Bank Rotary International
.
Gretna, Louisiana
The city of Gretna is the parish seat of Jefferson Parish, in the US state of Louisiana. Gretna is on the west bank of the Mississippi River, just east and across the river from uptown New Orleans. It is part of the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, attorney who served from 1972 to 1992 as a member of the Louisiana State Senate
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from Jefferson
Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
Jefferson Parish is a parish in Louisiana, United States that includes most of the suburbs of New Orleans. The seat of parish government is Gretna....
and Orleans parishes, originally District 8, and later District 7. Windhorst was a conservative 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...
from 1972 to 1985, when he switched to 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...
affiliation. His son, Stephen J. Windhorst
Stephen J. Windhorst
Stephen Joseph Windhorst, known as Steve Windhorst , is a state judge of the 24th Judicial District Court in suburban New Orleans, Louisiana, who served as a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Jefferson and Orleans parishes from 1992 to 2000...
, served as a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from 1992 to 2000, when he resigned to accept a state court judgeship.
Family background
Windhorst was born to a Roman Catholic couple of GermanGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
extraction, Richard E. Windhorst Sr. (1913–1985), and the former Jenny Mary Motto (1916–2001), a native of Donaldsonville
Donaldsonville, Louisiana
Donaldsonville is a city in and the parish seat of Ascension Parish, Louisiana, United States, along the west bank of the Mississippi River. The population was 7,605 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:Acadians began to settle in the area in...
, the seat of Ascension Parish
Ascension Parish, Louisiana
Ascension Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the fastest growing parish in the state. Its population is 107,215 which is 39.9% greater than the 2000 census...
near Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
, Louisiana. She was the daughter of Carmello Motto and the former Angelina Latino. His brother is
Richard Windhorst, Jr., and his sister was Angela Windhorst Tripkovich (1938–1999) of Metairie
Metairie, Louisiana
Metairie is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States and is a major part of the New Orleans Metropolitan Area. Metairie is the largest community in Jefferson Parish. It is an unincorporated area that would be larger than most of the state's cities if it were...
in Jefferson Parish.
Windhorst is currently married to the former Barbara Turner (born ca. 1941), and the two are particularly active in civic and community matters.
Conservative senator
Senator Windhorst worked to restrict access to abortionAbortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. On June 27, 1990, near the end of his Senate tenure, the Louisiana State Legislature penned the strongest pro-life law in the nation, sponsored by Democratic Senator Mike Cross
Mike Cross (Louisiana politician)
Michael Aduron Cross, known as Mike Cross is an American businessman who served from 1981 to 1996 as a Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate from District 13 in Greater Baton Rouge, Louisiana...
of Baker
Baker, Louisiana
Baker is a city in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, United States, and a part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,793 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Baker is located at...
in East Baton Rouge Parish. Because it provided no exceptions for impregnations stemming from rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
and incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
, the measure was vetoed by Governor Buddy Roemer
Buddy Roemer
Charles Elson "Buddy" Roemer III is an American politician who served as the 52nd Governor of Louisiana, from 1988 to 1992. He was elected as a Democrat but switched to the Republican Party on March 11, 1991...
, a Democrat, who switched parties the following year. The state House overrode Roemer’s veto, but the state Senate fell three votes short of the required two-thirds majority to enact the measure over Roemer’s objection.
Windhorst said that the bill was an outgrowth of the failure of the United States Supreme Court to clarify regulations by the states on abortion: "We are here today because the U.S. Supreme Court did not have the courage or the resolve to be decisive." The Louisiana bill included an 1855 law that made abortion a felony
Felony
A felony is a serious crime in the common law countries. The term originates from English common law where felonies were originally crimes which involved the confiscation of a convicted person's land and goods; other crimes were called misdemeanors...
punishable by imprisonment; the sole exception permitted was to save the life of the mother in a medical emergency.
Windhorst also voted with economic conservatives in the Senate. In a special session
Special session
In a legislature, a special session is a period when the body convenes outside of the normal legislative session. This most frequently occurs in order to complete unfinished tasks for the year , such as outlining the government's budget for the next fiscal year, biennium, or other period...
in 1988, he joined his colleagues in giving newly elected Governor Roemer the power to slash as much as 20 percent from department budgets, abolish or suspend certain programs, and to close institutions if necessary to keep the state financially solvent. Windhorst said that the powers transferred to Roemer were necessary: "It is either this or a much greater evil. If we don't like what he does, we can undo it during the regular session."
Other political matters
Windhorst’s later Senate tenure corresponded with the administration of MayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
Sidney Barthelemy
Sidney Barthelemy
Sidney John Barthelemy is a former American political figure. He served as Democratic mayor of New Orleans from 1986 to 1994...
, the second African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
to head the municipal government in New Orleans. Windhorst described the Democrat Barthelemy, originally elected with considerable white support, accordingly: “Sidney doesn’t whine or complain when things go badly…He doesn’t threaten people who cross him. Just having him as mayor has sharply reduced the anti-New Orleans feelings in the legislature.”
Windhorst was a delegate to the 1988 Republican National Convention
1988 Republican National Convention
The 1988 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States was held in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana from August 15 to August 18, 1988. It was the second time that a major party held its conclave in one of the five states known as the Deep South, coming on the...
which met in New Orleans to nominate the George Herbert Walker Bush and J. Danforth Quayle
Dan Quayle
James Danforth "Dan" Quayle served as the 44th Vice President of the United States, serving with President George H. W. Bush . He served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the state of Indiana....
ticket.
When Windhorst retired in 1991, two-term Democratic State Representative Francis C. Heitmeier was elected to the position with 55 percent of the vote in the nonpartisan blanket primary against five opponents. The lone Republican candidate hoping to succeed Windhorst finished with fewer than 17 percent of the ballots. Because African-American influence in the Westbank increased throughout the 1990s, Heitmeier won with 58 percent of the vote in the 1995 primary and faced no opponents in 1999 and 2003. Heitmeier was term-limited in 2007.
Windhorst is Catholic. He is also a member of the West Bank Rotary International
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
.