James C. Corman
Encyclopedia
James Charles Corman was a Los Angeles City Council member from 1957 to 1961 and a Democratic Congressman from California between 1961 and 1981.
, the son of Ransford D. Corman and Edna V. Corman, both of Kansas. His father was a silica
miner who died of lung disease
brought on by his work. Young James was brought to California by his mother in 1933; he attended Belmont High School
in Los Angeles and earned a bachelor of arts
degree from UCLA and a law degree from the University of Southern California
. A Methodist, he was married on June 22, 1946, to Virginia Little of Atlanta, Georgia
. They had two children, Mary Ann and James C., Jr.
He was said to be "extremely bright, intensely private and sometimes moody" as well as "a courtly man in a tumultuous time . . . with old-fashioned graciousness." At age 68, he was described as a "dapper in monogrammed shirts, leather suspenders and wing-tipped shoes."
Corman died at age 80 on December 30, 2000, after suffering a stroke
in a rehabilitation facility in Arlington, Virginia. He was survived by his fourth wife, Nancy Breetwor-Malone. They had two children, Adam and Brian. A funeral service was held in Arlington National Cemetery
, and interment followed.
in the U.S. Marine Corps in June 1943.
In 1944 he told of the dearh of a Japanese soldier
he witnessed in the Mariana Islands
while his Marine unit was guarding a food supply. The Marines held their fire until the Japanese "began pawing over the [food] in the darkness, and then opened fire." One Japanese "fell wounded over a crate of salmon cans. His companions fled." Corman continued:
In 1957 Corman, supported by labor and Democratic votes, was elected to a four-year term represent Los Angeles City Council District 7, over Kay Bogendorfer, a Republican. In that year, this newly established San Fernando Valley
district was bounded on the south by Riverside Drive on the east by Coldwater Canyon
and Woodman avenues and on the west generally by Balboa Boulevard
. It had been moved from Downtown Los Angeles
after Councilman Don A. Allen
was elected to the State Assembly. Corman did not finish his term, being elected to Congress in 1960.
and out with President Carter
," he would say after he left the United States Congress
. He served in the House of Representatives from 1961 to 1981.
firm, Corman Law Offices, in Washington, D.C., with a partner, William Kirk. Their clients included MCA
, American Newspaper Publishers Association and National Structured Settlements
Trade Association. The firm merged with Silverstein & Mullens in January 1990. Corman represented Texas Air Corporation president Frank Lorenzo
in his contested takeover
of Continental Airlines
. He stopped representing the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare because of its "high-pressure fund-raising methods and alarmist pronouncements."
In 1985 he was elected president of Americans United for Separation of Church and State
.
In 2001, the Van Nuys Federal Building was named in his honor.
General
Corman was born on October 20, 1920, in Galena, KansasGalena, Kansas
Galena is a city in Cherokee County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,085.-History:The city was named after the lead ore galena found here in 1877. The city was originally platted by the Galena Mining and Smelting Company and was to be known as Cornwall...
, the son of Ransford D. Corman and Edna V. Corman, both of Kansas. His father was a silica
Silicon dioxide
The chemical compound silicon dioxide, also known as silica , is an oxide of silicon with the chemical formula '. It has been known for its hardness since antiquity...
miner who died of lung disease
Silicosis
Silicosis, also known as Potter's rot, is a form of occupational lung disease caused by inhalation of crystalline silica dust, and is marked by inflammation and scarring in forms of nodular lesions in the upper lobes of the lungs...
brought on by his work. Young James was brought to California by his mother in 1933; he attended Belmont High School
Belmont High School (Los Angeles, California)
Belmont Senior High School is a public high school located at 1575 West 2nd Street in the Westlake community of Los Angeles, California. The school, which serves grades 9 through 12, is part of the Los Angeles Unified School District.-History:...
in Los Angeles and earned a bachelor of arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from UCLA and a law degree from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. A Methodist, he was married on June 22, 1946, to Virginia Little of Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. They had two children, Mary Ann and James C., Jr.
He was said to be "extremely bright, intensely private and sometimes moody" as well as "a courtly man in a tumultuous time . . . with old-fashioned graciousness." At age 68, he was described as a "dapper in monogrammed shirts, leather suspenders and wing-tipped shoes."
Corman died at age 80 on December 30, 2000, after suffering a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
in a rehabilitation facility in Arlington, Virginia. He was survived by his fourth wife, Nancy Breetwor-Malone. They had two children, Adam and Brian. A funeral service was held in Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
, and interment followed.
Military
Corman was a cadet officer at UCLA with the Reserve Officer Training Corps, and he was made a second lieutenantSecond Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the U.S. Marine Corps in June 1943.
In 1944 he told of the dearh of a Japanese soldier
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
he witnessed in the Mariana Islands
Mariana and Palau Islands campaign
The Mariana and Palau Islands campaign, also known as Operation Forager, was an offensive launched by United States forces against Imperial Japanese forces in the Mariana Islands and Palau in the Pacific Ocean between June and November, 1944 during the Pacific War...
while his Marine unit was guarding a food supply. The Marines held their fire until the Japanese "began pawing over the [food] in the darkness, and then opened fire." One Japanese "fell wounded over a crate of salmon cans. His companions fled." Corman continued:
Suddenly we heard the tap of a grenade. We ducked into our foxholes just before the explosion and were unhurt. In the morning we found the Jap had decapitated himself. In his wallet was a magazine clipping of a picture of Japanese-American soldiers fighting with United States forces in Italy."
City Council
See also List of Los Angeles municipal election returns.In 1957 Corman, supported by labor and Democratic votes, was elected to a four-year term represent Los Angeles City Council District 7, over Kay Bogendorfer, a Republican. In that year, this newly established San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
district was bounded on the south by Riverside Drive on the east by Coldwater Canyon
Coldwater Canyon
Coldwater Canyon is a canyon running perpendicular to the Santa Monica Mountains in the city of Los Angeles, California. The canyon is traversed by Coldwater Canyon Drive and Coldwater Canyon Avenue , which connect the city of Beverly Hills with the community of Studio City in the San Fernando...
and Woodman avenues and on the west generally by Balboa Boulevard
Balboa Boulevard
Balboa Boulevard is a major north-south street in the city of Los Angeles, California, and it cuts through many communities and is one of the main thoroughfares in the San Fernando Valley....
. It had been moved from Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, United States, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area...
after Councilman Don A. Allen
Don A. Allen
Not to be confused with Charles A. Allen, Los Angeles City Council member, 1941–47.Don A. Allen, also known as Don A. Allen, Sr., was a member of the California State Assembly in the 1940s and 1950s and of the Los Angeles City Council between 1947 and 1956.-Biography:Allen was born on May 13, 1900...
was elected to the State Assembly. Corman did not finish his term, being elected to Congress in 1960.
Congress
"In with President KennedyJohn F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and out with President Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
," he would say after he left the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
. He served in the House of Representatives from 1961 to 1981.
Post-Congress
After his Congressional service, he opened a lobbyingLobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
firm, Corman Law Offices, in Washington, D.C., with a partner, William Kirk. Their clients included MCA
MCA
- Archaeology :* Medieval Climatic Anomaly, an extreme and persistent drought in California and Patagonia during Medieval TimeChodu- Aviation :* Minimum crossing altitude, a minimum obstacle crossing altitude for fixes on published airways...
, American Newspaper Publishers Association and National Structured Settlements
Structured settlement
A structured settlement is a financial or insurance arrangement, defined by Internal Revenue Code as periodic payments; a claimant accepts to resolve a personal injury tort claim or to compromise a statutory periodic payment obligation. Structured settlements were first utilized in Canada after a...
Trade Association. The firm merged with Silverstein & Mullens in January 1990. Corman represented Texas Air Corporation president Frank Lorenzo
Frank Lorenzo
Francisco Anthony "Frank" Lorenzo is an American businessman and philanthropist. He is most famous for his leadership of Texas International Airlines and its successor holding company Texas Air Corporation between 1972 and 1990, through which he formed or acquired a number of major U.S...
in his contested takeover
Takeover
In business, a takeover is the purchase of one company by another . In the UK, the term refers to the acquisition of a public company whose shares are listed on a stock exchange, in contrast to the acquisition of a private company.- Friendly takeovers :Before a bidder makes an offer for another...
of Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
. He stopped representing the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare because of its "high-pressure fund-raising methods and alarmist pronouncements."
In 1985 he was elected president of Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Americans United for Separation of Church and State is a group that advocates separation of church and state, a legal doctrine interpreted by AU as being enshrined in the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.-Mission:The guiding principle of Americans...
.
Legacy