Robert J. Burkhardt
Encyclopedia
Robert James Burkhardt was an American
Democratic Party
politician
who served as Secretary of State of New Jersey
and chairman of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee
.
Burkardt was born in 1916 and was raised in Chicago
. He attended Purdue University
and worked as an engineer before becoming involved in New York
Democratic politics. In 1949 he headed the New York State Young Democrats and went on to work for Democratic campaigns on the state and national levels, beginning with Adlai Stevenson's 1952 presidential campaign.
In New Jersey politics Burkhardt rose in influence first as executive secretary to Governor Robert B. Meyner
from 1954 to 1962 and then as secretary of state under Governor Richard J. Hughes
from 1962 to 1970. He also served as gubernatorial campaign director for both Meyner and Hughes. After the death of Thorn Lord
in 1965 he was selected as chairman of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee
. He played a significant role in planning the 1967 Glassboro Summit Conference between President Lyndon B. Johnson
and Soviet Union
Premier Alexei Kosygin.
His political career came to an end in 1972 when he pleaded guilty in Federal Court to a charge of accepting $30,000 in bribes to fix a bridge construction contract in 1964, when he was serving as secretary of state to Governor Hughes. He was given a suspended sentence and three years' probation.
Burkhardt resided in Trenton, New Jersey
and Central Valley, New York
. He died in 1999 at Arden Hill Hospital in Goshen, New York
at the age of 83 after complications from Parkinson's disease
.
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who served as Secretary of State of New Jersey
Secretary of State of New Jersey
The Secretary of State of New Jersey is responsible for overseeing artistic, cultural, and historical programs within the U.S. state of New Jersey, as well as volunteerism and community service projects within the state....
and chairman of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee
New Jersey Democratic State Committee
The New Jersey Democratic State Committee is the New Jersey state affiliate of the United States Democratic Party.New Jersey Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski is the Chairman and Camden Mayor Dana Redd is the Vice-Chairwoman. They were elected on January 27, 2010.-Party structure:The NJDSC is the...
.
Burkardt was born in 1916 and was raised in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. He attended Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
and worked as an engineer before becoming involved in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Democratic politics. In 1949 he headed the New York State Young Democrats and went on to work for Democratic campaigns on the state and national levels, beginning with Adlai Stevenson's 1952 presidential campaign.
In New Jersey politics Burkhardt rose in influence first as executive secretary to Governor Robert B. Meyner
Robert B. Meyner
Robert Baumle Meyner of Phillipsburg, New Jersey was an American Democratic Party politician, who served as the 44th Governor of New Jersey, from 1954 to 1962...
from 1954 to 1962 and then as secretary of state under Governor Richard J. Hughes
Richard J. Hughes
Richard Joseph Hughes was an American Democratic Party politician, who served as the 45th Governor of New Jersey from 1962 to 1970, and as Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court from 1973–1979...
from 1962 to 1970. He also served as gubernatorial campaign director for both Meyner and Hughes. After the death of Thorn Lord
Thorn Lord
Balfour Bowen Thorn Lord was an American lawyer and Democratic politician from New Jersey.-Biography:Lord was born in 1906 in Plainfield, New Jersey to Carroll P. Lord, a New England cotton merchant, and Frances E. Troy of Asheville, North Carolina. The family moved South two years later...
in 1965 he was selected as chairman of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee
New Jersey Democratic State Committee
The New Jersey Democratic State Committee is the New Jersey state affiliate of the United States Democratic Party.New Jersey Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski is the Chairman and Camden Mayor Dana Redd is the Vice-Chairwoman. They were elected on January 27, 2010.-Party structure:The NJDSC is the...
. He played a significant role in planning the 1967 Glassboro Summit Conference between President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
and Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
Premier Alexei Kosygin.
His political career came to an end in 1972 when he pleaded guilty in Federal Court to a charge of accepting $30,000 in bribes to fix a bridge construction contract in 1964, when he was serving as secretary of state to Governor Hughes. He was given a suspended sentence and three years' probation.
Burkhardt resided in Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
and Central Valley, New York
Central Valley, New York
Central Valley is a hamlet in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 1,857 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a census-designated place...
. He died in 1999 at Arden Hill Hospital in Goshen, New York
Goshen (village), New York
Goshen is a village in and the county seat of Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 5,676 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport,...
at the age of 83 after complications from Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
.