Everything about Howard Metzenbaum totally explained
Howard Morton Metzenbaum (
June 4 1917–
March 12 2008) was an
American politician who served for almost 20 years as a
Democratic member of the
U.S. Senate from
Ohio (1974, 1976–1995).
Biography
Early life
Metzenbaum was born in
Cleveland, the son of Anna (
née Klafter) and Charles I. Metzenbaum. He received a
bachelor's degree from
Ohio State University in 1939 and a
Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the same school in 1941. During the 1940s, he practiced law in Cleveland, mostly for labor unions, first the
Communications Workers of America and then the
International Association of Machinists.
Political & business career
Despite
urban legends to the contrary, he claims he never represented the
Communist Party. When the
National Republican Senatorial Committee suggested in 1987 that he'd "Communist sympathies", Chairman
Rudy Boschwitz apologized for the insulting smear.
Metzenbaum served in the
Ohio House of Representatives from 1943 to 1947. He then served in the
Ohio Senate from 1947 to 1951. In 1958, he was the campaign manager for U.S. Senator
Stephen M. Young.
Metzenbaum became wealthy through insightful investments, particularly in real estate near what became the
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, which Metzenbaum and his partner,
Alva "Ted" Bonda, correctly envisioned would make for extremely profitable, 24 hour, well lighted parking lots. The business expanded to become APCOA, the world's largest parking lot company. In the early 1970s, Metzenbaum co-owned the
Sun Newspapers chain of weeklies in the Cleveland suburbs.. Bonda and Metzenbaum also started one of the country's first car-rental companies, now
Avis. because the Senate Democrats knew that almost nothing would get through if Metzenbaum opposed it even though he never held an official party leadership post or chaired a committee. Metzenbaum took a particular interest in
antitrust and
consumer protection issues, often threatening to repeal the exemption from antitrust laws given to
Major League Baseball. Since his retirement, however, the issue has gone largely unaddressed. Metzenbaum became well-known for his service on the
Senate Judiciary Committee, particularly because of his dedicated efforts to keep stringent antitrust laws and his pro-choice stance on
abortion.
Metzenbaum devised a different method for filibustering in the Senate by offering scores of amendments to bills in place of talking one bill to death like his Southern colleagues did during the debate for Civil Rights in the 1950s and 1960s.
Metzenbaum was behind several important pieces of legislation, including the
Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, which required warning periods for large factory closures; the
Brady Law, which established a waiting period for handgun purchases;
Popular culture
Metzenbaum was referenced in the
Space Ghost Coast to Coast episode
Switcheroo. Space Ghost mentioned him as a guest, but his staff had forgotten to book him.
Metzenbaum had a cameo in the 1993 film
Dave. He was also referenced in numerous Cleveland-area advertisements.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Howard Metzenbaum'.
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