Joshua Eilberg (February 12, 1921 – March 24, 2004) was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.
Joshua Eilberg | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 4th district | |
| In office January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1979 | |
| Preceded by | Herman Toll |
| Succeeded by | Charles F. Dougherty |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Joshua Eilberg February 12, 1921 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | March 24, 2004 (aged 83) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | University of Pennsylvania (BS) Temple University (LLB) |
Early life and education
editEilberg was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Central High School (Philadelphia), the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University School of Law, both in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Legal and early political career
editHe entered the United States Naval Reserve and became a private practice lawyer, later becoming assistant district attorney of the city of Philadelphia from 1952 to 1954. He was elected to the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, serving from 1954 to 1966, rising to the position of majority leader in 1965–1966. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions of 1960, 1964 and 1968, and was the Democratic ward leader for the fifty-fourth ward of Philadelphia.
Congress
editHe was elected in 1966 as a Democrat to the 90th and to the five succeeding Congresses. In 1974, Eilberg defeated Chris Matthews, future host of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews, in the Democratic primary. In 1978, he defeated Mark B. Cohen in the Democratic primary, before losing to Charles F. Dougherty. While in office, he served as the Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and International Law. In that role, Representative Eilberg led a legislative veto to override the Attorney General's suspension of deportation of Jagdish Rai Chadha and five others under the Immigration and Nationality Act.[1] The Supreme Court later found the legislative veto unconstitutional in INS v. Chadha, 462 U.S. 919 (1983).
Controversy, indictment and guilty plea
editIn 1978, then-U.S. Attorney David W. Marston investigated Eilberg for money he received in connection with a federal grant to Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia. Eilberg contacted the Carter White House, and Marston was later fired.[2] Eilberg lost his 1978 reelection bid, and, three months later, pleaded guilty to conflict of interest charges. He was sentenced to five years of probation and a $10,000 fine.[3]
Personal life
editHe was married to a social worker named Gladys. They had a daughter, Amy Eilberg,[4][5] who is the first female rabbi ordained in Conservative Judaism,[6] and a son, William.[4]
Death
editEilberg died in Philadelphia on March 24, 2004, of complications of Parkinson’s Disease.[4]
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ House Congressional Record 40800 (1975)
- ^ That Mishandled Marston Affair Time Magazine. February 6, 1978. Retrieved April 15, 2007.
- ^ Joshua Eilberg (Obituary) Blog of Death. April 11, 2004. Retrieved April 15, 2007.
- ^ a b c Archives, L. A. Times (March 27, 2004). "Joshua Eilberg, 83; Ex-Congressman Sat on Judiciary Panel". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Amy Eilberg". Jewish Women's Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 25 November 2010. Retrieved 23 December 2010.
- ^ Goldman, Ari L. (19 August 1991). "Gerson D. Cohen Is Dead at 66; Ex-Chancellor of Jewish Seminary". The New York Times.
References
edit- United States Congress. "Joshua Eilberg (id: E000096)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.