This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/10/us/politics/anthony-beilenson-dead-california-congressman.html

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Anthony Beilenson, Congressman Who Fought for Abortion Rights, Dies at 84 Anthony Beilenson, Congressman Who Fought for Abortion Rights, Dies at 84
(35 minutes later)
Anthony Beilenson, a 10-term congressman who persuaded fellow California legislators and Gov. Ronald Reagan 50 years ago to approve what was then one of the nation’s most permissive abortion rights bills, died on Sunday in Los Angeles. He was 84. Anthony Beilenson, a 10-term congressman who persuaded fellow California legislators and Gov. Ronald Reagan 50 years ago to approve what was then one of the nation’s most permissive abortion rights bills, died on March 5 in Los Angeles. He was 84.
His son, Dr. Peter Beilenson, said the cause was heart failure.His son, Dr. Peter Beilenson, said the cause was heart failure.
New York-born, Mr. Beilenson was, by most measures, a liberal Democrat. He favored civil rights, gun control and environmental causes and refused to accept contributions from political action committees.New York-born, Mr. Beilenson was, by most measures, a liberal Democrat. He favored civil rights, gun control and environmental causes and refused to accept contributions from political action committees.
But he was also an unpredictable iconoclast. He opposed, for one thing, the creation of a federal Department of Education; education, he argued, was a state responsibility. He was against making the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday a national holiday; federal government employees, he said, already had enough days off. And he was against officially celebrating Grandparents’ Day; it was a sop to the greeting card industry, he said.But he was also an unpredictable iconoclast. He opposed, for one thing, the creation of a federal Department of Education; education, he argued, was a state responsibility. He was against making the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday a national holiday; federal government employees, he said, already had enough days off. And he was against officially celebrating Grandparents’ Day; it was a sop to the greeting card industry, he said.
In 1989, as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, he urged Washington to discontinue military aid to Afghan rebels fighting Soviet invaders. Some of that money eventually made its way to allies of Osama bin Laden. He also championed wilderness conservation in California.In 1989, as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, he urged Washington to discontinue military aid to Afghan rebels fighting Soviet invaders. Some of that money eventually made its way to allies of Osama bin Laden. He also championed wilderness conservation in California.
His biggest accomplishment in the State Legislature was the first liberalization of California’s abortion law in a century, passed in 1967.His biggest accomplishment in the State Legislature was the first liberalization of California’s abortion law in a century, passed in 1967.
“At the time it became law, no one anticipated that the Supreme Court would discover a constitutional right to abortion, as it did in Roe v. Wade in 1973,” Lou Cannon, his friend, a Reagan biographer and a former reporter for The Washington Post, wrote recently on RealClearPolitics.com.“At the time it became law, no one anticipated that the Supreme Court would discover a constitutional right to abortion, as it did in Roe v. Wade in 1973,” Lou Cannon, his friend, a Reagan biographer and a former reporter for The Washington Post, wrote recently on RealClearPolitics.com.
“Instead,” Mr. Cannon wrote, “it was believed that the abortion rights battle would be fought in state legislatures, and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has suggested that the United States might be more accepting of abortion rights if that had happened. Beilenson told me he also believed this.”“Instead,” Mr. Cannon wrote, “it was believed that the abortion rights battle would be fought in state legislatures, and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has suggested that the United States might be more accepting of abortion rights if that had happened. Beilenson told me he also believed this.”
Arguing that thousands of women were dying from back-channel abortions — the procedure was permitted only when a woman’s life was endangered — Mr. Beilenson persuaded the Senate president to consider liberalizing the law. Mr. Reagan agreed to sign a bill passed by a bipartisan majority.Arguing that thousands of women were dying from back-channel abortions — the procedure was permitted only when a woman’s life was endangered — Mr. Beilenson persuaded the Senate president to consider liberalizing the law. Mr. Reagan agreed to sign a bill passed by a bipartisan majority.
Mr. Beilenson crafted a compromise that legalized abortion in cases of rape or incest, or when a woman’s mental or physical health was at risk. The Legislature approved it, and Mr. Reagan signed it, though he later said he regretted his decision.Mr. Beilenson crafted a compromise that legalized abortion in cases of rape or incest, or when a woman’s mental or physical health was at risk. The Legislature approved it, and Mr. Reagan signed it, though he later said he regretted his decision.
“He helped shape Reagan’s positive response to women’s right to choose and progressive changes in the state tax laws,” Robert Dallek, the presidential historian, said in an email on Friday. “In Congress, he served with distinction on the House Intelligence Committee. As an ex-congressman, he avoided the sort of money-making avenues that open to so many of them. His was a voice of reason in the era of Vietnam, the Cold War, and Watergate and so much since.”“He helped shape Reagan’s positive response to women’s right to choose and progressive changes in the state tax laws,” Robert Dallek, the presidential historian, said in an email on Friday. “In Congress, he served with distinction on the House Intelligence Committee. As an ex-congressman, he avoided the sort of money-making avenues that open to so many of them. His was a voice of reason in the era of Vietnam, the Cold War, and Watergate and so much since.”
Anthony Charles Beilenson was born on Oct. 26, 1932, in New Rochelle, N.Y., to Peter Beilenson and the former Edna Rudolph, founders of the Peter Pauper Press, which published classic books that, as they put it, even a pauper could afford.Anthony Charles Beilenson was born on Oct. 26, 1932, in New Rochelle, N.Y., to Peter Beilenson and the former Edna Rudolph, founders of the Peter Pauper Press, which published classic books that, as they put it, even a pauper could afford.
He graduated from Phillips Academy Andover in Massachusetts, earned a bachelor’s degree in government from Harvard in 1954 and graduated from Harvard Law School. He joined his cousin’s entertainment law practice in Los Angeles.He graduated from Phillips Academy Andover in Massachusetts, earned a bachelor’s degree in government from Harvard in 1954 and graduated from Harvard Law School. He joined his cousin’s entertainment law practice in Los Angeles.
Besides his son Peter, a former Baltimore health commissioner, Mr. Beilenson is survived by his wife, the former Dolores Martin; another son, Adam; a daughter, Dayna Beilenson; a brother, Roger; a sister, Elizabeth Beilenson Schildkraut; and nine grandchildren.Besides his son Peter, a former Baltimore health commissioner, Mr. Beilenson is survived by his wife, the former Dolores Martin; another son, Adam; a daughter, Dayna Beilenson; a brother, Roger; a sister, Elizabeth Beilenson Schildkraut; and nine grandchildren.
He said he had been inspired to enter politics by a speech he heard at Harvard on the plight of migrant workers by Helen Gahagan Douglas, a former Democratic House member. She was defeated in 1950 when she ran for the United States Senate against a fellow California congressman, Richard M. Nixon, whom she called “Tricky Dick” after he accused her of Communist sympathies. Mr. Beilenson said he had been inspired to enter politics by a speech he heard at Harvard on the plight of migrant workers by Helen Gahagan Douglas, a former Democratic House member. She was defeated in 1950 when she ran for the United States Senate against a fellow California congressman, Richard M. Nixon, whom she called “Tricky Dick” after he accused her of Communist sympathies.
Mr. Beilenson served in the State Assembly from 1963 to 1966 and the State Senate from 1967 to 1976, representing all of Los Angeles in what was then, before one-person, one-vote, the most populous legislative district in the nation. He was then elected to Congress from a district that Ms. Douglas had represented. He served in the State Assembly from 1963 to 1966 and the State Senate from 1967 to 1976, representing all of Los Angeles in what was then, before one-person, one-vote, the most populous legislative district in the nation. He was then elected to Congress from a district that Ms. Douglas had represented.
Mr. Beilenson was fiercely independent.Mr. Beilenson was fiercely independent.
He supported the death penalty for drug lords, limits on legal immigration (to reduce competition with citizens for jobs) and, at one point, would have denied automatic citizenship to American-born children of illegal immigrants, saying it would be too costly to provide them with health and welfare benefits. He supported the death penalty for drug lords and limits on legal immigration (to reduce competition with citizens for jobs); at one point, he would have denied automatic citizenship to American-born children of illegal immigrants, saying it would be too costly to provide them with health and welfare benefits.
Regardless of his positions, Mr. Beilenson was repeatedly singled out by his colleagues and constituents for his integrity. He retired at the beginning of 1997 because he was disgusted, he said, with the partisan rancor that appeared to make compromise in Congress impossible. Regardless of his positions, Mr. Beilenson was repeatedly singled out by his colleagues and constituents for his integrity. He retired at the beginning of 1997 because, he said, he was disgusted with the partisan rancor that appeared to make compromise in Congress impossible.
“What has really bothered me about the congressional environment now is all this ideological and mindless politics,” he told The Los Angeles Times after deciding not to seek re-election. “Moderate, sensible, middle-of-the-road resolutions of issues seem no longer possible.”“What has really bothered me about the congressional environment now is all this ideological and mindless politics,” he told The Los Angeles Times after deciding not to seek re-election. “Moderate, sensible, middle-of-the-road resolutions of issues seem no longer possible.”