Abraham Bernstein (May 1, 1918 – March 4, 1990) was an American lawyer and politician fromNew York.
He was born on May 1, 1918, inthe Bronx,New York City. He attendedDeWitt Clinton High School. He graduated fromCity College of New York andBrooklyn Law School. He was admitted to the bar in 1941, and practiced law in New York City. DuringWorld War II he served in theU.S. Army, and was awarded theArmy Commendation Ribbon.
He was a member of theNew York State Senate from 1961 until his death in 1990, sitting in the173rd,174th,175th,176th,177th,178th,179th,180th,181st,182nd,183rd,184th,185th,186th,187th,188th New York State Legislatures. In 1977, he had a leg amputated. From 1980 to 1982, he was president of the National Association of Jewish Legislators.
Bernstein introduced a bill to banprofessional wrestling in February 1985, which was never voted out of committee. Later that year, New York Senate Democrats formed a task force to investigate professional wrestling with Bernstein as the chair.[1] The task force held their hearings on the 44th floor of theWorld Trade Center inNew York City. Over 200 people were asked to testify, but only a handful agreed.Captain Lou Albano toldThe New York Times that he did not agree to testify because, "some of these politicians have brains the size of dehydrated peas."Morgus the Maniac (incorrectly identified as Manfred the Maniac) also toldThe New York Times he turned the invitation down and added that if he had testified he may have felt compelled tobody slam members of the task force.Sheik Ali was one of the few wrestlers who testified and he denied that wrestling had predetermined outcomes. Former wrestlerEddy Mansfield told the task force that wrestling was fixed.[2]
He died on March 4, 1990, in a hospital inthe Bronx, of aheart attack;[3] and was buried at the New Mount Lebanon Cemetery inIselin, New Jersey.[4]
| New York State Senate | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | New York State Senate 28th District 1961–1965 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | New York State Senate 36th district 1966 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | New York State Senate 32nd district 1967–1972 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | New York State Senate 33rd district 1973–1990 | Succeeded by |