Otto Passman | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Passman,c. 1971 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromLouisiana's5th district | |
| In office January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1977 | |
| Preceded by | Charles E. McKenzie |
| Succeeded by | Jerry Huckaby |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Otto Ernest Passman (1900-06-27)June 27, 1900 Franklinton, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | August 13, 1988(1988-08-13) (aged 88) Monroe, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Willie Lenora Bateman (m.c. 1920, died 1984) |
| Alma mater | Soule Business College |
| Occupation |
|
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1942–1944 |
| Rank | lieutenant commander |
| Conflict | World War II |
Otto Ernest Passman (June 27, 1900 – August 13, 1988) was an American politician who served in theUnited States House of Representatives forLouisiana's 5th congressional district from 1947 until 1977.[1] As a congressman, Passman chaired the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Aid where he was a well-known opponent of foreign aid spending.[2]
Passman was born on June 27, 1900, inFranklinton, Louisiana, the son of Ed and Pheriby (née Carrier) Passman.[3] Passman graduated fromSoule Business College in 1929, and engaged in the manufacture and sale of appliances.[1] He married Willie Lenora Bateman in the early 1920s, and she died in 1984.[4] He married his secretary, Martha Kathryn Williams (1926–2005), later that year inArlington, Virginia.[5][6]
Passman served in the United States Navy duringWorld War II from 1942 until 1944, and after the war ended, Passman ran for Congress against incumbent CongressmanCharles E. McKenzie. Passman defeated McKenzie in the 1946 Democratic primary. During Passman's time in Congress, winning the Democratic primary in Louisiana was considered tantamount to election. Passman was accused of influence peddling in the time leading up to the 1976 Primary.Jerry Huckaby challenged Passman in that election and defeated him by a 53% to 47% margin.[7]
During his tenure, Passman was one of only three Representatives who voted to reject theJudiciary Committee's report on theWatergate scandal followingNixon's resignation; Passman joinedEarl Landgrebe andSonny Montgomery as the three opposed compared to 412 in favor.[8]
In his last years in office, Passman was sued for firing his deputy administrative assistant, Shirley Davis. When terminating Davis, Passman wrote that "it was essential that the understudy to my Administrative Assistant be a man."[9] Davis alleged a violation of theDue Process Clause of theFifth Amendment due to discrimination on the basis of sex. This raised a question of whether the earlierBivens case, which authorized direct enforcement of theFourth Amendment against federal officers, could also be expanded to other constitutional amendments. The Supreme Court determined inDavis v. Passman that Davis had a claim underBivens and remanded the case for further hearing.[10]
After leaving Congress, Passman was charged with taking $273,000 fromTongsun Park while in Congress and was found not guilty after a trial in Monroe.[11]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromLouisiana's 5th congressional district 1947–1977 | Succeeded by |
| 1st district |   | |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd district | ||
| 3rd district | ||
| 4th district | ||
| 5th district | ||
| 6th district | ||
| 7th district | ||
| 8th district | ||
| At-large | ||
| Territory | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
  | This article about a Louisiana politician is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
