Edward J. Patten | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew Jersey's15th district | |
| In office January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1981 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Bernard J. Dwyer |
| Secretary of State of New Jersey | |
| In office 1954–1962 | |
| Governor | Robert B. Meyner |
| Preceded by | Lloyd B. Marsh |
| Succeeded by | Robert J. Burkhardt |
| Mayor of Perth Amboy, New Jersey | |
| In office 1934–1940 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Edward James Patten (1905-08-22)August 22, 1905 Perth Amboy, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | September 17, 1994(1994-09-17) (aged 89) Perth Amboy, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | Newark Normal School Rutgers University (LLB) |
Edward James Patten (August 22, 1905 – September 17, 1994) was an Americanlawyer andDemocratic politician who represented the now-redistrictedNew Jersey's 15th congressional district in theUnited States House of Representatives for eighteen years, lasting from 1963 until 1981.[1]
Patten was born and attendedpublic school inPerth Amboy, graduating fromPerth Amboy High School.[2] He attendedNewark Normal School and graduated in 1927.[1] That year, Patten also graduated fromRutgers Law School, and the following year, he graduated fromRutgers University.[1] He was admitted to the bar in 1927 and began hislaw practice in Perth Amboy.[3]
Patten worked as a public school teacher in theElizabeth, New Jersey, school district until 1934. He then ran successfully forMayor of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and held that position until 1940.[1] A year into his term as mayor, Patten became director and counsel of the Woodbridge National Bank, a position he would hold for twenty-seven years. After serving as mayor, Patten went on to become thecounty clerk forMiddlesex County for fourteen years, until 1954.[1] He then served asNew Jersey'ssecretary of state until 1962. That year, he won the Democratic primary overGeorge Otlowski and ran for theHouse of Representatives seat for the new15th congressional district, which had been created as a result of1960 census data.[1][4]
The Democratic Patten successfully ran the election, defeating Republican challenger Bernard F. Rodgers by nearly 20,000 votes.[5]
He was then elected into office for the88th United States Congress on January 3, 1963.[1] Patten was again challenged by Rodgers in 1964, but Patten soundly defeated him again, after receiving 63.2% of the vote.[6] Patten would be challenged and re-elected again in 1966 against C. John Stroumtsos,[7] in 1968 against George W. Luke,[8] in 1970 againstPeter P. Garibaldi,[9] in 1972 against Fuller H. Brooks,[10] in 1974 against E. J. Hammesfahr,[11] in 1976 against Charles W. Wiley and Independent Dennis Adams Sr.,[6] and finally in 1978 in another election against Charles W. Wiley. He was not a candidate for renomination in the 1980United States House of Representatives election for the15th congressional district.[1]
In his time in Congress, Patten sponsored twenty-nine bills, all related to various purposes such asSocial Security,human rights, andMedicare.[12] In 1978, Patten was accused of facilitating an illegal campaign contribution from aKorean businessman as part of theKoreagate scandal. Patten was cleared of charges by an 8–0 vote of theHouse Ethics Committee in October of that year.[13][14] Patten fared far better than some of his counterparts, such asCalifornia representativeRichard T. Hanna who was sentenced to six to thirty months in jail,[14] and ended up serving one year in federalprison.[15] In the Democratic primary, he captured 59% of the vote in a race against political newcomer George Spadoro. In the 1978 election, he beat out Republican Charles Wiley by a slim 2,836 vote margin.
After politics, he continued to remain active in the various organizations he belonged to, such as theNAACP,Eagles,Elks,Kiwanis,Knights of Columbus, andMoose International.[16]
Patten was a resident ofPerth Amboy until his death on September 17, 1994, at the age of 89.[1]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Secretary of State of New Jersey 1954–1962 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by None | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromNew Jersey's 15th congressional district January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1981 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
