Martin L. Sweeney | |
|---|---|
 Sweeney in 1939 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromOhio's20th district | |
| In office November 3, 1931 – January 3, 1943 | |
| Preceded by | Charles A. Mooney |
| Succeeded by | Michael A. Feighan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Martin Leonard Sweeney (1885-04-15)April 15, 1885 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | May 1, 1960(1960-05-01) (aged 75) Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Resting place | Calvary Cemetery |
| Political party | Democratic |
Martin Leonard Sweeney Sr. (April 15, 1885 – May 1, 1960) was aDemocraticU.S. Representative fromOhio and the father ofRobert E. Sweeney.
Born inCleveland, Ohio, Sweeney attendedparochial and public schools in the area, including St. Bridget's Parochial School.[1] Prior to his political career, Sweeney worked as a laborer, hoisting engineer and a salesman from 1901 to 1913. He served as a member of the State House of Representatives in 1913 and 1914 and graduated from theCleveland Law School ofBaldwin-Wallace College in 1914. Sweeney was admitted to thebar that same year and begin practicing law in Cleveland. From 1924 to 1932 Sweeney was judge of themunicipal court of Cleveland, where he vocally opposedProhibition.[1] Sweeney also served as a delegate to theDemocratic National Convention in 1932.
From 1927 to 1931, Sweeney was national president of theAncient Order of Hibernians.[2]
Sweeney was elected as aDemocrat to theSeventy-second Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death ofCharles A. Mooney. He was re-elected to theSeventy-third and the four succeeding Congresses, serving from November 3, 1931, to January 3, 1943. Although Sweeney initially supported PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt, he later turned against Roosevelt and sided with antisemitic priest and social justice activistCharles Coughlin.[1] Sweeney's re-elections in1934 and1936 without support from the national Democratic Party led him to continue his independent congressional course in an increasing swing towards non-interventionist politics.
In September 1939, syndicated columnistsDrew Pearson andRobert S. Allen accused Sweeney ofantisemitism, reporting that he had opposed the appointment of foreign-born Jews to the Cleveland federal bench. They also labeled Sweeney as the "Congressional spokesman for Father Coughlin." Sweeney filed 70 libel suits against Pearson and Allen, as well as the papers that carried his column, demanding $250,000 from each. Each of the cases was dismissed.[3]
In the summer of 1940, a bill establishing a peacetime military draft, H.R. 10132, was introduced. Sweeney denounced the bill as an attempt to drag America into World War II on the side of Great Britain.Beverly Vincent (D-KY) said Sweeney was a traitor and a "son of a bitch." Sweeney swung at Vincent, who counterpunched with a hard right to Sweeney's head. The House doorkeeper called it the best fistfight he had witnessed in the House in his fifty years at his post.[4]
Sweeney was an unsuccessful candidate for re-nomination in 1942 after being targeted for his stand against British Lend Lease and his allegedisolationism. He was defeated in the primary byMichael Feighan, who represented Cleveland in Congress for the next twenty-eight years.
He was unsuccessful for the Democratic nomination formayor of Cleveland in 1933 and in 1941, and for the gubernatorial nomination in 1944. He practiced law in Cleveland until his death there on May 1, 1960. He was interred in Calvary Cemetery.
His daughter was married to the son ofCuyahoga County Sheriff Martin O'Donnell (1886–1941).
His first cousin was Dr. Francis E. Sweeney, (1894–1964) the prime suspect in theCleveland Torso Murders (1934–1938)
Media related toMartin L. Sweeney at Wikimedia Commons
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromBiographical Directory of the United States Congress.Federal government of the United States.
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromOhio's 20th congressional district 1931–1943 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
