Edward J. Patten

Edward J. Patten (left) in conversation with Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara (1965)

Edward James Patten (born August 22, 1905 in Perth Amboy , New Jersey , †  September 17, 1994 there ) was an American politician . Between 1963 and 1981 he represented the state of New Jersey in the US House of Representatives .

Career

Edward Patten attended public schools in his home country and then Newark Normal School . After studying law at Rutgers Law School in Newark and being admitted to the bar in 1927, he began to work in this profession in Perth Amboy. Between 1927 and 1934 he was also active as a teacher in Elizabeth . At the same time he embarked on a political career as a member of the Democratic Party . From 1934 to 1940 Patten was mayor of his hometown Perth Amboy; from 1940 to 1954 he was employed as a county clerk in the administration of Middlesex County . From 1954 to 1962, Patten was Secretary of State, the executive officer of the state government of New Jersey. In addition to these activities, he was one of the directors and advisers of Woodbridge National Bank from 1935 to 1962 .

In the 1962 congressional elections , Patten was elected to the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC , in the then newly established 15th  constituency of New Jersey , where he took up his new mandate on January 3, 1963. After eight re-elections, he was able to complete nine legislative terms in Congress by January 3, 1981 . During his time as a congressman, the Vietnam War and the Watergate Affair took place . At that time, the 24th , 25th and 26th amendments were also ratified. In 1978, Patten became involved in the so-called Koreagate scandal. Among other things, it was about illegal campaign donations. Unlike some of his colleagues, Patten was acquitted by the Ethics Committee of the House of Representatives. In 1980 he renounced another candidacy.

After the end of his time in Congress, Edward Patten was still active in various organizations such as the NAACP , the Kiwanis and the Knights of Columbus . Politically, he no longer appeared. He died on September 17, 1994 in Perth Amboy.

Web links

• Edward J. Patten in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)