Harrison A. Williams

Harrison Arlington Williams (born December 10, 1919 in Plainfield , New Jersey , † November 17, 2001 in Denville , New Jersey) was an American politician ( Democratic Party ) who represented the state of New Jersey in both chambers of Congress . He was convicted of the FBI's Operation Abscam .

Life

After graduating from Georgetown University and his time in the United States Navy Harrison Williams made in 1948 graduated from the Law School of Columbia University , after which he was admitted to the Bar Association and in New Hampshire started practicing. In 1949 he moved his firm to his hometown of Plainfield.

Williams then embarked on a political career. He ran initially unsuccessfully for the New Jersey House of Representatives in 1951 . After that he sat as a representative of his state from 1953 to 1957 in the House of Representatives and from 1959 to 1982 in the Senate of the United States . He was committed to the expansion of welfare programs and public transport. Furthermore, he campaigned for the concerns of workers such as better old-age and health provision, as well as occupational safety regulations (e.g. the establishment of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ). The so-called Williams Act passed in 1968 bears his name. Harrison Williams is one of a number of politicians who professed their alcohol addiction .

Corruption and Operation Abscam

To fight corruption and the trade in stolen goods, the FBI launched Operation Abscam in 1978 . In this context, the investigative authorities founded the company "Abdul Enterprises, Ltd." and undercover FBI agents posing as Middle Eastern businessmen . In secret meetings with officials, which were recorded on video, the agents promised this money in exchange for political support for the benefit of an unnamed sheikh. Williams was convicted of taking bribes and resigned. He was the first US Senator in over 80 years to serve a prison sentence. He was released from prison in 1986 and died of heart failure in 2001 while suffering from cancer. A request to US President Bill Clinton for a pardon as part of a presidential pardon was denied.

Individual evidence

↑ Report, Politicians and Alcohol ( Memento from July 16, 2012 in the web archive archive.today )

Web links

Harrison A. Williams in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)
Report on Abscam and Harrison A. Williams in the New York Times
Report on the Abscam scandal

personal data
SURNAME	Williams, Harrison A.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Williams, Harrison Arlington (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American politician (Democratic Party)
DATE OF BIRTH	December 10, 1919
PLACE OF BIRTH	Plainfield , New Jersey
DATE OF DEATH	November 17, 2001
Place of death	Denville , New Jersey

[1] Report, Politicians and Alcohol ( Memento from July 16, 2012 in the web archive archive.today )