Sam Steiger

Sam Steiger, 1973

Sam Steiger (born March 10, 1929 in New York City , † September 26, 2012 in Prescott , Arizona ) was an American politician ( Republican Party ). Between 1967 and 1977 he represented the third constituency of the state of Arizona in the US House of Representatives .

Early years

Sam Steiger attended the public schools in New York City and then the Cornell University in Ithaca and the A & M University in Fort Collins ( Colorado ). After completing his studies, he was an officer in a US Army tank unit during the Korean War . For his services he received several high military awards.

After the end of the war, Steiger settled in Prescott. There he became a cattle and horse breeder.

Political career

Between 1960 and 1964, Sam Steiger was an MP in the Arizona House of Representatives . In 1964 he ran unsuccessfully for Congress . In 1965 he worked for two local newspapers as a war correspondent for the Vietnam War . In the 1966 congressional elections, he was elected to the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC , in the third constituency of Arizona against incumbent George F. Senner . After a few re-elections he was able to exercise this mandate between January 3, 1967 and January 3, 1977.

He also became famous in August 1975 when he shot and killed two pack donkeys that had previously escaped with other animals. When Steiger wanted to look at the brand names of the animals that had been captured in the meantime to determine the owner, he felt threatened by two animals and shot them without further ado. He made headlines across the country. In 1976, Steiger declined to run for the US House of Representatives again. For this he applied unsuccessfully for a seat in the US Senate . In 1982 he ran unsuccessfully as a candidate for the Libertarian Party for governor of Arizona. He later returned to the Republicans.

In 1987 and 1988, Steiger worked for Governor Evan Mecham . In the meantime he came under suspicion of criminal activity and was sentenced to a suspended sentence in the first instance, which was however overturned on appeal. In 1990 he failed in the Republican primary for the gubernatorial election in Arizona. Between 1999 and 2001 he was mayor of Prescott, where he also spent his old age. In September 2002 he suffered a stroke. Sam Steiger was divorced twice and had three children from his first marriage.

Individual evidence

1. ^ Five-term US Rep. Sam Steiger dies at 83

Web links

• Sam Steiger in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)