Leo Isacson

Leo Isacson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 24th district
In office February 17, 1948 – January 3, 1949
Preceded by	Benjamin J. Rabin
Succeeded by	Isidore Dollinger
Member of the New York State Assembly from the Bronx County, 13th district
In office January 1, 1945 – December 31, 1946
Preceded by	new district
Succeeded by	William J. Drohan
Personal details
Born	April 20, 1910 New York, New York
Died	September 21, 1996 (aged 86) Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Nationality	American
Political party	American Labor
Spouse(s)	Rose Isacson Violet Isacson
Children	Jill Isacson Blanchard Dale Isacson Bloom
Alma mater	New York University New York University School of Law
Religion	Jewish

Leo Isacson (April 20, 1910 – September 21, 1996) was an American Labor member of the United States House of Representatives from New York's twenty-fourth district.

Biography

Isacson was born in Manhattan, New York County, New York. He attended the public schools, then graduated from New York University in 1931 and New York University School of Law in 1933. He was admitted to the bar in 1934 and commenced practice in New York City.

Career

Isacson became a member when the American Labor Party was founded in 1936 to advance the cause of trade unions and was member of the New York State Assembly (Bronx Co., 13th D.) in 1945 and 1946.

Elected as an American Laborite to Congress in 1948 to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Benjamin J. Rabin from a Bronx district seat, Isacson served from February 17, 1948 until January 3, 1949.^[1] By one measure, he was the second most liberal person to serve in Congress between 1937 and 2002.^[2] He opposed the Marshall Plan and the peacetime draft, and was one of three Congressmen to oppose legislation to increase the size of the Air Force. He also pushed for immediate recognition of Israel.

Isacson became the first Congressman ever to be denied a United States passport by the State Department when he attempted to go to Paris to attend a conference as an observer for the American Council for a Democratic Greece, a Communist front organization, because of the group's role in opposing the Greek government in the Greek Civil War.^[3][4] Issuing him a passport was judged not to be "in the interests of the US",^[4] so he was denied a passport under the Passport Act of 1926 (currently codified at 22 U.S.C. § 211a et seq.), which allows the Presidential administration to deny or revoke passports for foreign policy or national security reasons at any time.^[5]

An unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1948, Isacson returned to his law practice and became active in the Democratic Party. He was a delegate to the 1968 Democratic National Convention. He moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida and taught political science at Nova Southeastern University.

Death

Isacson died of cancer in a hospital at Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida, on September 21, 1996 (age 86).^[6]

References

1. "Leo Isacson". Govtrack US Congress. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
2. Voteview
3. Haig v. Agee, 453 U.S. 280 (1981), at 302
4. "Foreign Relations: Bad Ammunition". TIME Magazine. 12 April 1948.
5. Capassakis, Evelyn (1981). "Passport Revocations or Denials on the Ground of National Security and Foreign Policy". Fordham L. Rev. 49 (6): 1178–1196.
6. Stout, David (September 25, 1996). "Leo Isacson, 86, Upset Winner of a Bronx Congressional Seat". New York Times. Retrieved 15 May 2016.

External links

• United States Congress. "Leo Isacson (id: I000046)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• The New York Times Company