William Willett, Jr.

William Willett, Jr.

William Forte Willett, Jr. (November 27, 1869 – February 12, 1938) was a U.S. Representative from New York.

Biography

William Willett was born in Brooklyn, New York on November 27, 1869. He attended the public schools of his native city and then graduated from the law department of New York University, New York City, in 1895. He was admitted to the bar the following year and commenced the practice of law in New York City.

Career

Willett was elected as a Democrat to the Sixtieth and Sixty-first Congresses (March 4, 1907 - March 3, 1911). He did not stand for renomination in 1910.

On January 18, 1909, Congressman Willett denounced President Theodore Roosevelt in a speech that was so outrageous that he was ordered to sit down, and the House voted 126 to 78 against allowing him to continue.[1] On January 27, the House, by voice vote, expunged the speech from the Congressional Record for "language improper and in violation of the privileges of debate".[2]

He was indicted in 1912 on charges that he paid Democratic Party leaders for a seat on the State Supreme Court. In 1913, Willett was convicted of conspiracy and "corrupt practices", specifically bribery.[2] After exhausting his appeals he served 14 months in Sing Sing.[3]

Willett then went into the real estate business. He died in New York City on February 12, 1938 and was interred in Evergreen Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.

References

  1. ↑ "Roosevelt Scored- Representative Willett Makes Sensational Attack", Washington Post, January 19, 1909, p.1
  2. 1 2 Mark Grossman, Political Corruption in America: An Encyclopedia of Scandals, Power, and Greed (ABC-CLIO, 2003), p.369
  3. ↑ "Willett, William Forte Jr.." Political Corruption in America: An Encyclopedia of Scandals, Power & Greed. Amenia: Grey House Publishing, 2008. Credo Reference. Web. 15 August 2012.
United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Charles A. Towne		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 14th congressional district
March 4, 1907 – March 3, 1911 		Succeeded by
John J. Kindred

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress website http://bioguide.congress.gov.

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