Claude Pepper

Claude Denson Pepper (September 8, 1900 ? May 30, 1989) was an American attorney and politician.

Related Topics:
September 8 - 1900 - May 30 - 1989 - American - Attorney - Politician

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Born in Dudleyville, Alabama, Pepper graduated from the University of Alabama and Harvard Law School. After completing his LL.B. in 1924, Pepper spent a year teaching law at the University of Arkansas, and then moved to Perry, Florida, where he opened a law practice. He was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1929 for a single term, and unsuccessfully ran for the United States Senate in 1934, losing to Park Trammell. However, he won his second Senate bid just two years later, in a 1936 special election following the death of Senator Duncan Fletcher.

Related Topics:
Dudleyville, Alabama - University of Alabama - Harvard Law School - University of Arkansas - Perry, Florida - Florida House of Representatives - United States Senate - Park Trammell - Duncan Fletcher

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In the Senate, Pepper became a close ally of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, supporting the New Deal and the Lend-Lease Act. He was re-elected in 1938 and 1944, but lost his bid for a third full term in 1950 by a margin of over 60,000 votes. The race was marked by echoes of the Red Scare: rival George A. Smathers (nicknamed "The Golden Hatchetsman") repeatedly attacked Pepper for having communist sympathies, pointing out his pro-civil rights platform and campaign for universal health care. Smathers won the election by using linguistic tricks to attack Pepper before uneducated audiences, such as stating that Pepper had a "thespian" sister and a "Homo sapiens" brother, although Smathers repeatedly denied these claims during his term in the Senate. Pepper always remained somewhat bitter over his defeat and antagonistic towards Smathers.

Related Topics:
Franklin D. Roosevelt - New Deal - Lend-Lease Act - Red Scare - George A. Smathers - Civil rights - Universal health care

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Pepper returned to his law practice in Miami and Washington until 1962, when he was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He remained there until his death in 1989. In his House career, he is best known for strengthening the Medicare and Social Security programs. He served in Congress and the Senate longer than any other and became known as the "grand old man of Florida politics". He was featured on the cover of Time magazine in 1950 and 1983. Republicans often joked that he and Tip O'Neil were the only Democrats who really drove President Reagan crazy. When he died, his body lay in state for two days under the Rotunda of the United States Capitol.

Related Topics:
United States House of Representatives - Medicare - Social Security - United States Capitol

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A number of places in Florida are named for Pepper, including the Claude Pepper Center at Florida State University (housing a think tank devoted to aging) and the Claude Pepper Federal Building in Miami, as well as several public schools. Large sections of US 27 in Florida are named Claude Pepper Memorial Highway. Pepper's wife Mildred was also well known and respected for her humanitarian work as well. She was also honored with a number of places named in Florida. Friends said it was a true love match and he never recovered from her death in 1979.

Related Topics:
Florida State University - Think tank - US 27

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