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Rep. Lantos, Holocaust Survivor, Dies at 80
California Rep. Tom Lantos (D), a Holocaust survivor known for his dogged commitment to human rights issues, died early this morning at Bethesda Naval Medical Center after a bout with esophageal cancer. He was 80 and had served in the House since 1981.
President George W. Bush, right, shakes hands with Lantos at the Capitol in March 2006. Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor ever to serve in Congress, twice escaped from Nazi forced labor camps. (Reuters)
You can read about Lantos' eventful life and career here. He was the seventh sitting lawmaker to die during this Congress, following Reps. Julia Carson (D-Ind.), Jo Ann Davis (R-Va.), Paul Gillmor (R-Ohio), Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-Calif.) and Charlie Norwood (R-Ga.), as well as Sen. Craig Thomas (R-Wyo.).
Lantos was a relatively rare breed on Capitol Hill, in that he inspired genuine bipartisan respect for his work on human rights issues and his stewardship of the Foreign Affairs Committee, which he chaired. Though a party-line Democrat on most issues, Lantos was known for teaming up with conservatives on the panel like Rep. Christopher Smith (R-N.J.) to bring scrutiny to the suppression of free speech in China and other issues. He also teamed up with many Republicans to back the Iraq war and advocate staunch support for Israel.
Lantos, who was born in Hungary, twice escaped Nazi labor camps when he was a teenager. He was active in the anti-Nazi underground before coming to the United States after World War II. During the war, storied Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg protected Lantos and other occupants of an apartment building from arrest by Nazi soldiers. As a member of Congress four decades later, Lantos promoted legislation granting honorary U.S. citizenship to Wallenberg.
Holocaust survivor and Nobel peace laureate Elie Wiesel, speaking on CNN, said of Lantos: "He was one of those spokesman in Congress whose voices are needed ... whenever he spoke it was always for the victims; victims of injustice, of forgetting, victims of diseases, victims of dictatorships and totalitarianism."
One of the first members to put out a statement following Lantos' death was a Republican, House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (Mo.), who said: "Chairman Lantos will be remembered as a man of uncommon integrity and sincere moral conviction -- and a public servant who never wavered in his pursuit of a better, freer and more religiously tolerant world."
While it's too soon to know for sure how Democratic leaders will handle the now-vacant Foreign Affairs chairmanship, the most likely scenario is that the position will go to another Californian, Rep. Howard Berman (D). Currently second on the panel's seniority roster, Berman was expected to ascend to the position anyway next year.
Lantos announced Jan. 2 that he would not run for re-election because of his cancer diagnosis. Former state Sen. Jackie Speier (D) has been viewed as the frontrunner to succeed him in the 12th district, which stretches from San Francisco south toward Silicon Valley and is reliably Democratic.
Under state law, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) must within 14 days set a date for a special election to fill the remainder of Lantos' term. In the Golden State, candidates from all parties will compete together in a special primary. If a candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote, then the seat is theirs. If no one gets 50 percent, then the top finishers from each party compete in a special general election.
By Ben Pershing |
February 11, 2008; 11:25 AM ET
House
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Posted by: kind671 | February 11, 2008 12:04 PM
He was a true leader in shaping our Burma policy and bringing attention to the human rights abuses there. The Burmese people will miss him.
Posted by: FreeDom | February 11, 2008 1:09 PM
He was an amazing man that truly never gave up. He supported everything he did with a good reason, ex. Israel and Darfur. You will be greatly missed.
Posted by: Constituent | February 11, 2008 2:32 PM
The United States Congress has lost one of its most ethical and effective members. To keep the record accurate, however, I must correct what someone else stated regarding Mr. Lantos' support of the war in Iraq. It took him several years to come to the realization that the war was misguided. I participated in several Iraq war protests outside his San Mateo office in the past few years. But he did have the courage to reverse his position more recently.
Posted by: Donald Ravey | February 11, 2008 2:40 PM
There's one less gun-grabbing wannabe tyrant in the world. That is a good thing. :)
Posted by: DaGroaner | February 11, 2008 2:45 PM
Tom Lantos was a truly great American who was virtually unknown to the general public. He worked in the background, and cared more about getting things done than getting publicity. He achieved great things for his country. He set an example for all of us to follow.
Posted by: trr2 | February 11, 2008 2:59 PM
TOM LANTOS WAS A VERY GREAT MODLE OF COURAGE AND INTEGRITY FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO COPY. WITH HIS EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW WE WILL HAVE MANY FI NE YOUNG CITIZENS
SYDELLE ZABOW
Posted by: Anonymous | February 11, 2008 3:50 PM
Tom Lantos was a great Hero for Kosovan people.He was the greatest fighter for human rights and freedom.
Rest in peace Mr.Tom !
Kosovo will never forget you !
Posted by: Agron | February 11, 2008 6:16 PM
Our condolences to the family of Tom Lantos. He was a voice for the voiceless and a tireless advocate for working families of San Mateo County, California and the USA. Untold numbers of people were the recipient of the benefits of his hard work presently and will be far into the future.
We will miss him.
Posted by: Rufus and Rose Wesley | February 11, 2008 8:47 PM
I met him in Australia when he came to speak about the peace process in my Jewish school. An advocate for human right, supporter of Israel, Kosovo and Darfur. Teamed with his Holocaust survival experiences made him a formidable campaigner. RIP
Posted by: Lisa | February 12, 2008 8:16 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Rep. Lantos had one of the most progressive voting records in the House. Yes, like many (if not most) Democrats voted to give the President authority to use force on Iraq if sanctions proved to be unsuccessful--if you remember the President gave up on sanctions and just went straight into war which was not what the Democrats intended with their vote--but since then has been against the Iraq war. Rep. Lantos was a genuine "mensch" who will be greatly missed and who leaves a legacy of someone who stood up for human rights, animal rights, the environment, and other progressive issues not just with words, but with actions. My condolences and best wishes to his family. He is a Congressman who made Congress look good. I will never forget him and the great service he gave to his district, the state of California, and the country as a whole.