Abner J. Mikva
Encyclopedia
Abner Joseph Mikva is a Democratic
former U.S. Representative
, federal judge and law professor from Chicago
.
, Mikva attended the University of Chicago Law School
, from which he graduated in 1951. After graduation, he clerked for Supreme Court Justice
Sherman Minton
, but his early interest in Chicago clearly was politics:
He spent ten years in the Illinois House of Representatives
before serving in the U.S. Congress from 1969 to 1973 and 1975 to 1979. He first represented Illinois' 2nd District, which included the South Side
's lakefront wards including Hyde Park
, his residence and also home to the University of Chicago. Both parties attempted to redistrict
Mikva out of Congress; redistricting for the 1972 elections put Hyde Park in the 1st District
for the first time since 1903, which would have pitted Mikva against Democratic incumbent Ralph Metcalfe
in a district with nearly a 90% black population; moving in order to stay in the 2nd District would have matched him against Democratic incumbent Morgan F. Murphy
, who had previously represented the 3rd District
. Mikva instead moved to the North Shore's 10th District
and, after being defeated by Republican
Samuel H. Young
, successfully ran in 1974 as an Independent Democrat – his status enhanced in this predominantly Republican, suburban district because he was viewed as hostile to the Chicago Democratic Machine. In 1978
, he was narrowly reelected against Republican John Porter
in what was one of the most expensive congressional races to that time.
On May 29, 1979, Mikva was nominated by President Jimmy Carter
to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals
. Despite opposition from anti-gun control interests
, Mikva was confirmed by a 58-31 vote of the United States Senate
on September 25, 1979. He subsequently resigned his congressional seat (Porter succeeded Mikva after a special election). Mikva served on the D.C. Circuit from 1979 until his retirement in 1994 to become White House Counsel
to President Bill Clinton
.
In 1992, while serving as Chief Judge on the D.C. Circuit, Mikva appeared in the Kevin Kline
comedy Dave
as "Supreme Court Justice Abner J. Mikva," in a scene in which he administers the presidential oath of office to the Vice President (played by Ben Kingsley
).
Mikva taught law at Northwestern University
and was White House Counsel
from 1994-95. He returned to the University of Chicago Law School, serving as the Schwarz Lecturer and the senior director of the Mandel Legal Aid Clinic.
Mikva was co-chairman of the Constitution Project
's bipartisan Constitutional Amendments Committee.
In November 2004, Mikva was an international election monitor of Ukraine
's contested presidential election, and in July 2006 he was named chair of the Illinois Human Rights Commission by Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich
.
He is a long-time political supporter of President Barack Obama
. Mikva offered Obama a law clerk
position in his judicial office after Obama graduated from Harvard Law School
; Obama declined the offer. US Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan
was one of his law clerks. Mikva became Obama's political advisor and suggested he learn more effective public speaking from observing preachers. Mikva said of Obama: "He listened to patterns of speech, how to take people up the ladders. It's almost a Baptist tradition to make someone faint, and, by God, he's doing it now."
Abner Mikva and his wife Zoe started a civic leadership program for Chicago youth in 1997 called Mikva Challenge. This organization works with over 5,000 youth a year getting them involved in experiential activities in the democratic process working as election judges, volunteering on campaigns, advising city officials, and creating local activism projects to improve their schools and communities.
Judge Mikva was selected by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn
to lead a commission investigating the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign for admitting applicants (many of whom were not very well qualified) whose relatives or backers had connections to and had donated money to Illinois state lawmakers, including Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives Michael Madigan
- who chairs the state's Democratic Party.
His accumulated papers are at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, Springfield, Ill. Papers, 1959-1996. 183 linear ft.; finding aid; restricted; collection contains Mikva’s congressional and judicial papers.
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Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
former U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, federal judge and law professor from Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
Biography
Born in Milwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, Mikva attended the University of Chicago Law School
University of Chicago Law School
The University of Chicago Law School was founded in 1902 as the graduate school of law at the University of Chicago and is among the most prestigious and selective law schools in the world. The U.S. News & World Report currently ranks it fifth among U.S...
, from which he graduated in 1951. After graduation, he clerked for Supreme Court Justice
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
Sherman Minton
Sherman Minton
Sherman "Shay" Minton was a Democratic United States Senator from Indiana and an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He was the most educated justice during his time on the Supreme Court, having attended Indiana University, Yale and the Sorbonne...
, but his early interest in Chicago clearly was politics:
One of the stories that is told about my start in politics is that on the way home from law school one night in 1948, I stopped by the ward headquarters in the ward where I lived. There was a street-front, and the name Timothy O'Sullivan, Ward Committeeman, was painted on the front window. I walked in and I said "I'd like to volunteer to work for [Adlai] Stevenson and [Paul] DouglasPaul DouglasPaul Howard Douglas was an liberal American politician and University of Chicago economist. A war hero, he was elected as a Democratic U.S. Senator from Illinois from in the 1948 landslide, serving until his defeat in 1966...
." This quintessential Chicago ward committeeman took the cigar out of his mouth and glared at me and said, "Who sent you?" I said, "Nobody sent me." He put the cigar back in his mouth and he said, "We don't want nobody that nobody sent." This was the beginning of my political career in Chicago.
He spent ten years in the Illinois House of Representatives
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
before serving in the U.S. Congress from 1969 to 1973 and 1975 to 1979. He first represented Illinois' 2nd District, which included the South Side
South Side (Chicago)
The South Side is a major part of the City of Chicago, which is located in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Much of it has evolved from the city's incorporation of independent townships, such as Hyde Park Township which voted along with several other townships to be annexed in the June 29,...
's lakefront wards including Hyde Park
Hyde Park, Chicago
Hyde Park, located on the South Side of the City of Chicago, in Cook County, Illinois, United States and seven miles south of the Chicago Loop, is a Chicago neighborhood and one of 77 Chicago community areas. It is home to the University of Chicago, the Hyde Park Art Center, the Museum of Science...
, his residence and also home to the University of Chicago. Both parties attempted to redistrict
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
Mikva out of Congress; redistricting for the 1972 elections put Hyde Park in the 1st District
Illinois' 1st congressional district
Illinois's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Illinois. Based in Cook County, the district includes much of the South Side of Chicago, extending into the city's southwest suburbs until reaching the border of Will County, and covers , making it one of the 40...
for the first time since 1903, which would have pitted Mikva against Democratic incumbent Ralph Metcalfe
Ralph Metcalfe
Ralph Harold Metcalfe was an African-American athlete and politician who came second to Jesse Owens in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Metcalfe jointly held the world record for the 100 meter sprint. Metcalfe was known as the world’s fastest human from 1932 through 1934...
in a district with nearly a 90% black population; moving in order to stay in the 2nd District would have matched him against Democratic incumbent Morgan F. Murphy
Morgan F. Murphy
Morgan Francis Murphy , was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.Murphy attended Chicago parochial schools. He received a Bachelor of Science from Northwestern University in 1955 and was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. Murphy received a J.D. from DePaul University School of Law in 1962...
, who had previously represented the 3rd District
Illinois' 3rd congressional district
The 3rd Congressional District of Illinois includes part of Cook County, and has been represented by Democrat Dan Lipinski since January 2005. The district was previously represented by his father Bill Lipinski beginning in 1993....
. Mikva instead moved to the North Shore's 10th District
Illinois' 10th congressional district
The 10th congressional district of Illinois lies in the northeast corner of the state and mostly comprises northern suburbs of Chicago. It was created after the 1860 census, but was redistricted after the 2010 census...
and, after being defeated by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Samuel H. Young
Samuel H. Young
Samuel Hollingsworth Young was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.Born in Casey, Illinois, Young graduated from Urbana High School, Urbana, Illinois, 1940.LL.B., University of Illinois, 1947....
, successfully ran in 1974 as an Independent Democrat – his status enhanced in this predominantly Republican, suburban district because he was viewed as hostile to the Chicago Democratic Machine. In 1978
United States House elections, 1978
The U.S. House election, 1978 was an election for the United States House of Representatives in 1978 which occurred in the middle of President Jimmy Carter's term, when the country was going through an energy crisis and facing rapid inflation...
, he was narrowly reelected against Republican John Porter
John Edward Porter
John Edward Porter is a former United States Representative from Illinois.Porter was born in Evanston, Illinois, was educated in public schools, and then attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology for one year before receiving a B.S. and B.A. from Northwestern University in 1957...
in what was one of the most expensive congressional races to that time.
On May 29, 1979, Mikva was nominated by President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit known informally as the D.C. Circuit, is the federal appellate court for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Appeals from the D.C. Circuit, as with all the U.S. Courts of Appeals, are heard on a...
. Despite opposition from anti-gun control interests
Gun politics in the United States
Gun politics in the United States refers to an ongoing political and social debate regarding both the restriction and availability of firearms within the United States. It has long been among the most controversial and intractable issues in American politics...
, Mikva was confirmed by a 58-31 vote of the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on September 25, 1979. He subsequently resigned his congressional seat (Porter succeeded Mikva after a special election). Mikva served on the D.C. Circuit from 1979 until his retirement in 1994 to become White House Counsel
White House Counsel
The White House Counsel is a staff appointee of the President of the United States.-Role:The Counsel's role is to advise the President on all legal issues concerning the President and the White House...
to President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
.
In 1992, while serving as Chief Judge on the D.C. Circuit, Mikva appeared in the Kevin Kline
Kevin Kline
Kevin Delaney Kline is an American theatre, voice, film actor and comedian. He has won an Academy Award and two Tony Awards, and has been nominated for five Golden Globe Awards, two BAFTA Awards and an Emmy Award.- Early life :...
comedy Dave
Dave (film)
Dave is a 1993 comedy-drama film written by Gary Ross, directed by Ivan Reitman, and starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver. Co-stars include Frank Langella, Kevin Dunn, Ving Rhames, and Ben Kingsley. Ross was nominated for an Academy Award for his screenplay...
as "Supreme Court Justice Abner J. Mikva," in a scene in which he administers the presidential oath of office to the Vice President (played by Ben Kingsley
Ben Kingsley
Sir Ben Kingsley, CBE is a British actor. He has won an Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards in his career. He is known for starring as Mohandas Gandhi in the film Gandhi in 1982, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor...
).
Mikva taught law at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
and was White House Counsel
White House Counsel
The White House Counsel is a staff appointee of the President of the United States.-Role:The Counsel's role is to advise the President on all legal issues concerning the President and the White House...
from 1994-95. He returned to the University of Chicago Law School, serving as the Schwarz Lecturer and the senior director of the Mandel Legal Aid Clinic.
Mikva was co-chairman of the Constitution Project
Constitution Project
The Constitution Project is an non-profit think tank in the United States that builds bipartisan consensus on significant constitutional and legal questions. Founded and led by Virginia Sloan, the Constitution Project’s work is divided between two programs: the Rule of Law Program and the Criminal...
's bipartisan Constitutional Amendments Committee.
In November 2004, Mikva was an international election monitor of Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
's contested presidential election, and in July 2006 he was named chair of the Illinois Human Rights Commission by Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich
Rod Blagojevich
Rod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...
.
He is a long-time political supporter of President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. Mikva offered Obama a law clerk
Law clerk
A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person who provides assistance to a judge in researching issues before the court and in writing opinions. Law clerks are not court clerks or courtroom deputies, who are administrative staff for the court. Most law clerks are recent law school graduates who...
position in his judicial office after Obama graduated from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
; Obama declined the offer. US Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan
Elena Kagan
Elena Kagan is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, serving since August 7, 2010. Kagan is the Court's 112th justice and fourth female justice....
was one of his law clerks. Mikva became Obama's political advisor and suggested he learn more effective public speaking from observing preachers. Mikva said of Obama: "He listened to patterns of speech, how to take people up the ladders. It's almost a Baptist tradition to make someone faint, and, by God, he's doing it now."
Abner Mikva and his wife Zoe started a civic leadership program for Chicago youth in 1997 called Mikva Challenge. This organization works with over 5,000 youth a year getting them involved in experiential activities in the democratic process working as election judges, volunteering on campaigns, advising city officials, and creating local activism projects to improve their schools and communities.
Judge Mikva was selected by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn
Pat Quinn (politician)
Patrick Joseph "Pat" Quinn III is the 41st and current Governor of Illinois. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Previously elected three times to statewide office, Quinn was the sitting lieutenant governor and became governor on January 29, 2009, when the previous governor, Rod Blagojevich,...
to lead a commission investigating the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign for admitting applicants (many of whom were not very well qualified) whose relatives or backers had connections to and had donated money to Illinois state lawmakers, including Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives Michael Madigan
Michael Madigan
Michael J. Madigan is the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives and Chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois...
- who chairs the state's Democratic Party.
His accumulated papers are at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, Springfield, Ill. Papers, 1959-1996. 183 linear ft.; finding aid; restricted; collection contains Mikva’s congressional and judicial papers.
External links
Retrieved on 2009-02-26- Chicago Sun-Times: "Ukraine election shenanigans an eye-opener for Mikva"
- Mikva Challenge
- NYTimes 2010 feature article
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