Raymond F. Lederer
Encyclopedia
Raymond Lederer was a Democratic
member of the United States House of Representatives
, representing Pennsylvania
's Third Congressional District from 1977 to 1981.
Lederer was born in Philadelphia on May 19, 1938, where he attended the local Catholic schools, graduating from Roman Catholic High School for Boys
in 1956. He attended Saint Joseph's College of Philadelphia (now Saint Joseph's University
) from 1960 to 1965, the Community College of Philadelphia
from 1967 to 1969 and Pennsylvania State University
, University Park, Pennsylvania
, in 1972. He worked as an assistant engineer for the Pennsylvania Department of Highways in 1957. He was a probation officer
and later served as director of the Philadelphia Probation Department, during the period from 1967 to 1974. Lederer was a board member of the Pennsylvania Committee on Probation.
He was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
, where he served from 1974 to 1977. Lederer served in the same seat that had been occupied by both his father, Miles, and older brother, William J., and that would later be filled by his sister-in-law, Marie
.
, he was able to direct shipments of fruit from Chile
to be imported through the Port of Philadelphia
.
He was re-elected in 1978 with almost 72% of the vote over Republican Raymond S. Kauffman.
Lederer was videotaped at a motel in New York on September 11, 1979, at a meeting with two undercover agents who presented themselves as representatives of a supposed Arab sheik. Accepting $50,000 in cash, he told the agents "I can give you me" in exchange for the money.
After being implicated in the Abscam
sting, Lederer was convicted of bribery and sentenced to three years in prison and fined $20,000. Despite his indictment in the scandal, Lederer was the only member of the House implicated in the Abscam scandal to be re-elected. In the 1980 race, Lederer won with 54.5% of the vote, defeating Republican William J. Phillips who had 32.8%, Consumer Party candidate Max Weiner with 9.5% and Independent John Morris with 3.2%.
Lederer was convicted in January 1981. The House Ethics Committee
voted to expel him on April 28, 1981. Lederer resigned the following day, citing "personal legal problems" that interfered with his ability to serve his constituents. Joseph F. Smith
ran in the Democratic Party primary in a race to succeed Lederer in a special election. After losing in the primary to David B. Glancey, chairman of the Democratic City Committee, Smith ran in the July 1981 special election as both an Independent and as a Republican (with the approval of the Republican Party
) and defeated Glancey, having promised in his campaign to caucus with the Democrats if elected.
Lederer served ten months in Allenwood Federal Prison. He later worked as a roofer. Lederer died on December 1, 2008, of lung cancer
, aged 70.
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...
member of the United States House of Representatives
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...
, representing Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
's Third Congressional District from 1977 to 1981.
Lederer was born in Philadelphia on May 19, 1938, where he attended the local Catholic schools, graduating from Roman Catholic High School for Boys
Roman Catholic High School for Boys
The Roman Catholic High School of Philadelphia opened in 1890 as an all-male high school located at the intersection of Broad and Vine Streets in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.-History:...
in 1956. He attended Saint Joseph's College of Philadelphia (now Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located partially in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia and partially in Lower Merion Township and located in the Pennsylvania Main Line, Pennsylvania, United States.The school was founded in 1851 as Saint...
) from 1960 to 1965, the Community College of Philadelphia
Community College of Philadelphia
The Community College of Philadelphia is a community college in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The main campus is located at 1700 Spring Garden Street in a building that was the former Philadelphia Mint...
from 1967 to 1969 and Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
, University Park, Pennsylvania
University Park, Pennsylvania
University Park, Pennsylvania is an unincorporated community in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is the location of the flagship campus of the Pennsylvania State University....
, in 1972. He worked as an assistant engineer for the Pennsylvania Department of Highways in 1957. He was a probation officer
Probation officer
Parole officers and probation officers play a role in criminal justice systems by supervising offenders released from incarceration or sentenced to non-custodial sanctions such as community service...
and later served as director of the Philadelphia Probation Department, during the period from 1967 to 1974. Lederer was a board member of the Pennsylvania Committee on Probation.
He was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two year terms from single member districts....
, where he served from 1974 to 1977. Lederer served in the same seat that had been occupied by both his father, Miles, and older brother, William J., and that would later be filled by his sister-in-law, Marie
Marie Lederer
Marie A. Lederer is a former Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.She is a 1945 graduate of Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She also attended Temple University...
.
Congress and Abscam
Lederer was elected to Congress in 1976 to represent ; Lederer won with 73% of the vote, defeating Republican candidate Terence J. Schade. He took office on January 3, 1977. While serving on the House Ways and Means CommitteeUnited States House Committee on Ways and Means
The Committee of Ways and Means is the chief tax-writing committee of the United States House of Representatives. Members of the Ways and Means Committee are not allowed to serve on any other House Committees unless they apply for a waiver from their party's congressional leadership...
, he was able to direct shipments of fruit from Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
to be imported through the Port of Philadelphia
Port of Philadelphia
The Port of Philadelphia, within the municipal boundaries of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is located near the navigable end of the Delaware River, south of New York City and north of Washington, D.C...
.
He was re-elected in 1978 with almost 72% of the vote over Republican Raymond S. Kauffman.
Lederer was videotaped at a motel in New York on September 11, 1979, at a meeting with two undercover agents who presented themselves as representatives of a supposed Arab sheik. Accepting $50,000 in cash, he told the agents "I can give you me" in exchange for the money.
After being implicated in the Abscam
Abscam
Abscam was a United States Federal Bureau of Investigation sting operation run from the FBI's Hauppauge, Long Island, office in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
sting, Lederer was convicted of bribery and sentenced to three years in prison and fined $20,000. Despite his indictment in the scandal, Lederer was the only member of the House implicated in the Abscam scandal to be re-elected. In the 1980 race, Lederer won with 54.5% of the vote, defeating Republican William J. Phillips who had 32.8%, Consumer Party candidate Max Weiner with 9.5% and Independent John Morris with 3.2%.
Lederer was convicted in January 1981. The House Ethics Committee
United States House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct
The Committee on Ethics, often known simply as the Ethics Committee, is one of the committees of the United States House of Representatives. Prior to the 112th Congress it was known as the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct....
voted to expel him on April 28, 1981. Lederer resigned the following day, citing "personal legal problems" that interfered with his ability to serve his constituents. Joseph F. Smith
Joseph F. Smith (politician)
Joseph F. Smith , was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania during the Ninety-seventh United States Congress .Smith served as the 31st Ward Leader for more than three decades....
ran in the Democratic Party primary in a race to succeed Lederer in a special election. After losing in the primary to David B. Glancey, chairman of the Democratic City Committee, Smith ran in the July 1981 special election as both an Independent and as a Republican (with the approval of the Republican Party
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...
) and defeated Glancey, having promised in his campaign to caucus with the Democrats if elected.
Lederer served ten months in Allenwood Federal Prison. He later worked as a roofer. Lederer died on December 1, 2008, of lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
, aged 70.