Ken Hechler, oldest living ex-Congressman, aide to FDR & Truman, celebrates his 99th birthday today

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

Just wanted to wish a happy birthday to easily the finest person my home state of WV ever sent to Washington


Born Sept. 20, 1914, the man has seen it all - He was FDR's pick to archive his papers, He was the guy the U.S. picked to question captured nazi war criminals like Hermann Goerring after WWII, He was a close confidante of Truman, He was the only sitting member of Congress to go to Selma and march with Martin Luther King. He led the fight for mine safety in the 60s, He walked alongside Granny D in her efforts to get campaign finance reform, He's been one of the leading critics of the devastating practice of mountaintop removal coal mining, and he was a big backer of the local Occupy efforts in WV recently.

If you want a great tour through the fights of 20th and 21st century liberalism, do yourself a favor and watch "Pursuit of Justice," the excellent documentary PBS did on his life a few years back:

[Kaleva]

1. Thanks for posting this. Had never heard of him till I read your OP.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

2. His website

http://www.kenhechler.us/kenhechler/

It's a couple of years out of date, but it has all his info - he's since moved to Facebook for updates:
https://www.facebook.com/ken.hechler

[Kaleva]

3. Thanks. I've bookmarked this thread.

[Wilms]

4. ^

[malaise]

5. Thanks for this

Rec

Happy Birthday Ken Hechler