Edward Weidenfeld
Encyclopedia
Edward L. Weidenfeld, is the former counsel to the United States House Committee on Insular Affairs
from 1971-1973 and counsel to the 1980 Reagan-Bush campaign. As the founder of the Weidenfeld Law Firm, P.C. in Washington, D.C.
, he is an attorney specializing in estate and asset protection law. He also serves as co-chair of the Board of Visitors of the National Defense University
, is a board member and chairman of the Executive Committee of the Center for the Study of the Presidency
, and sits on the Advisory Board of the Bureau of National Affairs. Weidenfeld was named one of the Top 75 lawyers in Washington by Washingtonian (magazine)
in 2002.
in 1977 and the Council on Administrative Conference of the United States
in 1981, 1985 and 1988. He was named a senior fellow to the Council on Administrative Conference in 1991.
In 1982, Weidenfeld was appointed Chairman of the Advisory Panel for Foreign Disaster Relief by then Administrator of the Agency for International Development, Peter McPherson.
. Among other international projects in his law practice during this time, Mr. Weidenfeld negotiated the first free exchange between the U.S. media and Novisti, the Soviet News Agency. He also represented the Government of South Africa
following Nelson Mandela
’s election in 1984.
to ask for a curb on ammonia
imports from the Soviet Union
, which the industry argued was exporting ammonia to the United States at below-cost prices. The United States International Trade Commission agreed, and recommended that then-President Jimmy Carter
impose a three-year quota that would halve previously forecast imports of ammonia from the Soviet Union.
Weidenfeld also served as Counsel to and sat on the board of Imatron Inc. and InVision Technologies
during the 1980s and 1990s. Imatron is a medical equipment manufacturer and was bought by General Electric
in 2001. In 1990 InVision Technologies was spun out of Imatron and developed the first bomb-detection-machine using the same technology that is used for CAT Scans. InVision remains one of only two companies licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration
to sell automatic bomb-detection scanners for airports.
In 1999, Weidenfeld helped facilitate the return of Major League Baseball
to Cuba
for the first time in 40 years, participating in months of discussions with the United States Department of State
, the Cuban Government, the MLB Commissioner’s office, the Baltimore Orioles
and the MLB Players Association.
multi-family apartment development. Upon completion of the final audit of the project, investors agreed with HUD auditors to reduce federal subsidies for the project in the amount of $757,700.
and his bachelor of science with honors from the University of Wisconsin, where he was named Outstanding Senior Man in 1965. Weidenfeld has been elected a life member of the American Law Institute
.
to Italy, secretary of President Dwight Eisenhower’s cabinet, press secretary to first lady Betty Ford
, and an Assistant to the President in the Ford Administration. The couple has two sons, Nicholas and Daniel.
2. National Defense University
3. Center for the Study of the Presidency
United States House Committee on Insular Affairs
The United States House Committee on Insular Affairs is a defunct committee of the U.S. House of Representatives.The Treaty of Paris, signed on December 10, 1898, officially concluded the Spanish-American War. According to the provisions of the treaty, Spain ceded the Philippine Islands, Puerto...
from 1971-1973 and counsel to the 1980 Reagan-Bush campaign. As the founder of the Weidenfeld Law Firm, P.C. in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, he is an attorney specializing in estate and asset protection law. He also serves as co-chair of the Board of Visitors of the National Defense University
National Defense University
The National Defense University is an institution of higher education funded by the United States Department of Defense, intended to facilitate high-level training, education, and the development of national security strategy. It is chartered by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, with Navy Vice Admiral...
, is a board member and chairman of the Executive Committee of the Center for the Study of the Presidency
Center for the Study of the Presidency
The Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress is a non-profit, non-partisan policy and education organization located in Washington, D.C...
, and sits on the Advisory Board of the Bureau of National Affairs. Weidenfeld was named one of the Top 75 lawyers in Washington by Washingtonian (magazine)
Washingtonian (magazine)
Washingtonian is a monthly magazine distributed in the Washington, DC area since 1965. The magazine describes itself as "the magazine Washington lives by." The magazine's core focuses are local feature journalism, guide book-style articles, and real estate advice.-Editorial Content:Washingtonian...
in 2002.
Participation in government
Weidenfeld was Counsel and Staff Director of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs from 1971–1973. Three Presidents appointed Weidenfeld to advisory positions, including the President’s Commission on White House FellowsWhite House Fellows
The White House Fellows program was established by President of the United States Lyndon B. Johnson in October 1964. President Johnson articulated that the mission of the program was "to give the Fellows first hand, high-level experience with the workings of the federal government and to increase...
in 1977 and the Council on Administrative Conference of the United States
Administrative Conference of the United States
The Administrative Conference of the United States is an independent agency of the United States government established by the Administrative Conference Act of 1964. It is also considered to be a federal advisory committee...
in 1981, 1985 and 1988. He was named a senior fellow to the Council on Administrative Conference in 1991.
In 1982, Weidenfeld was appointed Chairman of the Advisory Panel for Foreign Disaster Relief by then Administrator of the Agency for International Development, Peter McPherson.
Participation in democratic initiatives
In 1983, Weidenfeld was appointed co-counsel to the Democracy Project, whose charge was structuring the National Endowment for DemocracyNational Endowment for Democracy
The National Endowment for Democracy, or NED, is a U.S. non-profit organization that was founded in 1983 to promote US-friendly democracy by providing cash grants funded primarily through an annual allocation from the U.S. Congress...
. Among other international projects in his law practice during this time, Mr. Weidenfeld negotiated the first free exchange between the U.S. media and Novisti, the Soviet News Agency. He also represented the Government of South Africa
Government of South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a constitutional democracy with a three-tier system of government and an independent judiciary, operating in a nearly unique system that combines aspects of parliamentary and presidential systems. Legislative authority is held by the Parliament of South Africa...
following Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
’s election in 1984.
Notable private sector cases
In 1973 Weidenfeld represented the Domestic Ammonia Industry before the United States International Trade CommissionUnited States International Trade Commission
The United States International Trade Commission is an independent, bi-partisan, quasi-judicial, federal agency of the United States that provides trade expertise to both the legislative and executive branches. Further, the agency determines the impact of imports on U.S...
to ask for a curb on ammonia
Ammonia
Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . It is a colourless gas with a characteristic pungent odour. Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to food and fertilizers. Ammonia, either directly or...
imports from the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, which the industry argued was exporting ammonia to the United States at below-cost prices. The United States International Trade Commission agreed, and recommended that then-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...
impose a three-year quota that would halve previously forecast imports of ammonia from the Soviet Union.
Weidenfeld also served as Counsel to and sat on the board of Imatron Inc. and InVision Technologies
InVision Technologies
InVision Technologies, Inc. was a publicly traded company based in Newark, California, that manufactured and sold airport security screening devices to detect explosives in passenger baggage...
during the 1980s and 1990s. Imatron is a medical equipment manufacturer and was bought by General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
in 2001. In 1990 InVision Technologies was spun out of Imatron and developed the first bomb-detection-machine using the same technology that is used for CAT Scans. InVision remains one of only two companies licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
to sell automatic bomb-detection scanners for airports.
In 1999, Weidenfeld helped facilitate the return of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
for the first time in 40 years, participating in months of discussions with the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
, the Cuban Government, the MLB Commissioner’s office, the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
and the MLB Players Association.
Relationship with Department of Housing and Urban Development
In the late 1980s Mr. Weidenfeld invested in a Brunswick, GeorgiaBrunswick, Georgia
Brunswick is the major urban and economic center in southeastern Georgia in the United States. The municipality is located on a harbor near the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 30 miles north of Florida and 70 miles south of South Carolina. Brunswick is bordered on the east by the Atlantic...
multi-family apartment development. Upon completion of the final audit of the project, investors agreed with HUD auditors to reduce federal subsidies for the project in the amount of $757,700.
Education
Weidenfeld received his law degree from Columbia Law SchoolColumbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
and his bachelor of science with honors from the University of Wisconsin, where he was named Outstanding Senior Man in 1965. Weidenfeld has been elected a life member of the American Law Institute
American Law Institute
The American Law Institute was established in 1923 to promote the clarification and simplification of American common law and its adaptation to changing social needs. The ALI drafts, approves, and publishes Restatements of the Law, Principles of the Law, model codes, and other proposals for law...
.
Personal
Weidenfeld is married to Sheila Rabb Weidenfeld, daughter of the late Maxwell Rabb, who served as AmbassadorAmbassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Italy, secretary of President Dwight Eisenhower’s cabinet, press secretary to first lady Betty Ford
Betty Ford
Elizabeth Ann Bloomer Warren Ford , better known as Betty Ford, was First Lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977 during the presidency of her husband Gerald Ford...
, and an Assistant to the President in the Ford Administration. The couple has two sons, Nicholas and Daniel.
See also
1. United States Agency for International DevelopmentUnited States Agency for International Development
The United States Agency for International Development is the United States federal government agency primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid. President John F. Kennedy created USAID in 1961 by executive order to implement development assistance programs in the areas...
2. National Defense University
National Defense University
The National Defense University is an institution of higher education funded by the United States Department of Defense, intended to facilitate high-level training, education, and the development of national security strategy. It is chartered by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, with Navy Vice Admiral...
3. Center for the Study of the Presidency
Center for the Study of the Presidency
The Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress is a non-profit, non-partisan policy and education organization located in Washington, D.C...