George V. Hansen
Encyclopedia
George Vernon Hansen is a Republican politician
from the state
of Idaho
. He served in the House of Representatives
from 1965 to 1969 and again from 1975 to 1985.
. He graduated from Ricks College (now Brigham Young University-Idaho)
in 1956 and did graduate work at Idaho State University
. He served in the United States Air Force
from 1951 to 1954 and the United States Naval Reserve from 1964 to 1970.
Hansen moved to Alameda, Idaho
, and was established as a life insurance salesman by 1958. He was elected mayor
of Alameda in 1961 and supported its merger with Pocatello
the following year. Following the merger Hansen served as a Pocatello city commissioner until 1965.
Hansen was an unsuccessful candidate for United States Senate
in 1962 but won a seat in the House two years later. He again ran for the Senate in 1968 but lost to Democratic incumbent Frank Church
. Hansen ran a third unsuccessful Senate campaign in 1972.
In 1975 Hansen returned to the House. In Washington Hansen was known as one of the most conservative members of Congress. He was a particularly vocal critic of the Internal Revenue Service
.
Congressman Hansen went to Tehran in 1979 in the middle of the Iran hostage crisis to try to negotiate with hostage takers through the fence of the U.S. Embassy. In 1980 Hansen published a book titled 'To harass our people: The IRS and government abuse of power.
In 1984 Hansen was reprimand
ed by the House for failing to include transactions on federal disclosure forms. He was defeated for reelection by less than 200 votes that year by Democrat Richard H. Stallings
. Hansen tried unsuccessfully to challenge the election result. He was convicted of failing to file full disclosure forms and spent 15 months in prison. His imprisonment allegedly included torture through medical neglect and subjection to "diesel therapy
," a form of punishment in which prisoners are painfully shackled and then transported for days or weeks without respite. The conviction was overturned in 1995 as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court decision Hubbard v. United States.
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
from the state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. He served in the 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...
from 1965 to 1969 and again from 1975 to 1985.
Biography
Hansen was born in Tetonia, IdahoTetonia, Idaho
Tetonia, Idaho, in Teton County is 50 miles NE of Idaho Falls, Idaho and 425 miles NW of Denver, Colorado. The city is home to some 247 residents....
. He graduated from Ricks College (now Brigham Young University-Idaho)
Brigham Young University-Idaho
Brigham Young University–Idaho is a private university located in Rexburg, Idaho. Founded in 1888, the university is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and transitioned from a junior college to a four-year institution in 2001, known for the greater part of its...
in 1956 and did graduate work at Idaho State University
Idaho State University
Idaho State University is a public university located in Pocatello, Idaho. It has outreach programs in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Falls, Boise, and Twin Falls....
. He served in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
from 1951 to 1954 and the United States Naval Reserve from 1964 to 1970.
Hansen moved to Alameda, Idaho
Alameda, Idaho
Alameda was a city in Bannock County, Idaho, United States. Alameda was established as a village in 1924 at the consolidation of the villages of Fairview and North Pocatello which were platted on the northern boundary of the town of Pocatello in 1911 and 1914 respectively...
, and was established as a life insurance salesman by 1958. He was elected mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Alameda in 1961 and supported its merger with Pocatello
Pocatello, Idaho
Pocatello is the county seat and largest city of Bannock County, with a small portion on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in neighboring Power County, in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Idaho. It is the principal city of the Pocatello metropolitan area, which encompasses all of Bannock...
the following year. Following the merger Hansen served as a Pocatello city commissioner until 1965.
Hansen was an unsuccessful candidate for 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...
in 1962 but won a seat in the House two years later. He again ran for the Senate in 1968 but lost to Democratic incumbent Frank Church
Frank Church
Frank Forrester Church III was an American lawyer and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a United States Senator from Idaho from 1957 to 1981....
. Hansen ran a third unsuccessful Senate campaign in 1972.
In 1975 Hansen returned to the House. In Washington Hansen was known as one of the most conservative members of Congress. He was a particularly vocal critic of the Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
.
Congressman Hansen went to Tehran in 1979 in the middle of the Iran hostage crisis to try to negotiate with hostage takers through the fence of the U.S. Embassy. In 1980 Hansen published a book titled 'To harass our people: The IRS and government abuse of power.
In 1984 Hansen was reprimand
Reprimand
A reprimand is a severe, formal or official reproof. Reprimanding takes in different forms in different legal systems, such as in UK law.- UK :...
ed by the House for failing to include transactions on federal disclosure forms. He was defeated for reelection by less than 200 votes that year by Democrat Richard H. Stallings
Richard H. Stallings
Richard Howard Stallings represented the Idaho Second District in the House of Representatives from 1985 to 1993. Stallings also served in several other state and local political offices over the course of a 22-year political career.Stallings earned degrees from Weber State College, Utah State...
. Hansen tried unsuccessfully to challenge the election result. He was convicted of failing to file full disclosure forms and spent 15 months in prison. His imprisonment allegedly included torture through medical neglect and subjection to "diesel therapy
Diesel therapy
Diesel therapy is a form of punishment in which prisoners are shackled and then transported for days or weeks. It has been described as "the cruelest aspect of being a federal inmate." It has been alleged that some inmates are deliberately sent to incorrect destinations as an exercise of diesel...
," a form of punishment in which prisoners are painfully shackled and then transported for days or weeks without respite. The conviction was overturned in 1995 as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court decision Hubbard v. United States.
Books
- To harass our people: The IRS and government abuse of power, Positive Publications, (1981).
- How the IRS seizes your dollars and how to fight back, Simon and Schuster, (1981), ISBN 0671427954.