Peter A. Peyser
Encyclopedia
Peter A. Peyser was a United States Representative from New York
, serving from 1971 to 1977 as a Republican
and from 1979 to 1983 as a Democrat
.
and grew up there and in Manhattan
. He graduated from Dwight Preparatory School in New York and entered Colgate University
in the fall of 1939 as a member of the class of 1943. As with many schools at that time, Colgate offered its students the opportunity to accelerate their studies to facilitate their enlistment in the military. Peyser graduated from Colgate in December 1942 and enlisted in the U.S. Army as a private in 1943.
Peyser entered the European theater about three months after D-Day
. He served in the infantry as a "replacement" (i.e. assigned to a specific unit only after arrival in the theater to fill in ranks depleted by casualties).
He saw action with the 99th Infantry Division in the Battle of the Bulge
, Remagen Bridge Engagement
and Huertgen Forest
. After V-E Day, Sergeant Peyser participated in the occupation of a small town in Germany. He was discharged in 1946 and accepted a commission as second lieutenant with the Seventh Regiment of the New York National Guard
, and later held the rank of captain. Returning to New York, Peyser worked for the Manhattan Life insurance company in the agency managed by his father, Percy A. Peyser. A few years later, he joined the Mutual of New York life insurance company as an agent. He later managed offices in White Plains, New York
and Manhattan.
and Baltimore, Maryland. She had moved to New York City to attend the Parsons School of Design. In 1951, the Peysers moved to Irvington, New York
. They had five children – Penelope (born 1951), Carolyn (born 1952), Peter (born 1954), James (born 1956) and Thomas (born 1962). Penelope, known as Penny
, became an actress. (Her uncle, John Peyser, was a Hollywood television and movie director.) Peter A. Peyser Jr. is a principal in the Washington, D.C. lobbying firm of Blank Rome LLP. Thomas Peyser is Professor of English at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia
of Irvington. A community of 5,000 people, Irvington was governed by a part-time Board of Trustees and Mayor. The Mayor was paid $100 a month for his efforts. During four terms as Mayor, Peyser emphasized the need to upgrade the community's parks and its recreation department. He also presided over the upgrade of the village’s water system.
In 1969, Peyser announced a dark-horse candidacy for Congress as a Republican
. The 25th District of New York at that time covered the Western half of lower Westchester County and three towns in Rockland County
. At the time of his announcement, the incumbent Congressman from the area was Richard L. Ottinger, a popular Democrat. Later in 1969, Ottinger announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, seeking to oust Republican Sen. Charles Goodell
, who had been appointed by Governor Nelson Rockefeller
to fill Robert F. Kennedy
’s seat after the latter's assassination in 1968. After Ottinger's announcement, three other Republicans, all with higher public profiles than Peyser, joined the race for the GOP nomination. Peyser won the June primary and went on to win the general election against William Dretzin. Peyser’s slogan was "Nixon Picks Him."
For the 1972 election, the district was redrawn because of the 1970 census. Now labeled the 23rd, it was 1/3 the northern Bronx, 1/3 the City of Yonkers, and 1/3 suburban communities along the Hudson River
. That year, while Nixon carried the district comfortably, Peyser eked out a 1200 vote margin over former Rep. Richard L. Ottinger who sought to return to Congress after his defeat for the Senate in 1970.
During his three terms in the House as a Republican, Peyser made a name for himself as a consumer activist on the Committee on Agriculture, as assignment usually not sought by New York Members. His major efforts were directed to the Committee on Education and Labor where he fought for improved student loan programs, aid to elementary and secondary education and better worker training programs. He played an important role on the "ERISA Task Force" set up by House leaders to develop the landmark legislation that governs employee benefit and retirement plans. Peyser was a staunch Nixon supporter and backed his Vietnam War policies. He was one of the last Members of the New York Congressional delegation to call for the President’s impeachment, doing so only days before Nixon announced his resignation.
In 1976, Peyser launched an ill-fated attempt to wrest the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate away from Senator James Buckley
. Buckley had won the three-way 1970 Senate race on the Conservative Party line, but aligned himself with the Republican caucus in the Senate. Buckley gained an agreement with then-Vice President Nelson Rockefeller
that in exchange for Buckley not endorsing Ronald Reagan
's challenge to President Gerald Ford
for the GOP nomination, Rockefeller would send a signal to New York Republicans to deny Peyser the resources to conduct his campaign. The GOP state committee sued the Peyser campaign to keep it off the September primary
ballot, but the petition signatures gained by the Congressman withstood the test. However, Buckley won the primary in a landslide. He went on to defeat in the general election at the hands of Daniel Patrick Moynihan
.
, nominated Peyser to be Chairman of the New York Public Service Commission
, perhaps the most powerful regulatory position in New York State at the time. The Republican-controlled Senate, from which confirmation was required, immediately objected to the nomination as an example of cronyism
, citing Peyser’s lack of experience in utility regulation. Peyser mounted an effort to gain confirmation, but after the New York Times editorialized against his nomination, he withdrew.
Fortune smiled on Peyser in 1978 when the popular, young Republican Congressman who replaced him, Bruce Caputo, left his seat to run for Lieutenant Governor
of New York. Peyser jumped into the Democratic primary and easily defeated a young county legislator and future Assemblyman
named Richard Brodsky
. Peyser easily gained election in 1978 and again in 1980.
During his four years in Congress as a Democrat
, Peyser aligned himself closely with the leadership of Speaker "Tip" O'Neill. He continued his battle for improved student loan programs and fought for labor law reform.
The 1980 census brought on another round of redistricting in New York and the loss of three congressional seats. The Republican Senate in Albany
exacted its revenge on the "turncoat" congressman. They carved his district into three pieces and left him only one realistic option besides retirement, a campaign against his popular friend, Rep. Benjamin Gilman, a Republican. The new 20th district was far from the compact urban/suburban district Peyser had represented. It extended almost 200 miles in length and covered territory from suburban Westchester and Rockland to rural counties like Orange
and Sullivan
in the Catskills. Only 20% of the voters had been in Peyser's congressional district. Gilman won comfortably.
Peyser made an attempt at a comeback in 1984, running in a Democratic primary in an adjacent district in which he did not live. He finished third.
, where (as of 2006) he still worked at the age of 85.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, serving from 1971 to 1977 as a 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...
and from 1979 to 1983 as a Democrat
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...
.
Early life
He was born in Cedarhurst, Long IslandCedarhurst, New York
Cedarhurst is a village in Nassau County, on the South Shore of Long Island, New York, in the USA. The population was 6,592 at the 2010 United States Census. The village is named after a grove of trees that once stood at the post office....
and grew up there and in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. He graduated from Dwight Preparatory School in New York and entered Colgate University
Colgate University
Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52...
in the fall of 1939 as a member of the class of 1943. As with many schools at that time, Colgate offered its students the opportunity to accelerate their studies to facilitate their enlistment in the military. Peyser graduated from Colgate in December 1942 and enlisted in the U.S. Army as a private in 1943.
Peyser entered the European theater about three months after D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
. He served in the infantry as a "replacement" (i.e. assigned to a specific unit only after arrival in the theater to fill in ranks depleted by casualties).
He saw action with the 99th Infantry Division in the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
, Remagen Bridge Engagement
Operation Lumberjack
Operation Lumberjack was a military operation conducted in the last stages of the war in Europe during World War II. It was launched by the First United States Army in March 1945 to capture strategic cities in Germany such as Cologne, and to give the Allies a foothold along the Rhine River.With the...
and Huertgen Forest
Battle of Hurtgen Forest
The Battle of Hürtgen Forest is the name given to the series of fierce battles fought between U.S. and German forces during World War II in the Hürtgen Forest, which became the longest battle on German ground during World War II, and the longest single battle the U.S. Army has ever fought...
. After V-E Day, Sergeant Peyser participated in the occupation of a small town in Germany. He was discharged in 1946 and accepted a commission as second lieutenant with the Seventh Regiment of the New York National Guard
United States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
, and later held the rank of captain. Returning to New York, Peyser worked for the Manhattan Life insurance company in the agency managed by his father, Percy A. Peyser. A few years later, he joined the Mutual of New York life insurance company as an agent. He later managed offices in White Plains, New York
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
and Manhattan.
Family
On December 23, 1949, he married Marguerite Richards, a native of Monroe, LouisianaMonroe, Louisiana
Monroe is a city in and the parish seat of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 53,107, making it the eighth largest city in Louisiana. A July 1, 2007, United States Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 51,208, but 51,636...
and Baltimore, Maryland. She had moved to New York City to attend the Parsons School of Design. In 1951, the Peysers moved to Irvington, New York
Irvington, New York
Irvington, sometimes known as Irvington-on-Hudson, is an affluent suburban village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a station stop on the...
. They had five children – Penelope (born 1951), Carolyn (born 1952), Peter (born 1954), James (born 1956) and Thomas (born 1962). Penelope, known as Penny
Penny Peyser
Penny Peyser is an actress. She graduated from Emerson College in Boston in 1973.-Career:Peyser is best known for her role as Cindy in the 1980s series Crazy Like a Fox...
, became an actress. (Her uncle, John Peyser, was a Hollywood television and movie director.) Peter A. Peyser Jr. is a principal in the Washington, D.C. lobbying firm of Blank Rome LLP. Thomas Peyser is Professor of English at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia
Political career
Peyser's political career began in 1962 when he ran for MayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Irvington. A community of 5,000 people, Irvington was governed by a part-time Board of Trustees and Mayor. The Mayor was paid $100 a month for his efforts. During four terms as Mayor, Peyser emphasized the need to upgrade the community's parks and its recreation department. He also presided over the upgrade of the village’s water system.
In 1969, Peyser announced a dark-horse candidacy for Congress as a 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...
. The 25th District of New York at that time covered the Western half of lower Westchester County and three towns in Rockland County
Rockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
. At the time of his announcement, the incumbent Congressman from the area was Richard L. Ottinger, a popular Democrat. Later in 1969, Ottinger announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, seeking to oust Republican Sen. Charles Goodell
Charles Goodell
Charles Ellsworth Goodell was a U.S. Representative and a Senator from New York, notable for coming into both offices under special circumstances following the deaths of his predecessors.-Early life and education:...
, who had been appointed by Governor Nelson Rockefeller
Nelson Rockefeller
Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller was the 41st Vice President of the United States , serving under President Gerald Ford, and the 49th Governor of New York , as well as serving the Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower administrations in a variety of positions...
to fill Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
’s seat after the latter's assassination in 1968. After Ottinger's announcement, three other Republicans, all with higher public profiles than Peyser, joined the race for the GOP nomination. Peyser won the June primary and went on to win the general election against William Dretzin. Peyser’s slogan was "Nixon Picks Him."
For the 1972 election, the district was redrawn because of the 1970 census. Now labeled the 23rd, it was 1/3 the northern Bronx, 1/3 the City of Yonkers, and 1/3 suburban communities along the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. That year, while Nixon carried the district comfortably, Peyser eked out a 1200 vote margin over former Rep. Richard L. Ottinger who sought to return to Congress after his defeat for the Senate in 1970.
During his three terms in the House as a Republican, Peyser made a name for himself as a consumer activist on the Committee on Agriculture, as assignment usually not sought by New York Members. His major efforts were directed to the Committee on Education and Labor where he fought for improved student loan programs, aid to elementary and secondary education and better worker training programs. He played an important role on the "ERISA Task Force" set up by House leaders to develop the landmark legislation that governs employee benefit and retirement plans. Peyser was a staunch Nixon supporter and backed his Vietnam War policies. He was one of the last Members of the New York Congressional delegation to call for the President’s impeachment, doing so only days before Nixon announced his resignation.
In 1976, Peyser launched an ill-fated attempt to wrest the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate away from Senator James Buckley
James Buckley
James Buckley may refer to:* James Buckley , English actor who stars in The Inbetweeners* James Buckley , Roman Catholic bishop of Geras...
. Buckley had won the three-way 1970 Senate race on the Conservative Party line, but aligned himself with the Republican caucus in the Senate. Buckley gained an agreement with then-Vice President Nelson Rockefeller
Nelson Rockefeller
Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller was the 41st Vice President of the United States , serving under President Gerald Ford, and the 49th Governor of New York , as well as serving the Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower administrations in a variety of positions...
that in exchange for Buckley not endorsing Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
's challenge to President Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
for the GOP nomination, Rockefeller would send a signal to New York Republicans to deny Peyser the resources to conduct his campaign. The GOP state committee sued the Peyser campaign to keep it off the September primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
ballot, but the petition signatures gained by the Congressman withstood the test. However, Buckley won the primary in a landslide. He went on to defeat in the general election at the hands of Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Daniel Patrick "Pat" Moynihan was an American politician and sociologist. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected to the United States Senate for New York in 1976, and was re-elected three times . He declined to run for re-election in 2000...
.
Change of party
Jilted by his party, Peyser announced in early 1977 that he was changing to the Democratic party. Shortly thereafter, his former congressional colleague, Governor Hugh CareyHugh Carey
Hugh Leo Carey was an American attorney, the 51st Governor of New York from 1975 to 1982, and a seven-term United States Representative .- Early life :...
, nominated Peyser to be Chairman of the New York Public Service Commission
New York Public Service Commission
The New York Public Service Commission is a government agency that regulates the various utilities of the state of New York. The commission also oversees the cable industry.The commission consists of up to five members, led by a commissioner...
, perhaps the most powerful regulatory position in New York State at the time. The Republican-controlled Senate, from which confirmation was required, immediately objected to the nomination as an example of cronyism
Cronyism
Cronyism is partiality to long-standing friends, especially by appointing them to positions of authority, regardless of their qualifications. Hence, cronyism is contrary in practice and principle to meritocracy....
, citing Peyser’s lack of experience in utility regulation. Peyser mounted an effort to gain confirmation, but after the New York Times editorialized against his nomination, he withdrew.
Fortune smiled on Peyser in 1978 when the popular, young Republican Congressman who replaced him, Bruce Caputo, left his seat to run for Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
of New York. Peyser jumped into the Democratic primary and easily defeated a young county legislator and future Assemblyman
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
named Richard Brodsky
Richard Brodsky
Richard Brodsky is an American politician who represented District 92 in the New York State Assembly, which includes the towns of Greenburgh and Mount Pleasant, the villages of Ardsley, Elmsford, Dobbs Ferry, Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington, Tarrytown, as well as parts of Briarcliff and Yonkers,...
. Peyser easily gained election in 1978 and again in 1980.
During his four years in Congress as a Democrat
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...
, Peyser aligned himself closely with the leadership of Speaker "Tip" O'Neill. He continued his battle for improved student loan programs and fought for labor law reform.
The 1980 census brought on another round of redistricting in New York and the loss of three congressional seats. The Republican Senate in Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
exacted its revenge on the "turncoat" congressman. They carved his district into three pieces and left him only one realistic option besides retirement, a campaign against his popular friend, Rep. Benjamin Gilman, a Republican. The new 20th district was far from the compact urban/suburban district Peyser had represented. It extended almost 200 miles in length and covered territory from suburban Westchester and Rockland to rural counties like Orange
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
and Sullivan
Sullivan County, New York
Sullivan County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 77,547. The county seat is Monticello. The name is in honor of Major General John Sullivan, who was a hero in the American Revolutionary War...
in the Catskills. Only 20% of the voters had been in Peyser's congressional district. Gilman won comfortably.
Peyser made an attempt at a comeback in 1984, running in a Democratic primary in an adjacent district in which he did not live. He finished third.
After politics
Following his political career, Peyser re-entered the financial sector, where he assisted investment management firms in growing their portfolios through his relationships with labor unions and insurance companies. He worked for firms such as Daseke & Co, Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. and Gabelli Asset ManagementGAMCO Investors
GAMCO Investors, Inc formerly known as Gabelli Asset Management Company is a provider of investment advice and brokerage services to mutual funds, institutional and select investors. One of the companies key elements of their success is the investment research publishing. It is listed on the New...
, where (as of 2006) he still worked at the age of 85.