Leonard Felzenberg

Leonard J. Felzenberg (born 1933) is an American Republican Party politician and attorney. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago and New York University Law School. He served as a U.S. Navy officer, and as a trial attorney in the Internal Security Division of the United States Department of Justice during the Eisenhower administration.[1]

He was the campaign manager for William L. Stubbs in 1964. Stubbs was the first African American to win a major party nomination for Congress from New Jersey.

During the Rat Finks Investigation, a New Jersey political scandal, Felzenberg served as a lawyer for the probe headed up by William F. Tompkins. The Rat Finks were an ultra-conservative faction within the New Jersey Young Republicans that were accused of being racist and anti-Semitic. During one of the group's national conventions in Wildwood, New Jersey, a delegate complained that the group had issued a songbook with lyrics to popular songs that were derogatory toward Blacks and Jews. State Senator Nelson Stamler charged that the group had discouraged Blacks and Jews from joining, and asked New Jersey Attorney General Arthur Sills to launch an investigation.[2] The Republican State Chairman, Webster Todd, also launched an investigation. The state Young Republican Chairman, Peter Butler (of Union County) accused Stamler of seeking to smear the right wing of the Republican Party. Richard Plechner, a New Jersey resident, was forced to resign his post as National Young Republican Vice Chairman as a result of the controversy.[3]

In 1966, Felzenberg became a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in New Jersey's eleventh congressional district. With the backing of the Essex County Republican Committee, Felzenberg won the Republican primary with 5,677 (76%) votes against Joseph F. Shanahan, who received 1,801 votes (24%).[4] In the general election, he faced two-term Democratic incumbent Joseph Minish.

Felzenberg criticized Minish for voting "without deviation" for each item in President Lyndon Johnson's Great Society program. He also disagreed with Minish's support of Johnson's Vietnam policies: "The only solution to this war will be a political solution," Felzenberg said. "The administration must make it clear that we're ready to negotiate with everybody who's a party to this struggle, including the National Liberation Front -- the Vietcong."[5]

Minish won by 19,220 votes, 64,023 (58%) to 44,803 (42%).[6]

In 1977, Felzenberg was elected Republican State Committeeman from Essex County. He was not a candidate for re-election to a second term in 1981.[7]

He was a senior partner in the law firm of Felzenberg, Winter & Winkler. He later served on the Board of Directors of Peerless Tube Company.[8]

Felzenberg married Lois Faye Solomon on December 23, 1961.[9]

References
  1. "Company Overview of Peerless Tube Company". BloombergBusiness.com. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  2. Sullivan, Ronald (2 February 1966). "Racist Investigation Opened in Jersey". New York Times.
  3. "National Executive of Young Republicans Acts Against 'rat Finks'". Jewish Telegraph Agency. 15 August 1966. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  4. "NJ District 11 - R Primary". ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  5. Sibley, John (10 October 1966). "Felzenberg Clinging to Case's Coattails Against Democrat". New York Times.
  6. "Results of the General Election" (PDF). New Jersey Division of Elections. State of New Jersey. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  7. Gribbons, Joseph J. (1981). Legislative Manual of New Jersey. Fitzgeralds.
  8. "Company Overview of Peerless Tube Company". BloombergBusiness.com. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  9. "Lois Solomon Is Bride 0f Leonard Felzenberg". New York Times. 24 December 1961.


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