Edward W. Pattison

Edward Worthington Pattison (April 29, 1932 – August 22, 1990) was an American attorney and politician from New York. A Democrat, he was most notable for his service as the last elected treasurer of Rensselaer County from 1970 to 1974 and a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 1979.

A native of Troy, New York, Pattison graduated from Cornell University in 1953 and served in the United States Army for two years. In 1957, he completed his law degree at Cornell Law School, attained admission to the bar, and began to practice in Troy.

Active in politics as a Democrat, Pattison was chairman of the Sand Lake, New York Democratic Committee and active in the presidential campaigns of John F. Kennedy in 1960 and Eugene McCarthy in 1968. In 1969, Pattison won election as treasurer of Rensselaer County, and he was reelected in 1972. In 1974, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives, and he was reelected in 1976. As one of the large freshman class of Democrats elected after the Watergate scandal, Pattison aided in reforming House rules to make seniority a less important factor in committee assignments and chairmanships.

After losing reelection in 1978, Pattison resumed practicing law, was a commentator on current events for television, radio, and newspapers, and also taught politics and government at several universities. Early life Edward W. "Ned" Pattison was born in Troy, New York, on April 29, 1932, the son of Edward H. Pattison and Elisabeth (Royce) Pattison. He attended the public schools of Troy and the Hoosac School, and graduated from The Albany Academy in 1949. Pattison graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1953.

Pattison served in the United States Army from 1954 to 1956, and attained the rank of First Lieutenant In 1957, Pattison received his LL.B. degree from Cornell Law School. A Democrat, in 1960, was chairman of Rensselaer County Citizens for Kennedy-Johnson. A resident of West Sand Lake, in 1961 Pattison was elected chairman of the Sand Lake Democratic Committee. In 1963, he was the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for town supervisor of Sand Lake.

Early political involvement Pattison opposed U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, and in 1968 he supported Eugene McCarthy for president. Pattison was an unsuccessful candidate for delegate to that year's Democratic National Convention. He was reelected in 1972, and served from 1970 until resigning in 1974. A charter change approved by the voters of Rensselaer County eliminated the treasurer's position in favor of a chief financial officer appointed by the county executive, but it provided that the incumbent treasurer could complete the term to which he had been elected in 1972. In 1973, he was the unsuccessful nominee for Rensselaer County Executive, a new position created by the county's charter change. He lost to Republican William J. Murphy, who served from 1974 until 1985. Commission on Economic Opportunity for the Rensselaer County Area, Family and Children's Services of Troy, March of Dimes Southern Adirondack Chapter, Home Aide Service of Eastern New York, Unity House of Troy, and Rensselaer Association for Retarded Children. The 1975 freshmen succeeded in making seniority less important with respect to committee assignments and leadership positions. Pattison's liberalism, coupled with issues including his admission of having previously used marijuana,

Pattison was a fellow of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.

Family In 1951, Pattison married Eleanor Copley. He later served as a deputy with the New York State Comptroller, New York State Office of People with Developmental Disabilities, and Deputy Secretary of State of New York.

Legacy In 1990, Pattison received the New York State Bar Association's Root-Stimson Award in recognition of his many years of community service. The New York Civil Liberties Union's Ned Pattison Award recognizes a public servant or private citizen who works to aid the poor and powerless, and is named for Pattison.