Robert Kastenmeier

Robert William Kastenmeier (January 24, 1924 – March 20, 2015) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative from Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district from 1959 until 1991. A member of the Democratic Party, he was an early opponent of the Vietnam War, and later was a key sponsor of the Copyright Act of 1976 and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986.

Early life Kastenmeier was born in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, where he attended public school. After graduating from Beaver Dam High School, he enlisted in the United States Army for duty in World War II. He was on his way to the Pacific Theater as a second lieutenant when the war ended in 1945. He was discharged from the Army on August 15, 1946, with the rank of first lieutenant, but opted to remain in the Philippines until 1948, working as a branch office director handling war claims for the United States Department of Defense.

After returning to the United States, Kastenmeier continued his education at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, and then at the University of Wisconsin Law School, where he received his Bachelor of Laws in 1952. After being admitted to the bar, he began the practice of law in Watertown, Wisconsin.

Political career

Elections In 1955, Kastenmeier was elected justice of the peace for Jefferson and Dodge counties in Wisconsin, and he served until 1959. Kastenmeier first made an unsuccessful bid for Congress in Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district in 1956, losing to Republican Donald Tewes by 11 points. In a rematch in 1958, he defeated Tewes by 6,200 votes and became the first Democrat to hold the seat in 28 years. He won a third race with Tewes in 1960, and faced another close contest in 1962. However, he romped to a fourth term in 1964 and was re-elected with comfortable majorities twelve more times over the next 24 years, serving from the 86th United States Congress to the 101st.

Tenure Kastenmeier voted in favor of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

As a congressman, Kastenmeier was skeptical of American military intervention overseas, and was an early opponent of the Vietnam War, coming out in opposition in 1965.

Kastenmeier was a member of the House Judiciary Committee for almost his entire congressional career. In this capacity, he played a key role in the impeachment process against President Richard Nixon, asserting that each article of impeachment should be voted on separately in order to have a complete debate on each issue. A week before his death in 2015, in an interview with Madison's Capital Times, Kastenmeier warned of American overseas interventions, saying, "There are far too many trouble spots in the world. And we must always remember what history has taught us, that it's always very easy to get in, but terribly hard to get out." In eulogizing his former colleague, Congressman Dave Obey said of Kastenmeier, "I never saw him cast a vote for political reasons. I never saw him cast a vote that was contrary to his beliefs."

Electoral history Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality 1956 General Republican 101,444 55.32% Dem. 81,922 44.68% 183,366 19,522 1958 Primary Democratic 20,922 66.83% Dem. 10,383 33.17% 31,305 10,539 General Democratic 119,885 53.37% Rep. 104,744 46.63% 224,629 15,141 1962 General Democratic 89,740 52.48% Rep. 81,274 47.52% 171,014 8,466 1964 General Democratic 108,148 63.61% Rep. 61,865 36.39% 170,013 46,283 1966 General Democratic 70,311 58.03% Rep. 50,850 41.97% 121,161 19,461 1968 General Democratic 107,804 59.88% Rep. 72,229 40.12% 180,033 35,575 1970 General Democratic 102,879 68.49% Rep. 46,620 31.04% 150,217 56,259 Amer. 718 0.48% 1972 General Democratic 148,136 68.17% Rep. 68,167 31.37% 217,318 79,969 Amer. 1,015 0.47% 1974 General Democratic 93,561 64.77% Rep. 50,890 35.23% 144,451 42,671 1976 General Democratic 155,158 65.60% Rep. 81,350 34.40% 236,508 73,808 1978 General Democratic 99,631 57.68% Rep. 71,412 41.34% 172,740 28,219 Ind. 1,697 0.98% 1980 General Democratic 142,037 53.98% Rep. 119,514 45.42% 263,133 22,523 Lib. 1,582 0.60% 1982 General Democratic 112,677 60.57% Rep. 71,989 38.70% 186,034 40,688 Lib. 1,368 0.74% 1984 Primary Democratic 27,967 82.32% Dem. 6,007 17.68% 33,974 21,960 General Democratic 106,919 55.54% Rep. 85,156 44.23% 192,518 21,763 Ind. 443 0.23% 1988 General Democratic 151,501 58.50% Rep. 107,457 41.50% 258,958 44,044 1990 General Republican 96,938 53.24% Dem. 85,156 46.76% 182,094 11,782