Arlen Specter

A Senator from Pennsylvania. Born in Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kans. , February 12, 1930. Attended the public schools. Graduated, University of Pennsylvania 1951. Graduated, Yale University Law School 1956. Served in the United States Air Force 1951-1953. Admitted to the Pennsylvania bar in 1956 and commenced practice in Philadelphia. Assistant district attorney of Philadelphia 1959-1964. Assistant counsel, President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy (Warren Commission) 1964. District attorney of Philadelphia 1966-1974. Resumed the practice of law 1974-1980. Admitted to the New Jersey bar in 1979 and to the District of Columbia bar in 1983. Elected as a Republican to the United States Senate in 1980. Reelected in 1986, 1992, 1998 and in 2004. Changed party affiliation, becoming a Democrat on April 30, 2009. Unsuccessful candidate for renomination to the Senate in 2010, and served from January 3, 1981, to January 3, 2011. Chair, Select Committee on Intelligence (One Hundred Fourth Congress), Committee on Veterans Affairs (One Hundred Fifth and One Hundred Sixth Congresses, One Hundred Seventh Congress [January 20, 2001-June 6, 2001], One Hundred Eighth Congress), Committee on the Judiciary (One Hundred Ninth Congress). Died October 14, 2012. Interment in Shalom Memorial Park, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.