Holtzman, Elizabeth (1941–)
Holtzman, Elizabeth (1941–)
American politician. Born Aug 11, 1941, in Brooklyn, NY; dau. of Sidney Holtzman and Filia (Ravitz) Holtzman; Radcliffe College, BA, magna cum laude, 1962; Harvard Law School, JD, 1965.
Member of US House of Representatives (1973–81), began career as assistant to NYC Mayor John Lindsay (1967); served as a Democratic state committeewoman and district leader (1970–72), in addition to founding the Brooklyn Women's Political Caucus; challenged 50-year veteran Emanuel Celler for Democratic nomination to US House of Representatives (1972); at 31, won primary and election, the youngest woman elected to Congress; served 4 consecutive terms in House of Representatives, distinguishing herself during impeachment hearings of Richard Nixon with investigative work as member of House Judiciary; sought to revise immigration laws and contributed to creation of new rules concerning how evidence is presented in federal courts; ran unsuccessfully for a US Senate seat (1980 and 1992); served as district attorney for Kings County in Brooklyn (1981–90) and as comptroller of NYC (1989–93); resumed practicing law in Brooklyn (1994).
See also autobiography (with Cynthia L. Cooper) Who Said It Would Be Easy?: One Woman's Life in the Political Arena (1996).