Edward Mezvinsky
Edward Maurice Mezvinsky (/mɛzˈvɪnski/; born January 17, 1937) is an American politician and lawyer from Iowa. He is a former U.S. Representative and felon. A Democrat, he represented Iowa's 1st congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives for two terms (1973–77).
Edward Mezvinsky | |
|---|---|
| Chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party | |
| In office August 13, 1981 – June 28, 1986 | |
| Preceded by | Alex Debreczeni |
| Succeeded by | Harris Wofford |
| United States Ambassador to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights | |
| In office 1977–1979 | |
| President | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | Allard K. Lowenstein |
| Succeeded by | Jerome J. Shestack |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 1st district | |
| In office January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1977 | |
| Preceded by | Fred Schwengel |
| Succeeded by | Jim Leach |
| Member of the Iowa House of Representatives from the 41st district | |
| In office January 13, 1969 – January 10, 1971 | |
| Preceded by | multi-member district |
| Succeeded by | Emil J. Husak |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Edward Maurice Mezvinsky January 17, 1937 Ames, Iowa, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) |
Myra Shulman
(m. 1963; div. 1974)Marjorie Margolies
(m. 1975; div. 2007) |
| Children | 11, including Marc Mezvinsky |
| Relatives | Norton Mezvinsky (brother) Chelsea Clinton (daughter-in-law) |
| Education | University of Iowa (BA) University of California, Berkeley (MA) University of California, Hastings (JD) |
| Criminal status | Released, probation expired |
| Conviction(s) | Bank fraud, mail fraud and wire fraud |
| Criminal penalty | 5 years imprisonment |
Mezvinsky grew up in Ames, Iowa, and played high school football there. He graduated from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law (1965). After being elected to the Iowa Legislature (1968), he lost a race for Congress in 1970, then won in 1972 and was re-elected in 1974. He made several unsuccessful U.S. Senate attempts in the 1980s. In 2001, he was convicted of 31 charges of felony fraud, and served five years in federal prison.
In 2010, he became father-in-law to Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of Hillary and Bill Clinton.