Photo: Julia Schmalz/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Former Sen. Carl Levin has died. The longtime Democratic lawmaker was 87.
Levin graduated from Swarthmore College and Harvard Law School,
A graduate of Swarthmore College and Harvard Law School, Levin worked for the Michigan Civil Rights Commission and as a public defender in his hometown of Detroit before being elected to the Detroit City Council in 1969, later winning a Senate seat in 1978.
In the legislative house, Levin’s focused on tax reform and boosting American manufacturing jobs. He was also known for his work as chairman of the Armed Services Committee, a role he held for nine years. During his tenure, Levin raised pay for military members and disagreed with the majority of his colleagues on the Iraq War, voting against sending U.S. troops overseas 2002.
Two years after the vote, Levin saidPresident George W. Bush’s administration had “written the book on how to mismanage a war.” He also spoke out againstPresident Ronald Reagan’s collection of nuclear weapons, citing the need for conventional weapons for the military.
The senator earned the praise of his colleagues for his down-to-earth demeanor and collaborative nature. In 2006,Timemagazine ranked Levin as one of the nation’s 10 best senators.
Levin left Congress in 2015 at age 81 after deciding not to seek a seventh term. Though he was no longer a Senator, Levin remained politically active, joining the private law firm Honigman Attorneys and Counselors and later offering his endorsement toPresident Joe Bidenduring the 2020 presidential election.
In March, Levin published reflected on his life and times in the memoirGetting to the Heart of the Matter: My 36 Years in the Senate, and the Navy christened a destroyer after him in honor of his public service.
Colleagues and friends have shared their condolences following the news of his death, with Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes saying Levin stood for the best of the Wolverine State.
Michigan Attorney GeneralBill Schuetteremembered Levin as “a gentleman, a fighter for Michigan and a wise voice in the Senate.”
source: people.com
