Alcee Hastings facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alcee Hastings
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida |
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| In office January 3, 1993 – April 6, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick |
| Constituency | 23rd district (1993–2013) 20th district (2013–2021) |
| Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida | |
| In office November 2, 1979 – October 20, 1989 |
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| Appointed by | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | Seat established |
| Succeeded by | Federico A. Moreno |
| Judge of the 17th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida | |
| In office May 2, 1977 – October 31, 1979 |
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| Appointed by | Reubin Askew |
| Preceded by | Stewart LaMotte |
| Succeeded by | Harry Hinckley |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Alcee Lamar Hastings
September 5, 1936 Altamonte Springs, Florida, U.S. |
| Died | April 6, 2021 (aged 84) Beverly Hills, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses | Twice divorced Patricia Williams
(m. 2019) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Fisk University (BA) Howard University Florida A&M University (JD) |
Alcee Lamar Hastings (born September 5, 1936 – died April 6, 2021) was an American politician and judge from Florida. He was a member of the Democratic Party.
Hastings was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1992. He served in Congress until his death in 2021. He represented two different districts in Florida during his time in the House. These districts included areas around Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.
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Early Life and Education
Alcee Lamar Hastings was born in Altamonte Springs, Florida. He went to Crooms Academy in Sanford, Florida. After high school, he attended Howard University and Fisk University.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in zoology and botany from Fisk in 1958. Later, he received his law degree (Juris Doctor) from Florida A&M University College of Law in 1963. After finishing law school, he became a lawyer.
Running for Senate in 1970
In 1970, Hastings decided to run for the United States Senate. The current Senator, Spessard Holland, was retiring. Hastings did not win the Democratic primary election. He finished fourth out of five candidates.
Judicial Career (1977–1989)
In 1977, Hastings became a judge for the circuit court in Broward County, Florida. Two years later, in 1979, President Jimmy Carter nominated him to be a judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
The United States Senate approved his nomination. He became the first African-American federal judge in Florida's history. His time as a federal judge ended in 1989.
Impeachment and Removal from Office
The Judicial Conference of the United States looked into accusations against Judge Hastings. They believed these accusations were serious enough for Congress to consider removing him from his job.
In 1988, the United States House of Representatives voted to impeach Hastings. This means they formally accused him of wrongdoing. The case then went to the United States Senate for a trial.
On October 20, 1989, the Senate found him guilty of the accusations. They voted to remove him from his position as a federal judge. Hastings was the sixth federal judge in U.S. history to be removed from office by the Senate. The Senate's decision did not stop him from holding other public offices in the future.
Court Appeal
Hastings went to court to challenge his removal. He argued that his trial in the Senate was not fair. A judge initially agreed with him. However, the Supreme Court later ruled on a similar case. They said that courts cannot review how Congress handles impeachment trials. Because of this, Hastings's removal from office was upheld.
Running for Secretary of State in 1990
After being removed from his judgeship, Hastings tried to return to politics. He ran for Secretary of State of Florida. He placed second in the Democratic primary election. In the runoff election, he lost to Jim Minter.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives (1993–2021)
Elections to Congress
In 1992, Hastings was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He represented Florida's 23rd district. He won a close primary election and then easily won the general election.
He was re-elected many times without facing strong competition. After new district maps were drawn, he represented Florida's 20th district from 2013 until his death.
Time in Congress
Hastings was an important member of the Democratic Party in the House. He was part of the Congressional Black Caucus. He also served as a senior Democratic whip, which means he helped gather votes for his party's laws.
He was a member of the House Rules Committee. This committee decides how bills are debated and voted on. He also served on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. This committee oversees U.S. intelligence agencies.
In 2019 and 2021, Hastings voted to impeach President Donald Trump.
Disputes over Presidential Elections
Hastings objected to the results of the 2000 presidential election in Florida. He also objected to the 2004 presidential election results in Ohio. In both cases, his objections were not supported by a Senator, so they did not change the election outcome.
Trying to Lead a Committee
After the 2006 elections, there was talk that Hastings might become the head of the House Intelligence Committee. He had support from the Congressional Black Caucus. However, Nancy Pelosi, who became the Speaker of the House, chose someone else for the role. Hastings became the chair of a subcommittee instead.
Committee Assignments
- Committee on Rules (Vice Chair)
- Subcommittee on Legislative and Budget Process
- Helsinki Commission (Chair)
Leadership Positions
- Florida Congressional delegation (co-chairman)
- Senior Democratic whip
- Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety (co-chairman)
- International Conservation Caucus
- Sportsmen's Caucus
Caucus Memberships
- Congressional Arts Caucus
- Afterschool Caucuses
- Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus
- International Conservation Caucus
- Veterinary Medicine Caucus
- U.S.-Japan Caucus
- Medicare for All Caucus
- Blue Collar Caucus
Political Views
Foreign Policy
Hastings disagreed with President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. He believed Jerusalem should remain the undivided capital of Israel. However, he was concerned about how the Trump administration made the announcement.
Gun Policy
Hastings believed that gun control is important for reducing crime in the United States. He supported bringing back the Federal Assault Weapons Ban. He also wanted a federal ban on devices called bump stocks. He thought the minimum age to buy a rifle should be raised from 18 to 21. The NRA gave him an "F" rating. This means they believed he did not support gun rights.
Personal Life and Death
Alcee Hastings was married three times and had three children. His first two marriages ended in divorce. He married Patricia Williams in 2019.
In January 2019, Hastings was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He passed away from the disease on April 6, 2021, at the age of 84.
See Also
In Spanish: Alcee Hastings para niños
- List of African-American United States representatives
- List of United States Congress members who died in office (2000–)
