Charles Antone Horsky facts for kids
Charles Antone Horsky (born March 22, 1910 – died August 20, 1997) was an important lawyer and advisor to two US Presidents, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. He worked for almost 40 years at a big law firm called Covington & Burling. As an advisor, he helped the city of Washington, D.C. gain more control over its own government. Before this, the U.S. Congress managed many of the city's affairs.
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Early Life and School
Charles Horsky was born in Helena, Montana. His father was a judge in Montana. Charles's mother passed away when he was 10 years old. He grew up in Helena and later went to the University of Washington. To pay for school, he worked in a garage parking cars almost every day. A professor suggested he apply to Harvard Law School. Charles said he didn't even know where Harvard was! He got in and later became the president of the Law Review. He finished law school in 1934.
Legal Career
After law school, Charles Horsky worked for a judge named Augustus N. Hand in New York. This was a special job for new lawyers. After a year, he worked for the Solicitor General, who is the government's top lawyer in the Supreme Court. From 1935 to 1937, Horsky served in this office. Then, he joined Covington, Burling, Rublee, Acheson & Shorb, a major law firm in Washington, D.C. He became a partner there and worked with them for nearly 40 years.
In 1952, Horsky gave some talks at the Northwestern University School of Law. These talks were later put into a book called The Washington Lawyer.
Important Court Cases
Fighting for Rights in Korematsu v. United States (1944)
During World War II, the U.S. Army ordered all Japanese Americans to report to special camps. This was called internment. Fred Korematsu refused to go. He stayed in California and was arrested. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) helped him appeal his case. In 1944, Charles Horsky, who helped start the D.C. branch of the ACLU, argued Fred Korematsu's case before the Supreme Court.
Horsky argued that the order was unfair and against the Constitution. He also said that the government's reasons for the order were wrong. However, the Supreme Court decided against Fred Korematsu. They upheld the order. Many years later, in 1984, Fred Korematsu's case was looked at again. This time, the court ruled in his favor and overturned his original conviction.
Fairness for All in Griffin v. Illinois (1955-56)
Judson Griffin and James Crenshaw were found guilty of armed robbery. They wanted to appeal their case. In Illinois in 1955, you had to pay to get a copy of your trial record to appeal. Griffin and Crenshaw didn't have enough money. They asked for a free copy, but the court said no.
Charles Horsky took their case all the way to the Supreme Court in 1956. He argued that everyone should have a fair chance to appeal, no matter how much money they have. Horsky won the case. This decision helped make sure that people who couldn't afford a trial transcript could still appeal their convictions.
Helping Railroads in Regional Rail Reorganization Act Cases
While at his law firm, Charles Horsky worked on cases that helped reorganize the railroad industry. Many older railroad companies were struggling. Horsky's work helped transfer control of these rail lines to new companies like Conrail and Amtrak. This helped make the railroad system stronger and more stable.
Public Service for Washington, D.C.
Leading the Washington Planning and Housing Association (1960-62)
The Washington Planning and Housing Association (WPHA) worked to create affordable homes for people in need in Washington, D.C. Charles Horsky made a large donation to the WPHA. Because of his support, he was elected to their board of directors. Soon after, he became the president of the board.
Advisor to the President on National Capital Affairs (1962-67)
When President Kennedy was elected, he wanted to improve life for people in Washington, D.C. He appointed Charles Horsky as the first-ever Presidential Advisor on National Capital Affairs in 1962. Horsky suggested a big change in how the President presented D.C.'s budget to Congress. Instead of just a small mention, Horsky helped create a separate budget document. This document included a statement from the President about D.C.'s issues and how to solve them. This change helped D.C. be seen as a more independent city, not just part of the federal government.
As an advisor, Horsky also pushed for a subway system in D.C. He helped get agreements between D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. He also worked to get Congress to approve the Metro project, even though some groups were against it.
Under President Johnson, Horsky wrote the first "home rule" bill for D.C. This bill aimed to let D.C. residents elect their own Mayor and City Council. Before this, many important city jobs were chosen by the federal government. Even though this bill didn't pass Congress, President Johnson used his power to reorganize the D.C. government. Horsky helped recruit Walter Washington to be the first appointed Mayor of D.C. This work helped set the stage for D.C. to have more control over its own government later on.
The Horsky Report (1982)
Charles Horsky was asked to lead a study about the D.C. court system. This was ten years after a big change to the courts. He was chosen because he was an expert in law and politics, and people trusted him to be fair.
The study was very detailed. It looked at how the courts worked before and after the changes. The Horsky Report was almost a thousand pages long! Many of its suggestions for improving the D.C. courts were later put into action by the courts or by Congress.
The Council for Court Excellence
After the Horsky Report was finished, Charles Horsky and others wanted to make sure its ideas were put into practice. They also wanted to keep supporting the courts. In 1982, Horsky, along with other citizens, founded the Council for Court Excellence. This group brings together lawyers, judges, and community members. Their goal is to make the justice system better and fairer for everyone. They also educate the public about how the courts work. Since 1982, this organization has worked on many projects to improve the courts and educate people.
Other Work and Awards
Charles Horsky did many different things throughout his life. He was the Chairman of the National Bankruptcy Conference and the Chairman of the D.C. Board of Education. He also served as President of the Eugene & Agnes E. Meyer Foundation. In 1989, he received the Pro Bono Award from the D.C. Bar for his free legal work for the public.
In 1997, after he passed away, he was given the Honor Award from the National Building Museum. This award recognized him as someone who helped build and improve Washington, D.C..
Personal Life
Charles Horsky married Barbara Egleston Horsky in 1937. They adopted two children, Margaret and Antone. Almost every summer, Horsky would travel from his home in Silver Spring, Maryland to his cabin in Lincoln, Montana. There, he enjoyed fly-fishing, hiking, and taking friends on trips into the Bob Marshall Wilderness. He even drove his late father's old green Oldsmobile. Back in Washington, he was known for driving his 1962 Ford Galaxie convertible with the top down, even in winter, without a heavy coat!
He passed away on August 20, 1997, in Silver Spring, Maryland, due to kidney failure.
