Thomas Kuchel
Thomas Henry Kuchel (/ˈkiːkəl/ KEE-kəl; August 15, 1910 – November 21, 1994)[1] was an American politician. A moderate Republican, he served as a US Senator from California from 1953 to 1969 and was the minority whip in the Senate,[2] where he was the co-manager on the floor for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.[3] Kuchel voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957,[4][5] 1960,[6] and 1964,[7] as well as the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,[8] the Voting Rights Act of 1965,[9][10] and the confirmation of Thurgood Marshall to the U.S. Supreme Court,[11] while Kuchel did not vote on the Civil Rights Act of 1968.[12]
Not to be confused with Thomas Tuchel.
Thomas Kuchel
Early life[edit]
Kuchel was born in Anaheim, Orange County, the son of Henry Kuchel, a newspaper editor and the former Letitia Bailey.[3][13][14] Kuchel attended public school as a child.[2] While he was at Anaheim High School, he was student body president, a yell leader and a member of the debate team. While there, he debated a team from Whittier High School, winning his own debate against his opponent and later intraparty rival, Richard Nixon.
Kuchel graduated from both the University of Southern California in 1932[2] and the University of Southern California Law School before he entered the state government.
Death[edit]
He died of lung cancer on November 21, 1994, in Beverly Hills.[1][3][14]
Legacy[edit]
Secretary of Defense and former White House Chief of Staff and CIA Director Leon Panetta began in politics as a legislative assistant to Kuchel. Panetta would cite Kuchel as "a tremendous role model."[23]
In August 2010, the Beverly Hills City Council paid tribute to Senator Kuchel on the 100th anniversary of his birth. His widow Betty Kuchel and daughter Karen Kuchel accepted a proclamation from then Councilman and now mayor William Warren Brien, a grandson of Governor Earl Warren, at the August 17th council meeting.