Representative Bertram L. Podell

Bertram Lawrence “Bert” Podell (December 27, 1925 – August 17, 2005) was an American lawyer and Democratic politician who served in the New York State Assembly for six terms and part of a seventh, and as a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York for part of one term and three full terms. He represented his Brooklyn-based district in Congress from 1967 to 1975, contributing to the legislative process during four terms in office and participating in the democratic governance of the United States during a significant period in American history.

Podell was born on December 27, 1925, in Brooklyn, New York, the oldest of three children of Hyman Podell and Henriette Menaker Podell. The family name was originally Podolsky, reflecting his family’s Eastern European Jewish heritage. He was raised and educated in Brooklyn, attending Abraham Lincoln High School. During World War II, he joined the United States Navy and served from 1944 until 1946. After his military service, Podell pursued higher education, graduating from St. John’s University in 1947 and earning his law degree from Brooklyn Law School in 1950.

Following his admission to the bar, Podell practiced law in New York City, specializing in real estate law. His legal career in the city provided the professional foundation for his entry into public life. By the early 1950s he had become active in local Democratic politics in Brooklyn, positioning himself to seek elective office in the New York State Legislature.

In 1954, Podell ran for the New York State Assembly and achieved an early political victory by defeating incumbent Thomas A. Dwyer in the Democratic primary. He then won the general election, defeating Republican Irving Kornblum and two other candidates. Podell took his seat in 1955 and served continuously until 1968, sitting in the 170th, 171st, 172nd, 173rd, 174th, 175th, 176th, and 177th New York State Legislatures. Over these six full terms and part of a seventh, he built a reputation as a loyal Democrat and an influential member of the Brooklyn delegation in Albany.

Podell advanced to national office when he was elected as a Democrat to the 90th United States Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Representative Abraham J. Multer. He took office on February 20, 1968, and was subsequently re-elected to the 91st, 92nd, and 93rd Congresses, serving until January 3, 1975. As a member of the House of Representatives from New York, Podell represented the interests of his constituents during a turbulent era marked by the Vietnam War, the civil rights movement, and significant social and economic change. Throughout his four terms in Congress, he participated in the legislative process and in the broader deliberations of national policy as a member of the Democratic Party.

Podell’s congressional career was overshadowed in its later years by legal difficulties. In 1973, he was charged with bribery for allegedly accepting money to arrange approval of an air route to The Bahamas for a small Florida-based airline. His case became one of the first to bring public attention to Rudolph W. Giuliani, then a young prosecutor in the office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. During Podell’s trial, Giuliani’s aggressive cross-examination led Podell to lose his composure and request a recess; afterward, Podell agreed to plead guilty to reduced federal charges of conspiracy and conflict of interest. While under indictment, he was defeated in the 1974 Democratic primary by Stephen J. Solarz, who went on to win the general election and succeed him in Congress.

Following his plea, Podell and co-defendant Martin Miller attempted to withdraw their guilty pleas, but their motion was denied. Podell was sentenced to a $5,000 fine and 24 weeks in prison, of which he served 18 weeks. He and Miller unsuccessfully appealed their convictions. As a consequence of his federal conviction, Podell was disbarred by the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division. However, after the New York State Legislature enacted a law in 1979 permitting lawyers to retain or regain their licenses if they had been convicted under federal law of offenses that were not felonies under state law, Podell was reinstated to the bar in 1980. He subsequently resumed the practice of law in New York City and continued to work as an attorney until shortly before his death.

Bertram L. Podell died in New York City on August 17, 2005. He was survived by his wife, Bunny, two sons, a daughter, two brothers, and five grandchildren. His career placed him among the Jewish members of the United States Congress and among those federal officeholders whose service was later marked by criminal conviction, reflecting both his long involvement in public life and the controversies that accompanied its final phase.