[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 46 (Friday, March 29, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E497]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      A TRIBUTE TO EDWARD D. LEWIS

                                 ______


                        HON. ANDREW JACOBS, JR.

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 29, 1996

  Mr. JACOBS. Mr. Speaker, when the opposition likes someone, you know 
he's a pretty good fellow. Ed Lewis was a strong Democrat, but he was 
so interesting, so nice, so friendly that very few Republicans in 
Indiana did less than like him too. He leaves an empty place in the 
Hoosier State.

              [From the Indianapolis Star, Mar. 28, 1996]

   Edward D. Lewis Was Attorney Who Wielded Political Clout in State

       Edward D. Lewis, 73, Morgantown, an attorney known for his 
     vast political influence in Indiana, died March 26.
       He was the confidant and political mentor of Gov. Evan 
     Bayh, was instrumental in appointments and recommendations 
     for offices such as U.S. attorney and the Indiana Gaming 
     Commission, and affected a myriad of other decisions on state 
     business. His reputation included the title ``godfather of 
     judges.''
       Mr. Lewis, whose Downtown Indianapolis law office at 501 
     Indiana Ave. was dubbed the ``Statehouse on the Canal,'' was 
     an attorney for 40 years and a partner in the Lewis and 
     Wagner law firm.
       Bayh said in a statement: ``Ed was much more than a friend 
     to me; he was a trusted adviser, a man of great experience 
     and wisdom and someone who I loved.
       ``His Hoosier roots were deep, his common sense was 
     extraordinary and his loyalty and devotion to the people of 
     our state was unmatched.''
       After losing races for Congress and a judgeship in the 
     1950s, Mr. Lewis confined his political career to being an 
     insider, primarily in Democratic circles. He was closely 
     aligned with former U.S. Sen. R. Vance Hartke, D-Ind.
       He held no public or civic positions, and was described in 
     a newspaper article as ``probably the most influential person 
     in state government about whom the least is known.'' And the 
     Butler University journalism graduate did not talk to 
     reporters.
       Indiana Senate Finance Chairman Lawrence M. Borst, a 
     Republican, said Mr. Lewis was ``a special friend.'' We did a 
     lot of traveling together and just had a good time.
       ``He was kind of like a hunk of glue. he had so many people 
     he kept together. He liked people, he loved politics, he 
     loved horses. We have one together now. He probably had as 
     many friends as anybody I've ever known in my life.''
       Borst said Mr. Lewis dated to an era when political 
     patronage was a young lawyer's key to survival. Mr. Lewis' 
     first job, while in law school, was as a publicist for the 
     Indiana Highway Department. Later, Borst said, law school 
     friendships with people such as future Marion County 
     Prosecutor Noble Pearcy and others got his legal and 
     political career started.
       One of Mr. Lewis' earliest political associations was with 
     Hartke, of whom Borst said. ``When Hartke wanted a new post 
     office or other building in Indiana, he went through Ed 
     Lewis.'' Borst said he and Mr. Lewis were on a western trip 
     when Bayh ran for his first term as governor in 1988, ``he 
     would stop twice a day to call back.''
       Another close friend was former Indiana GOP Chairman Rex 
     Early.
       ``We had common interests, not only in politics. He was a 
     man's man, a veteran of the Second World War and a great 
     storyteller,'' Early recalled. ``His maturity, experience and 
     good political instincts played an important role in a lot of 
     administrations.''
       Mr. Lewis, Early said, ``believed in his party and was 
     respected by his party.''
       Mr. Lewis was a Navy veteran of World War II, a 1949 
     graduate of Butler and a 1956 graduate of Indiana University 
     School of Law.
       Memorial contributions may be made to Big Brothers & Big 
     Sisters of Brown County, Nashville, or the Harmony School, 
     Bloomington.
       Memorial services: pending. Calling: none. G.H. Herrmann 
     Madison Avenue Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
       Survivors: wife Dorothy M. Pitt Lewis; children Lance L., 
     Linda L., Lora Lynn Lewis; stepdaughter Paula Lawrence; 
     brother Donald I. Lewis; five grandchildren.

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