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Andrew Biemiller




After graduating from Cornell University in 1926 , Biemiller became active in the Socialist Party Of America and was a key leader of its "militant" faction, which favored unity of action with the Communist Party USA . In 1932 he went to Milwaukee to work for the Socialist mayor of that city, Daniel Hoan . In 1936 he was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly as a Socialist, caucusing with the majority Progressive Party who elected him speaker, making him the only Minor Party speaker of a state legislature in the 20th century.

Biemiller resigned from the Socialist Party when they supported the efforts of Philip La Follette to form a new national party, whom he regarded as a Fascist , thus still at that late a date acting in concert with the Communist Party line. He was then elected as a Democrat to Congress in 1944 , defeated for re-election in 1946 but re-elected again in 1948 . During this period Biemiller joined most of the other former Socialist "militants" in helping to found Americans For Democratic Action . He also reportedly ghost wrote the famous speech of Hubert Humphrey calling for a strong civil rights plank at the 1948 Democratic National Convention .

After serving in congress, Biemiller served until his death as the chief lobbyist for the AFL-CIO .


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