“… it’s beyond my capacity to find the words to do justice to Frank Lautenberg. He always thought in terms of what he could do, what he should do.”
—Vice President Joe Biden.
In November 2012, I found myself in the backseat of a Secret Service SUV with Senator Frank Lautenberg and then-Vice President Joe Biden. We were touring the City of Hoboken to witness firsthand the damage Hurricane Sandy had wrought. Frank wanted to make sure the vice president saw the damage up-close and got a no-holds-barred accounting of the federal resources New Jersey would need to recover from Sandy’s devastation. As we traveled down Washington Street, Frank – who knew the best place to eat in every town in the state – mentioned that a nearby Hoboken pizzeria served the largest slice of pizza the Vice President had ever seen. Vice President Biden dared to doubt Frank’s assertion, so Frank now had an argument to win and New Jersey’s honor to defend. Soon enough, Senator Lautenberg had convinced the entire motorcade to take a detour to his favorite Hoboken pizzeria. They ordered slices and Vice President Biden conceded that the slice was, in fact, the most gargantuan slice of pizza he’d ever eaten. Of course, neither the senator nor the vice president was carrying cash. I have Frank Lautenberg to thank for the true high point of my career: I got to buy Joe Biden a giant slice of pizza.
As I reflect on the time I was privileged to spend with Senator Lautenberg as his State Director, what would prove to be the final chapter of his career, I can think of few better stories that capture the whole of who he was than that day in Hoboken. When it came to his passionate and determined advocacy on behalf of what he believed was best for New Jersey and his constituents, Frank Lautenberg was never going to back down or give up – whether the fight was for the federal support we needed to rebuild after a hurricane, or with the vice president of the United States over a giant slice of pizza.
Frank Lautenberg was born in Paterson to Polish and Russian Jewish immigrants and had to fight for everything he would go on to accomplish. He grew up in poverty and his family moved so frequently that he attended 14 different high schools. He served in the Army during World War II, attended Columbia University on the GI Bill, and co-founded the data processing firm ADP, which he grew into a global, publicly traded company. Frank didn’t enter politics until he was 58 years old and, true to form, aimed straight for the top.
The only office Frank ever ran for or held was United States Senator. He became the longest serving United States senator in New Jersey history and established an extensive legislative legacy spanning issues including the environment, public transportation, childcare, public health and homeland security. Over the course of his career, Senator Lautenberg passed laws that set the national drinking age at 21, banned smoking on airplanes and in federal buildings, streamlined asylum status for refugees from historically persecuted groups, and prohibited individuals on the terror watch list or with domestic violence records from obtaining a firearm.
The careers Frank inspired and launched are also part of his legacy. The Lautenberg alumni are a distinguished group who today are leaders in the fields of politics, government, and business. I was the last person to serve as Senator Lautenberg’s state director and I am always humbled and grateful to have been part of his office and such a special group of people.
Some of my favorite days at work were Fridays when Frank would come back from Washington, D.C. We would crisscross the state for constituent work, get lunch on the road at some of the best restaurants in the state, and talk for hours in the car and over meals. It would be impossible for me to recount everything I learned from him, but one thing I learned about him during those Friday lunches was that Frank’s fighting spirit was fueled by his abiding affinity and compassion for the struggling, the oppressed, the poor, the hurting. This was evident in his avid study and discussion of Irish history, in his active and generous support of Jewish causes, and in his dedication to improving the lives of his constituents.
Frank Lautenberg never lost touch with his roots or the mission and responsibility of his office. If there was a wrong to be righted, Frank didn’t hear the word ‘no.’ He persevered, he kept fighting. He was a proud, progressive Democrat who believed in the government’s duty to improve and protect lives, a goal he worked toward every day. I am so proud to have worked with such an incredible person and public servant. Happy Birthday, Senator! We miss you.
Brendan Gill served as Senator Frank Lautenberg’s Campaign Manager in the 2008 primary and general elections. He went on to serve as Lautenberg’s State Director from 2009 until the Senator’s passing in 2013. Gill currently serves as an Essex County Commissioner At-Large.