Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives
Oral History Project
| Robert W. O'Donnell (D - 1974-1993), on Campaigning: | Robert J. Butera (R - 1963-1977), on Leadership: |
"After I get elected the first time, I went back campaigning. I'm knocking door-to door - I'm remembering now that my mother had been the crossing guard in front of the school for generations - and I'm knocking on doors and I come to this one home and the woman opens the door and I said, "Hello," I'm about to introduce myself and she says, "I know who you are." And I think, "That's right, I'm the State Representative from around here" and she said, "You're Ruth's boy aren't you?" So, another valuable experience that one collects along the road that is helpful in public life is a measure of humility. You don't want too many of those, but it's nice every now and then to have that tempered by humility."
|
"I became the senior Member of the largest Republican delegation in the state, and I was only thirty years old, and I didn't know anything. I was very green. I became the Whip at age thirty. Well, almost thirty-one. I was the youngest Whip ever, and it was strictly because of those circumstances over which I had no control. I had to perform; I'm not trying to be too self-deprecating, but circumstances play a huge role in one's political career. I became the Whip, and I was the Whip for six years, and then I became the Leader for five years, you know, so I had quite a nice career."
|
In November 2004, the House Archives began interviewing former Representatives of the Pennsylvania House. Many of the interviews contain a common
thread of similarly shared experiences, such as budget battles, serving on committees, or the legislative process. The interviewees also share
personal reflections, unique experiences, and considerations that went into prime sponsored legislation.
The interviews follow a biographical format, beginning with the subject's family background, education, and pre-House work experience. The
interview also covers the topics of campaigns, inter-personal relationships, legislative career highlights, and insights to Representatives'
post-House careers. Transcripts of the interviews are deposited in the House Archives. To participate, please contact the Oral History Coordinator
at 717-783-3866.
Click one of the links below, or scroll down, to see a list of members who have participated in an interview.
List of Oral History Project interviewees as of November, 2016:
(R) 1989-2016, 165th District, Delaware County |
(R), 1988-2006, 125th District, Berks, Northumberland and Schuylkill Counties |
(R) 2011-2014, 41st District, Lancaster County |
(D), 1979-1980, 39th District, Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties |
(R), 2003-2006, 97th District, Lancaster County |
(R), 1995-2004, 153rd District, Montgomery County |
(R), 1985-2002, 100th District, Lancaster County |
(R), 1999-2008, 140th District, Bedford and Somerset Counties |
(D), 1983-2000, 189th District, Monroe County |
(D), 1993-2006, 1st District, Erie County |
(R), 1967-1976, 153rd District, Montgomery County |
(D), 1967-1974, 140th District, Bucks County |
(R), 2005-2010, 131st District, Lehigh and Northampton Counties |
(R), 1985-2006, 139th District, Monroe, Pike, Susquehanna and Wayne Counties |
(D), 2005-2008, 190th District, Philadelphia County |
(R), 1973-1999, 98th District, Lancaster County |
(D), 1983-1992, 199th District, Adams, Cumberland, and York Counties |
(R), 1983-2006, 147th District, Montgomery County |
(R), 1973-1990, 18th District, Bucks County |
(R), 1963-1977, 150th District, Montgomery County |
Alan Butkovitz Transcript 1 , Transcript 2 (D), 1991-2004, 174th District, Philadelphia County |
(D), 1977-1978, 80th District, Blair County |
(D), 1981-2006, 113th District, Lackawanna County |
(R), 1971-1994, 30th District, Allegheny County |
(R), 1981-2014, 45th District, Bucks County |
(R), 1993-2002, 148th District, Montgomery County |
Mark B. Cohen (D) 1974-2016, 202nd District, Philadelphia County |
(R), 2001-2004, 60th District, Armstrong and Indiana Counties |
(R), 1993-1997, 143rd District, Bucks County |
(R), 2003-2006, 150th District, Montgomery County |
(D), 1993-2012, 154th District, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties |
Peter J. Daley, II (D) 1983-2016, 49th District, Fayette and Washington Counties |
H. William DeWeese (D), 1976-2012, 50th District, Fayette, Greene and Washington Counties |
(R), 1955-1970, 70th District, Allegheny County |
(R), 1973-1990, 193rd District, York County |
(D), 2009-2010, 157th District, Chester and Montgomery Counties |
(D), 1971-1974, 29th District, Allegheny County |
William H. Eckensberger, Jr. (D), 1965-1976, 2nd and 133rd District, Lehigh County |
(R), 1993-2004, 86th District, Cumberland, Franklin and Perry Counties |
(D) 1981-2016, 203rd District, Philadelphia County |
(R), 1975-1980, 40th District, Allegheny County |
(R), 1983-2006, 167th District, Chester and Delaware Counties |
(R), 1979-2012, 79th District, Blair County |
(D), 1975-2012, 74th District, Centre and Clearfield Counties |
Mauree A. Gingrich (R), 2003-2016, 101st District, Lebanon County |
(D), 1969-1979, 172nd District, Philadelphia County |
(R), 1977-1978, 152nd District, Bucks and Montgomery Counties |
(R), 1981-1986, 143rd District, Bucks County |
(D), 1981-2006, 7th District, Mercer County |
George Hasay (R), 1973-2006, 117th District, Columbia, Luzerne and Wyoming Counties |
(R), 1959-1970, 43rd District, Allegheny County |
(R), 1971-1992, 81st District, Blair, Centre and Huntingdon Counties |
(R), 1983-2006, 77th District, Centre and Clearfield Counties |
(R), 1983-2008, 13th District, Chester and Lancaster Counties |
(D), 2007-2012, 3rd District, Erie County |
(D), 1995-2004, 190th District, Philadelphia County |
(D), 1989-2008 and 2012, 186th District, Philadelphia County |
(D), 1985-2012, 182nd District, Philadelphia County |
(D), 1983-1994, 52nd District, Fayette and Westmoreland Counties |
(R), 1971-1976, 28th District, Allegheny County |
(R), 1984-2008, 170th District, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties |
Thaddeus Kirkland (D) 1993-2016, 159th District. Delaware County |
(D), 1977-1996, 56th District, Westmoreland County |
(D), 1967-1972, 108th District, Northumberland and Montour Counties |
(D), 1989-2004, 16th District, Allegheny and Beaver Counties |
(D), 2003-2008, 149th District, Montgomery County |
(R), 1957-1964, 14th District, Philadelphia County |
(R), 1957-1974, 111th District, Sullivan, Susquehanna and Wyoming Counties |
(R), 1987-2006, 130th District, Berks County |
(D), 1980-2006, 46th District, Allegheny, Beaver and Washington Counties |
(R), 2001-2008, 196th District, York County |
(R), 1977-1984, 110th District, Bradford County |
(R), 1993-2006, 91st District, Adams and Franklin Counties |
Sandra J. Major (R) 1995-2016, 111th District, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming Counties |
(R), 2007-2008, 187th District, Berks and Lehigh Counties |
(R), 1963-1964, 1971-1976, 60th and 61st Districts, Armstrong County |
(R), 1999-2006, 143rd District, Bucks County |
(D), 1989-1994, 36th District, Allegheny County |
(R), 1997-2006, 104th District, Dauphin County |
Mitchell W. Melton (D), 1969-1972, 196th District, Philadelphia County |
(D), 1979-2002, 35th District, Allegheny County |
(R), 1979-2014, 163rd District, Delaware County |
(R), 1993-2006, 129th District, Berks County |
(D), 1975-1978, 79th District, Blair County |
(D), 2013-2014, 22nd District, Allegheny County |
(D), 1991-2014, 120th District, Luzerne County |
(D), 1959-1960, 2nd District, York County |
Donna Gentile O'Donnell |
Robert W. O'Donnell (D), 1974-1993, 198th District, Philadelphia County |
(D), 1969-1972, 126th District, Berks County |
(R), 1967-1978, 42nd District, Allegheny County |
John D. Payne (R) 2003-2016, 106th District, Dauphin County |
(R), 2007-2012, 92nd District, Cumberland and York Counties |
(R), 1977-1995, 104th District, Dauphin County |
(R), 1997-2002, 44th District, Allegheny County |
(D), 1965-1966, 1969-1970, 96th District, Lancaster County |
(D), 1983-2012, 24th District, Allegheny County |
(R), 1985-2008, 162nd District, Delaware County |
(R), 1983-2002, 178th District, Bucks County |
(D), 1973-1980, 24th District, Allegheny County |
Lawrence Roberts Transcript 1 , Transcript 2 (D), 1993-2006, 51st District, Fayette County |
(D), 1989-2002, 19th District, Allegheny County |
(R), 2007-2014, 90th District, Franklin County |
(D), 1993-2006, 133rd District, Lehigh and Northampton Counties |
L. Christopher Ross (R) 1997-2016, 158th District, Chester County |
(R), 1993-2008, 57th District, Chester and Montgomery Counties |
(D), 1983-1996, 171st District, Centre and Mifflin Counties |
(D), 1993-2012, 126th District, Berks County |
Larry O. Sather (R), 1993-2006, 81st District, Blair, Huntingdon and Mifflin Counties |
(R), 1983-2002, 43rd District, Lancaster County |
(D), 1975-1980, 135th District, Northampton County |
(D), 2007-2010, 125th District, Berks and Schuylkill Counties |
(D), 1965-1976, 109th District, Columbia County |
(R), 1981-2006, 92nd District, Cumberland and York Counties |
(D), 2007-2012, 112th District, Lackawanna County |
(R), 1963-1986, 66th District, Indiana and Jefferson Counties |
(R), 1993-2008, 31st District, Bucks County |
(R), 1993-2014, 80th District, Bedford and Blair Counties |
(R), 2001-2014, 8th District, Armstrong, Butler and Mercer Counties |
Thomas L. Stevenson (R), 1997-2006, 42nd District, Allegheny County |
(R), 2007-2014, 102nd District, Lebanon County |
(D), 1977-1988, 48th District, Washington County |
(R), 1977-2006, 156th District, Chester County |
(D), 1981-2006, 118th District, Lackawanna, Luzerne and Monroe Counties |
(D), 1995-2004, 11th District, Butler County |
(R), 1993-2004, 87th District, Cumberland County |
Michael A. Vereb (R) 2007-2016, 150th District, Montgomery County |
(D), 1979-1984, 75th District, Clearfield and Elk Counties |
(D), 1995-2010, 20th District, Allegheny County |
(D), 1980-1992, 103rd District, Dauphin County |
(D), 1997-2001, 149th District, Montgomery County |
(R), 1969-1981, 8th District, Mercer County |
(D), 1965-1974, 83rd District, Lycoming County |
(D), 1997-2008, 71st District, Cambria County |
(R), 1991-2006, 142nd District, Bucks County |
Joseph R. Zeller (D), 1971-1980, 134th District, Lehigh County |
(R), 1993-2006, 102nd District, Dauphin and Lebanon Counties |
|