Abner Joseph Mikva

Abner Joseph Mikva served as a Representative from Illinois in the United States Congress from 1969 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party, Abner Joseph Mikva contributed to the legislative process during 5 terms in office.

Abner Joseph Mikva’s service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history. As a member of the House of Representatives, Abner Joseph Mikva participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of constituents.

Abner Joseph Mikva ( AB-nər MIK-və; January 21, 1926 – July 4, 2016) was an American politician, federal judge, and legal scholar. He was a member of the Democratic Party. After serving in the Illinois House of Representatives, Mikva ran for the U.S. Congress in 1966 but lost the primary to incumbent congressman Barrett O’Hara. In 1968, Mikva defeated O’Hara. Mikva served in the United States House of Representatives representing Illinois’s 2nd congressional district (1969–1973) and 10th congressional district (1975–1979). He was appointed as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit by President Jimmy Carter, serving from 1979 to 1994. He served as the White House Counsel from 1994 to 1995 during Bill Clinton’s presidency. He was one of the few people in modern times to serve in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the Federal government. In his later career, Mikva taught at the University of Chicago Law School, the Georgetown University Law Center and the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. He mentored future President of the United States Barack Obama and future United States Attorney General Merrick Garland (who also succeeded him on the D.C. Circuit) during their early years in law. In 2014, Obama honored Mikva with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.