View source for Cecil Heftel

{{Short description|American politician and businessman (1924–2010)}}
{{more footnotes needed|date=March 2013}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name         = Cecil Heftel
|image        = CecilHeftel.jpg
|state        = [[Hawaii]]
|district     = {{ushr|HI|1|1st}}
|term_start   = January 3, 1977
|term_end     = July 11, 1986
|predecessor  = [[Spark Matsunaga]]
|successor    = [[Neil Abercrombie]]
|birth_name   = Cecil Landau Heftel
|birth_date   = {{birth date|1924|9|30}}
|birth_place  = [[Chicago, Illinois]], U.S.
|death_date   = {{death date and age|2010|2|4|1924|9|30}}
|death_place  = [[San Diego, California]], U.S.
|party        = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|spouse       = Edris Glasmann
Rebecca Glass
|children     = 7
|education    = [[Arizona State University Tempe campus|Arizona State University, Tempe]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]])<br>[[University of Utah]]<br>[[New York University]]
|allegiance   = {{flag|United States}}
|branch       = {{army|United States}}
|serviceyears = 1943–1946
|battles      = [[World War II]]
}}
'''Cecil Landau Heftel''' (September 30, 1924 – February 4, 2010) was an American politician and businessman from [[Hawaii|Hawai'i]]. A Democrat, He served in the [[United States House of Representatives]] from 1977 to 1986 for the First Congressional District, encompassing most of urban [[Honolulu]].

==Early years==
Heftel was born in [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]], Illinois; his maternal grandparents were from [[Russia]] and his paternal grandparents from [[Poland]].<ref>
{{citation |url= https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XS5G-7QP|title= United States Census, 1930 |website= [[FamilySearch]] |access-date=February 26, 2018 }}</ref> He attended [[Roosevelt High School (Chicago, Illinois)|Roosevelt High School]] in [[Albany Park, Chicago]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Nominate Star Northwest Seniors |newspaper=Chicago Daily Tribune|date=January 3, 1943|page=2<!-- |via=[[ProQuest]] --> <!-- Needs ProQuest URL -->}}</ref> then obtained his bachelor's degree from the [[Arizona State University]] in 1951.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Heftel, Cecil Landau {{!}} US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives|url=https://history.house.gov/People/Listing/H/HEFTEL,-Cecil-Landau-(H000449)/|access-date=2021-09-30|website=history.house.gov|language=en}}</ref> Heftel then attended the [[University of Utah]] and [[New York University]] for graduate work.<ref name=":0" /> Heftel was a Latter-day Saint.<ref>[https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1199&context=mphs article listing Latter-day Saint politicians from Hawaii]</ref>

Heftel settled in Honolulu and established Heftel Broadcasting.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Jacobson|first=Adam|date=2017-05-22|title=Heftel Comes Back To Radio, Via A 'Highway' {{!}} Radio & Television Business Report|url=https://www.rbr.com/heftel-highway-stations-howard-anderson/|access-date=2021-09-30|language=en-US}}</ref> He owned [[KGMB]]-AM-FM-TV and several other television and radio stations across the country. From 1943 to 1946, Heftel served in the [[United States Army]].<ref name=":0" />

In 1957 Heftel was a pioneer for what was then called Top 30 programming, when he purchased KIMN in Denver.<ref name=":1" /> In one of the nation's most competitive radio markets, KIMN became the dominant, #1 rated radio station. Heftel sold the station in 1960, returning to Hawaii, but once again in 1973 re-entered the mainland with the purchase of WHYI-FM, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, identifying the station as Y-100.<ref name=":1" /> In 1974, Heftel hired consultant John Rook, who secured the services of Jackson, Mississippi programmer Bill Tanner, who crafted a Top 40 format described by Tanner as being "predictable unpredictability" that propelled the station to the top of the south Florida ratings, where it stayed for several years. The station was later sold by Heftel. Heftel also purchased WJAS in Pittsburgh which he later sold.

Heftel had a knack for getting in and out of station ownership in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. As broadcast revenues are tied to audience interest (ratings) and to advertising cycles, it can be a great business or a poor one. Heftel's mostly AM group of Top-40 stations was sold in the late 1970s. The next group of stations Heftel purchased consisted of FM stations which were coming into their own in the early seventies. These were sold off in the 1980s and included WZPL (move into Indianapolis) and WLLT (Cincinnati).

Heftel partnered with Scott Ginsburg for a time in 1986–1987 as H & G Communications. This group included WLUP-AM-FM Chicago, stations in Miami, and other cities.

The last Heftel Broadcasting accumulation of stations consisted of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, and Miami. These were taken over by Clear Channel Communications in a 1996 tender offer. This in turn was merged with Mac Tichenor's Tichenor Media System into a new Heftel Broadcasting. That changed its name to Hispanic Broadcasting Corp (now [[Univision Radio]]).

==Political career==
Upon returning to his business in Honolulu, Heftel decided to run for political office.

In 1970, Heftel was the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, but lost narrowly to incumbent Republican [[Hiram Fong]]. He became a delegate to the 1972 Hawai'i State Democratic Convention. There, he was elected in caucus to become a delegate to the [[Democratic National Convention]].

In 1976, Heftel was elected to Congress from the First District and was reelected four more times. While in office, Heftel was part of the U.S. fact-finding mission to the Philippines, largely responsible for the forced ouster of dictator [[Ferdinand Marcos]].{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}

Heftel voted for the [[Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=TO PASS H.R. 4242, Tax Incentive Act of 1981. (Motion ... — House Vote #167 -- July 29, 1981 |url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/97-1981/h167 |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=GovTrack.us |language=en}}</ref> The Act aimed to stimulate economic growth by significantly reducing [[Income tax in the United States|income tax]] rates. It passed the House of Representatives in a 323–107 vote, the Senate via a [[voice vote]], and it was signed into law by President [[Ronald Reagan]] on August 13, 1981.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rep. Rostenkowski |first=Dan [D-IL-8 |date=1981-08-13 |title=H.R.4242 - 97th Congress (1981-1982): Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 |url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/97th-congress/house-bill/4242#:~:text=Economic%20Recovery%20Tax%20Act%20of%201981%20-%20Title%20I:%20Individual%20Income,,%201983,%201984%20and%20thereafter. |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=www.congress.gov}}</ref> However, Heftel voted against the [[Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=To Pass H.R. 3982, To Provide for the Budget Reconciliation ... – House Vote #104 -- June 26, 1981 |url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/97-1981/h104 |access-date=2025-04-05 |website=GovTrack.us |language=en}}</ref> The Act decreased federal spending and increased military funding. Despite his vote against it, the bill passed the House of Representatives in a 232–193 vote, the Senate via a voice vote, and it was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan the same day.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rep. Jones |first=James R. [D-OK-1 |date=1981-08-13 |title=H.R. 3982 – 97th Congress (1981–1982): Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 |url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/97th-congress/house-bill/3982 |access-date=2025-04-05 |website=www.congress.gov}}</ref>

Heftel resigned on July 19, 1986, to run for [[governor of Hawaii|governor]], but lost the Democratic primary to [[John D. Waihee III|John Waihee]].  Heftel blamed the loss on a smear campaign against him.  Democrats have long asserted that the smear came from Republicans looking to run against Democrat John Waihee as an easier path to governor. Many in Hawaii political circles, however, believe the smear was orchestrated by a more powerful political machine that was afraid of Heftel's no-nonsense, honest approach.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}

==Post congressional career==
In 1992, he was a supporter of the [[Ross Perot 1992 presidential campaign|presidential campaign]] of [[Ross Perot]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Rogers|first=Worthington|title=Perot's backers struggling to settle on a direction|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=July 20, 1992|page=D1<!-- |via=[[ProQuest]] -->}}</ref>

In 1998, he briefly returned to the political realm, authoring a book, ''End Legalized Bribery'', in which he attempted to prove that the current state of [[campaign finance]] corrupts politicians, prevents qualified individuals from running for office, and costs citizens billions of dollars in [[pork barrel]] spending and [[corporate welfare]]. The book also contained arguments in favor of a national [[Clean Elections]] law and mandatory free commercial airtime for political candidates.

After 18 years out of the spotlight, the 80-year-old Heftel made a successful return to elective politics by being elected in November 2004 to the [[Hawai'i Department of Education|state Board of Education]] for the Oahu-At Large seat.

==Death and legacy==
Cecil Heftel died on February 4, 2010, from [[death by natural causes|natural causes]] in [[San Diego, California|San Diego]], California. He was 85. (Numerous websites claim he died February 5, but his widow says he died on February 4.{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}})
On June 13, 2011, U.S. Rep. [[Colleen Hanabusa]] introduced legislation to designate the post office at 4354 Pahoa Avenue in [[Honolulu]] as the "Cecil L. Heftel Post Office Building".

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Biography}}
{{CongBio|H000449}}
* [http://www.johnrook.com/ Cecil Heftel – a tribute by former employee John Rook]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100310124439/http://www.johnrook.com/Y-100.htm Some background on Cecil Heftel by John Rook]
* {{C-SPAN|17536}}

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{{s-bef|before=[[Thomas Gill (politician)|Thomas Gill]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] nominee for [[List of United States Senators from Hawaii|U.S. Senator]] from [[Hawaii]]<br>([[Classes of United States Senators|Class 1]])|years=[[1970 United States Senate election in Hawaii|1970]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Spark Matsunaga]]}}
|-
{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Spark Matsunaga]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States Representatives from Hawaii|U.S. House of Representatives]]<br>from [[Hawaii's 1st congressional district]]|years=1977–1986}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Neil Abercrombie]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Hawaii Representatives}}
{{USCongRep-start|congresses= 95th–99th [[United States Congress]]es |state=[[Hawaii]]}}
{{USCongRep/HI/95}}
{{USCongRep/HI/96}}
{{USCongRep/HI/97}}
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{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Heftel, Cecil}}
[[Category:1924 births]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American businesspeople]]
[[Category:20th-century Hawaii politicians]]
[[Category:American radio executives]]
[[Category:American television executives]]
[[Category:Arizona State University alumni]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Hawaii]]
[[Category:Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Hawaii]]
[[Category:Latter Day Saints from Arizona]]
[[Category:Latter Day Saints from Hawaii]]
[[Category:Latter Day Saints from Illinois]]
[[Category:Members of the Hawaii Board of Education]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Illinois]]
[[Category:Politicians from Chicago]]
[[Category:Politicians from Honolulu]]
[[Category:United States Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:University of Utah alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century United States representatives]]
[[Category:American people of Russian descent]]
[[Category:American people of Polish descent]]