Dexter Lehtinen

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Dexter W. Lehtinen

Dexter Lehtinen's official Florida Senate picture
Born March 23, 1946 (1946-03-23) (age 62)
Homestead, Florida

Dexter Wayne Lehtinen (born March 23, 1946 in Homestead, Florida[1]) is an attorney, former politician, interim U.S. Attorney for South Florida and a law professor. He is a Finnish American. He is the husband of US Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

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[edit] Education

He graduated from the University of Miami in 1968 magna cum laude with a BA. He then graduated with an MA from Columbia University and an MBA in 1974. In 1975, he graduated first in his class from Stanford University. He was the Commander of the Corps of Cadets a member of the Iron Arrow Honor Society society and president of the Florida Federation of College Young Republicans. He received a Purple Heart in 1971 for severe facial injuries during the Vietnam War[1][2].

[edit] Family life

He married, Florida State Representative Ileana Ros, on June 9, 1984, while he was serving in the Florida Legislature. They have two daughters, Amanda Michelle and Patricia Marie. He was previously married to Donna L. Stevenson and had two children with her, Katherine and Douglas[1].

[edit] Legislative career

Dexter Lehtinen, Celia Cruz, Alonso R. del Portillo, Rep. Ros-Lehtinen, and Pedro Knight in May 1992
Dexter Lehtinen, Celia Cruz, Alonso R. del Portillo, Rep. Ros-Lehtinen, and Pedro Knight in May 1992

Lehtinen was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1980 for District 116. He was re-elected in 1982 and 1984 for District 118. In February 1985, he left the Democratic Party and became a Republican.

Lehtinen and his wife, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, were both elected in 1986 to the Florida Senate, he for District 40 and she for District 34[1][3].

[edit] US Attorney for South Florida

In June 1988, he resigned his Florida Senate after Attorney General of the United States Edwin Meese took a "high-risk gamble"[4] in naming Lehtinen to succeed Leon Kellner as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida[5][6][7][8][9][10]. His three biggest cases during his 3 ½ year tenure were the cases of former Panama strongman Manuel Noriega[11][12][13], religious sect leader Yahweh Ben Yahweh[14], and of Hialeah Mayor Raul L. Martinez[15].

The U.S. Senate refused to act on his nomination and Lehtinen on Jan. 13, 1992, called a news conference to announce his resignation[16]. Lehtinen said his departure had nothing to do with a well- publicized internal Justice Department investigation of him because of the Martinez case[17][18][19][20][21]. The Justice Department opened a case against Mr. Lehtinen on charges of "misconduct" and potential conflicts of interest for investigating a "a potential political rival of his wife." [22][23][24][25][26] During his US Senate confirmation hearings other accusations were brought to light and reported extensively in the The Miami Herald. Among the accusations was a desposition by the first Mrs. Lehtinen swearing that during the ending of their marriage in 1982, the then Florida Representative threw a television set across a room, broke doors and shoved her. Another accusation was that Lehtinen sprained the arm of his girlfriend and former legislative aide Dolores Zell. He was also accused of hiding marital assets during his divorce.[27][28][29][30]

Lehtinen is now the general counsel for the Miccosukee Tribe of Florida Indians[31]. He also was a professor at University of Miami School of Law and at Florida International University.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d 86-88 Senate Handbook.qxd
  2. ^ The Miami Herald; U.S. Attorney Dexter Lehtinen Fought In Vietnam. But Did He Win His Battle?; February 25, 1990, Page 1G
  3. ^ The Miami Herald; Senator called A Brainy Tough Guy; June 11, 1988, Page 1A
  4. ^ The Miami Herald; A High-Risk Candidate; June 14, 1988, Page 14A
  5. ^ The Miami Herald; Possible Candidates Emerge For U.S. Attorney; May 12, 1988, Page 1D
  6. ^ El Nuevo Herald; Lehtinen; Un Nuevo Estilo; August 30, 1988, Page 1B
  7. ^ The Miami Herald; Tyrant Or Target?; February 24, 1991, Page 8
  8. ^ The Washington Post; Between Politics and Professionalism: One Prosecutor's Tenure and Tactics Series: The Appearance of Justice; January 14, 1993
  9. ^ The Miami Herald; Bush Said To Be Ready To Nominate Lehtinen After 20-Month Delay; February 28, 1990, Page 1A
  10. ^ The Miami Herald; Source: Lehtinen Was A Ticklish Political Problem; January 19, 1992, Page 1B
  11. ^ The Los Angeles Times; Noriega's Lawyers Seek Dismissal of U.S. Drug-Trafficking Charges; Sep 16, 1988, Page 8
  12. ^ San Jose Mercury News; LEHTINEN'S EXPLOSIVE TEMPER WAS CALLED A LIABILITY TO THE NORIEGA PROSECUTION FLORIDA PROSECUTOR HITS SNAG; January 19, 1990, Page 3A
  13. ^ The Washington Post; The Case of Noriega's Prosecutor In Miami, the Very Public Slide of Dexter Lehtinen; February 7, 1990
  14. ^ The Miami Herald; NORIEGA, YAHWEH CASES SHAPE LEHTINEN LEGACY; January 14, 1992, Page 4A
  15. ^ The Miami Herald; Witness Hints At Politics Behind Martinez Probe; February 15, 1991, Page 1B
  16. ^ The Miami Herald; Top-Level Report Forced Lehtinen From U.S. Post Prosecutor Negociated Details of His Departure; January 16, 1992, Page 1A
  17. ^ The Miami Herald; San Pedro Cleared of Lying To Jury; November 30, 1991, Page 1B
  18. ^ The Miami Herald; POLITICS FUELED PROBE, MARTINEZ LAWYERS SAY; November 3, 1990, Page 1B
  19. ^ The Miami Herald; IS MARTINEZ AN EXTORTIONIST OR JUST A VICTIM OF POLITICS?; March 22, 1996, Page 2B
  20. ^ The Miami Herald; RECORDS CONTRADICT LEHTINEN ACCUSATIONS AGAINST PROSECUTOR; April 6, 1990, Page 1A
  21. ^ The Miami Herald; Lehtinen Didn’t Target Martinez, Witness Says Cardoso Backs Away From Testimony; February 20, 1991, Page 1B
  22. ^ 1/21/08 - "Neither Lehtinen nor Ros Lehtinen responded to Herald phone calls for comment" (Miami Herald)
  23. ^ 2/17/91-"Timing of investigation raises questions about 'the motivation of the prosecution'" (Miami Herald)
  24. ^ 2/17/91 - "Lehtinen declined to comment about the timing of the investigation." (Miami Herald)
  25. ^ 2/15/91 – "Lehtinen wanted to neutralize Martinez as a political rival of his wife, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen" (Miami Herald)
  26. ^ 4/20/90 – "Justice Investigating Miami U.S. Attorney for Misconduct" (Miami Herald)
  27. ^ Margaret Carlson (1990-02-05). Highly Public Prosecutors. Time Magazine.
  28. ^ The Miami Herald; LEHTINEN'S EX-WIFE DETAILS VIOLENT ACTSJanuary 20, 1990, Page 1B
  29. ^ The Miami Herald; JUSTICE REPORT RIPS LEHTINEN OVER LETTER; February 22, 1991, Page 1B
  30. ^ Jeff Leen. "Bar Report Clears Me, Lehtinen Tells Senate", The Miami Herald, 1990-05-27, p. 1A. 
  31. ^ Seminole Tribune ; Aiming For A Compact ; November 20, 1998