Preceded by William Kent Party Democratic Party Political party Democratic Party | Name Clarence Lea Resigned January 3, 1949 Role U.S. representative | |
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Alma mater Stanford UniversityUniversity of Denver Education | ||
Clarence Frederick Lea (July 11, 1874 – June 20, 1964) was a U.S. Representative from California.
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Biography
He was born near Highland Springs, California, in southwestern Lake County on July 11, 1874. Lea attended Lakeport Academy in Lakeport, and Stanford University. He obtained a degree in law from the University of Denver, in Denver, Colorado, in 1898. Lea was admitted to the bar the same year and began practicing in Santa Rosa, California. He served as district attorney of Sonoma County, 1907–1917, and as president of the District Attorney's Association of California in 1916 and 1917.
He was elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-fifth and to the fifteen succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1917 – January 3, 1949). Lea served as chairman of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce (Seventy-fifth through Seventy-ninth Congresses). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1948. Lea engaged in public relations work in Washington, D.C. from 1949 to 1954.
He died in Santa Rosa, California on June 20, 1964. Lea is interred in Franklin Avenue Odd Fellows Cemetery.
Legacy
He is known for having led the group of delegates who passed the resolution calling for the Internment of Italian Americans, Internment of Japanese Americans and Internment of German Americans during World War II.