Posted on 08/20/2010 6:45:10 PM PDT by DollyCali
Thanks to FReeper libbylu
Congressman Billybob has died.
ACRU Mourns the Passing of John Armor
John Armor”John was a great American, a dear friend and a champion of liberty,” says Susan Carleson, CEO and Chairman of the American Civil Rights Union. “He will be sorely missed.”
On August 20, 2010, ACRU Senior Legal Counsel John Armor passed away in a North Carolina hospital, following cancer surgery. He had appeared to be in full recovery, so his death was a shock to family and friends.
Armor, a graduate of Yale University and the University of Maryland School of Law, had a long and distinguished career, practicing before the U.S. Supreme Court for 33 years and authoring eight books and hundreds of articles. His latest book, These Are the Times That Try Men’s Souls: America Then and Now in the Words of Tom Paine (ACRU 2010), is being released in early September.
“It was a blessing that he got to see it, hold it in his hands,” Carleson said.
These Are The Times That Try Men’s Souls A favorite at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) and Tea Party events, especially in North Carolina where he lived, Armor dressed in colonial garb and impersonated Benjamin Franklin, explaining the origins of American liberties to 21st Century audiences. Some of his performances can be seen on YouTube.
“John was one of the first people that my husband Bob [Carleson] brought on board at the ACRU when there was no money, just great spirit,” said Carleson, who met Armor when they worked together on the National Commission of the Bicentennial of the Constitution in 1986. “He has been a delight to work with and will be sorely missed. This is a deep loss to his wife Michelle, to his children, his friends and his colleagues at the ACRU.”
Armor, who was one of the few attorneys to write an amicus brief in the presidential election case in 2000, was a well known legal scholar of American politics, particularly third party movements. He represented Eugene McCarthy during the Minnesota Senator’s challenge of Lyndon Baines Johnson’s presidency in 1968.
“John was also the first to figure out the constitutional basis of recalling federal officials,” Carleson said. “That led to the ACRU’s current campaign, RecallCongressNow.org, to educate Americans about the laws in 11 states that allow for recall as a way to ensure greater accountability.”
For the past several years, Armor wrote the weekly “ACLU Outrages” feature for the ACRU’s Website. “John had his finger on the pulse of the ACLU, tracking their misdeeds and writing amusing and disturbing accounts,” Carleson said. “He said he never worried about finding material, because the ACLU’s absurd stances came as reliably as ‘the rain falling on the fields of Ireland.’”
Susan Carleson, Chairman, CEO
Oh, no! What a loss! I saw his post about his cancer a couple of days ago and I thought he was recovering. RIP.
Godspeed, CB, and prayers for you and your loved ones.
I’m speechless......... what a loss. RIP and prayers for his loved ones.
I am very saddened to hear this. He was certainly a good man.
Sympathy to his family and friends.
May he Rest in Peace.
A great Freeper. He will be missed.
RIP - you will be missed by many!
RIP John. You are a great American and you done good.
RIP, John.
This is truly a sad day for Free Republic. Billy Bob will be missed sorely. His contributions on issues of law were invaluable. Prayers for his family.
Death in the family ping...
Prayers up.
:( Bye BillyBob. Thanks. You were a blessing to FreeRepublic.
Prayers going up...tears a comin.
RIP Congressman BillyBob .. your presence here will be greatly missed
God Bless Ya
RIP. I will miss his posts and learning from them.
Oh no, sorry to hear that!
He was a cool guy.
RIP, John and prayers for his family
Oh dear God. I am so sorry and stunned. I thought he was on the mend and was praying for him. Dear Lord. Our Congressman BillyBob, (John) and longtime FRiend has gone home to our Lord, but I’ll forever miss him.
Tears.
Oh no! Prayers for his family. I’m shocked and sad!
What? We’re doomed. He was one of the best of FR.
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