Richard Ottinger

Richard Ottinger
Ottinger in 1979
Dean of the Pace University School of Law
In office 1994–1999
Preceded by	Barbara Black (acting)
Succeeded by	David Cohen
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York
In office January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1985
Preceded by	Ogden Reid
Succeeded by	Joseph DioGuardi
Constituency	24th district (1975–1983) 20th district (1983–1985)
In office January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1971
Preceded by	Robert Barry
Succeeded by	Peter Peyser
Constituency	25th district
Personal details
Born	Richard Lawrence Ottinger (1929-01-27)January 27, 1929 New York City, U.S.
Died	February 16, 2026(2026-02-16) (aged 97) Mamaroneck, New York, U.S.
Party	Democratic
Spouse	June Ottinger
Relations	Albert Ottinger (uncle)
Children	4
Education	Cornell University (BA) Harvard University (LLB) Georgetown University
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Service years	1955–1957
Rank	Captain

Richard Lawrence Ottinger (January 27, 1929 – February 16, 2026) was an American lawyer, politician and legal educator from New York. A member of the Democratic Party, he served in the United States House of Representatives for eight terms, from 1965 to 1971 and from 1975 to 1985.

Ottinger was born in New York City, the son of Louise (Loewenstein), a philanthropist, who supported the arts, and Lawrence Ottinger, a businessman and founder of U.S. Plywood.^[1] He was the nephew of Albert Ottinger, the Republican Attorney General of New York from 1925 to 1928.^[2] He attended the public schools of Scarsdale, New York and graduated from the Loomis School, in Windsor, Connecticut, in 1946.^[2][3] He received a bachelor of arts degree from Cornell University in 1950 and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1953.^[2] He also studied international law at Georgetown University.^[3] He served in the United States Air Force from 1955 to 1957, and was discharged as a captain.^[4]

He was admitted to the New York bar and practiced international and corporate law.^[2][3] He was the second staff member of the Peace Corps, serving as director of programs for the west coast of South America from 1961 to 1964.^[2][3]

In the 1964 elections, Ottinger was elected as a Democrat to the 89th United States Congress and was re-elected twice in 1966 and 1968. After the 1964 run, Ottinger was criticized for using a loophole in election laws to spend $193,000 of his own money to get around a limit of $8,000 in the race. He set up multiple committees and gave money of all of them. Most prominently, Ottinger's mother, Louise, and sister, Patricia Heath, had set up 22 different committees that in turn donated $6,000 apiece to his campaign.^[5]

In the 1970 elections, he gave up his House seat to run on the Democratic ticket for United States Senator from New York. In the 1970 election, Ottinger split the liberal vote with the Republican (and Liberal-endorsed) nominee, incumbent Senator Charles Goodell (who was appointed by Governor Nelson Rockefeller after the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy). Both were defeated by the nominee of the Conservative party, James L. Buckley in a three-way race.^[6]

In 1972, he sought to return to his old congressional seat, but lost in a hotly contested election to the Republican incumbent Representative Peter A. Peyser. His comeback effort was successful in 1974, when he was elected to the House from a different district. He was re-elected to the four successive Congresses (in 1976, 1978, 1980, and 1982), retiring in 1985. He bolstered his reputation as a leading legislator by founding the bipartisan Environmental Study Conference (ESC) in the House of Representatives in 1975, which grew to a membership of over 150 members in less than a year.^[7]

After retiring from Congress, Ottinger became a professor at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University,^[8] founding an environmental law program there, and serving as the law school dean from 1994 to 1999.^[9][10] Upon retirement, he served as Dean Emeritus.

Ottinger was hospitalized on January 30, 2026, undergoing surgery for an intracerebral hemorrhage. He spent his final days in palliative care at his home in Mamaroneck, New York, until his death on February 16, 2026, at the age of 97.^[11]

• List of Jewish members of the United States Congress

• United States Congress. "Richard Ottinger (id: O000134)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

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• Appearances on C-SPAN