CHICAGO, (Reuters) – Dan Rostenkowski, who as Congress’ chief tax-writer was one of most powerful U.S. politicians in the 1980s and early 1990s until brought down by a corruption conviction and a 17-month prison sentence, has died at age 82.
The office of an alderman in Rostenkowski’s old congressional district in Chicago yesterday confirmed his death.
As chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee for 13 years starting in 1981, the Illinois Democrat had a hand in some of the most important legislation of that period.
