Samuel J. Heyman

Samuel J. Heyman, an American businessman, corporate raider and hedge fund owner, is chief executive officer of the GAF Corporation, which makes asbestos products. Heyman is also chairman of International Speciality Products (ISP) of Wayne, New Jersey, a New York Stock Exchange-listed "international specialty chemicals company" "which does business through subsidiary ISP Chemco." He is the founder of Partnership for Public Service, a "nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to the revitalization of federal government service".

Heyman, a 1963 graduate of Harvard Law School, began his career as a lawyer for the U.S. Department of Justice and "later served as an assistant U.S attorney for the District of Connecticut."

The Samuel and Ronnie Heyman Center on Corporate Governance
The Samuel and Ronnie Heyman Center on Corporate Governance at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University, in New York City was founded in 1987.

Funding Joe Lieberman 2006
"U.S. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, who on the night of his defeat in the Democratic primary appealed to out-of-staters to help him continue his campaign for re-election as an independent candidate, had in just the previous week already collected $609,300 from supporters outside of Connecticut," Don Michak wrote in the August 16, 2006, Journal Inquirer. "Lieberman got his biggest bundles, however, from two Connecticut-based families, the Heymans of Westport and the Chases of Hartford and West Hartford," Michak wrote. "The Heymans contributed a total of $50,400. Giving $10,500 each were Lazarus Heyman, identified as an executive at Heyman Properties, a commercial real-estate company; Ronnie Heyman, identified as a homemaker; Elizabeth Heyman, whose occupation was not listed; and Sam Heyman, identified as chairman of International Specialty Products. Annette Heyman, who was identified as retired, gave $8,400."


 * Note: Ronnie F. Heyman (Ronnie Feuerstein Heyman) is the wife of Samuel J. Heyman and would definitely not be categorized as a "homemaker".

On August 31, 2006, Samuel J. Heyman of New York contributed an additional $10,000.00 to Republican front group Vets for Freedom Action Fund.

Previously, in February 2006, Samuel Heyman, listed as GAF Corporation Chief Executive Officer, made two $1,000.00 donations to "Friends of Joe Lieberman".

Compared to Heyman's earlier contributions to Lieberman campaigns, these are significant amounts. For example, in the 2002 election cycle, Samuel Heyman, GAF Corporation, donated $2,000.00 to "Friends of Joe Lieberman" and $2,000.00 to "Joe Lieberman for President, Inc." in 2004. Heyman's 2000 campaign donation of $1,000.00 to the "Lieberman 2000 Committee" appears to have been counted, then removed.

Lobbying asbestos
"GAF Corporation, spent at least $7 million on lobbyists since 1997, and his campaign contributions, totaling $382,970 in the latest cycle, often came within days of key votes and endorsements," Michael Scherer wrote March 5, 2001, in Mother Jones.

"Heyman delivered a check for $250,000 to the GOP [on July 19, 2001,] only three business days before Republicans delivered the asbestos bill to the full House," Scherer wrote. "From the beginning, Heyman has made it clear that protecting his company from asbestos claims is at the top of his agenda. 'While our focus is primarily on the critical importance of reform for sick claimants,' he testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, 'we would hope that the interests of these businesses, their employees, shareholders, the communities who depend on them, and elemental fairness are worthy of the Senate's consideration as well.'"

In March 2000, Public Citizen reported that Heyman, his family members, the GAF Corporation and its political action committee, "have contributed a total of $360,220 since 1995 to federal candidates and political parties in both hard and soft money."

Related SourceWatch articles

 * Coalition for Asbestos Resolution
 * Vets for Freedom

External articles

 * The Heyman Fellowships at Harvard Law School.
 * Samuel Heyman: Political Campaign Contributions for Election Cycles: 2006; 2004; 2002; and 2000.
 * Jim Hightower, Commentary: "Four Vignettes: How to Play The Washington Game," ZNet, January 9, 2000; AlterNet, April 26, 2000.
 * "Asbestos Compensation? A Killer Idea ...," UE News, March 2000.
 * "Asbestos (Company) Compensation Bill ... Part II," UE News, April 2000.
 * OrangeTownBlueDem, "The Astroturf Mail Returns!" My Left Nutmeg, September 27, 2006.

External resources

 * Samuel Heyman in the Wikipedia.