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October 15, 2009

Era of Dan Flood recalled

Historian Sheldon Spear offers his view of the area’s colorful congressman.

JOHN KRISPIN Times Leader Correspondent

TUNKHANNOCK – Even nearly three decades since his public service, Dan Flood still intrigues local people.

Sheldon Spear, a historian and biographer, spoke at the Dietrich Theater on Wednesday about the life and times of the former U.S. representative from the 11th Congressional District.

Spear’s new biography of Flood is entitled `The Congressional Career of an Economic Savior and Cold War Nationalist.’

It is a misconception that he did not deal much with foreign relations, rather than concentrate on his own district. "Flood would do anything to get jobs in the area," said Spear, who attended Syracuse University like the congressman. "But the benefits locally were seen on the global scale."

Flood, a Democrat from Wilkes-Barre, convinced the U.S. Army to burn local anthracite coal from the Wyoming Valley at the military camps in Germany after the Second World War.

"His use of pork barreling, or what is now considered earmarks, was a way to secure jobs in the area," Spear said.

This was all part of the personality of Flood, who would wear "ice cream" suits of peach and cherry in Congress. "The other congressmen liked him; he was a character," said Spear.

Flood could credit this to his interest in acting as a young man. He went as far as to leave law school to see if his passion was as strong as his acting skills.

"At one time he was on the board and performing in two plays in one month at the Little Theater (of Wilkes-Barre)," said Spear. Seeing that his acting was not a realistic means to a career, Flood tried Congress. He had some misfortunes in the first two decades of service, enduring an up-and-down battle with his opponents, but once he had his seat he carried it for nearly four decades.

Spear was true to his biographer name by including all information on Flood, unbiased to the nature of his actions. As much as Flood helped the area, his own discretion and accord – drinking a special blend of four liquors and barbiturates during congressional sessions toward his latter years and pending indictment hearings – soon overshadowed his achievements.

The retired professor was able to find his information through the King’s College Library, which reserves the rights to the documents belonging to Flood. Spear spends most of his days swimming at the Jewish Community Center, traveling to see friends, and thinking up new ideas for his next book.

"I find the life of Flood interesting," said Spear, who admits he has only seen a mustache like the congressman donned while walking down the street of Manhattan. "The guy had a waxed mustache. Then I realized it was Salvador Dali."

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