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Obituary

The man with the 'Golden Fleece'

WASHINGTON - Sen. William Proxmire, the Wisconsin Democrat who fought government waste with his mocking "Golden Fleece" awards, died Thursday (Dec. 15, 2005). He was 90.

Sen. Proxmire was known for battling for causes that few colleagues embraced. He won re-election several times without accepting campaign donations and pushed for years for ratification of an antigenocide treaty.

Sen. Proxmire, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease, died at a convalescent home in Sykesville, Md. His son, Douglas Proxmire, said the cause had not been determined.

Sen. Proxmire's monthly "Golden Fleece" awards, which he began in 1975 to point out what he considered frivolous expenditures of taxpayers' money, became a Washington tradition.

He was elected to the Senate in 1957 to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Sen. Joseph McCarthy, who was made infamous for his communist witch hunts.

Sen. Proxmire was re-elected in 1958 to his first six-year term. He also won re-election in 1964, 1970, 1976 and 1982.

Sen. Proxmire made a point of accepting no contributions. In 1982 he registered only $145.10 in campaign costs, yet gleaned 64 percent of the vote.

Over the years, Sen. Proxmire developed an image of penny-pinching populism that played well with his home-state voters.

He was also known for his concern about his appearance. He exercised regularly, ran several miles to work each day and wrote a book about keeping fit. He even got a facelift and a hair transplant.

A private memorial service will be held sometime next week in Lake Forest, Ill., family members said. Services will be held later in Madison and Washington.

[Last modified December 16, 2005, 00:55:10]