MAURICE TOBIN

1933 - 2017

TOBIN MAURICE BERNARD TOBIN January 23, 1933 - September 17, 2017 Maurice Bernard Tobin, attorney, Congressional counsel, author and speaker died in Naples, Florida of complications following a heart attack. Born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Mr. Tobin, then working with the Assistant District Attorney, came to Washington in early 1962 with the wave of Kennedy enthusiasts, then worked first for Senator Edward V. Long (D-Missouri) and as a counsel to the Natural Resources Committee. Tobin next served as Counsel to the House Committee on Public Works (and Legislative Assistant to its Chair, John Blatnik). Because of its jurisdiction over rivers and harbors, he handled the first water pollution hearings throughout the country and then helped write the legislation which, signed by President Johnson, became the foundation of the environmental movement. An acknowledged expert in water pollution and environmental issues, he is the author of Environmental Working Papers, based upon speeches he gave nationally and internationally, among them Puraqua in Rome and the Salzburg Seminar. He left Congress to launch the law firm of Tobin, French and Dillon in the early 1970's specializing in environmental issues and later, some telecommunications matters. Mr. Tobin organized an international conference of 25 top world telecommunications leaders at Leeds Castle in the UK, which resulted in a report that was widely distributed and influential at the time. He was a delegate to the International Telecommunications Union Plenipotentiary Meeting meetings in Nairobi in the early 80's. An accomplished speaker, Mr. Tobin directed and moderated hour-long documentaries (the first ever aired by C-Span) for Clemson University's Strom Thurmond Institute on topics including Super Tuesday, the Federal Budget, Leveraged Buy-Outs, The Senate Machine, and Terrorism, a topic he addressed two decades before it escalated to a central issue. All the programs included multiple senators, judges and civic leaders, and are still requested, having become an important political historical resource. He is the author of Hidden Power: The Seniority System and Other Customs of Congress, a book written with the input of many members of the Senate and the House, which is still used in universities. He was appointed by President Reagan to the Presidential Exchange Commission, a program under which industry heads and government officials exchange professions for one year. Mr. Tobin has served on many boards and committees, including the Mayor's Downtown Committee and the Council of the Folger Shakespeare Library, the Board of Columbia Hospital for Women, the Jelleff Boys and Girls Club and the Washington Chamber Symphony. He was an early chair of the Aspen Institute Fellows Program, and was on the Advisory Council of the MacDonald Laurier Institute, a Canadian-US organization dedicated to promoting the use of the most effective aspects of the two systems. He was a supporter of The Center for Strategic and International Studies, and was a member of the Circle of The National Gallery and The President's Circle of the National Portrait Gallery As its non-profit Chairman, Mr. Tobin led the successful effort to convince The Pennsylvania Avenue Development Commission to require that the city's historic National Theatre (the oldest continuously operating theatre in the country) be saved as part of any redevelopment, oversaw its renovation, its reopening, the world premiere of Amadeus with Ian McLellan, and its further success with first string productions. Mr. Tobin graduated from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and earned a JD from the University of Kansas and an LLM in Environmental Law from George Washington University. He served in the Army and then as a reservist in the 468th Strategic Intelligence Company. Mr. Tobin is a member of The Spouting Rock Beach Association (Bailey's Beach) in Newport, The Cosmos Club in Washington, DC, Rolling Rock in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, Port Royal Club in Naples, Florida and Maroon Creek Club in Aspen, Colorado. Mr. Tobin loved his family first and foremost, and was a committed father and hence soccer coach, lacrosse parent and chauffeur. He was a tennis player, skier and hiker, loved Broadway musicals and other theatre, read voraciously and was immersed in current events and politics his entire life. His wit, warmth and his enthusiasm lifted any room he entered. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Joan Fleischmann Tobin; their daughter, Alexis Dorette Tobin; and their son, Ian Maurice Tobin. He is also survived by his sister, Mary Tobin Mahr; his brothers Kelly Tobin and Father Charles Tobin; and many nephews and nieces The family asks that in lieu of flowers, contributions be given in honor of Mr. Tobin to The Aspen Institute, or to I-Civics founded by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor to teach civics to the next generations. In each case, a program will be designed. Memorial services will be in early November.The family asks that in lieu of flowers, contributions be given in honor of Mr. Tobin to The Aspen Institute, or to I-Civics founded by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor to teach civics to the next generations. In each case, a program will be designed. Memorial services will be in early November.