Former U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter died Oct. 14 in Philadelphia at age 82 after battling several illnesses, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the L.A. Times reported. Specter battled liberals and conservatives as a senator, killing the nomination of Robert Bork to the Supreme Court but preserving Clarence Thomas' bid for the same judicial body.
Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin, in a statement, said of Specter: "His support for repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' and passage of the Matthew Shepard hate crimes law was critical, as was his willingness to change his mind and oppose the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2006 after voting for it in 2004.
"While we disagreed with his support for some conservative judicial nominees which will leave a lasting negative impact on our community, he was willing to work across party lines to get things done."
