CHICAGO: Dan Rostenkowski, a powerful legislator during the Ronald Reagan era who was elected to 18 terms in Congress before being arrested on corruption charges, died Wednesday at the age of 82.

An old-style Chicago ward boss and protege of the windy city`s legendary mayor Richard J. Daley, Rostenkowski served in the House of Representatives from 1959 to 1995.

As chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee from 1981 until 1994, the Illinois Democrat helped broker a key deal to keep the Social Security system solvent and played a major role in reforming taxes, welfare and foreign trade.

He was unseated by an upstart Republican in the 1994 election after being indicted in a wide-ranging corruption case where he was accused of everything from maintaining slush funds to accepting bribes.

Despite pleading guilty to two counts of mail fraud for misusing taxpayer money in 1996 and serving 15 months in jail, Rostenkowski maintained his innocence for the rest of his life.

He was pardoned by outgoing President Bill Clinton just before Christmas 2000.

Rostenkowski kept up his public presence after being released from prison, talking politics on television and working as a political and tax system consultant from his old Chicago neighborhood.

He bemoaned his downfall in a 1988 radio appearance.

"With all the legislation that I passed, with all the history that I`ve written with respect to the economics of the country, they`re always going to say there`s a felon named Danny Rostenkowski," he said. "That`s going to be the obituary."

Rostenkowski, who was suffering from cancer, died at his Wisconsin summer home.

BDST: 1023 HRS, August 12, 2010