Daniel John Flood[1] (November 26, 1903 – May 28, 1994) was an American attorney and politician, a flamboyant and long-serving Democratic United States Representative from Pennsylvania.

Flood studied acting in his early school days, a skill he fancied and often used while serving as a member of Congress.

Flood sported a signature waxed moustache from that time throughout his career, and had a penchant for wearing white suits.

He persuaded his friend James Karen to begin his acting career, recruiting him into a production at the Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre.

Flood made his first run for office in 1942, when he was the Democratic candidate in a special election to replace Congressman J. Harold Flannery in what was then Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district, based in Wilkes-Barre.

He was reelected in 1950, only to be swept out in 1952, losing to Republican Edward J. Bonin in former General Dwight Eisenhower's massive landslide for presidency.

Eisenhower had commanded the Allied Forces in Europe during World War II and led them to defeat Germany.

In that position, he contributed strongly to passage of Medicare, economic development initiatives for Appalachia, and the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969.

Flood used his considerable influence in Congress to develop ways to transition the economy of his district,[9] which was devastated when the anthracite coal mining industry took a severe downturn.

[10] The Washington Post reported in February 1978 that Flood was accused of helping steer federal grant money to the B'nai Torah Institute, a community service organization in New York from which Flood reported receipt of campaign funds totaling nearly $1,000 plus an undisclosed honorarium.

Medico Industries of Plains Township received, with Flood's help, a $3,900,000 Department of Defense contract to produce 600,000 warheads for use in the Vietnam War.

[12] On September 5, 1978, a federal grand jury indicted Flood on three counts of perjury on charges that he lied about payoffs.

His funeral was held on May 30 in St. John's Church in Wilkes-Barre, with eulogies given by then-Governor Bob Casey and Representatives Paul Kanjorski and Joseph McDade.

With the nickname "Dapper Dan" for what Time called his "villainous-looking waxed mustache" and "eccentric clothes,"[17] Flood is regarded as a folk hero in northeastern Pennsylvania, where he worked for economic development initiatives in the Appalachian region.

His seniority on the House Appropriations Committee and knowledge of the legislative process enabled him to play a key role establishing national programs such as Medicare, Appalachian urban economic development, and Coal Mine Health and Safety Act.