Thomas Suozzi

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Thomas Suozzi
Thomas Suozzi official photo.jpg
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 3rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2017
Preceded bySteve Israel
County Executive of Nassau County
In office
January 1, 2002 – December 31, 2009
Preceded byThomas Gulotta
Succeeded byEd Mangano
Mayor of Glen Cove, New York
In office
January 1, 1994 – December 31, 2001
Preceded byDonald DeRiggi
Succeeded byMary Ann Holzkamp
Personal details
Born
Thomas Richard Suozzi

(1962-08-31) August 31, 1962 (age 59)
Glen Cove, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Helene Suozzi
Children3
EducationBoston College (BA)
Fordham University (JD)
WebsiteHouse website

Thomas Richard Suozzi[1] (/ˈswɒzi/; born August 31, 1962) is an American politician, attorney, and accountant who is the U.S. Representative for New York's 3rd district.[2][3]

Suozzi was the County Executive of Nassau County, New York, from 2002 to 2009. He was first elected to the post in 2001 after four terms as mayor of Glen Cove, New York. In 2006, he ran unsuccessfully against Eliot Spitzer for the Democratic nomination for governor of New York. Suozzi was narrowly defeated for reelection in 2009 by Republican nominee Ed Mangano, and in a 2013 rematch was again defeated, that time by 59% to 41%.[4] He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2016 and reelected in 2018 and 2020.[5][6]

Suozzi sits on the House Ways and Means Committee and the Congressional Executive Commission on China.[7][8] He formerly sat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Armed Services Committee.[9]

Early and personal life[]

The son of former Glen Cove mayor Joseph A. Suozzi, Thomas Suozzi was born on August 31, 1962 in Glen Cove.[10] His father was born in Italy and his mother, Marguerite, is of Irish and English descent.[11] The youngest of five siblings, Tom Suozzi attended Catholic schools, graduating from Chaminade High School, Boston College, and Fordham University School of Law. He is trained as both a lawyer and a CPA. Suozzi and his wife, Helene, have three children. Their son Joe played baseball at Boston College and is in the minor-league system of the New York Mets.[12]

Early political career[]

Mayor of Glen Cove[]

In 1993, Suozzi was elected mayor of Glen Cove, New York. He served as mayor for four terms.[13]

His father and his uncle, Vincent Suozzi, were mayors of Glen Cove before him.[14]

As mayor, Suozzi focused on environmental cleanup of commercial and industrial sites. A focal point of his administration was redeveloping brownfield and superfund sites.[13] In 1994, the Glen Cove incinerator was permanently closed and dismantled.[15]

In 1998, the city demolished and redeveloped the defunct Li Tungsten Refinery grounds, a federal superfund site.[16][17]

Then-Vice President Al Gore recognized Suozzi for the city's environmental cleanup efforts and Glen Cove was awarded the Brownfields Award in 1998.[18][19]

Nassau County Executive[]

Suozzi was elected Nassau County Executive in 2001, becoming the first Democrat elected to the position in traditionally Republican Nassau in 30 years.[20] He assumed office amid a fiscal crisis. By 1999, Nassau was on the brink of financial collapse: the county faced a $300 million annual deficit, was billions of dollars in debt, and its credit rating had sunk to one level above junk status.[21] According to The New York Times, he "earned high marks from independent institutions for his signature achievement, the resuscitation of Nassau's finances."[22]

While in office, Suozzi cut spending and reduced borrowing and debt. He also oversaw 11 county bond upgrades over two years, eliminated deficits in Nassau, and accumulated surpluses. In 2005, Governing Magazine named Suozzi one of its Public Officials of the Year, calling him "the man who spearheaded Nassau County, New York's, remarkable turnaround from the brink of fiscal disaster."[13][22] According to The New York Times, Suozzi garnered praise for social services like his "no wrong door" program, which centralized access to social services.[22]

In 2004, Georgina Morgenstern, a former Nassau County planning department employee, alleged Suozzi and Chief Deputy County Executive Anthony Cancellieri used county employees, resources and functions for illegal fundraising. Morgenstern said she was retaliated against and terminated without due process, and she subsequently filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit.[23] Suozzi was dismissed from the case and a federal jury in Central Islip rejected Morgenstern's claim that she was fired in retaliation for criticizing Suozzi.[24]

2006 gubernatorial campaign[]

Suozzi declared his candidacy for governor of New York in the Democratic primary against Eliot Spitzer on February 25, 2006. The bid appeared from the start to be something of a long shot given Spitzer's reputation as a "corporate crusader", though Suozzi often pointed out that he prevailed as a long shot before when he first ran for Nassau County Executive.

Few prominent Democrats apart from Nassau County Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs supported his bid; most of New York's Democratic legislators and mayors campaigned for Spitzer. One of Suozzi's biggest supporters was Victor Rodriguez, founder of the now disbanded Voter Rights Party. Rodriguez eventually became the lead field organizer for Suozzi's Albany campaign office. The campaign was funded in part by Home Depot co-founder Kenneth Langone, former NYSE CEO Richard Grasso, David Mack of the MTA, and many people on Wall Street whom Spitzer had investigated and prosecuted.[25]

On June 13, 2006, Suozzi spoke before the New York State Conference of Mayors along with Spitzer and John Faso. Suozzi received a standing ovation from the crowd of mayors.[26] On July 6, Suozzi announced to his followers that he had collected enough petitions to place himself on the primary ballot. He claimed victory to the press in the July 25 debate with Spitzer at Pace University.[citation needed] During the debate, he said he had presidential aspirations.[27][28]

On August 7, Suozzi announced after much speculation that he would not seek an independent line were he to lose the primary.[29]

2009 Nassau County executive election[]

Suozzi lost the 2009 county executive election to Ed Mangano.

2013 Nassau County executive election[]

After first working in the private sector as an attorney, Suozzi announced that he would seek a rematch against Mangano in 2013.[30] He attacked Mangano for "presiding over a decline in the county", while also emphasizing that, while he was County Executive, Suozzi had eight years of balanced budgets and reduced crime.[31] In November, Mangano defeated Suozzi, 59% to 41%.[4]

U.S. House of Representatives[]

Elections[]

2016
See also: 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in New York § District 3

In June 2016, Suozzi won a five-way Democratic primary in New York's 3rd congressional district.[32] He was endorsed by The New York Times, Newsday, and The Island Now.[33][34][35] He narrowly defeated Republican State Senator Jack Martins in the general election on November 8, and began representing New York's 3rd congressional district in the 115th United States Congress in January 2017.[2]

2018
See also: 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in New York § District 3

In June 2018, Suozzi won the Democratic primary unopposed. In the general election, Suozzi defeated Republican nominee Dan DeBono, a future Trump administration Chief Infrastructure Funding Officer and former trader and investment banker, by 18 points.[36][37]

Tenure[]

As of September 2021, Suozzi had voted in line with Joe Biden's stated position 100% of the time.[38]

Suozzi is a member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus,[39] the United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus[40] and the Climate Solutions Caucus.[41]

Suozzi is vice-chair of the Bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, which consists of 22 Democrats and 22 Republicans. He is also co-chair of the Long Island Sound Caucus, co-chair of the Quiet Skies Caucus, and chair of the United States Merchant Marine Academy’s Board of Visitors.[3][42][43]

Suozzi co-authored legislation to restore the State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction, which was capped at $10,000 in 2017.[44]

Committee assignments[]

  • Committee on Ways and Means
  • Congressional Executive Commission on China[7][8]

Caucus memberships[]

Electoral history[]

Nassau County Executive Race
Year Candidate Votes %
2009 Thomas Suozzi (D) 117,874 48%
Ed Mangano (R) 118,111 49%
New York 3rd Congressional District Race
Year Candidate Votes %
2016 Thomas Suozzi (D) 156,315 52.4%
Jack Martins (R) 142,023 47.6%

See also[]

  • New York gubernatorial election, 2006

References[]

  1. ^ Bulletin of Information, Fordham Law School
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "Suozzi defeats Martins in 3rd District race". longisland.news12.com. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Biography". suozzi.house.gov. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Twarowski, Christopher (November 6, 2013). "Mangano Defeats Suozzi In Nassau County Executive Race". Long Island Press. Syosset, NY.
  5. ^ "Suozzi, Zeldin win House races". Newsday. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  6. ^ Torrance, Luke (2018-11-07). "Suozzi, Rice win re-election as Democrats capture House - News". The Island Now. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b "Suozzi wins seat on Ways and Means Committee". Newsday. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b "Commissioners of the 116th Congress | Congressional-Executive Commission on China". www.cecc.gov. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  9. ^ "From Syria bombing to Queens air traffic, Suozzi reflects on a 'sobering' first 100 days in Congress". QNS.com. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  10. ^ Rodrick, Stephen. "Tom Quixote", New York Magazine.
  11. ^ "INTERVIEWS THOMAS SUOZZI / 'I'm pretty much a go-go guy.'". Newsday. 2001-09-05. Retrieved 2016-12-18.
  12. ^ "Mets sign son of Queens congressman to minors". ESPN.com. 2020-06-19. Retrieved 2021-06-19.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b c Gurwitt, Rob (2005). "Thomas R. Suozzi". Governing Magazine. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  14. ^ Toy, Vivian (August 21, 2005). "In Glen Cove, Politics Is Thicker Than Blood". New York Times. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  15. ^ Ain, Stewart (March 24, 1996). "First Closing Of Incinerator Renews Focus On Disposing Of Garbage". New York Times. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  16. ^ Saslow, Linda (November 5, 2000). "Glen Cove Seeks Waterfront Investors". New York Times. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  17. ^ Gearty, Robert (April 23, 1998). "Glen Cove Blows Its Stack". New York Daily News. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  18. ^ Tedeschi, Tony (July 22, 2010). "The Glen Cove Waterfront Sound Off". Patch. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  19. ^ Brodsky, Robert (October 30, 2013). "Thomas Suozzi Pushes For Second Chance In Nassau County Executive Race". Newsday. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  20. ^ Lambert, Bruce (November 8, 2001). "The 2001 Elections: Long Island; Suozzi Quickly Focuses on Nassau's Woes". New York Times. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
  21. ^ Jones, Bart (December 19, 2010). "Nassau's Finances Recall Near-Meltdown of '99". Newsday. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  22. ^ Jump up to: a b c Lambert, Bruce (September 4, 2006). "Suozzi, Beyond the Numbers". New York Times. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  23. ^ Twarowski, Christopher (August 6, 2009). "Skeletons In The Closet". Long Island Press. Archived from the original on August 16, 2009. Retrieved August 1, 2016.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  24. ^ Murphy, William (June 8, 2010). "Nassau Lawsuit Ends With $4M Whimper". Newsday. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
  25. ^ Rodrick, Stephen. "Tom Quixote: Is Suozzi's campaign against Spitzer a profile in courage or self-destruction?". New York Magazine. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  26. ^ Hakim, Danny (June 14, 2006). "Suozzi Gets an Ovation From Conference of Mayors". New York Times.
  27. ^ Healy, Patrick (July 26, 2006). "Sole Debate for Spitzer and Suozzi Is Fiery". New York Times. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
  28. ^ "The Spitzer-Suozzi Debate Transcript". The New York Times. July 26, 2006. Retrieved May 25, 2010.
  29. ^ "Suozzi Won't Seek Independent Line". National Public Radio. August 7, 2006.
  30. ^ "Suozzi lays out campaign strategy, six months out". Newsday. May 7, 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  31. ^ "Former Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi Wants His Old Job Back: Says He's Over Losing The First Time And Is What's Right For County This Time". CBS New York. February 13, 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  32. ^ Brand, Rick. "Thomas Suozzi savors Democratic primary win". Newsday.com. Newsday. Retrieved July 9, 2016.
  33. ^ Editorial Board, The New York Times (June 17, 2016). "Five Choices in New York Congressional Primaries". New York Times. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
  34. ^ Editorial Board, Newsday (October 25, 2016). "Thomas Suozzi to Represent 3rd Congressional District". Newsday. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
  35. ^ Editorial Board, The Island Now (November 3, 2016). "Our Views: Congressional District 3 Tom Suozzi For Congress". The Island Now. Archived from the original on November 4, 2016. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
  36. ^ "New York's 3rd Congressional District election, 2018". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  37. ^ "Chief Infrastructure Funding Officer | US Department of Transportation". 2020-02-12. Archived from the original on 2020-02-12. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  38. ^ Bycoffe, Anna Wiederkehr and Aaron (2021-04-22). "Does Your Member Of Congress Vote With Or Against Biden?". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  39. ^ "Members". Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  40. ^ "Our Members". U.S. House of Representatives International Conservation Caucus. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  41. ^ "90 Current Climate Solutions Caucus Members". Citizen´s Climate Lobby. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  42. ^ Jump up to: a b "Suozzi appointed co chair of bipartisan long island sound caucus". suozzi.house.gov. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  43. ^ Jump up to: a b Pelaez, Robert (2020-02-04). "Suozzi named chairman of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy's Board of Visitors - Great Neck News". The Island Now. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  44. ^ "Suozzi bill to increase SALT cap passes House". Newsday. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  45. ^ "Members". Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  46. ^ "Our Members". U.S. House of Representatives International Conservation Caucus. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  47. ^ "90 Current Climate Solutions Caucus Members". Citizen´s Climate Lobby. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  48. ^ "Featured Members". Problem Solvers Caucus. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
  49. ^ "Leadership | New Democrat Coalition". newdemocratcoalition.house.gov. Retrieved 2021-03-29.

External links[]

Political offices
Preceded by
 Mayor of Glen Cove
1993–2000 		Succeeded by
Mary Ann Holzkamp
Preceded by
Thomas Gulotta 		Executive of Nassau County
2001–2009 		Succeeded by
Ed Mangano
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Steve Israel 		Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 3rd congressional district
2017–present 		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Darren Soto 		United States representatives by seniority
284th 		Succeeded by
Ron Estes
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