Ada Smith
Encyclopedia
Ada L. Smith served as a New York State Senator
from 1989 to 2006. She represented the 10th Senate District, centered in the Jamaica, Queens
section of New York City
.
Smith, an African-American, was ranking Democrat
on the state Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Committee, and gained notoriety for several brushes with the law. She lost the 2006 Democratic senate primary election to Shirley Huntley
, who was elected state senator later that year.
, Smith was raised in New York City
. In 1973 she graduated from Baruch College
in Manhattan. Smith, who is unmarried, previously worked as deputy clerk to the City Clerk of New York City.
her with a knife while they were alone in Smith's office. According to Garland-Bryan's statement, the senator became angry when she overheard Garland-Bryan telling family members that Smith "sometimes forgot to take her medication". Garland-Bryan declined to press charges, but wrote an official complaint about the incident to then-Senate Minority Leader Martin Connor
, who responded by asserting that he had "no authority" to punish Smith.
In 1998, New York City police arrested Smith after she allegedly became belligerent and bit an officer following a traffic stop in Brooklyn
. Police were eventually forced to mace
Smith and drag her from her car in order to subdue her.
In 2004, Smith was arrested and cited for reckless driving
after refusing to stop at a police checkpoint at a state garage in Albany. Smith refused to stop in order to present ID, and attempted to accelerate through the checkpoint, almost running over a State Trooper with her car in the process.
In 2006, Smith's Chief-of-Staff, Philip Mahlke, alleged that he was fired after having objected to Smith's frequent use of homophobic slurs in abusive tirades against both himself and her other staffers.
City Court of misdemeanor
harassment
stemming from an attack on former aide Jennifer Jackson in Smith's Albany office on March 21, 2006.
In the incident, Smith flew into a rage and threw hot coffee in Jackson's face after the staffer commented on her weight. Jackson also alleged that Smith pulled off her hairpiece, injuring her neck in the process, and threatened to kill her if she reported the incident. The senator, who is heavy-set, had just returned from a Weight Watchers
meeting that morning to report she had lost 4.3 pounds. According to published reports, Jackson said she simply made a lighthearted comment about expecting her boss to have shed more pounds given her constant on-the-go lifestyle, and did not intend to insult her. Smith's lawyer denied the charges and accused Jackson of lying to authorities, claiming that Jackson told had actually told the senator she needed to lose 100 pounds.
Originally charged with misdemeanor battery
, Smith chose to go to trial on the charges, rejecting an offer of a plea deal that would include anger management counseling. The harassment conviction does not carry any jail time.
stripped Smith of her state-issued car, her honorary title, and a $9,500 per year stipend
attached to her leadership position. Paterson stated that the coffee attack was the latest demonstration of what he called "a pattern of inappropriate, unprofessional and often abusive behavior" from Smith.
Smith has gone through over 200 high-level aides and staffers in her 18 years in the Senate, more than any other sitting Senator in New York State history.
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
from 1989 to 2006. She represented the 10th Senate District, centered in the Jamaica, Queens
Jamaica, Queens
Jamaica is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York, United States. It was settled under Dutch rule in 1656 in New Netherland as Rustdorp. Under British rule, the Village of Jamaica became the center of the "Town of Jamaica"...
section of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Smith, an African-American, was ranking Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
on the state Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Committee, and gained notoriety for several brushes with the law. She lost the 2006 Democratic senate primary election to Shirley Huntley
Shirley Huntley
Shirley L. Huntley is a New York State Senator, first elected in 2006 to represent parts of Queens County, including Jamaica, South Jamaica, Springfield Gardens, Laurelton, South Ozone Park, Kew Gardens, Broad Channel, and Lindenwood. A Democrat, she defeated former Senator Ada Smith in the...
, who was elected state senator later that year.
Background
Born in VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Smith was raised in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In 1973 she graduated from Baruch College
Baruch College
Bernard M. Baruch College, more commonly known as Baruch College, is a constituent college of the City University of New York, located in the Flatiron district of Manhattan, New York City. With an acceptance rate of just 23%, Baruch is among the most competitive and diverse colleges in the nation...
in Manhattan. Smith, who is unmarried, previously worked as deputy clerk to the City Clerk of New York City.
Incidents
In 1996, staffer LaSone Garland-Bryan accused Smith of menacingMenacing
Menacing is a violent crime in most state jurisdictions of the United States. Although the wording and degrees of offense vary slightly from state to state, the criminal act of menacing generally consists of displaying a weapon to a person with the intention of threatening them with bodily harm...
her with a knife while they were alone in Smith's office. According to Garland-Bryan's statement, the senator became angry when she overheard Garland-Bryan telling family members that Smith "sometimes forgot to take her medication". Garland-Bryan declined to press charges, but wrote an official complaint about the incident to then-Senate Minority Leader Martin Connor
Martin Connor
Martin Connor is a former member of the New York State Senate from Brooklyn, New York. He was first elected to the State Senate in a special election in 1978. He is a Democrat. The 25th Senate District that he represented covers lower Manhattan and an area of Brooklyn down the East River from...
, who responded by asserting that he had "no authority" to punish Smith.
In 1998, New York City police arrested Smith after she allegedly became belligerent and bit an officer following a traffic stop in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. Police were eventually forced to mace
Mace (spray)
Chemical Mace is a tear gas in the form of an aerosol spray which propels a lachrymatory agent mixed with a volatile solvent. It is sometimes used as a self-defense device...
Smith and drag her from her car in order to subdue her.
In 2004, Smith was arrested and cited for reckless driving
Reckless driving
Reckless driving is a major moving traffic violation. As a legal term, it is used within the United States. This offence has been abolished in the United Kingdom and replaced...
after refusing to stop at a police checkpoint at a state garage in Albany. Smith refused to stop in order to present ID, and attempted to accelerate through the checkpoint, almost running over a State Trooper with her car in the process.
In 2006, Smith's Chief-of-Staff, Philip Mahlke, alleged that he was fired after having objected to Smith's frequent use of homophobic slurs in abusive tirades against both himself and her other staffers.
Coffee attack
Smith was convicted on August 26, 2006 in AlbanyAlbany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
City Court of misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
A misdemeanor is a "lesser" criminal act in many common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished much less severely than felonies, but theoretically more so than administrative infractions and regulatory offences...
harassment
Harassment
Harassment covers a wide range of behaviors of an offensive nature. It is commonly understood as behaviour intended to disturb or upset, and it is characteristically repetitive. In the legal sense, it is intentional behaviour which is found threatening or disturbing...
stemming from an attack on former aide Jennifer Jackson in Smith's Albany office on March 21, 2006.
In the incident, Smith flew into a rage and threw hot coffee in Jackson's face after the staffer commented on her weight. Jackson also alleged that Smith pulled off her hairpiece, injuring her neck in the process, and threatened to kill her if she reported the incident. The senator, who is heavy-set, had just returned from a Weight Watchers
Weight Watchers
Weight Watchers is an international company that offers various dieting products and services to assist weight loss and maintenance. Founded in 1963 by Brooklyn homemaker Jean Nidetch, it operates in about 30 countries around the world, generally under names that are local translations of “Weight...
meeting that morning to report she had lost 4.3 pounds. According to published reports, Jackson said she simply made a lighthearted comment about expecting her boss to have shed more pounds given her constant on-the-go lifestyle, and did not intend to insult her. Smith's lawyer denied the charges and accused Jackson of lying to authorities, claiming that Jackson told had actually told the senator she needed to lose 100 pounds.
Originally charged with misdemeanor battery
Battery (crime)
Battery is a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact, distinct from assault which is the fear of such contact.In the United States, criminal battery, or simply battery, is the use of force against another, resulting in harmful or offensive contact...
, Smith chose to go to trial on the charges, rejecting an offer of a plea deal that would include anger management counseling. The harassment conviction does not carry any jail time.
Discipline
In the aftermath of the coffee attack, then-Senate Minority Leader David PatersonDavid Paterson
David Alexander Paterson is an American politician who served as the 55th Governor of New York, from 2008 to 2010. During his tenure he was the first governor of New York of African American heritage and also the second legally blind governor of any U.S. state after Bob C. Riley, who was Acting...
stripped Smith of her state-issued car, her honorary title, and a $9,500 per year stipend
Stipend
A stipend is a form of salary, such as for an internship or apprenticeship. It is often distinct from a wage or a salary because it does not necessarily represent payment for work performed, instead it represents a payment that enables somebody to be exempt partly or wholly from waged or salaried...
attached to her leadership position. Paterson stated that the coffee attack was the latest demonstration of what he called "a pattern of inappropriate, unprofessional and often abusive behavior" from Smith.
Smith has gone through over 200 high-level aides and staffers in her 18 years in the Senate, more than any other sitting Senator in New York State history.
External links
- "Erratic in Albany". New York Observer. 2006-03-22.
- "'Wild' Ada Accused In Kill Threat. Pol Screamed She'd Off Her, Staffer Says" by Joe Mahoney. New York Daily News. 2006-04-07.
- "Ada Smith: More About Her Misdeeds. Wonkette.com. 2006-04-11.