Charles Lavine
Encyclopedia
Charles D. "Chuck" Lavine (born August 14, 1947) represents District 13 in the New York State Assembly
, which comprises communities located in and around Nassau County
, including Glen Cove
, Sea Cliff
, Glenwood Landing
, Bayville
, Old Bethpage
, and parts of Glen Head
, Locust Valley
, Mill Neck
, Oyster Bay, Centre Island
, Cold Spring Harbor
, Syosset
, Woodbury
, Plainview
, Bethpage
, Farmingdale
, Hicksville
, Westbury
/New Cassel
, Jericho
, East Hills
, Greenvale
, Roslyn
, Roslyn Heights
and Roslyn Harbor
.
Lavine was born in Marinette, Wisconsin
. He graduated from Marinette High School in 1965 and received a B.A.
degree in English Literature
from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
in 1969. After coming to New York, he earned a J.D.
from New York Law School
in 1972.
From 1972 to 1976 worked as a staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society
of New York. From 1977 to 1995 he served as a partner in the law firm of Grossman, Lavine & Rinaldo in Forest Hills, New York. Since 1996, he has been a sole practitioner specializing in criminal defense
work.
Lavine has been a Glen Cove resident since 1980. He and his wife Ronnie have two grown children, Gregory and Andria.
"several times in the head at close range". "Charles Lavine, McClary's court-appointed attorney, argued that the judge should go easier on his client than the others, because McClary had no criminal record. The pre-sentencing report, Lavine said, noted that McClary's interests were 'babysitting and basketball.'"
and William M. Kunstler in defending suspected terrorists. Lavine's client, Fadil Abdelghani, was suspected of attempting to attack key New York City landmarks. Abdelghani was later convicted of terrorism
. An appellate court upheld the conviction.
." After three days of deliberation, the jury found Wood guilty of hiring Harry to murder Hall. "Charles Lavine asked the judge to leave the door open for parole 'in the very, very distant future' if his client proved he had rehabilitated himself. He noted that Wood had never been involved in such a serious crime, and that he was the victim of a tough childhood." New York State Supreme Court Justice Anne Feldman sentenced Wood to life in prison without being eligible for parole.
Executive and Glen Cove Mayor Thomas Suozzi
appointed Lavine to the Glen Cove Planning Board. In May 2003 Lavine was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Glen Cove City Council, a position to which he was subsequently elected.
In 2004 he successfully ran in the Democratic Party
primary election
for an Assembly seat against six-term incumbent David S. Sidikman
and later that year won the seat at the general election
, taking office in 2005. Lavine campaigned on "Fix Albany" but voted to re-elect Sheldon Silver
as Speaker of the Assembly. In September 2006 he won the Democratic primary.
In 2009, Charles Lavine wrote an Op-Ed in Newsday
in support of civilian terror trials.
During the 2010 legislative session Charles Lavine was assigned to the codes, health, judiciary, social services, higher education, and insurance committees. He also served as the chair of the subcommittee on trusts and estates.
" campaign.
endorsed Lavine for Good Government.
The Empire State Pride Agenda
endorsed Lavine in 2010.
reported that Lavine was one of three assembly members from Long Island who received a 0% job-growth rating from the Business Council of New York State. He earned a higher rating of 45% from the New York National Federation of Independent Business. Lavine earned a 90% rating from the New York City Americans for Democratic Action (NYCADA).
and the New York City Democrats in sponsoring the MTA Tax legislation (payroll tax, increased DMV fees, and an additional 5% sales tax on car rentals). Lavine was the only non-New York City Democrat who sponsored A8180 (the MTA Tax legislation).
veterans living in Nassau County. The bill successfully passed the New York State Assembly. A total of 18,000 Nassau County veterans could take advantage of the benefits.
surcharge on individuals earning over $200,000 annually. This temporary surcharge was enacted in January 2009 to balance the New York State budget
. It will expire on December 31, 2011.
during his years as an assemblyman. In 2009, he sponsored A7732 that would allow "same-sex couples the same opportunity to enter into civil marriages as opposite-sex couples".
or expression" and would define "gender identity or expression" as "having or being perceived as having a gender identity, self image, appearance, behavior or expression whether or not that gender identity, self image, appearance, behavior or expression is different from that traditionally associated with the sex assigned to that person at birth". In 2011, Lavine renewed his support for this legislation.
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
, which comprises communities located in and around Nassau County
Nassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
, including Glen Cove
Glen Cove, New York
Glen Cove is a city in Nassau County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the city population was 26,964....
, Sea Cliff
Sea Cliff, New York
The Village of Sea Cliff is a village located within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York. As of the United States 2010 Census, the village population was 4,995...
, Glenwood Landing
Glenwood Landing, New York
Glenwood Landing is a hamlet in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 3,779 at the 2010 census.Glenwood Landing overlaps the Town of Oyster Bay and the Town of North Hempstead...
, Bayville
Bayville, New York
The Village of Bayville, often referred to as Pine Island, is a village located on Long Island Sound facing Greenwich, Connecticut, and within the town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 6,669 at the 2010 census...
, Old Bethpage
Old Bethpage, New York
Old Bethpage is a hamlet located on Long Island in the Town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County, New York, USA. The population of the CDP was 5,523 at the 2010 census.It is served by the Old Bethpage Post Office, ZIP code 11804....
, and parts of Glen Head
Glen Head, New York
Glen Head is a hamlet located within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population of Glen Head was 4,697....
, Locust Valley
Locust Valley, New York
Locust Valley is a hamlet located in Nassau County, New York. Locust Valley is an unincorporated area of the Town of Oyster Bay...
, Mill Neck
Mill Neck, New York
Mill Neck is a village in Nassau County, New York in the United States. The population was 997 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Mill Neck is located at .The highest point of Mill Neck is Mill Hill....
, Oyster Bay, Centre Island
Centre Island, New York
The Village of Centre Island is a village located within the town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York, United States. Its population was 410 as of the 2010 census....
, Cold Spring Harbor
Cold Spring Harbor, New York
Cold Spring Harbor is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 4,975.Cold Spring Harbor is in the Town of Huntington.-History:...
, Syosset
Syosset, New York
Syosset is a hamlet in Nassau County, New York, in the northeastern section of Town of Oyster Bay near the North Shore of Long Island. The population was 18,829 at the 2010 census...
, Woodbury
Woodbury, New York
Woodbury is the name of some places in the U.S. state of New York:*Woodbury, Nassau County, New York*Woodbury, Orange County, New York...
, Plainview
Plainview, New York
Plainview is a hamlet located on Long Island in the town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County, New York, USA. The population of the CDP as of 2010 was 26,217. The Plainview post office has the ZIP code 11803....
, Bethpage
Bethpage, New York
Bethpage is a hamlet located on Long Island within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York, United States, as well as a census-designated place with borders slightly different from those of the hamlet...
, Farmingdale
Farmingdale, New York
The Village of Farmingdale is an incorporated village on Long Island within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York in the United States...
, Hicksville
Hicksville, New York
Hicksville is a hamlet and census-designated place located within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population of the CDP was 41,547 at the 2010 census...
, Westbury
Westbury, New York
Westbury incorporated in 1932 as a village in Nassau County, New York in the United States. The population was 15,146 at the 2010 census.The Village of Westbury is in the Town of North Hempstead....
/New Cassel
New Cassel, New York
New Cassel is a hamlet and census-designated place in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 14,059 at the 2010 census.New Cassel adjoins the Village of Westbury and is part of the Greater Westbury area...
, Jericho
Jericho, New York
Jericho is a hamlet in Nassau County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the CDP population was 13,567. The area is served by the Jericho Union Free School District, the boundaries of which differ somewhat from those of the hamlet...
, East Hills
East Hills, New York
East Hills is a village in Nassau County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. It is considered part of the Greater Roslyn area, which is anchored by the Village of Roslyn...
, Greenvale
Greenvale, New York
Greenvale is a hamlet in Nassau County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the CDP population was 1,094. It is part of both the Roslyn and North Shore School Districts....
, Roslyn
Roslyn, New York
Roslyn is a village in Nassau County, New York, on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the village population was 2,770...
, Roslyn Heights
Roslyn Heights, New York
Roslyn Heights is a hamlet in Nassau County, New York, United States. It is considered part of the Greater Roslyn area, which is anchored by the Village of Roslyn...
and Roslyn Harbor
Roslyn Harbor, New York
Roslyn Harbor is a village in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 1,051 at the 2010 census. It is considered part of the Greater Roslyn area, which is anchored by the village of Roslyn....
.
Lavine was born in Marinette, Wisconsin
Marinette, Wisconsin
Marinette is a city in and the county seat of Marinette County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 11,749 at the 2000 census.Marinette is the principal city of the Marinette, WI–MI Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Marinette County, Wisconsin and Menominee...
. He graduated from Marinette High School in 1965 and received a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in English Literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
in 1969. After coming to New York, he earned a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from New York Law School
New York Law School
New York Law School is a private law school in the TriBeCa neighborhood of Lower Manhattan in New York City. New York Law School is one of the oldest independent law schools in the United States. The school is located within four blocks of all major courts in Manhattan. In 2011, New York Law School...
in 1972.
From 1972 to 1976 worked as a staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society
Legal Aid Society
The Legal Aid Society in New York City is the United States' oldest and largest provider of legal services to the indigent. It operates both traditional civil and criminal law cases.-History:...
of New York. From 1977 to 1995 he served as a partner in the law firm of Grossman, Lavine & Rinaldo in Forest Hills, New York. Since 1996, he has been a sole practitioner specializing in criminal defense
Criminal defense lawyer
A criminal defense lawyer is a lawyer specializing in the defense of individuals and companies charged with criminal conduct. Criminal defense lawyers can be permanently employed by the various jurisdictions with criminal courts. Such lawyers are often called public defenders. For a much more...
work.
Lavine has been a Glen Cove resident since 1980. He and his wife Ronnie have two grown children, Gregory and Andria.
David McClary
In 1988, Lavine defended suspected cop-killer David McClary. McClary was later convicted of shooting police officer Edward ByrneEdward Byrne (police officer)
Edward "Eddie" R. Byrne was a police officer in the New York City Police Department who became well known in the United States after he was murdered while on duty....
"several times in the head at close range". "Charles Lavine, McClary's court-appointed attorney, argued that the judge should go easier on his client than the others, because McClary had no criminal record. The pre-sentencing report, Lavine said, noted that McClary's interests were 'babysitting and basketball.'"
Fadil Abdelghani
In 1994, Lavine joined lawyers Lynne StewartLynne Stewart
Lynne Irene Stewart is a former attorney who represented controversial, poor, and often unpopular defendants who was convicted on charges of conspiracy and providing material support to terrorists in 2005, and sentenced to 28 months in prison. Her felony conviction led to her being automatically...
and William M. Kunstler in defending suspected terrorists. Lavine's client, Fadil Abdelghani, was suspected of attempting to attack key New York City landmarks. Abdelghani was later convicted of terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
. An appellate court upheld the conviction.
Ellis Wood
Lavine defended Ellis Wood in 2002. Wood was suspected of paying Rasheen Harry $500 to kill Carlisle Hall, an owner of a Crown Heights travel agency. "Lavine said Wood gave Harry, a long-time buddy, $20 a few days before the murder out of charity, but that it had nothing to do with a murder contractContract killing
Contract killing is a form of murder, in which one party hires another party to kill a target individual or group of people. It involves an illegal agreement between two parties in which one party agrees to kill the target in exchange for consideration, monetary, or otherwise. The hiring party may...
." After three days of deliberation, the jury found Wood guilty of hiring Harry to murder Hall. "Charles Lavine asked the judge to leave the door open for parole 'in the very, very distant future' if his client proved he had rehabilitated himself. He noted that Wood had never been involved in such a serious crime, and that he was the victim of a tough childhood." New York State Supreme Court Justice Anne Feldman sentenced Wood to life in prison without being eligible for parole.
Political life
In 2000 Nassau CountyNassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
Executive and Glen Cove Mayor Thomas Suozzi
Thomas Suozzi
Thomas R. "Tom" Suozzi was the county executive of Nassau County, New York. He was first elected to the post of county executive in 2001, the first Democratic county executive since Eugene Nickerson left office in 1971.In 2006, he ran unsuccessfully against Eliot Spitzer for the Democratic...
appointed Lavine to the Glen Cove Planning Board. In May 2003 Lavine was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Glen Cove City Council, a position to which he was subsequently elected.
In 2004 he successfully ran in the Democratic Party
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...
primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
for an Assembly seat against six-term incumbent David S. Sidikman
David Sidikman
David S. Sidikman was a six-term New York State Assemblyman. A graduate of Abraham Lincoln High School, he later received a B.A. from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania and a Juris Doctor degree in 1958 from New York University, attending on a merit scholarship...
and later that year won the seat at the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
, taking office in 2005. Lavine campaigned on "Fix Albany" but voted to re-elect Sheldon Silver
Sheldon Silver
Sheldon "Shelly" Silver is an American lawyer and Democratic politician from New York. He has held the office of Speaker of the New York State Assembly since 1994.- Personal life :...
as Speaker of the Assembly. In September 2006 he won the Democratic primary.
In 2009, Charles Lavine wrote an Op-Ed in Newsday
Newsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
in support of civilian terror trials.
During the 2010 legislative session Charles Lavine was assigned to the codes, health, judiciary, social services, higher education, and insurance committees. He also served as the chair of the subcommittee on trusts and estates.
President of the National Association of Jewish Legislators
In March 2010, Lavine was named president of the National Association of Jewish Legislators. Under his tenure, the association sent a delegation to participate in the Salute to Israel parade in New York City, as well as hosting the Israeli Consulate in Albany.Involvement with U.S. President Barack Obama
In the wake of the Israeli Flotilla incident Lavine sent a letter to U.S. President Barack Obama urging that America's support of Israel should remain resolute; however, during the 2008 presidential election, Lavine participated in "Hugs for Obama" as a key supporter of Obama's "Organizing for AmericaOrganizing for America
Organizing for America is a community organizing project of the Democratic National Committee. Founded after the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama, the group seeks to mobilize supporters in favor of Obama's legislative priorities.-History:...
" campaign.
Endorsements
In 2008, the Working Families PartyWorking Families Party
The Working Families Party is a minor political party in the United States founded in New York in 1998. There are "sister" parties to the New York WFP in Connecticut, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Oregon, but there is as yet no national WFP...
endorsed Lavine for Good Government.
The Empire State Pride Agenda
Empire State Pride Agenda
The Empire State Pride Agenda is a statewide political advocacy organization in New York that advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights, including same-sex marriage. ESPA was founded in 1990 through the merger of the New York State Gay and Lesbian Lobby and the Friends and...
endorsed Lavine in 2010.
Ratings by Organizations
The Business Council of New York State rated Lavine's record at 25%. In 2010, Long Island Business NewsLong Island Business News
The Long Island Business News is a weekly business journal based in Ronkonkoma, New York and owned by Dolan Media Company of Minneapolis...
reported that Lavine was one of three assembly members from Long Island who received a 0% job-growth rating from the Business Council of New York State. He earned a higher rating of 45% from the New York National Federation of Independent Business. Lavine earned a 90% rating from the New York City Americans for Democratic Action (NYCADA).
MTA Tax Legislation
In 2009, he joined Sheldon SilverSheldon Silver
Sheldon "Shelly" Silver is an American lawyer and Democratic politician from New York. He has held the office of Speaker of the New York State Assembly since 1994.- Personal life :...
and the New York City Democrats in sponsoring the MTA Tax legislation (payroll tax, increased DMV fees, and an additional 5% sales tax on car rentals). Lavine was the only non-New York City Democrat who sponsored A8180 (the MTA Tax legislation).
Cold War Veteran Property Tax Exemption
In 2008, Lavine sponsored a property tax exemption for Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
veterans living in Nassau County. The bill successfully passed the New York State Assembly. A total of 18,000 Nassau County veterans could take advantage of the benefits.
Temporary New York State Income Tax Surcharge
In 2011, Lavine supported an extension of the temporary New York State income taxIncome tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
surcharge on individuals earning over $200,000 annually. This temporary surcharge was enacted in January 2009 to balance the New York State budget
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. It will expire on December 31, 2011.
Gay Marriage
Lavine supported gay marriageSame-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
during his years as an assemblyman. In 2009, he sponsored A7732 that would allow "same-sex couples the same opportunity to enter into civil marriages as opposite-sex couples".
Transsexual Rights
Lavine sponsored A5710, a bill that would prohibit "discrimination based on gender identityGender identity
A gender identity is the way in which an individual self-identifies with a gender category, for example, as being either a man or a woman, or in some cases being neither, which can be distinct from biological sex. Basic gender identity is usually formed by age three and is extremely difficult to...
or expression" and would define "gender identity or expression" as "having or being perceived as having a gender identity, self image, appearance, behavior or expression whether or not that gender identity, self image, appearance, behavior or expression is different from that traditionally associated with the sex assigned to that person at birth". In 2011, Lavine renewed his support for this legislation.