David Weprin
Encyclopedia
David I. Weprin is a Democratic
member of the New York State Assembly
, representing District 24 in Queens since 2010. He was previously a member of the New York City Council
, representing district 23. He is also the former Deputy Superintendent of the New York State Banking Commission and former Chairman of New York's Securities Industry Association
.
On September 13, 2011, Weprin lost the special election
to the US House of Representatives in New York's heavily Democratic 9th congressional district
to Republican
Bob Turner
. Weprin's losing to Turner is attributed to the national economy, President Barack Obama
's lack of popularity in the district, and other local factors, with Israel
as an additional issue.
Speaker Saul Weprin
, his younger brother is the former New York State Assemblyman and current New York City Councilman Mark Weprin
. Born in Queens on May 2, 1953, Weprin has lived in the Hollis-Jamaica area of Queens his entire life. He is a graduate of Jamaica High School
. He received a cum laude bachelor's degree in Political Science
from the University at Albany, SUNY
, and a law degree from Hofstra University School of Law
.
named Weprin the Deputy Superintendent of Banks and Secretary of the Banking Board for New York State, a position responsible for regulating more than 3,000 financial institutions and financial service firms in New York State.
After leaving the Banking Board, Weprin held a variety of leadership positions at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette
; Kidder Peabody; Paine Webber
, Inc. and Advest, Inc. While in the private sector, he was elected to serve as Chairman of the Securities Industry Association for the New York District for three years.
In 2001, Weprin was elected to the New York City Council, where he served until 2009. Shortly after taking office, he was selected as Chairman of the Council’s Finance Committee. During his time as a Council Member, Weprin led the charge in the Council against Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing
plan, which he characterized as “an unfair tax” with “the potential for causing hardship to people who rely on their cars in boroughs other than Manhattan”.
In 2009, Weprin retired from the City Council to run for New York City Comptroller. He finished last in the Democratic primary, behind Melinda Katz, David Yassky
and the eventual nominee and winner of the general election, John Liu
.
On February 9, 2010, Weprin won a special election to represent New York State Assembly
's District 24. He won the general election
the following November with 67 percent of the vote.
Special election 2011
Weprin was selected by the local leaders of the Democratic Party to run for the New York's 9th congressional district special election
to the House of Representatives held on September 13, 2011, to replace Democrat Anthony Weiner, who had resigned in June 2011 following a sexting scandal
. The district in which registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by three to one may be eliminated in the 2012 redistricting, and Weprin, who lives a few blocks outside of the district, was chosen largely because he promised not to challenge another incumbent in 2012, should his seat be eliminated. The seat was initially considered safe for Democrats, but Weprin lost against Republican opponent Bob Turner
, a retired cable television executive, with 47 percent against Turner's 53 percent, after a campaign plagued by gaffes.
Turner, a Roman Catholic, was appealing to Jewish voters, who make up for about a third of the voters in the district, by criticizing President Obama’s policies on Israel, and portraying Weprin, who is strongly pro-Israel, as being insufficiently critical of Obama’s stance on Israel. Former New York mayor Ed Koch
, a Democrat and Jew, supported Turner in order to send a message to President Obama to change what Koch describes as “hostile position on the State of Israel”. Turner was also supported by Assemblyman Dov Hikind
, a Democrat and an orthodox Jew, and local rabbi
s, who objected to Weprin's support for same-sex marriage.
, Weprin has defended the “right of the mosque to build on that site”, but expressed his wish that the center be built at a different location.
.
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...
member of the New York State Assembly
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...
, representing District 24 in Queens since 2010. He was previously a member of the New York City Council
New York City Council
The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of the City of New York. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five boroughs. The Council serves as a check against the mayor in a "strong" mayor-council government model. The council monitors performance of city agencies and...
, representing district 23. He is also the former Deputy Superintendent of the New York State Banking Commission and former Chairman of New York's Securities Industry Association
Securities Industry Association
The Securities Industry Association was an association of firms and people who handle securities . In 2006 it merged with the Bond Market Association to form the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association....
.
On September 13, 2011, Weprin lost the special election
New York's 9th congressional district special election, 2011
A 2011 special election in New York's 9th congressional district was held on September 13, 2011 to fill a seat in the U.S. Congress for New York's 9th congressional district, after Representative Anthony Weiner resigned from this seat on June 21, 2011 due to his sexting scandal...
to the US House of Representatives in New York's heavily Democratic 9th congressional district
New York's 9th congressional district
New York's 9th Congressional District is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in New York City. It includes parts of southern Brooklyn and south central Queens...
to Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Bob Turner
Bob Turner (politician)
Robert L. "Bob" Turner is the United States Representative for New York's 9th congressional district which straddles parts of Brooklyn and Queens. He is a member of the Republican Party, holding his first public office. He was elected in September 2011 to complete the term of Democrat Anthony...
. Weprin's losing to Turner is attributed to the national economy, President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's lack of popularity in the district, and other local factors, with Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
as an additional issue.
Early life and education
Weprin comes from a Jewish family of Democratic politicians. His father was New York State AssemblyNew 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...
Speaker Saul Weprin
Saul Weprin
Saul Weprin was an American attorney and politician. He was a Democratic member from Queens County of the New York State Assembly, and served as its Speaker from December 1991 until his death.-Early life and career:...
, his younger brother is the former New York State Assemblyman and current New York City Councilman Mark Weprin
Mark Weprin
Mark Weprin represents District 23 in the New York City Council, which contains the Queens neighborhoods of Bellerose, Floral Park, Fresh Meadows, Glen Oaks, Holliswood, Hollis Hills, Oakland Gardens and Queens Village.-Career:...
. Born in Queens on May 2, 1953, Weprin has lived in the Hollis-Jamaica area of Queens his entire life. He is a graduate of Jamaica High School
Jamaica High School (New York City)
Jamaica High School is a four-year public high school in Queens, New York. The school is administered by the New York City Department of Education.-History:...
. He received a cum laude bachelor's degree in Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from the University at Albany, SUNY
University at Albany, SUNY
The State University of New York at Albany, also known as University at Albany, State University of New York, SUNY Albany or simply UAlbany, is a public university located in Albany, Guilderland, and East Greenbush, New York, United States; is the senior campus of the State University of New York ...
, and a law degree from Hofstra University School of Law
Hofstra University School of Law
The Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University is located in Hempstead, New York. Founded in 1970 and accredited by the ABA in 1971, the school offers a JD, a joint JD/MBA degree, and LL.M degrees in American Law and Family law...
.
Career
In 1983, then Governor Mario CuomoMario Cuomo
Mario Matthew Cuomo served as the 52nd Governor of New York from 1983 to 1994, and is the father of Andrew Cuomo, the current governor of New York.-Early life:...
named Weprin the Deputy Superintendent of Banks and Secretary of the Banking Board for New York State, a position responsible for regulating more than 3,000 financial institutions and financial service firms in New York State.
After leaving the Banking Board, Weprin held a variety of leadership positions at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette or DLJ is a defunct U.S. investment bank founded by William H. Donaldson, Richard Jenrette and Dan Lufkin in 1959. Its businesses included securities underwriting; sales and trading; investment and merchant banking; financial advisory services; investment research;...
; Kidder Peabody; Paine Webber
Paine Webber
Paine Webber and Company was an American stock brokerage and asset management firm that was acquired by the Swiss bank UBS AG in 2000. The company was founded in 1880 in Boston, Massachusetts, by William Alfred Paine and Wallace G. Webber. Operating with two employees, they leased premises at 48...
, Inc. and Advest, Inc. While in the private sector, he was elected to serve as Chairman of the Securities Industry Association for the New York District for three years.
In 2001, Weprin was elected to the New York City Council, where he served until 2009. Shortly after taking office, he was selected as Chairman of the Council’s Finance Committee. During his time as a Council Member, Weprin led the charge in the Council against Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing
Congestion pricing
Congestion pricing or congestion charges is a system of surcharging users of a transport network in periods of peak demand to reduce traffic congestion. Examples include some toll-like road pricing fees, and higher peak charges for utilities, public transport and slots in canals and airports...
plan, which he characterized as “an unfair tax” with “the potential for causing hardship to people who rely on their cars in boroughs other than Manhattan”.
In 2009, Weprin retired from the City Council to run for New York City Comptroller. He finished last in the Democratic primary, behind Melinda Katz, David Yassky
David Yassky
David S. Yassky is a former member of the New York City Council. First elected in 2001, he represented the 33rd Council District, which includes parts of downtown Brooklyn, including Brooklyn Heights, Greenpoint, Williamsburg, DUMBO, Boerum Hill and Park Slope.Yassky is a graduate of Princeton...
and the eventual nominee and winner of the general election, John Liu
John Liu
John Chun Liu is a New York City elected official, currently serving as New York City Comptroller. Liu previously served on the New York City Council representing District 20...
.
On February 9, 2010, Weprin won a special election to represent New York State Assembly
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...
's District 24. He won 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...
the following November with 67 percent of the vote.
Special election 2011
Weprin was selected by the local leaders of the Democratic Party to run for the New York's 9th congressional district special election
New York's 9th congressional district special election, 2011
A 2011 special election in New York's 9th congressional district was held on September 13, 2011 to fill a seat in the U.S. Congress for New York's 9th congressional district, after Representative Anthony Weiner resigned from this seat on June 21, 2011 due to his sexting scandal...
to the House of Representatives held on September 13, 2011, to replace Democrat Anthony Weiner, who had resigned in June 2011 following a sexting scandal
Anthony Weiner sexting scandal
The Anthony Weiner sexting scandal, also dubbed Weinergate, began when Democratic U.S. Congressman Anthony Weiner used the social media website Twitter to send a link to a sexually suggestive picture to a 21-year-old Washington State woman...
. The district in which registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by three to one may be eliminated in the 2012 redistricting, and Weprin, who lives a few blocks outside of the district, was chosen largely because he promised not to challenge another incumbent in 2012, should his seat be eliminated. The seat was initially considered safe for Democrats, but Weprin lost against Republican opponent Bob Turner
Bob Turner (politician)
Robert L. "Bob" Turner is the United States Representative for New York's 9th congressional district which straddles parts of Brooklyn and Queens. He is a member of the Republican Party, holding his first public office. He was elected in September 2011 to complete the term of Democrat Anthony...
, a retired cable television executive, with 47 percent against Turner's 53 percent, after a campaign plagued by gaffes.
Turner, a Roman Catholic, was appealing to Jewish voters, who make up for about a third of the voters in the district, by criticizing President Obama’s policies on Israel, and portraying Weprin, who is strongly pro-Israel, as being insufficiently critical of Obama’s stance on Israel. Former New York mayor Ed Koch
Ed Koch
Edward Irving "Ed" Koch is an American lawyer, politician, and political commentator. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 and three terms as mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989...
, a Democrat and Jew, supported Turner in order to send a message to President Obama to change what Koch describes as “hostile position on the State of Israel”. Turner was also supported by Assemblyman Dov Hikind
Dov Hikind
Dov Hikind is an American politician in the state of New York. He is a Democratic New York State Assemblyman. Hikind is an Orthodox Jew representing Brooklyn's Assembly district 48...
, a Democrat and an orthodox Jew, and local rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
s, who objected to Weprin's support for same-sex marriage.
Political views
Weprin is a strong supporter of social security and is in favor of raising taxes on millionaires. Though an Orthodox Jew, he supported legalizing same-sex marriage, for which he has been criticized by Orthodox Jews. In the debate about the Park51 Islamic community center near Ground ZeroWorld Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
, Weprin has defended the “right of the mosque to build on that site”, but expressed his wish that the center be built at a different location.
Election results
- February 2010 special election, NYS Assembly, 24th AD
David I. Weprin (DEM New York State Democratic CommitteeThe New York State Democratic Committee runs the local branch of the United States Democratic Party in the state of New York. Its headquarters are in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and it has an office in Albany.-List of chairpersons:...
- INDIndependence Party of New YorkThe Independence Party is an affiliate in the U.S. state of New York of the Independence Party of America. The party was founded in 1991 by Dr. Gordon Black, Tom Golisano, and Laureen Oliver from Rochester, New York, and acquired ballot status in 1994...
- WORWorking Families PartyThe 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...
)4,465 Bob Friedrich (REP New York Republican State CommitteeThe New York Republican State Committee is the affiliate of the United States Republican Party in New York, headquartered in Albany.-History:...
- CON)2,757
- November 2010 general electionGeneral electionIn 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...
, NYS Assembly, 24th ADDavid I. Weprin (DEM New York State Democratic CommitteeThe New York State Democratic Committee runs the local branch of the United States Democratic Party in the state of New York. Its headquarters are in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and it has an office in Albany.-List of chairpersons:...
- WORWorking Families PartyThe 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...
)17,817 Timothy S. Furey (REP New York Republican State CommitteeThe New York Republican State Committee is the affiliate of the United States Republican Party in New York, headquartered in Albany.-History:...
)5,567 Bob Friedrich (CON) 2,145
- 2011 special election in New York's 9th congressional district to the House of Representatives (472/512 precincts reporting)
Bob Turner (REP Republican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
- CON)33,816 David I. Weprin (DEM 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...
- IND - WORWorking Families PartyThe 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...
)29,688 Chris Hoeppner (SWP Socialist Workers Party (United States)The Socialist Workers Party is a far-left political organization in the United States. The group places a priority on "solidarity work" to aid strikes and is strongly supportive of Cuba...
)278
Personal life
Weprin divorced his first wife in 1986, and lives with his second wife, Ronni Gold, and five children in Holliswood, QueensHolliswood, Queens
Holliswood is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. Holliswood is in east central Queens bounded by the Grand Central Parkway to the north, Francis Lewis Boulevard to the east, Hillside Avenue to the south and 188th Street on the west. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community...
.
External links
- New York State Assembly Member Website
- David Weprin for US Congress official campaign site
- PoliGu Writeup
- Collected news and commentary at the New York Daily NewsNew York Daily NewsThe Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....