Hortense Gabel
Encyclopedia
Hortense W. Gabel was an American
lawyer who served on the New York Supreme Court
. Her judicial career came to an end after she was charged with lowering alimony payments for Carl Andrew Capasso
in exchange for a position for her daughter at the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs
, which was then headed by Capasso's lover Bess Myerson
.
Born in the Bronx
on December 16, 1912, Gabel attended Hunter College High School
. She graduated from Hunter College
in 1934 and earned her law degree from Columbia Law School
in 1937.
Gabel had her first association with housing in 1955, when she was appointed as general counsel to the Temporary State Rent Commission. In May 1959 she was hired by the city to create a neighborhood conservation program and was given a second position in 1960 as an assistant to the mayor on slum clearance issues. On April 12, 1962, Mayor of New York City
Robert F. Wagner, Jr.
appointed her to head the city's Rent and Rehabilitation Agency, in which she oversaw the nearly 5,000,000 residents living in rent control
led apartments.
While under investigation in the Myerson case, Gabel was removed from her position as a trial judge in June 1987 by Milton Williams, the deputy chief administrative judge for the city's courts. After a two-month-long trial, Gabel was acquitted in December 1988 of charges that she had reduced Andy Capasso's alimony payments in exchange for Bess Myerson hiring Gabel's daughter Sukhreet to a $19,000 position as a special assistant.
Gabel died of heart failure at age 77 on December 6, 1990.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer who served on the New York Supreme Court
New York Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in thestate court system of New York, United States. There is a supreme court in each of New York State's 62 counties, although some smaller counties share judges with neighboring counties...
. Her judicial career came to an end after she was charged with lowering alimony payments for Carl Andrew Capasso
Carl Andrew Capasso
Carl Andrew Capasso aka Andy Capasso, was a sewer contractor who had been convicted of tax fraud. He was accused of bribing judge Hortense Gabel by arranging, for the judge's daughter Sukhreet Gabel, a job with Bess Myerson. Myerson was indicted and resigned her positions with the City of New...
in exchange for a position for her daughter at the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs
New York City Department of Consumer Affairs
The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs is a department of the Government of New York City responsible for enforcing the city's consumer protection laws, licensing businesses, dealing with consumer complaints, and participating in consumer education...
, which was then headed by Capasso's lover Bess Myerson
Bess Myerson
Bess Myerson became the first Jewish woman to win the Miss America pageant in 1945. She appeared on various television shows in the 1950s and 1960s...
.
Born in the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
on December 16, 1912, Gabel attended Hunter College High School
Hunter College High School
Hunter College High School is a New York City secondary school for intellectually gifted students located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. It is administered by Hunter College, a senior college of the City University of New York. Although it is not operated by the New York City Department of...
. She graduated from Hunter College
Hunter College
Hunter College, established in 1870, is a public university and one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Hunter grants undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees in more than one hundred fields of study, and is recognized...
in 1934 and earned her law degree from Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
in 1937.
Gabel had her first association with housing in 1955, when she was appointed as general counsel to the Temporary State Rent Commission. In May 1959 she was hired by the city to create a neighborhood conservation program and was given a second position in 1960 as an assistant to the mayor on slum clearance issues. On April 12, 1962, Mayor of New York City
Mayor of New York City
The Mayor of the City of New York is head of the executive branch of New York City's government. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and state laws within New York City.The budget overseen by the...
Robert F. Wagner, Jr.
Robert F. Wagner, Jr.
Robert Ferdinand Wagner II, usually known as Robert F. Wagner, Jr. served three terms as the mayor of New York City, from 1954 through 1965.-Biography:...
appointed her to head the city's Rent and Rehabilitation Agency, in which she oversaw the nearly 5,000,000 residents living in rent control
Rent control
Rent control refers to laws or ordinances that set price controls on the renting of residential housing. It functions as a price ceiling.Rent control exists in approximately 40 countries around the world...
led apartments.
While under investigation in the Myerson case, Gabel was removed from her position as a trial judge in June 1987 by Milton Williams, the deputy chief administrative judge for the city's courts. After a two-month-long trial, Gabel was acquitted in December 1988 of charges that she had reduced Andy Capasso's alimony payments in exchange for Bess Myerson hiring Gabel's daughter Sukhreet to a $19,000 position as a special assistant.
Gabel died of heart failure at age 77 on December 6, 1990.