John Dunne (politician)
Encyclopedia
John Richard Dunne is a Republican
politician and lawyer from Long Island
, New York. Dunne was a major figure in New York Republican politics in the second half of the 20th century. He is best remembered for his twenty-three years in the State Senate and his involvement in the Attica prison riots
.
Dunne attended Garden City High School. He graduated from Georgetown University
in 1951, and received his law degree from Yale Law School
in 1954. He married Denise in 1958 and has four children. Today, Dunne resides in Garden City
and Columbia County
. He is senior counsel at the Albany
law firm of Whiteman Osterman & Hanna. He is also a director of several corporations.
in a special election in 1965. Dunne represented the Nassau
-based 6th District, now represented by Kemp Hannon
.
He was a popular state senator, both in his district and in Albany. He went on to be re-elected eleven times, serving until 1989. Dunne served as Deputy Majority Leader, as well as chairman or ranking member of six committees. Numerous Republican public figures from Long Island served on Dunne's staff, including Michael Balboni
.
Dunne was a major figure in the Attica prison riots
of 1971. At the time, Dunne was chairman of the Senate Corrections Committee, which oversees the prison system. At one dramatic moment during the riot, Dunne entered the prison with New York Times editor Tom Wicker
and Assemblyman Arthur Eve
to negotiate with the prisoners. He strongly criticized Governor Nelson Rockefeller
for the latter's actions, including a refusal to visit the prison, and argued that the prison standoff could have ended without bloodshed if state officials had acted differently.
Dunne was an original sponsor of the Rockefeller drug laws
in 1973, but by the 2000s argued for major changes in New York drug laws. Dunne sponsored the New York law that protects the confidentiality of tests for HIV/AIDS.
He was regularly mentioned as a possible candidate for other offices, including statewide offices. In 1977, he sought the Republican nomination for Nassau County Executive, but lost the primary election.
Dunne's papers from his days in the Senate are archived at the New York State Modern Political Archive at the University at Albany.
nominated Dunne to be Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights
. His appointment was supported by members of both parties, including Mario Cuomo
, Charles Rangel and Richard Thornburgh.
After serving at the Justice Department, Dunne became a partner in the firm of Rivkin Radler LLP, then known as Rivkin, Radler, Dunne & Bayh.
He was recognized several times for his contribution to the law in New York State, earning the New York State Bar Association
's Gold Medal Award in 2006, among other awards. In 2003, the New York State Bar Foundation named its fund for legal services for indigent persons after Dunne.
In 2006, Dunne was appointed chairman of a task force charged with reforming the state probation system.
asked Dunne and former Lieutenant Governor Stan Lundine
to serve as special mediators to resolve the 2009 New York State Senate leadership crisis
.
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...
politician and lawyer from Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York. Dunne was a major figure in New York Republican politics in the second half of the 20th century. He is best remembered for his twenty-three years in the State Senate and his involvement in the Attica prison riots
Attica Prison riots
The Attica Prison riot occurred at the Attica Correctional Facility in Attica, New York, United States in 1971. The riot was based in part upon prisoners' demands for better living conditions...
.
Dunne attended Garden City High School. He graduated from Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
in 1951, and received his law degree from Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
in 1954. He married Denise in 1958 and has four children. Today, Dunne resides in Garden City
Garden City, New York
Garden City is a village in the town of Hempstead in central Nassau County, New York, in the United States. It was founded by multi-millionaire Alexander Turney Stewart in 1869, and is located on Long Island, to the east of New York City, from mid-town Manhattan, and just south of the town of...
and Columbia County
Columbia County, New York
Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,096. The county seat is Hudson. The name comes from the Latin feminine form of the name of Christopher Columbus, which was at the time of the formation of the county a popular proposal...
. He is senior counsel at the Albany
Albany, 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...
law firm of Whiteman Osterman & Hanna. He is also a director of several corporations.
In the State Senate
Dunne was elected to the New York State SenateNew 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...
in a special election in 1965. Dunne represented the Nassau
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...
-based 6th District, now represented by Kemp Hannon
Kemp Hannon
J. Kemp Hannon is a member of the New York State Senate, from Nassau County. Sen. Hannon has represented the 6th District since 1989 which covers Levittown, Massapequa, Garden City, Uniondale, Hempstead, Farmingdale, Franklin Square, Old Bethpage, Salisbury, Garden City South, Plainview,...
.
He was a popular state senator, both in his district and in Albany. He went on to be re-elected eleven times, serving until 1989. Dunne served as Deputy Majority Leader, as well as chairman or ranking member of six committees. Numerous Republican public figures from Long Island served on Dunne's staff, including Michael Balboni
Michael Balboni
Michael Balboni was the Deputy Secretary for Public Safety for the State of New York, who was the senior homeland security and law enforcement official in New York Governor David Paterson's administration...
.
Dunne was a major figure in the Attica prison riots
Attica Prison riots
The Attica Prison riot occurred at the Attica Correctional Facility in Attica, New York, United States in 1971. The riot was based in part upon prisoners' demands for better living conditions...
of 1971. At the time, Dunne was chairman of the Senate Corrections Committee, which oversees the prison system. At one dramatic moment during the riot, Dunne entered the prison with New York Times editor Tom Wicker
Tom Wicker
Thomas Grey "Tom" Wicker was an American journalist. He was best known as a political reporter and columnist for The New York Times.-Background and education:...
and Assemblyman Arthur Eve
Arthur Eve
Arthur O. Eve is a retired American politician who served as a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly and Deputy Speaker of the Assembly representing districts in...
to negotiate with the prisoners. He strongly criticized Governor Nelson Rockefeller
Nelson Rockefeller
Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller was the 41st Vice President of the United States , serving under President Gerald Ford, and the 49th Governor of New York , as well as serving the Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower administrations in a variety of positions...
for the latter's actions, including a refusal to visit the prison, and argued that the prison standoff could have ended without bloodshed if state officials had acted differently.
Dunne was an original sponsor of the Rockefeller drug laws
Rockefeller drug laws
The Rockefeller Drug Laws is the term used to denote the statutes dealing with the sale and possession of "narcotic" drugs in the New York State Penal Law. The laws are named after Nelson Rockefeller, who was the state's governor at the time the laws were adopted...
in 1973, but by the 2000s argued for major changes in New York drug laws. Dunne sponsored the New York law that protects the confidentiality of tests for HIV/AIDS.
He was regularly mentioned as a possible candidate for other offices, including statewide offices. In 1977, he sought the Republican nomination for Nassau County Executive, but lost the primary election.
Dunne's papers from his days in the Senate are archived at the New York State Modern Political Archive at the University at Albany.
George H. W. Bush administration and later legal career
In 1990, President George H. W. BushGeorge H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
nominated Dunne to be Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights
United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
The U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division is the institution within the federal government responsible for enforcing federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, sex, disability, religion, and national origin. The Division was established on December 9, 1957, by...
. His appointment was supported by members of both parties, including Mario Cuomo
Mario 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:...
, Charles Rangel and Richard Thornburgh.
After serving at the Justice Department, Dunne became a partner in the firm of Rivkin Radler LLP, then known as Rivkin, Radler, Dunne & Bayh.
He was recognized several times for his contribution to the law in New York State, earning the New York State Bar Association
New York State Bar Association
The New York State Bar Association , with 77,000 members, is the largest voluntary bar association in the United States.-History:The State Bar was founded with a constitution that dates to 1877...
's Gold Medal Award in 2006, among other awards. In 2003, the New York State Bar Foundation named its fund for legal services for indigent persons after Dunne.
In 2006, Dunne was appointed chairman of a task force charged with reforming the state probation system.
2009 New York State Senate leadership crisis
On June 20, 2009, Governor 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...
asked Dunne and former Lieutenant Governor Stan Lundine
Stan Lundine
Stanley Nelson Lundine is a politician from Jamestown, New York who served as Mayor of Jamestown, a United States Representative, and lieutenant governor of New York. A Democrat, he was inaugurated Mayor in 1970 and served to 1976 when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives after the...
to serve as special mediators to resolve the 2009 New York State Senate leadership crisis
2009 New York State Senate leadership crisis
The 2009 New York State Senate leadership crisis was a political dispute in New York that began on June 8, 2009. The State Senate was controlled by Democrats with a 32-30 majority, when a bipartisan coalition of all 30 Republicans and two Democrats, Hiram Monserrate and Pedro Espada Jr., voted to...
.