Ryan Karben
Encyclopedia
Ryan Scott Karben is a New York
Democrat
who represented the state's 95th Assembly District in Albany
from 2003–2006.
on September 29, 1974. In 1979, his family moved to Spring Valley
, New York
. Karben was a student at the Frisch School
in Paramus
, New Jersey
. He attended Yeshiva University
as a Max Stern Distinguished Scholar and graduated magna cum laude in 1996 with a B.A. in English. He then attended the Columbia Law School
as a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, graduating in 1999.
Karben is a member of the American Bar Association
and the New York State Bar Association
.
Karben married Lauren C. Bekritsky, his high school sweetheart, in June 1996. The Karbens have three daughters.
, Karben assured his supporters that he considered the election a positive experience and that he would be back.
In 1997, Karben was elected to represent Ramapo
in the Rockland County
Legislature. He was the youngest county lawmaker in the State of New York at that time and remains the youngest person to have served in the Rockland County Legislature. Karben was selected as majority leader of the Rockland County Legislature in 2001–2002.
In November 2002, Karben was elected to the New York State Assembly
in Albany
to represent the 95th district, which includes the Town of Orangetown and parts of the Town of Ramapo in Rockland County
. Karben served on the Energy Committee and led an investigation of Consolidated Edison
in 2004. Karben had also pushed for tougher sex-offender tracking laws and environmental cleanups at several Rockland County sites.
Karben issued a statement that made no reference to the internal inquiry but said:
Subsequently, Karben left his position as a partner in the Spring Valley law firm of Kurtzman, Matera, Scuderi, Gurock, and Karben. The firm has refused to publicly state how they arrived at the decision for Karben to leave.
Karben had also been involved in a fundraising controversy involving Charles Kushner
, a New Jersey developer who served a prison sentence for hiring prostitutes in an attempt to influence potential witnesses in a New Jersey
investigation. Kushner had contributed over $40,000 to Karben's campaign, and Karben contributed $2,500 to charity after revelations about Kushner surfaced.
, Noramie Jasmin, as the village attorney.
. In September 2007, Karben was named Managing Director of Fleishman-Hillard
Government Relations, a national political consulting and lobbying firm.
town jail. He was accused of driving into a utility pole on the day before. Karben told police he had swerved to avoid a deer, but refused to take a blood-alcohol test. Police charged him with DWI
. As a result of his refusal to take the blood alcohol test, Karben's license was suspended for one year. His trial was scheduled for October 2008.
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...
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...
who represented the state's 95th Assembly District in 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...
from 2003–2006.
Education and family
Karben was born in the borough of the BronxThe 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 September 29, 1974. In 1979, his family moved to Spring Valley
Spring Valley, New York
Spring Valley, incorporated on July 9, 1902 is a village spanning the Town of Ramapo and Town of Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Nanuet; east of Airmont and Monsey; south of Hillcrest and west of West Nyack...
, New York
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...
. Karben was a student at the Frisch School
Frisch School
The Frisch School, founded in 1972 by Rabbi Menachem Meier and Alfred Frisch, is a coeducational yeshiva secondary school located in Paramus, New Jersey, which adheres to the tenets and practices of Modern Orthodox Judaism...
in Paramus
Paramus, New Jersey
Paramus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,342. A suburb of New York City, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan and approximately west of Upper Manhattan.Paramus is one of...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. He attended Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University is a private university in New York City, with six campuses in New York and one in Israel. Founded in 1886, it is a research university ranked as 45th in the US among national universities by U.S. News & World Report in 2012...
as a Max Stern Distinguished Scholar and graduated magna cum laude in 1996 with a B.A. in English. He then attended the 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...
as a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, graduating in 1999.
Karben is a member of the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
and 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...
.
Karben married Lauren C. Bekritsky, his high school sweetheart, in June 1996. The Karbens have three daughters.
Assembly career
In 1995, Karben lost his initial bid to become county legislator at the age of 21 when he finished fourth in a race for three open positions. In his concession speech at the Holiday Inn in Suffern, New YorkSuffern, New York
Suffern is a village in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the State of New Jersey; east of Hillburn; south of Montebello and west of Airmont...
, Karben assured his supporters that he considered the election a positive experience and that he would be back.
In 1997, Karben was elected to represent Ramapo
Ramapo, New York
Ramapo , formerly known as New Hempstead and then Hampstead, is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of New Jersey; southeast of Orange County, New York; south of the Town of Haverstraw and west of the Town of Clarkstown and the Town of Orangetown...
in the Rockland County
Rockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
Legislature. He was the youngest county lawmaker in the State of New York at that time and remains the youngest person to have served in the Rockland County Legislature. Karben was selected as majority leader of the Rockland County Legislature in 2001–2002.
In November 2002, Karben was elected to 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...
in 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...
to represent the 95th district, which includes the Town of Orangetown and parts of the Town of Ramapo in Rockland County
Rockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
. Karben served on the Energy Committee and led an investigation of Consolidated Edison
Consolidated Edison
Consolidated Edison, Inc. is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the United States, with approximately $14 billion in annual revenues and $36 billion in assets...
in 2004. Karben had also pushed for tougher sex-offender tracking laws and environmental cleanups at several Rockland County sites.
Resignation
On May 18, 2006, Karben unexpectedly announced his resignation from the New York Assembly. It was reported that Karben had been the subject of an internal legislative investigation into alleged sexual advances toward male staffers. No formal complaints against Karben were ever filed.Karben issued a statement that made no reference to the internal inquiry but said:
It is time for a new beginning. As I have discussed with some of my friends over the past few weeks, my elected service is one piece of what I hope will be an interesting and diverse professional career. After spending more than 13 of my 31 years in public service, it is time for a change for me and my family. I was appointed to my first public position as a college freshman and leave my second elected office as a proud father of three little girls. I am stepping down today from the State Assembly to turn greater attention to them and my law practice and to fulfilling other personal and professional aspirations. I will remain an active and vocal voice for better schools, a cleaner environment and lower taxes. I am grateful for the friendship and support of so many, especially my wife Lauren, my family, my campaign volunteers and my clients. It has been a privilege to serve.
Subsequently, Karben left his position as a partner in the Spring Valley law firm of Kurtzman, Matera, Scuderi, Gurock, and Karben. The firm has refused to publicly state how they arrived at the decision for Karben to leave.
Karben had also been involved in a fundraising controversy involving Charles Kushner
Charles Kushner
Charles Kushner is an American real estate developer, philanthropist and political fundraiser.- Family :Kushner's parents were Joseph and Rae Kushner, who had come to America from Belarus by way of Italy in 1949...
, a New Jersey developer who served a prison sentence for hiring prostitutes in an attempt to influence potential witnesses in a New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
investigation. Kushner had contributed over $40,000 to Karben's campaign, and Karben contributed $2,500 to charity after revelations about Kushner surfaced.
Current political career
Karben has been hired by the new mayor of Spring Valley, New YorkSpring Valley, New York
Spring Valley, incorporated on July 9, 1902 is a village spanning the Town of Ramapo and Town of Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Nanuet; east of Airmont and Monsey; south of Hillcrest and west of West Nyack...
, Noramie Jasmin, as the village attorney.
Private practice
Following his resignation, he started his own law firm, the Law Office of Ryan Karben, based at his home in MonseyMonsey, New York
Monsey is a hamlet , in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the state of New Jersey; east of Suffern; south of Airmont and west of Nanuet...
. In September 2007, Karben was named Managing Director of Fleishman-Hillard
Fleishman-Hillard
Fleishman-Hillard International Communications, based in St. Louis, Missouri, is one of the world's largest public relations agencies, with a global network of offices as well as offices in 22 cities in the United States. It is a part of Omnicom Group Inc....
Government Relations, a national political consulting and lobbying firm.
DWI arrest
On January 31, 2008, Karben was arraigned after spending the night in the Ramapo, New YorkRamapo, New York
Ramapo , formerly known as New Hempstead and then Hampstead, is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of New Jersey; southeast of Orange County, New York; south of the Town of Haverstraw and west of the Town of Clarkstown and the Town of Orangetown...
town jail. He was accused of driving into a utility pole on the day before. Karben told police he had swerved to avoid a deer, but refused to take a blood-alcohol test. Police charged him with DWI
DWI
DWI is an acronym which means:* Driving while intoxicated, see Driving under the influence* Driving while impaired* Danish West Indies* Diffusion-weighted imaging, a technique used in magnetic resonance imaging* Drinking Water Inspectorate...
. As a result of his refusal to take the blood alcohol test, Karben's license was suspended for one year. His trial was scheduled for October 2008.