Christine C. Quinn
Encyclopedia
Christine Callaghan Quinn (born July 25, 1966) is a Democratic
politician and the current Speaker
of the New York City Council
. The third person to hold this office, Quinn is the first female and first openly gay speaker.
In 2007, the New York Post
named Quinn the third-most powerful woman in New York, after Hillary Rodham Clinton
and Diane Sawyer
. She was rated one of the "Forty Under Forty" by Gotham Magazine.
. She graduated from Trinity College
in Hartford, Connecticut
in 1988. She served as head of the Housing Justice Campaign for the Association of Neighborhood and Housing Development. Quinn entered politics to manage the City Council campaign of Thomas Duane
in 1991, after which she was Duane's Chief of Staff for five years. She later became the Executive Director of the New York City Anti-Violence Project
, and was appointed a member of the NYC Police/Community Relations Task Force by then-Mayor
Rudy Giuliani
.
She resides in Chelsea
with her partner, Kim Catullo. Her former partner, Laura Morrison, is Chief of Staff to State Senator Tom Duane.
, Greenwich Village
, and Hell's Kitchen
, as well as parts of SoHo
and Murray Hill
. In January 2006, at the age of 39, after serving on the city council for almost seven years, Christine Quinn was elected city council speaker.
In 2008, Quinn acknowledged the existence since 2001 of a practice of appropriation of funds to fictitious organizations; documents provided to The New York Times by Quinn’s office indicated that about $17.4 million of such funds were appropriated to groups with names such as "The Coalition for Informed Individuals" and "Firewood Senior Services."
Before becoming speaker, Quinn served as chair of the Health Committee, during which she sponsored the Equal Benefits Bill and the Health Care Security Act, which requires that city contractors provide parity in benefits between married spouses and registered domestic partners. This and the Health Care Security Act (which ensures health care for grocery workers) were passed over Mayor Michael Bloomberg
's veto. However, the courts threw out the Equal Benefits Bill for conflicting with existing competitive state bidding laws. Quinn led the council's opposition to the mayor's West Side Stadium
plan, helping to defeat the proposal.
Quinn has boycotted the annual St. Patrick's Day parade in New York because of the Ancient Order of Hibernians
's policy against homosexuals marching openly (i.e., displaying signs, banners or badges advertising their sexual identity). She tried unsuccessfully to broker a deal with the organizers in 2006 to allow her to wear a gay pride
pin. Subsequently, she was named 2008 Irish American of the year by the weekly newspaper Irish Echo.
Preceding the controversial lecture by Iran
ian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at Columbia University
in 2007, Quinn wrote to the university requesting that his invitation to speak be withdrawn.
In 2008, Quinn backed Mayor Bloomberg on a controversial bill that overturned voter-approved term limits and allowed for the mayor, city councilmembers (including her), and borough presidents to run for third terms, reversing the results of two successive public referenda. The Public Advocate and Comptroller both denounced this move; neither sought a third term. In June 2009, the City Council passed a budget that imposed a 40% budget cut on the Public Advocate's Office. No other city agency had its budget cut more than 6%.
Just eight days before the 2009 elections, she endorsed her party's ultimately unsuccessful mayoral candidate, Bill Thompson
. Quinn was re-elected in 2009 to her council seat and, on January 7, 2010, was elected to a second term as speaker by the 49 member Council. On November 8, 2011, Quinn was accused of being inpolite for chewing gum during her speeches and behind the mayor's speech.
Quinn is expected to run for New York Mayor in 2013.
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...
politician and the current Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
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...
. The third person to hold this office, Quinn is the first female and first openly gay speaker.
In 2007, the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
named Quinn the third-most powerful woman in New York, after Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
and Diane Sawyer
Diane Sawyer
Lila Diane Sawyer is the current anchor of ABC News' flagship program, ABC World News. Previously, Sawyer had been co-anchor of ABC Newss morning news program, Good Morning America ....
. She was rated one of the "Forty Under Forty" by Gotham Magazine.
Personal life
Quinn was born in Glen Cove, New YorkGlen 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....
. She graduated from Trinity College
Trinity College (Connecticut)
Trinity College is a private, liberal arts college in Hartford, Connecticut. Founded in 1823, it is the second-oldest college in the state of Connecticut after Yale University. The college enrolls 2,300 students and has been coeducational since 1969. Trinity offers 38 majors and 26 minors, and has...
in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
in 1988. She served as head of the Housing Justice Campaign for the Association of Neighborhood and Housing Development. Quinn entered politics to manage the City Council campaign of Thomas Duane
Thomas Duane
Thomas K. Duane is an American politician from New York, currently serving in the New York State Senate. He was the nation's first openly HIV-positive person elected to office....
in 1991, after which she was Duane's Chief of Staff for five years. She later became the Executive Director of the New York City Anti-Violence Project
National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs
The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, or NCAVP, is a national organization dedicated to reducing violence and its impacts on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals in the U.S.A...
, and was appointed a member of the NYC Police/Community Relations Task Force by then-Mayor
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...
Rudy Giuliani
Rudy Giuliani
Rudolph William Louis "Rudy" Giuliani KBE is an American lawyer, businessman, and politician from New York. He served as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001....
.
She resides in Chelsea
Chelsea, Manhattan
Chelsea is a neighborhood on the West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The district's boundaries are roughly 14th Street to the south, 30th Street to the north, the western boundary of the Ladies' Mile Historic District – which lies between the Avenue of the Americas and...
with her partner, Kim Catullo. Her former partner, Laura Morrison, is Chief of Staff to State Senator Tom Duane.
Political career
Quinn ran successfully for the city council in 1999. As of 2009, she still represents the council's third district, representing ChelseaChelsea, Manhattan
Chelsea is a neighborhood on the West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The district's boundaries are roughly 14th Street to the south, 30th Street to the north, the western boundary of the Ladies' Mile Historic District – which lies between the Avenue of the Americas and...
, Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
, and Hell's Kitchen
Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan
Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton and Midtown West, is a neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City between 34th Street and 59th Street, from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River....
, as well as parts of SoHo
SoHo
SoHo is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City, notable for being the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, and also, more recently, for the wide variety of stores and shops ranging from trendy boutiques to outlets of upscale national and international chain stores...
and Murray Hill
Murray Hill, Manhattan
Murray Hill is a Midtown Manhattan neighborhood in New York City, USA. Around 1987 many real estate promoters of the neighborhood and newer residents described the boundaries as within East 34th Street, East 42nd Street, Madison Avenue, and the East River; in 1999, Frank P...
. In January 2006, at the age of 39, after serving on the city council for almost seven years, Christine Quinn was elected city council speaker.
In 2008, Quinn acknowledged the existence since 2001 of a practice of appropriation of funds to fictitious organizations; documents provided to The New York Times by Quinn’s office indicated that about $17.4 million of such funds were appropriated to groups with names such as "The Coalition for Informed Individuals" and "Firewood Senior Services."
Before becoming speaker, Quinn served as chair of the Health Committee, during which she sponsored the Equal Benefits Bill and the Health Care Security Act, which requires that city contractors provide parity in benefits between married spouses and registered domestic partners. This and the Health Care Security Act (which ensures health care for grocery workers) were passed over Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
's veto. However, the courts threw out the Equal Benefits Bill for conflicting with existing competitive state bidding laws. Quinn led the council's opposition to the mayor's West Side Stadium
West Side Stadium
The West Side Stadium was a proposed football stadium to be built on a platform over the rail yards on the West Side of Manhattan in New York City....
plan, helping to defeat the proposal.
Quinn has boycotted the annual St. Patrick's Day parade in New York because of the Ancient Order of Hibernians
Ancient Order of Hibernians
The Ancient Order of Hibernians is an Irish Catholic fraternal organization. Members must be Catholic and either Irish born or of Irish descent. Its largest membership is now in the United States, where it was founded in New York City in 1836...
's policy against homosexuals marching openly (i.e., displaying signs, banners or badges advertising their sexual identity). She tried unsuccessfully to broker a deal with the organizers in 2006 to allow her to wear a gay pride
Gay pride
LGBT pride or gay pride is the concept that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity...
pin. Subsequently, she was named 2008 Irish American of the year by the weekly newspaper Irish Echo.
Preceding the controversial lecture by Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 2007, Quinn wrote to the university requesting that his invitation to speak be withdrawn.
In 2008, Quinn backed Mayor Bloomberg on a controversial bill that overturned voter-approved term limits and allowed for the mayor, city councilmembers (including her), and borough presidents to run for third terms, reversing the results of two successive public referenda. The Public Advocate and Comptroller both denounced this move; neither sought a third term. In June 2009, the City Council passed a budget that imposed a 40% budget cut on the Public Advocate's Office. No other city agency had its budget cut more than 6%.
Just eight days before the 2009 elections, she endorsed her party's ultimately unsuccessful mayoral candidate, Bill Thompson
Bill Thompson (New York)
William Colridge Thompson, Jr. , known as Bill or Billy, was the 42nd Comptroller of New York City. Sworn into office on January 1, 2002, he was reelected to serve a second term that began on January 1, 2006. He left office on December 31, 2009, having been succeeded by John Liu...
. Quinn was re-elected in 2009 to her council seat and, on January 7, 2010, was elected to a second term as speaker by the 49 member Council. On November 8, 2011, Quinn was accused of being inpolite for chewing gum during her speeches and behind the mayor's speech.
Quinn is expected to run for New York Mayor in 2013.