Gayle Slossberg
Encyclopedia
Gayle Slossberg is an American politician
. A Democrat
, Slossberg has been a Connecticut State Senator
since 2005.
A resident of Milford
, Slossberg represents the western suburbs of New Haven
in the Connecticut Senate's 14th District, which includes the city of Milford, the town of Orange
, and part of the city of West Haven
.
Slossberg was born and raised in Massachusetts
, graduated from Cornell University
in 1987, and earned a law degree from New York University School of Law
in 1990. She practiced law in New York with the firm of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton before moving to Milford.
Slossberg served on the Board of Directors of the Milford Visiting Nurses Association, is a past president of the Mathewson Elementary School PTA, and is a member of the Endowment Committee for Bridges. Prior to being elected to the Senate, Slossberg served on the Milford Board of Aldermen and was its Democratic minority leader from 2001 to 2004.
by defeating six-term incumbent Republican
Win Smith by about 1,600 votes. A bizarre incident occurred late in the campaign regarding allegations that Slossberg lawn sign
s were dumped at a local synagogue. A Slossberg aide claimed it was a hate crime, but no evidence in support of this charge was ever provided.
In the 2005-2006 legislative sessions, Slossberg served as co-chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee, on which she worked for a veterans' benefits package, which included establishing a Military Family Relief Fund to provide financial assistance to family members of people serving in both the U.S. armed forces and the Connecticut National Guard. Slossberg also created the Depleted Uranium Task Force to study the effects of toxic substances on soldiers who fought in the Middle East.
In 2006, Slossberg won re-election against Barbara Lisman, the widow of former Milford Mayor Frederick L. Lisman.
In the 2007 legislative session, Slossberg served as chair of the Government Administration & Elections Committee, vice chair of the Public Health Committee, vice chair of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, and as a Member of the Appropriations Committee.
In 2007, Slossberg proposed that Connecticut adopt same-day voter registration. Republicans charged that such systems enable voter fraud to be committed. For that reason, then-Governor John G. Rowland
vetoed a similar bill in 2003.
On December 11, 2007, Slossberg proposed ethics reforms for the Connecticut Senate in wake of the CSU bonding scandal centered around fellow Democratic Senator Thomas Gaffey
.
In January 2008, Slossberg opposed Governor M. Jodi Rell
's proposal to pass a Three Strikes Law
mandating life prison terms for career violent criminals. Rell had sought this reform in the wake of a 2007 home invasion
in Cheshire
.
In the November 4, 2008 election, Slossberg defeated Republican challenger Vincent Marino, town attorney of Orange
, to win re-election. Slossberg faced Marino again in the 2010 election
and was re-elected to a fourth term.
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
. A 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...
, Slossberg has been a Connecticut State Senator
Connecticut Senate
The Connecticut State Senate is the upper house of the Connecticut General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The state senate comprises 36 members, each representing a district with around 94,600 inhabitants. Senators are elected to two-year terms without term limits...
since 2005.
A resident of Milford
Milford, Connecticut
Milford is a coastal city in southwestern New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, located between Bridgeport and New Haven. The population was 52,759 at the 2010 census...
, Slossberg represents the western suburbs of New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
in the Connecticut Senate's 14th District, which includes the city of Milford, the town of Orange
Orange, Connecticut
Orange is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 13,233 at the 2000 census. A 2007 Census Bureau estimate puts the population at 13,813. The town is governed by a Board of Selectmen.-History:...
, and part of the city of West Haven
West Haven, Connecticut
West Haven is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 52,721.-History:...
.
Slossberg was born and raised in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, graduated from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1987, and earned a law degree from New York University School of Law
New York University School of Law
The New York University School of Law is the law school of New York University. Established in 1835, the school offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in law, and is located in Greenwich Village, in the New York City borough of Manhattan....
in 1990. She practiced law in New York with the firm of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton before moving to Milford.
Slossberg served on the Board of Directors of the Milford Visiting Nurses Association, is a past president of the Mathewson Elementary School PTA, and is a member of the Endowment Committee for Bridges. Prior to being elected to the Senate, Slossberg served on the Milford Board of Aldermen and was its Democratic minority leader from 2001 to 2004.
Legislative career
In 2004, Slossberg was elected to the Connecticut SenateConnecticut Senate
The Connecticut State Senate is the upper house of the Connecticut General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The state senate comprises 36 members, each representing a district with around 94,600 inhabitants. Senators are elected to two-year terms without term limits...
by defeating six-term incumbent 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...
Win Smith by about 1,600 votes. A bizarre incident occurred late in the campaign regarding allegations that Slossberg lawn sign
Lawn sign
Lawn signs are used for local advertising. They can be used by business such as real estate and are popular in election campaigns in some countries. They are small signs that can be placed on the property of a business or on the lawns of a candidate's supporters...
s were dumped at a local synagogue. A Slossberg aide claimed it was a hate crime, but no evidence in support of this charge was ever provided.
In the 2005-2006 legislative sessions, Slossberg served as co-chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee, on which she worked for a veterans' benefits package, which included establishing a Military Family Relief Fund to provide financial assistance to family members of people serving in both the U.S. armed forces and the Connecticut National Guard. Slossberg also created the Depleted Uranium Task Force to study the effects of toxic substances on soldiers who fought in the Middle East.
In 2006, Slossberg won re-election against Barbara Lisman, the widow of former Milford Mayor Frederick L. Lisman.
In the 2007 legislative session, Slossberg served as chair of the Government Administration & Elections Committee, vice chair of the Public Health Committee, vice chair of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, and as a Member of the Appropriations Committee.
In 2007, Slossberg proposed that Connecticut adopt same-day voter registration. Republicans charged that such systems enable voter fraud to be committed. For that reason, then-Governor John G. Rowland
John G. Rowland
John Grosvenor Rowland was the 86th Governor of Connecticut from 1995 to 2004; he is a member of the Republican Party. He is married to Patty Rowland, his second wife, and the couple have five children between them...
vetoed a similar bill in 2003.
On December 11, 2007, Slossberg proposed ethics reforms for the Connecticut Senate in wake of the CSU bonding scandal centered around fellow Democratic Senator Thomas Gaffey
Thomas Gaffey
Thomas P. Gaffey is an American politician. Gaffey, a Democrat, had been a state senator from Connecticut since 1995, but left office due to criminal violations on January 5, 2011....
.
In January 2008, Slossberg opposed Governor M. Jodi Rell
M. Jodi Rell
Mary Jodi Rell is a Republican politician and was the 87th Governor of the U.S. state of Connecticut from 2004 until 2011. She was the Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut under Governor John G. Rowland, who resigned during a corruption investigation. Rell is Connecticut's second female Governor,...
's proposal to pass a Three Strikes Law
Three strikes law
Three strikes laws)"are statutes enacted by state governments in the United States which require the state courts to hand down a mandatory and extended period of incarceration to persons who have been convicted of a serious criminal offense on three or more separate occasions. These statutes became...
mandating life prison terms for career violent criminals. Rell had sought this reform in the wake of a 2007 home invasion
Home invasion
Home invasion is the act of illegally burgling or entering a private and occupied dwelling for the purpose of committing a crime Home invasion is the act of illegally burgling or entering a private and occupied dwelling for the purpose of committing a crime Home invasion is the act of illegally...
in Cheshire
Cheshire, Connecticut
Cheshire is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 28,543 at the 2000 census. The center of population of Connecticut is located in Cheshire. In 2009 Cheshire was ranked 72 in Money Magazine's 100 Best Places to Live.Likewise, in 2011 Cheshire was ranked 73 in...
.
In the November 4, 2008 election, Slossberg defeated Republican challenger Vincent Marino, town attorney of Orange
Orange, Connecticut
Orange is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 13,233 at the 2000 census. A 2007 Census Bureau estimate puts the population at 13,813. The town is governed by a Board of Selectmen.-History:...
, to win re-election. Slossberg faced Marino again in the 2010 election
Connecticut Senate election, 2010
The 2010 Connecticut Senate election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010 to elect members to the Connecticut Senate, one from each of the state's 36 Senatorial districts. The date of this the election corresponded with other elections in the state, including ones for governor, U.S...
and was re-elected to a fourth term.