Robert T. Connor
Encyclopedia
Robert T. Connor was an American
politician
in New York City
. He served as Staten Island
Borough President from 1966 until 1977.
where his father served as a naval officer during World War I
.
Connor attended Boston College
and the U.S. Naval Academy where he was a graduate of the class of 1942. He was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy
in November 1940. He served on active duty throughout World War II
, seeing action in both the Pacific and the Atlantic theaters.
After the war, Connor entered the Central Intelligence Agency
as an operations officer and was stationed at headquarters in Washington and abroad. After leaving the CIA, he was associated with the maritime industry at New York Harbor and other North Atlantic ports.
for the for the congressional seat representing Staten Island and part of Brooklyn. However, he lost to the Democrat
, John M. Murphy
.
However, Connor was elected the following year as a Councilman-at-Large to the City Council
representing Staten Island.
In 1965, Connor was elected as Staten Island Borough President as a Republican. He was subsequently re-elected in 1969 as the nominee of the Republican and Conservative parties and again in 1973 as the candidate of the Democratic and Conservative parties. In his role as Borough President, he served as a member of the New York City Board of Estimate
, which was responsible for budget and land-use decisions. He did not seek re-election in 1977 and left office on December 31, 1977. He was the longest serving elected official in that position.
Connor was appointed by Governors Nelson Rockefeller
and Hugh Carey
as Commander of the New York State Naval Militia with the rank of Rear Admiral NYNM. He annually performed two or more weeks of active duty on Navy ships or aircraft in the United States and abroad as he was a designated naval aviator as well as being qualified for command at sea.
appointed Connor as deputy assistant secretary of the Navy. He continued to serve into President Reagan's first term.
After leaving the Navy Department, Connor performed consulting services for various maritime interests, including the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
and Barber Steamship Lines in Annapolis, Maryland
where he was also a director of the Navy Sailing Association and a volunteer coach of the Naval Academy Sailing Squadron.
During his retirement, Connor resided at Sunrise Senior Living, a housing complex in Fort Belvoir, Virginia
. His interests included tennis, sailing, writing and travel.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He served as Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
Borough President from 1966 until 1977.
Early life
Connor was born in 1919 in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
where his father served as a naval officer during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Connor attended Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
and the U.S. Naval Academy where he was a graduate of the class of 1942. He was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in November 1940. He served on active duty throughout World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, seeing action in both the Pacific and the Atlantic theaters.
After the war, Connor entered the Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
as an operations officer and was stationed at headquarters in Washington and abroad. After leaving the CIA, he was associated with the maritime industry at New York Harbor and other North Atlantic ports.
Political career
In 1962, Connor ran as a RepublicanRepublican 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...
for the for the congressional seat representing Staten Island and part of Brooklyn. However, he lost to the 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...
, John M. Murphy
John M. Murphy
John Michael Murphy is a former Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York.He was born in Staten Island, New York City, New York and attended La Salle Military Academy, Amherst College, and the United States Military Academy in West Point.He served in the U.S...
.
However, Connor was elected the following year as a Councilman-at-Large to the 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...
representing Staten Island.
In 1965, Connor was elected as Staten Island Borough President as a Republican. He was subsequently re-elected in 1969 as the nominee of the Republican and Conservative parties and again in 1973 as the candidate of the Democratic and Conservative parties. In his role as Borough President, he served as a member of the New York City Board of Estimate
New York City Board of Estimate
The New York City Board of Estimate was a governmental body in New York City, responsible for budget and land-use decisions. Under the charter of the newly amalgamated City of Greater New York the Board of Estimate and Apportionment was composed of eight ex officio members: the Mayor of New York...
, which was responsible for budget and land-use decisions. He did not seek re-election in 1977 and left office on December 31, 1977. He was the longest serving elected official in that position.
Connor was appointed by Governors 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...
and Hugh Carey
Hugh Carey
Hugh Leo Carey was an American attorney, the 51st Governor of New York from 1975 to 1982, and a seven-term United States Representative .- Early life :...
as Commander of the New York State Naval Militia with the rank of Rear Admiral NYNM. He annually performed two or more weeks of active duty on Navy ships or aircraft in the United States and abroad as he was a designated naval aviator as well as being qualified for command at sea.
Later life
In 1977, President Jimmy CarterJimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
appointed Connor as deputy assistant secretary of the Navy. He continued to serve into President Reagan's first term.
After leaving the Navy Department, Connor performed consulting services for various maritime interests, including the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state port district, established in 1921 through an interstate compact, that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the Port of New York and New Jersey...
and Barber Steamship Lines in Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
where he was also a director of the Navy Sailing Association and a volunteer coach of the Naval Academy Sailing Squadron.
During his retirement, Connor resided at Sunrise Senior Living, a housing complex in Fort Belvoir, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. His interests included tennis, sailing, writing and travel.