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Scott Murphy (politician)
Encyclopedia
Matthew Scott Murphy is an entrepreneur
and the former U.S. Representative
for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party
. He was defeated in his attempt to attain election to a full term on November 2, 2010.
The district centers around much of the eastern portion of New York's Capital District
.
and mail carrier
, Murphy graduated from David H. Hickman High School, Columbia
, Missouri
in 1988, and later graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University
.
Murphy worked for Bankers Trust
for two years in the early 1990s before becoming an entrepreneur. In 1994, he co-founded an interactive media company, Small World Software
. In 1998 the company, which had grown to 25 employees, was purchased by the internet-consulting company iXL
. He then served as one of the heads of the purchased entity, rebranded "iXL New York". iXL later went bankrupt in 2002 during the end of the dot-com bubble
. In 2001 Murphy joined Advantage Capital Partners, a venture capital
partnership.
He currently serves as President of the Board of Directors of Upstate Venture Association of New York, Inc. He also worked as an aide, Deputy Chief of Staff
, and fundraiser
for former Governors of Missouri Mel Carnahan
and Roger B. Wilson
.
-
On November 7, 2009, Murphy voted against the Affordable Care Act. Murphy opposed the Stupak Amendment which proposed to restrict federal funding and subsidies for plans that cover elective abortion.
-
In March 2010, Murphy supported the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
.
On January 22, 2009, Congresswoman
Kirsten Gillibrand
, a Democrat representing , was appointed by Governor David Paterson
to fill the United States Senate
seat vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton
, who assumed the office of United States Secretary of State
in the Obama administration
. On February 1, 2009, Murphy was chosen by a unanimous vote of ten Democratic county chairs
to be their party's nominee for 2009 special election
to fill Gillibrand's seat in the House.
Murphy ran against Republican
nominee Jim Tedisco, from Schenectady, who, until April 2009, was the Minority Leader
of the New York State Assembly
.
Murphy was endorsed by President
Barack Obama
and Senator Gillibrand .
The initial count from the election had Murphy leading by approximately 60 votes out of more than 150,000 cast. However, by April 24, after re-tallies and absentee ballot counting, Murphy was ahead by 399 votes, and Tedisco conceded the election. Murphy was sworn in on April 29.
. They have three children.
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and the former U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party
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...
. He was defeated in his attempt to attain election to a full term on November 2, 2010.
The district centers around much of the eastern portion of New York's Capital District
Capital District
New York's Capital District, also known as the Capital Region, is a region in upstate New York that generally refers to the four counties surrounding Albany, the capital of the state: Albany County, Schenectady County, Rensselaer County, and Saratoga County...
.
Early life, education and career
The son of a teacherTeacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and mail carrier
Mail carrier
A mail carrier, mailman, postal carrier, postman, postwoman , postman/postwoman , letter carrier or postie is an employee of the post office or postal service, who delivers mail and parcel post to residences and businesses...
, Murphy graduated from David H. Hickman High School, Columbia
Columbia, Missouri
Columbia is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, and the largest city in Mid-Missouri. With a population of 108,500 as of the 2010 Census, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, a region of 164,283 residents. The city serves as the county seat of Boone County and as the...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
in 1988, and later graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
Murphy worked for Bankers Trust
Bankers Trust
Bankers Trust was an historic American banking organization. The bank merged with Alex. Brown & Sons before being acquired by Deutsche Bank in 1998.-History:A consortium of banks created Bankers Trust to perform trust company services for their clients....
for two years in the early 1990s before becoming an entrepreneur. In 1994, he co-founded an interactive media company, Small World Software
Small World Software
Small World Software was a New York City company that was founded in February 1994 by Scott Murphy, Mark Jacobstein and Seth Aron. The company created the first online rotisserie baseball and fantasy sports leagues...
. In 1998 the company, which had grown to 25 employees, was purchased by the internet-consulting company iXL
IXL (interactive agency)
iXL Enterprises is a failed international interactive agency that lasted from 1996 until 2002. The company was founded by Atlanta entrepreneur Bert Ellis, who also served as the company's chairman and CEO...
. He then served as one of the heads of the purchased entity, rebranded "iXL New York". iXL later went bankrupt in 2002 during the end of the dot-com bubble
Dot-com bubble
The dot-com bubble was a speculative bubble covering roughly 1995–2000 during which stock markets in industrialized nations saw their equity value rise rapidly from growth in the more...
. In 2001 Murphy joined Advantage Capital Partners, a venture capital
Venture capital
Venture capital is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growth startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as...
partnership.
He currently serves as President of the Board of Directors of Upstate Venture Association of New York, Inc. He also worked as an aide, Deputy Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
, and fundraiser
Fundraising
Fundraising or fund raising is the process of soliciting and gathering voluntary contributions as money or other resources, by requesting donations from individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies...
for former Governors of Missouri Mel Carnahan
Mel Carnahan
Melvin Eugene "Mel" Carnahan was an American politician. A Democrat, he served as the 51st Governor of Missouri from 1993 to 2000. He died in a plane crash on the Pevely and Hillsboro, Missouri border during a campaign for the U.S...
and Roger B. Wilson
Roger B. Wilson
Roger B. Wilson is an American politician who was the 52nd Governor of Missouri from October 16, 2000 to January 8, 2001. He is a Democrat.- Early Life and education :...
.
Major Votes
--
On November 7, 2009, Murphy voted against the Affordable Care Act. Murphy opposed the Stupak Amendment which proposed to restrict federal funding and subsidies for plans that cover elective abortion.
-
In March 2010, Murphy supported the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. The law is the principal health care reform legislation of the 111th United States Congress...
.
Committee assignments
Rep. Murphy served on the same two committees as his predecessor, now-Senator Kirsten Gillibrand:- Committee on AgricultureUnited States House Committee on AgricultureThe U.S. House Committee on Agriculture, or Agriculture Committee is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. The House Committee on Agriculture has general jurisdiction over federal agriculture policy and oversight of some federal agencies, and it can recommend funding...
- Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and ResearchUnited States House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and ResearchThe House Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry is a subcommittee within the House Agriculture Committee. The subcommittee oversees all agricultural matters relating to soil, water, and resource conservation; small watershed program; energy and biobased energy production; rural...
- Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic AgricultureUnited States House Agriculture Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic AgricultureThe House Subcommittee on Nutrition and Horticulture is a subcommittee within the House Agriculture Committee. It was first created during the 110th Congress as the Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture.-Jurisdiction:...
- Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and PoultryUnited States House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and PoultryThe House Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry is a subcommittee within the House Agriculture Committee. It oversees all issues relating to livestock, dairy, poultry, meat, seafood and seafood products including federal inspection, marketing, and promotion of these commodities...
- Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research
- Committee on Armed ServicesUnited States House Committee on Armed Servicesthumb|United States House Committee on Armed Services emblemThe U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, commonly known as the House Armed Services Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives...
- Subcommittee on Terrorism and Unconventional Threats
- Subcommittee on Strategic ForcesUnited States House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic ForcesHouse Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces is a subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee in the United States House of Representatives.-Jurisdiction:The Strategic Forces Subcommittee exercises oversight and legislative jurisdiction over:...
2009 special election
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Kirsten Gillibrand
Kirsten Gillibrand
Kirsten Elizabeth Rutnik Gillibrand is an attorney and the junior United States Senator from the state of New York and a member of the Democratic Party...
, a Democrat representing , was appointed by Governor David Paterson
David 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...
to fill the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
seat vacated by 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...
, who assumed the office of United States Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
in the Obama administration
Presidency of Barack Obama
The Presidency of Barack Obama began at noon EST on January 20, 2009 when he became the 44th President of the United States. Obama was a United States Senator from Illinois at the time of his victory over Arizona Senator John McCain in the 2008 presidential election...
. On February 1, 2009, Murphy was chosen by a unanimous vote of ten Democratic county chairs
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
to be their party's nominee for 2009 special election
New York's 20th congressional district special election, 2009
The 2009 special election for the 20th congressional district of New York was held on March 31, 2009 to fill the vacancy created in January 2009 when the district's representative, Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand, was appointed US senator from New York, replacing Hillary Clinton, who had been...
to fill Gillibrand's seat in the House.
Murphy ran against 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...
nominee Jim Tedisco, from Schenectady, who, until April 2009, was the Minority Leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
of 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...
.
Murphy was endorsed by President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
and Senator Gillibrand .
The initial count from the election had Murphy leading by approximately 60 votes out of more than 150,000 cast. However, by April 24, after re-tallies and absentee ballot counting, Murphy was ahead by 399 votes, and Tedisco conceded the election. Murphy was sworn in on April 29.
2010
Murphy lost in 2010 to Republican nominee Chris Gibson.Personal life
Murphy is married to Jennifer Hogan, a native of Washington CountyWashington County, New York
Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Glens Falls, New York, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,216. It was named for the Revolutionary War general George Washington...
. They have three children.
External links
- Scott Murphy for Congress official campaign site