Timothy P. Gordon was a member 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...

. A member of the Independence Party

Independence Party of New York

The Independence Party is an affiliate in the U.S. state of New York of the Independence Party of America. The party was founded in 1991 by Dr. Gordon Black, Tom Golisano, and Laureen Oliver from Rochester, New York, and acquired ballot status in 1994...

, Gordon caucused with the Democratic

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...

 in the Assembly. He was first elected in 2006 to represent the 108th Assembly district, a traditionally 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...

 district. The 108th district includes portions of Albany

Albany County, New York

Albany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...

, Greene

Greene County, New York

Greene County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Its name is in honor of the American Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene. Its county seat is Catskill...

, Columbia

Columbia County, New York

Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,096. The county seat is Hudson. The name comes from the Latin feminine form of the name of Christopher Columbus, which was at the time of the formation of the county a popular proposal...

, and Rensselaer

Rensselaer County, New York

Rensselaer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 159,429. Its name is in honor of the family of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original Dutch owner of the land in the area. Its county seat is Troy...

 counties.

Gordon was elected on the Democratic and Independence Party lines in 2006, succeeding retiring Republican Pat Casale. Prior to becoming an Assemblyman, he was elected to the Bethlehem

Bethlehem, New York

Bethlehem is a town in Albany County, New York, USA. The population was 33,656 at the 2010 census. The town is south of Albany. Bethlehem includes the following hamlets: Delmar, Elsmere, Slingerlands, Glenmont, Selkirk, South and North Bethlehem. U.S. Route 9W passes through the town...

 Town Board. He is the first Independence Party member elected to the New York State Assembly.

A 1978 graduate of Shaker High School

Shaker High School

Shaker High School is a public high school in Latham, Albany County, New York, and is part of the North Colonie Central School District. , it has an enrollment of over 2100 students. In 1985, it was recognized as an Exemplary School by the United States Department of Education, one of the first to...

, Gordon graduated from SUNY Brockport

State University of New York at Brockport

The College at Brockport: State University of New York, also known as SUNY Brockport, Brockport State, College at Brockport, or the State University of New York at Brockport, is a four-year liberal arts college located in Brockport, Monroe County, New York, United States, near Rochester...

 in 1982. Gordon's accomplishments during his tenure in the Assembly, included his sponsorship of the following bills that became law: (a) renewable energy legislation that allowed net metering for businesses, government buildings, and farms; and (b) volunteer firefighter safety legislation allowing the use of high-visibility blue lights on the rear of EMS vehicles and fire vehicles. Gordon voted "yes" on same-sex marriage legislation that passed the Assembly in May 2009. He joined Assemblyman David Koon

David Koon

David R. Koon is an American Democratic politician who represents District 135 in the New York State Assembly, which includes the towns and villages of East Rochester, Penfield and Webster, and Fairport, neighboring communities located in upstate New York in the eastern suburbs of...

 as a sponsor of Assembly bill A.68888-B, which would create private autism insurance coverage as an alternative to the services and therapies provided by school districts and the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities through the Medicaid waiver.

2010 defeat

Gordon was defeated by Republican Steve McLaughlin in his 2010 bid for re-election after he was filmed disposing of his opponent's 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 and calling an alleged constituent a "fraud."

Personal life

Gordon lives in Bethlehem, New York

Bethlehem, New York

Bethlehem is a town in Albany County, New York, USA. The population was 33,656 at the 2010 census. The town is south of Albany. Bethlehem includes the following hamlets: Delmar, Elsmere, Slingerlands, Glenmont, Selkirk, South and North Bethlehem. U.S. Route 9W passes through the town...

with his family. He is a member of the Albany Curling Club and the Firemen's Association of the State of New York.