Carolyn McCarthy
Carolyn McCarthy | |
---|---|
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 4th district | |
In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2015 | |
Preceded by | Dan Frisa |
Succeeded by | Kathleen Rice |
Personal details | |
Born | Carolyn Cook January 5, 1944 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
Political party | Republican (Before 1996) Democratic (1996–present) |
Spouse |
Dennis McCarthy
(m. 1967; died 1993) |
Children | 1 |
Alma mater | Glen Cove Nursing School |
Carolyn McCarthy (née Cook; born January 5, 1944) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for New York's 4th congressional district from 1997 to 2015. She is a member of the Democratic Party.
On January 8, 2014, she announced that she would not run for re-election that November, citing health; she retired in January 2015[1] and was replaced by fellow Democrat Kathleen Rice.
Early life
McCarthy was born Carolyn Cook in
On December 7, 1993, her husband, Dennis, was killed, and her son, Kevin, was severely injured on a
U.S. House of Representatives
During her time in Congress, McCarthy was described as "the
Committee assignments
- Committee on Education and the Workforce[10]
- Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education(Ranking Member)
- Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training
- Committee on Financial Services[10]
- Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
- Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance
Caucus memberships
- Co-chair, Congressional Hearing Health Caucus
- Congressional Glaucoma Caucus
- Financial Literacy Caucus
- International Conservation Caucus
- U.S.-Israel Security Caucus
- Women's Caucus
Political positions
Gun control
McCarthy's husband Dennis was murdered in the 1993 Long Island Rail Road shooting, which first prompted her to run for Congress.[11]
McCarthy was one of the nation's most vocal gun control advocates. In 1997, she sponsored a bill requiring
After the
On April 16, 2007, after the Virginia Tech shootings, McCarthy issued a press release calling for "legislation to prevent further acts of gun violence".[18] Shooter Seung-Hui Cho had passed a background check despite his mental health issues owing to an inconsistent sharing of records between the federal and state governments.[19] McCarthy introduced (H.R. 2640, the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007) to remedy this problem. The bill, with the support of the National Rifle Association, was passed by the House and signed by President Bush.[19][20] McCarthy said her next priority was closing the gun show loophole.[20]
In January 2012, McCarthy along with Senator Dianne Feinstein from California proposed a bill which would "ban the sale, transfer, manufacturing of importation of 150 specific firearms including semiautomatic rifles or pistols that can be used with a detachable or fixed ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds and have specific military-style features, including pistol grips, grenade launchers or rocket launchers." McCarthy spoke on the bill saying, "The American people are on our side this time, and we do outnumber some of the people who are fighting against us this time."[21]
On a 2007 episode of MSNBC's program
War in Iraq
McCarthy voted in favor of the
Death penalty
In her 1996 race, McCarthy said she was against the
Hearing loss
McCarthy is one of the strongest advocates of hearing loss detection, prevention, and treatment. A former nurse, she has repeatedly championed the Hearing Aid Tax Credit Act, which is designed to help those with hearing loss to afford hearing aids.
Abortion
McCarthy consistently supported
Age discrimination
In 2003, McCarthy introduced legislation prohibiting companies from compelling the retirement of older employees and denying them pension and benefits.[30]
Special education
McCarthy, who has dyslexia, testified in support of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and co-sponsored an act to fund early detection of dyslexia.[12][31][32]
Children's health insurance program
In September 2007, McCarthy supported an increase of $35 billion for the
Stem cell research
McCarthy was a supporter of federally funded
Financial reform
On November 4, 1999, McCarthy voted in favor of the
Tea party
In a 2011 press release, McCarthy expressed her sentiments on the Tea Party, saying "It's time to stop letting the Tea Party hold the House of Representatives hostage."[38]
Political campaigns
The Fourth District and its predecessors had been in Republican hands since 1953,
After Frisa voted for the repeal, McCarthy, a lifelong Republican,[43] announced she would run against him in the primary. However, local Republican officials showed no support for her candidacy.[2] So, with the support of the local and national Democratic parties, and the endorsement of Newsday, the local daily newspaper, McCarthy ran as a Democrat and defeated Frisa by seventeen points.[44] Afterwards, some Republicans tried unsuccessfully to persuade her to run as a Republican in 1998.[45]
She faced a close fight for reelection in 1998 against state assemblyman Gregory Becker.[46] In 2004, she faced Hempstead mayor James Garner. The race was expected to be competitive, but McCarthy won easily, taking 63% of the vote.
Although McCarthy has always served as a Democrat, she did not change her voter registration from Republican until 2003.[47]
2010
Before the election, it was reported that Democrats were concerned that McCarthy was in danger of losing her seat.
Earlier in 2010, it was widely reported that McCarthy was considering entering the
2012
In early 2012 there was a question as to whether redistricting might eliminate McCarthy's district.[54] In the end, her district was left essentially intact.[55]
Electoral history
Third-party candidates omitted, so percentages may not add up to 100%.
New York's 4th U.S. Congressional District[56] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
2012 | Carolyn McCarthy (D) | 138,561 | 62% | +8% |
Fran Becker Jr. (R )
|
72,673 | 32% | ||
2010[57] | Carolyn McCarthy (D) | 89,828 | 54% | -8% |
Fran Becker Jr. | 77,483 | 46% | ||
2008 | Carolyn McCarthy (D) | 164,028 | 62% | -2.9% |
Jack Martins (R) | 94,242 | 38% | ||
2006 | Carolyn McCarthy (D) | 101,861 | 64.9% | +1.9% |
Martin W. Blessinger (R) | 55,050 | 35.1% | ||
2004 | Carolyn McCarthy (D) | 159,969 | 63.0% | +7.1% |
James Garner (R) | 94,141 | 37.0% | ||
2002 | Carolyn McCarthy (D) | 93,651 | 55.9% | -4.7% |
Marilyn F. O'Grady (R) | 72,882 | 43.5% | ||
2000 | Carolyn McCarthy (D) | 136,703 | 60.6% | +8.0 |
Gregory R. Becker (R) | 87,830 | 38.9% | ||
1998 | Carolyn McCarthy (D) | 90,256 | 52.6% | -4.9 |
Gregory R. Becker (R) | 79,984 | 46.6% | ||
1996 | Carolyn McCarthy (D) | 127,060 | 57.5% | |
Daniel Frisa (R )
|
89,542 | 40.5% | -9.7%[58] |
Personal life
McCarthy announced on June 3, 2013, that she has a treatable form of lung cancer.[59] On November 8, 2013, it was reported that McCarthy, who had smoked cigarettes for 40 years, was suing more than 70 companies claiming that she had developed lung cancer from asbestos. Her father and brother, whose clothes she washed, worked with asbestos.[60][61][62] This was challenged by New York Times columnist Joe Nocera, who claimed McCarthy was part of a growing trend of cigarette smokers suing companies that once used asbestos, citing her nearly lifelong "pack-a-day" habit as evidence that she was knowingly bringing a bogus case and partaking in a widespread "asbestos scam".[63]
See also
References
- ^ Walter, Geoffrey (January 8, 2014). "McCarthy will not seek re-election". Wantagh-Seaford Patch. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
- ^ a b Barry, Dan (July 13, 1996). "L.I. Widow's Story: Next Stop, Washington". The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ^ "McCarthy, Carolyn". The H. W. Wilson Company. Retrieved February 5, 2008.[dead link]
- ^ Marks, Peter (December 15, 1993). "Train Shooting Victim Speaks For First Time Since Injury". The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ^ Kleinfield, N. R. (December 7, 1994). "A Year Later, the Demons Remain; Fear Still Haunts L.I.R.R. Shooting Survivors". The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ^ Joyner, Will (May 2, 1998). "After Massacre, Fact Meets Memory". The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
Carolyn McCarthy ... became an impressive woman-of-the-people voice for gun control
- ^ "Stick to Your Guns, Senator". National Review. February 24, 2009.
- ^ "Carolyn McCarthy unveils gun-control bill". Politico. January 13, 2011.
- ^ a b "Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.) U.S. Representative (since January 1997)". Washington Post. July 24, 2012. Archived from the original on August 25, 2017. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
- ^ a b U.S. Congress House of Representatives. "List of Standing Committees and Select Committees and Their Subcommittees of the House of Representatives of the U.S. : Together with Joint Committees of the Congress with an Alphabetical List of the Members and Their Committee Assignments" (PDF). Retrieved October 2, 2013.
- ^ "MCCARTHY, Carolyn | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives".
- ^ a b Barry, Dan (June 22, 1997). "An Icon Goes to Washington". The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ^ "Threats Are a Price For Backing Gun Control". The New York Times. May 7, 1997. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ^ Brazil, Jeff; Berry, Steve (November 15, 1997). "Clinton Imposes Import Ban on Assault Guns". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 4, 2013.
- ^ Gray, Jerry (September 18, 1997). "Gingrich Tries to Rein In Ally On Big Spending for Highways". The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ^ Bruni, Frank (May 5, 1999). "Senate Looks for Clues on Youth Violence". The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ^ Mitchell, Alison; Bruni, Frank (June 17, 1999). "House Undertakes Days-Long Battle On Youth Violence". The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ^ "Rep. McCarthy Statement on Virginia Tech Shootings". Carolyn McCarthy. April 16, 2007. Archived from the original on June 30, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ a b Palank, Jacqueline; Urgina, Ian (June 14, 2007). "House Votes to Bolster Database on Gun Buyers". The New York Times. Retrieved March 29, 2008.
- ^ a b Eisenberg, Carol (January 8, 2008). "Bush signs long-stalled gun-control legislation". Newsday. Retrieved February 5, 2008.[dead link]
- ^ McCarthy, Carolyn (January 24, 2012). "Lawmakers Unveil New Assault Weapons Ban". The Washington Post.
- ^ "'Tucker' for April 18 - Tucker - NBC News". NBC News. April 19, 2007. Retrieved September 6, 2008.
- ^ "One 'Assault Weapon' Banner Says Barrel Shrouds Are Sometimes OK; Another Doesn't Know What They Are". February 2013.
- ^ "'Gun Lady' Carolyn McCarthy finally going home". USA Today.
- ^ "NRA mocks congresswoman whose husband died in mass shooting". MSNBC. March 18, 2013.
- ^ "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 455". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. October 10, 2002. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ Palmer, J. Jioni (June 17, 2006). "Breaking ranks on Iraq". Newsday. Archived from the original on February 17, 2008. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ Barry, Dan (November 6, 1996). "Widow of Rail Shooting Victim Defeats Incumbent in Emotional Contest on L.I." The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ^ "Carolyn McCarthy". On The Issues. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
- ^ Treaster, Joseph B. (May 31, 2003). "Legal Experts Say Allstate Lost a Battle In Agents' Suit". The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ^ "Testimony Before the Committee on Education and The Workforce". Carolyn McCarthy. May 13, 1998. Archived from the original on February 1, 2007. Retrieved February 5, 2008.
I have a learning disability -- dyslexia. But I went to school at a time when children with disabilities were swept under the rug.
- ^ "H.R. 73 [107th]: Early Prevention of Dyslexia in Children Act of 2001". GovTrack. Retrieved February 5, 2008.
- ^ "Rep. McCarthy Votes to Provide Health Insurance for Long Island's Children". Carolyn McCarthy. Archived from the original on January 31, 2008. Retrieved February 5, 2008.
- ^ Pear, Robert (October 6, 2007). "A Battle Foreshadowing a Larger Health Care War". The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ^ "Rep. McCarthy Statement on Stem Cell Research Vote". Carolyn McCarthy. Archived from the original on January 31, 2008. Retrieved February 5, 2008.
- ^ "H.R. 3: Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007". GovTrack. Retrieved February 5, 2008.
- Govtrack. November 4, 1999. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
- ^ "Tea Party Republicans Block Vote to Decrease Taxes for 160 Million Americans". House Bio. Archived from the original on April 21, 2012.
- Daniel Frisa1995–97
- ^ "United States Presidential Election Results". Dave Liep's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Personal Plea on Gun Ban". The New York Times. March 22, 1996. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ^ Toner, Robin (October 12, 1996). "Hurled by Tragedy Into Public Life, a Novice Learns to Cope". The New York Times. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
- ^ Dao, James (August 28, 1996). "A Woman Comes to Politics Via Personal Trial". The New York Times. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
- ^ "1996 U.S. House of Representatives Results". FEC. November 5, 1996. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ Lambert, Bruce (November 7, 1996). "Crossovers for McCarthy". The New York Times. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
- ^ Halbfinger, David M. (November 5, 1998). "McCarthy Is Re-elected by a Slim Margin". The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ^ Gootman, Elissa (April 29, 2003). "McCarthy Quietly Changes Registration". The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ^ Bazinet, Kenneth R. (October 25, 2010). "New York Democrats anxious as Long Island Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, other pols face barrageNew York Democrats anxious as Long Island Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, other pols face barrage". New York Daily News.
- ^ observer.com
- ^ Danny Hakim; Nicholas Confessore (January 24, 2009). "Paterson Picks Gillibrand for Senate Seat". The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ^ "New York pol fumes over Senate choice", The Boston Herald Archived June 18, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "150 Minutes With Carolyn McCarthy". NY News and Feature.
- ^ Kleefeld, Eric (June 4, 2009). "McCarthy Not Challenging Gillibrand In 2010 Senate Primary | TPMDC". Talking Points Memo. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
- ^ Lovett, Kenneth (February 8, 2012). "L.I. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy's district on the chopping block". New York Daily News.
- ^ Gendar, Alison; Lovett, Kenneth (February 9, 2012). "Redistrict plan may put McCarthy in uphill battle". New York Daily News.
- ^ "New York House District 4 – Previous Election Results". The Post-Standard. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2008.
- ^ "News 12 Long Island General Election Results 2010". Archived from the original on November 13, 2011. Retrieved October 9, 2011.
- Clerk of the House of Representatives. November 8, 1994. Retrieved February 3, 2008.
- ^ "Rep. Carolyn McCarthy says she has lung cancer". WABC TV. Archived from the original on June 13, 2013. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
- ^ "NY Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, a longtime smoker, sues asbestos companies over her lung cancer". November 15, 2013.
- ^ "You searched for asbestos/". April 22, 2013.
- ^ "Rep. Carolyn McCarthy Announces Plan to Retire from Congress at End of Term". January 8, 2014.
- ^ Nocera, Joe (December 2, 2013). "The Asbestos Scam". The New York Times. Retrieved June 23, 2015.