Moses M. Weinstein
Encyclopedia
Moses M. Weinstein was an American lawyer and politician.
added erroneously the middle initial, and a mistaken inscription of his degree at Brooklyn Law School
changed Morris to Moses which name he adopted henceforth.
. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School at 15, but it took him seven years and a dozen jobs to work his way through college and law school.
In 1941, he married Muriel Marshall (d. 2006). They had three sons who all graduated from Brooklyn Law School too: Jeremy Weinstein, a New York Supreme Court justice and former State Senator, Jonathan Weinstein, and Peter Weinstein, a Circuit Court judge in Broward County, Fla.
In World War II
, he was an infantry corporal and fought in the Battle of the Bulge
.
He was a member from Queens County of the New York State Assembly
from 1959 to 1969, was Majority Leader from 1965 to 1968, and as such became Acting Speaker
for the remainder of the term upon the resignation of Speaker Anthony J. Travia
after the close of the legislative session of that year.
He was Chairman of the Queens Democratic Party from 1962 to 1969, and was Majority Leader of the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1967.
In August 1968, Weinstein, who as Acting Speaker was fourth in line for the governorship, became Acting Governor for 10 days when Governor
Nelson A. Rockefeller, Lt. Gov.
Malcolm Wilson
and Senate Majority Leader
Earl W. Brydges went to the Republican National Convention
in Miami Beach, Florida
.
Weinstein was an ally of Mayor of New York Robert F. Wagner
in the early 1960s and had a good relationship with Governor Rockefeller. Weinstein sponsored measures that created the Urban Development Corporation and the Crime Victims Compensation Board, reformed divorce
and welfare laws, established a consumer bill of rights, increased aid for air-pollution controls and Regents scholarships, and promoted hospital expansion. He supported rent controls, veterans rights, aid to small businesses and antidiscrimination laws.
In 1969, he was elected to a 14-year term as a New York State Supreme Court justice in Queens. In a 1973 case, acknowledging he might be violating the law, he vacated the three-year term of a woman convicted of selling drugs, noting that she had terminal cancer
and less than a year to live.
In 1980, he was appointed to the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
, Second Department, with jurisdiction over Queens
, Brooklyn
, Staten Island
and seven suburban counties. He participated in rulings that threw out unjust convictions, invalidated school financing based on property taxes and decided many other controversies. He left the bench in 1989 after reaching the mandatory retirement age.
He died at the Memorial Hospital in Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Name
He was born Morris Weinstein without middle initial. A playbill for a production at Brooklyn CollegeBrooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
added erroneously the middle initial, and a mistaken inscription of his degree at Brooklyn Law School
Brooklyn Law School
Brooklyn Law School is a law school located in Brooklyn Heights, in Downtown Brooklyn, New York.-History:Founded in 1901 by William Payson Richardson and Norman P. Heffley, Brooklyn Law School was the first law school on Long Island. Using space provided by Heffley’s business school, the law...
changed Morris to Moses which name he adopted henceforth.
Life
He was the son of a tailor, and grew up on the Lower East Side, ManhattanLower East Side, Manhattan
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School at 15, but it took him seven years and a dozen jobs to work his way through college and law school.
In 1941, he married Muriel Marshall (d. 2006). They had three sons who all graduated from Brooklyn Law School too: Jeremy Weinstein, a New York Supreme Court justice and former State Senator, Jonathan Weinstein, and Peter Weinstein, a Circuit Court judge in Broward County, Fla.
In 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...
, he was an infantry corporal and fought in the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
.
He was a member from Queens County 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...
from 1959 to 1969, was Majority Leader from 1965 to 1968, and as such became Acting Speaker
Speaker of the New York State Assembly
The Speaker of the New York State Assembly is the highest official in the New York State Assembly, customarily elected from the ranks of the majority party....
for the remainder of the term upon the resignation of Speaker Anthony J. Travia
Anthony J. Travia
Anthony John Travia was an American lawyer and politician and federal judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.-Life:He graduated LL.B. from St. John's University School of Law in 1932.In 1935, he married Rita A. Sorrentino...
after the close of the legislative session of that year.
He was Chairman of the Queens Democratic Party from 1962 to 1969, and was Majority Leader of the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1967.
In August 1968, Weinstein, who as Acting Speaker was fourth in line for the governorship, became Acting Governor for 10 days when Governor
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
Nelson A. Rockefeller, Lt. Gov.
Lieutenant Governor of New York
The Lieutenant Governor of New York is a constitutional office in the executive branch of the government of New York State. It is the second highest ranking official in state government. The lieutenant governor is elected on a ticket with the governor for a four year term...
Malcolm Wilson
Malcolm Wilson (New York)
Charles Malcolm Wilson was the 50th Governor of New York from December 18, 1973, to December 31, 1974. He was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1939 to 1958. He also served in the Navy during World War II...
and Senate Majority Leader
Majority Leader of the New York State Senate
The Majority Leader of the New York State Senate is elected by the majority of the members of the New York State Senate. The position usually coincides with the title of Temporary President of the State Senate, who presides over the session of the State Senate if the Lieutenant Governor of New York...
Earl W. Brydges went to the Republican National Convention
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
in Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
.
Weinstein was an ally of Mayor of New York Robert F. Wagner
Robert F. Wagner
Robert Ferdinand Wagner I was an American politician. He was a Democratic U.S. Senator from New York from 1927 to 1949.-Origin and early life:...
in the early 1960s and had a good relationship with Governor Rockefeller. Weinstein sponsored measures that created the Urban Development Corporation and the Crime Victims Compensation Board, reformed divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
and welfare laws, established a consumer bill of rights, increased aid for air-pollution controls and Regents scholarships, and promoted hospital expansion. He supported rent controls, veterans rights, aid to small businesses and antidiscrimination laws.
In 1969, he was elected to a 14-year term as a New York State Supreme Court justice in Queens. In a 1973 case, acknowledging he might be violating the law, he vacated the three-year term of a woman convicted of selling drugs, noting that she had terminal cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
and less than a year to live.
In 1980, he was appointed to the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
The Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division is the intermediate appellate court in New York State. The Appellate Division is composed of four departments .*The First Department covers the Bronx The Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division is the intermediate...
, Second Department, with jurisdiction over Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, 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...
and seven suburban counties. He participated in rulings that threw out unjust convictions, invalidated school financing based on property taxes and decided many other controversies. He left the bench in 1989 after reaching the mandatory retirement age.
He died at the Memorial Hospital in Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Sources
- http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/03/nyregion/03weinstein.html Obit in NYT on December 3, 2007, with photo
- http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/weinmann-weisman.html Political Graveyard
- http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9802E6DF143AF937A35751C1A9619C8B63 Mourning notice by Brooklyn Law School, in NYT on December 4, 2007