Thomas Kirwan
Encyclopedia
Thomas J. Kirwan was an American
politician and member of the New York
State Assembly
. He represented the 100th Assembly District, which includes the cities of Beacon
, Newburgh
and Poughkeepsie
, and the towns of Marlboro
, Newburgh
, Lloyd
and Shawangunk
. He was a native of, and lifelong resident of the City of Newburgh, New York
. Prior to his election to the Assembly, Kirwan served for 28 years with the New York State Police
, retiring with the position of Lieutenant in the Bureau of Criminal Investigations. He spent four years with the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force.
Kirwin was born in 1933 in Newburgh, New York. Kirwan first served in the State Assembly from 1994 to 2008 representing parts of Orange
, Ulster
and Dutchess
counties. A Republican, he was narrowly defeated in 2008 by Democrat Frank Skartados
by some 800 votes. However, he recaptured the seat in 2010, beating Skartados by a razor thin margin of 15 votes. The results of the election took over one hundred days to certify, and when completed on February 16, 2011 was the last legislative race in the United States to be decided. The dramatic litigation over the recount occurred because the historic win eventually broke Speaker of the New York State Assembly
Sheldon Silver
's long-held Democratic
supermajority
in the Assembly Chamber by giving Assembly Republicans
their 51st seat in the chamber, which would allow them to prevent the override of a gubernatorial veto.
Kirwan had a reputation as a "reformer" after a 2007 lawsuit where he and Democratic State Senator
Liz Krueger
joined together to sue Silver, former Governor of New York
George Pataki
and then Senate
Leader
Joe Bruno over the infamous legislative dysfunction at the New York State Capitol
in Albany
, citing disenfranchisement of minority party members of both houses. A pair of suits accused Senate and Assembly leadership of stifling minority legislators by not providing them equal resources for staff, withholding funds for member items
, and making it impossible for minority legislators to have their bills heard in legislative committees for vote in their respective houses. Although the plaintiffs were initially successful, because Kirwan lost his seat in 2008, appeals on the suit were never decided by the courts, and the New York State Legislature is still widely criticized by good government groups such as New York University
's Brennan Center for Justice
as "the most dysfunctional legislature in the United States of America".
Kirwan, who had experienced heart trouble for several years, died of kidney failure on November 28, 2011, aged 78, at the Newburgh
campus of St. Luke's-Cornwall Hospital. He was survived by his widow, Verna, two children, and two grandchildren.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician and member of the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
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...
. He represented the 100th Assembly District, which includes the cities of Beacon
Beacon, New York
Beacon is a city located in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The 2010 census placed the city total population at 15,541. Beacon is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport,...
, Newburgh
Newburgh (city), New York
Newburgh is a city located in Orange County, New York, United States, north of New York City, and south of Albany, on the Hudson River. Newburgh is a principal city of the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown metropolitan area, which includes all of Dutchess and Orange counties. The Newburgh area was...
and Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie (city), New York
Poughkeepsie is a city in the state of New York, United States, which serves as the county seat of Dutchess County. Poughkeepsie is located in the Hudson River Valley midway between New York City and Albany...
, and the towns of Marlboro
Marlboro, New York
Marlboro is a hamlet in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 2,339 at the 2000 census.Marlboro is in the southeast part of the Town of Marlborough and also the southeast corner of Ulster County.- History :...
, Newburgh
Newburgh (town), New York
Newburgh is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The 2010 census determined the population is 29,801. This is the first time ever that the population of the Town of Newburgh officially exceeded that of the adjacent but totally separate municipality known as the city of Newburgh...
, Lloyd
Lloyd, New York
Lloyd is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 9,941 at the 2000 census.The Town of Lloyd is located in the eastern part of Ulster County. U.S. Route 9W runs north and south in the eastern part of the town. The concurrent U.S. Route 44 and NY 55 pass through the...
and Shawangunk
Shawangunk, New York
Shawangunk is a town in southwestern Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 12,022 at the 2000 census. Like the neighboring mountain range, for which it is named, it is pronounced either as the Munsee Lenape, Shawangunk , or as the colonial Shongum by local residents...
. He was a native of, and lifelong resident of the City of Newburgh, New York
Newburgh (city), New York
Newburgh is a city located in Orange County, New York, United States, north of New York City, and south of Albany, on the Hudson River. Newburgh is a principal city of the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown metropolitan area, which includes all of Dutchess and Orange counties. The Newburgh area was...
. Prior to his election to the Assembly, Kirwan served for 28 years with the New York State Police
New York State Police
The New York State Police is the state police force of over 4,600 sworn Troopers for the state of New York. It was established on April 11, 1917 by the New York Legislature, in response to the 1913 murder of a construction foreman named Sam Howell in Westchester County, which at that time did not...
, retiring with the position of Lieutenant in the Bureau of Criminal Investigations. He spent four years with the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force.
Kirwin was born in 1933 in Newburgh, New York. Kirwan first served in the State Assembly from 1994 to 2008 representing parts of Orange
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
, Ulster
Ulster County, New York
Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at...
and Dutchess
Dutchess County, New York
Dutchess County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. The 2010 census lists the population as 297,488...
counties. A Republican, he was narrowly defeated in 2008 by Democrat Frank Skartados
Frank Skartados
Frank Skartados was the assemblyman for the 100th district of the New York State Assembly which includes both the town and city of Newburgh, as well as Beacon, part of the city of Poughkeepsie, Marlboro, Lloyd and Shawangunk. He is a Democrat. He defeated 14 year incumbent Thomas Kirwan in 2008....
by some 800 votes. However, he recaptured the seat in 2010, beating Skartados by a razor thin margin of 15 votes. The results of the election took over one hundred days to certify, and when completed on February 16, 2011 was the last legislative race in the United States to be decided. The dramatic litigation over the recount occurred because the historic win eventually broke Speaker of the New York State Assembly
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....
Sheldon Silver
Sheldon Silver
Sheldon "Shelly" Silver is an American lawyer and Democratic politician from New York. He has held the office of Speaker of the New York State Assembly since 1994.- Personal life :...
's long-held 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...
supermajority
Supermajority
A supermajority or a qualified majority is a requirement for a proposal to gain a specified level or type of support which exceeds a simple majority . In some jurisdictions, for example, parliamentary procedure requires that any action that may alter the rights of the minority has a supermajority...
in the Assembly Chamber by giving Assembly Republicans
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...
their 51st seat in the chamber, which would allow them to prevent the override of a gubernatorial veto.
Kirwan had a reputation as a "reformer" after a 2007 lawsuit where he and Democratic State Senator
State Senator
A state senator is a member of a state's Senate, the upper house in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a legislator in Nebraska's one house State Legislature.There are typically fewer state senators than there are members of a state's lower house...
Liz Krueger
Liz Krueger
Liz Krueger is a member of the New York State Senate, representing a district on the East Side of Manhattan.She was first elected in February 2002 during a special election. Krueger is the ranking member on the Senate Finance Committee. She was Chairwoman of NY's Democratic Senate Campaign...
joined together to sue Silver, former Governor of New York
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...
George Pataki
George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
and then Senate
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
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...
Joe Bruno over the infamous legislative dysfunction at the New York State Capitol
New York State Capitol
The New York State Capitol is the capitol building of the U.S. state of New York. Housing the New York State Legislature, it is located in the state capital city Albany, on State Street in Capitol Park. The building, completed in 1899 at a cost of $25 million , was the most expensive government...
in Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, citing disenfranchisement of minority party members of both houses. A pair of suits accused Senate and Assembly leadership of stifling minority legislators by not providing them equal resources for staff, withholding funds for member items
Pork barrel
Pork barrel is a derogatory term referring to appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative's district...
, and making it impossible for minority legislators to have their bills heard in legislative committees for vote in their respective houses. Although the plaintiffs were initially successful, because Kirwan lost his seat in 2008, appeals on the suit were never decided by the courts, and the New York State Legislature is still widely criticized by good government groups such as New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
's Brennan Center for Justice
Brennan Center for Justice
The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School is a non-partisan public policy and law institute that focuses on issues involving democracy and justice...
as "the most dysfunctional legislature in the United States of America".
Kirwan, who had experienced heart trouble for several years, died of kidney failure on November 28, 2011, aged 78, at the Newburgh
Newburgh (city), New York
Newburgh is a city located in Orange County, New York, United States, north of New York City, and south of Albany, on the Hudson River. Newburgh is a principal city of the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown metropolitan area, which includes all of Dutchess and Orange counties. The Newburgh area was...
campus of St. Luke's-Cornwall Hospital. He was survived by his widow, Verna, two children, and two grandchildren.