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Alessandra Rose Biaggi (born May 20, 1986) is an American politician serving as a member of the New York State Senate since 2019, representing the 34th district, which includes portions of
Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
and Westchester Counties. She is the chair of the New York State Senate Committee on Ethics and Internal Governance. She is the granddaughter of former U.S. Congressman
Mario Biaggi Mario Biaggi (October 26, 1917 – June 24, 2015) was an American politician, attorney, and police officer. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York from 1969 to 1988. Prior to his political career, Biagg ...
. In February 2022, Biaggi announced her candidacy for
New York's 3rd congressional district New York's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in the State of New York. It is represented by Democrat Tom Suozzi, who has been in office since 2017. In the 2022 election, Rep ...
after the incumbent representative
Thomas Suozzi Thomas Richard Suozzi (; born August 31, 1962) is an American politician, attorney and accountant who served as the U.S. Representative for from 2017 to 2023. His district included part of the North Shore of Long Island. A member of the Democ ...
announced his run for New York Governor. After court ordered redistricting removed Westchester County and the Bronx from the 3rd congressional district, Biaggi announced her candidacy for
New York's 17th congressional district New York's 17th congressional district is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives located in Southern New York. It includes all of Rockland County and portions of central and northwestern Westchester County, i ...
, where she unsuccessfully ran against
Sean Patrick Maloney Sean Patrick Maloney (born July 30, 1966) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative from from 2013 to 2023. The district includes Newburgh, Beacon, and Poughkeepsie. A member of the Democratic Party, Malone ...
, who decided to run in the 17th congressional district currently represented by
Mondaire Jones Mondaire L. Jones (born May 18, 1987) is an American lawyer and politician who was the U.S. representative for from 2021 to 2023. The district includes most of central and northwestern Westchester County and all of Rockland County. A member of ...
, into which his home was drawn, rather than the 18th district he currently represents.


Early life and education

Biaggi was born in Mount Vernon, New York, and is
Italian-American Italian Americans ( it, italoamericani or ''italo-americani'', ) are Americans who have full or partial Italian ancestry. The largest concentrations of Italian Americans are in the urban Northeast and industrial Midwestern metropolitan areas, ...
. Her great-grandparents had immigrated to the United States from Italy, and she is the fourth generation of her family to live in her district. She grew up first in
Fort Lee, New Jersey Fort Lee is a borough at the eastern border of Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, situated along the Hudson River atop the Palisades. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the borough's population was 40,191. As of the 2010 U.S. census, t ...
, and when she was eight years old she moved with her family to
Pelham, New York Pelham is a suburban town in Westchester County, approximately 10 miles northeast of Midtown Manhattan. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 13,078, an increase from the 2010 census. Historically, Pelham was composed of five villages ...
. When she was a child, she was
sexually abused Sexual abuse or sex abuse, also referred to as molestation, is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using force or by taking advantage of another. Molestation often refers to an instance of sexual assau ...
for over a year. She graduated from Pelham Memorial High School ('04), where Biaggi was a cheerleader. After attending Loyola College, Biaggi transferred to and ultimately graduated from
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...
with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2008. She then first attended St. John's University School of Law. She subsequently transferred to and graduated from
Fordham Law School Fordham University School of Law is the law school of Fordham University. The school is located in Manhattan in New York City, and is one of eight ABA-approved law schools in that city. In 2013, 91% of the law school's first-time test tak ...
in 2012, where she was a member of the ''
Fordham Law Review The ''Fordham Law Review'' is a student-run law journal associated with the Fordham University School of Law that covers a wide range of legal scholarship. Overview In 2017, the ''Fordham Law Review'' was the seventh-most cited law journal by ...
''. She was the first woman from her family to graduate from law school. In 2014, she attended the Women's Campaign School at
Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...
.


Career


Early years

Biaggi
interned Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simpl ...
in the office of U.S. Congressman
Joseph Crowley Joseph Crowley (born March 16, 1962) is an American politician and consultant who served as U.S. Representative from New York's 14th congressional district from 1999 to 2019. He was defeated by Democratic primary challenger Alexandria Ocasio-C ...
after college, and while in law school with the
Brooklyn District Attorney The Kings County District Attorney's Office, also known as the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office, is the district attorney's office for Kings County, coterminous with the Borough of Brooklyn, in New York City. The office is responsible for the ...
Rackets Bureau and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York Public Corruption and Appellate Bureaus. She then worked from 2014 to 2015 at her first job as a lawyer, as Assistant General Counsel for New York State Governor
Andrew Cuomo Andrew Mark Cuomo ( ; ; born December 6, 1957) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 56th governor of New York from 2011 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected to the same position that his father, Mario Cu ...
’s Office of Storm Recovery. From May 2015 to December 2016, during the campaign for the
2016 U.S. presidential election The 2016 United States presidential election was the 58th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. The Republican ticket of businessman Donald Trump and Indiana governor Mike Pence defeated the Democratic ticket ...
, Biaggi served as Deputy National Operations Director for the
Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential campaign The 2016 presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton was announced in a YouTube video, on April 12, 2015. Hillary Clinton was the 67th United States Secretary of State and served during the first term of the Obama administration, 2009 to 2013. ...
. She oversaw a staff of 200, and a budget of $500 million. She said: "Everything was urgent in the moment. It was total chaos and I loved it. We played very hard, and it was very hard to lose." Following the election, she worked on various advocacy and voter engagement measures. In April to December 2017, Biaggi served as counsel in Governor Cuomo's Counsel's Office, and as a member of the governor's executive clemency team. She also created the ''Take Action Guide for Activism''.


New York State Senate (2019–present)

Biaggi has served since 2019 as chair of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Internal Governance. Combating sexual abuse is one of Biaggi's policy issues. She has led the first public hearings in the New York State Senate on
workplace sexual harassment Sexual harassment is a type of harassment involving the use of explicit or implicit sexual overtones, including the unwelcome and inappropriate promises of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. Sexual harassment includes a range of actions fro ...
in 27 years, and fought for tougher sexual harassment laws. Susan Kang, Associate Professor of political science at
John Jay College of Criminal Justice The John Jay College of Criminal Justice (John Jay) is a public college focused on criminal justice and located in New York City. It is a senior college of the City University of New York (CUNY). John Jay was founded as the only liberal arts ...
, said: "She is definitely making a name for herself as someone who is an advocate for victims of sexual violence." Biaggi is also focused on institutional reform of Congress, of the Supreme Court, and institutions. Specifically, Biaggi is also focused on banning trading stocks among members.


Campaign

Biaggi ran in 2018 in the primary for the Democratic nomination for New York State Senate in
District 34 A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
. While only 32 years old, she ran against powerful longtime incumbent
Jeffrey D. Klein Jeffrey David Klein (born July 10, 1960) is an American politician and a member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party. He represented the New York State Senate's New York's 34th State Senate district, 34th District, serving p ...
, the number 2 Democrat in the NY Senate and the leader of the
Independent Democratic Conference The Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) was a group of members of the New York State Senate from the Democratic Party who were elected as Democrats but formed a coalition to give the Republicans the majority in the chamber, and attempted to ...
, who had held the seat for 14 years. Klein outspent Biaggi by a rate of 9-to-1, spending $2.7 million to her $333,000. Biaggi said: "The more people told me I couldn’t win, the more obsessed I became." In a major upset, Biaggi defeated Klein in the primary, 54%–46%. She remarked: "It was a tough fight. And, I should also say, we should thank enator Kleinfor his service. But his time is up." Subsequently, on November 6, 2018, she defeated Republican Richard Ribustello 76.0%–14.9%, and was elected to the New York State Senate.Claire Wasserman (2021)
''Ladies Get Paid; The Ultimate Guide to Breaking Barriers, Owning Your Worth, and Taking Command of Your Career''
/ref> At 32 years of age, she became one of the youngest women ever elected to the New York State Senate.


Tenure

In June 2019, the New York legislature passed sweeping anti-sexual-harassment legislation that Biaggi had sponsored. Among other things, the bills reduced employers' ability to avoid liability for their employees' behavior, provided for attorney fees and punitive damages, and lengthened the time frame within which to file complaints. In her first six months in office, Biaggi introduced 80 bills, 17 of which were passed. In 2020, Biaggi won the Democratic primary with 88% of the vote. She then won the general election with 74% of the vote. In February 2021, Biaggi wrote on Twitter: "@NYGovCuomo, you are a monster, and it is time for you to go. Now." At the time, her call for his resignation was what ''The New York Times'' described as: "something of an outlier in the Democrat-controlled Legislature." On August 10, 2021, Governor
Andrew Cuomo Andrew Mark Cuomo ( ; ; born December 6, 1957) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 56th governor of New York from 2011 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected to the same position that his father, Mario Cu ...
announced his resignation. In May 2021 journalist Matthew Kassel opined: "Biaggi ... has gained a reputation, on her own merits, as an upstate force — an influential lawmaker with a growing list of legislative accomplishments who has carved out a space for herself as an outspoken and independent voice in Albany’s cutthroat political sphere." On September 24, 2021, Biaggi co-wrote a letter to US Senator
Maria Cantwell Maria Ellen Cantwell (; born October 13, 1958) is an American politician and former businesswoman serving as the junior United States senator from Washington since 2001. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the Washingto ...
with eight other New York State Senators, requesting that the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation engage in oversight of the
United States Center for SafeSport The United States Center for SafeSport is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2017 under the auspices of the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017. SafeSport is tasked with ad ...
, and step in to ensure that SafeSport is adequately conducting investigations. They referred to what they called SafeSport's failure to carry out impartial and thorough investigations, and ensure the safety of athletes it is charged with protecting. They highlighted the fact that despite serious outstanding allegations of
sexual misconduct Sexual misconduct is misconduct of a sexual nature which exists on a spectrum that may include a broad range of sexual behaviors considered unwelcome. This includes conduct considered inappropriate on an individual or societal basis of morality, se ...
,
sexual coercion Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or a ...
, and other violent behaviors by former friends, peers, and current teammates, and an ongoing investigation, fencer Alen Hadzic was allowed to travel to Tokyo as an alternate for the 2021 US Olympic fencing team. Biaggi has been a vocal advocate for defunding the police. She has received a rating of 100% from Planned Parenthood Empire State (2019 and 2020), from New York
League of Conservation Voters The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is an American environmental advocacy group. LCV says that it "advocates for sound environmental laws and policies, holds elected officials accountable for their votes and actions, and elects pro-environmen ...
(2019), and from EPL/Environmental Advocates (2019 and 2020). In 2022, Biaggi received criticism over her treatment of her staff.


2022 congressional campaign

On June 7, 2022, Biaggi announced that she would be run for
New York's 17th congressional district New York's 17th congressional district is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives located in Southern New York. It includes all of Rockland County and portions of central and northwestern Westchester County, i ...
in a primary challenge against DCCC chair
Sean Patrick Maloney Sean Patrick Maloney (born July 30, 1966) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative from from 2013 to 2023. The district includes Newburgh, Beacon, and Poughkeepsie. A member of the Democratic Party, Malone ...
. Upon her announcement, she was endorsed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. On August 23, 2022, Biaggi lost to Maloney in the primary election by a wide margin.


Recognition

In 2019, ''
Crain's New York Business Crain Communications Inc is an American multi-industry publishing conglomerate based in Detroit, Michigan, United States, with 13 non-US subsidiaries. History Gustavus Dedman (G.D.) Crain, Jr. ( Gustavus Demetrious Crain, Jr.; 1885–1973), pre ...
'' named her to its annual "40 Under 40" list. In June 2021, she was named to the Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center annual 40 Under 40: The Rising Stars in NYC Food Policy. She was noted for working "to transform and improve the food system." In November 2021, Biaggi was named to the ''
City & State New York ''City & State'' is a political journalism organization based in New York City. The company publishes a weekly magazine covering politics and government in New York City and New York State that is distributed to New York State legislators, count ...
'' "Women 100", as one of the prominent women wielding power in New York State. She was noted especially for having long pushed for legislation addressing sexual assault and
sexual abuse Sexual abuse or sex abuse, also referred to as molestation, is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using force or by taking advantage of another. Molestation often refers to an instance of sexual assa ...
.


Personal life

Biaggi's grandfather
Mario Biaggi Mario Biaggi (October 26, 1917 – June 24, 2015) was an American politician, attorney, and police officer. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York from 1969 to 1988. Prior to his political career, Biagg ...
served as a Democratic member of the
U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
from New York from 1969 to 1988. On July 22, 2019, in
Tarrytown, New York Tarrytown is a village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, approximately north of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a stop on the Metro-North ...
, Biaggi married Nathaniel Koloc. He is a management consultant whom she met in 2015 and who also worked on the
Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential campaign The 2016 presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton was announced in a YouTube video, on April 12, 2015. Hillary Clinton was the 67th United States Secretary of State and served during the first term of the Obama administration, 2009 to 2013. ...
.


References


External links

*
New York State Senate Alessandra Biaggi official site
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Biaggi, Alessandra 1986 births 21st-century American politicians American lawyers and judges of Italian descent American politicians of Italian descent Candidates in the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections Child sexual abuse in the United States Fordham University School of Law alumni Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential campaign Democratic Party members of the New York State Assembly New York (state) lawyers Democratic Party New York (state) state senators Lawyers from New York City Legislators from Westchester County, New York Living people People from Fort Lee, New Jersey People from Pelham, New York Politicians from Mount Vernon, New York Politicians from the Bronx Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development alumni