Joe Crowley
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Joseph Crowley (born March 16, 1962) is an American politician and consultant who served as
U.S. Representative 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 c ...
from
New York's 14th congressional district New York's 14th congressional district is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives located in New York City, represented by Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The district includes the eastern part of The Bronx ...
from 1999 to 2019. He was
defeated Defeated may refer to: * "Defeated" (Breaking Benjamin song) * "Defeated" (Anastacia song) *"Defeated", a song by Snoop Dogg from the album ''Bible of Love'' *Defeated, Tennessee, an unincorporated community *''The Defeated ''The Defeated'', al ...
by Democratic primary challenger Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in what was viewed as one of the biggest upsets of the 2018 mid-term elections. During his tenure, Crowley served as
Chair of the House Democratic Caucus The House Democratic Caucus is a congressional caucus composed of all Democratic Representatives in the United States House of Representatives and is responsible for nominating and electing the Democratic Party leadership in the chamber. In its ...
from 2017 to 2019, as well as the local chairman of the Queens County Democratic Party from 2006 to 2019. He previously served in the New York State Assembly from 1987 to 1998. After leaving Congress, he joined the
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
lobbying and law firm
Squire Patton Boggs Squire Patton Boggs is an international law firm with 42 offices in 20 countries. It was formed in 2014 by the merger of multinational law firm Squire Sanders with Washington, D.C. based Patton Boggs. It is one of the 30 largest law firms in the ...
. He left that firm in 2022 and joined the rival law firm
Dentons Dentons is the largest multinational law firm in the world. Dentons was ranked as the world's 4th- largest law firm by revenue, with $2.9B gross revenue by Global 200 ranking in the fiscal year 2021. The firm is called Dentons in all languages o ...
.


Early life and education

Crowley was born in
Woodside, Queens Woodside is a residential and commercial neighborhood in the western portion of the borough of Queens in New York City. It is bordered on the south by Maspeth, on the north by Astoria, on the west by Sunnyside, and on the east by Elmhurst, ...
,
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
, to Joseph F. Crowley Sr., an Irish American, and Eileen Crowley, who emigrated from
County Armagh County Armagh (, named after its county town, Armagh) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the southern shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of an ...
,
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
. Crowley Sr. served in the United States Army during the
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
, later becoming a lawyer and a
New York City Police Department The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, established on May 23, 1845, is the primary municipal law enforcement agency within the City of New York, the largest and one of the oldest in ...
detective. Crowley Jr. is the second of four siblings. Crowley Jr.'s paternal uncle Walter H. Crowley was a New York City councilman, and is the namesake of Crowley Playground in
Elmhurst, Queens Elmhurst (formerly Newtown) is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City. It is bounded by Roosevelt Avenue on the north; the Long Island Expressway on the south; Junction Boulevard on the east; and the New York Connecting R ...
. Crowley attended private Roman Catholic schools in the city, graduating from
Power Memorial Academy Power Memorial Academy (PMA) was an all-boys Catholic high school in New York City that operated from 1931 through 1984. It was a basketball powerhouse, producing several NBA players including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Len Elmore, Mario Elie, Chris M ...
in Manhattan in 1981. He graduated from Queens College in 1985 with a degree in political science and communications.


Career


New York Assembly

He was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1987 to 1998, sitting in the 187th, 188th,
189th 189th may refer to: *189th (Canadien-Français) Battalion, CEF, a unit in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War *189th Airlift Squadron, a unit of the Idaho Air National Guard that flies the C-130 Hercules *189th Airlift Wing, ...
, 190th, 191st and 192nd New York State Legislatures. Because of his Irish roots, he quickly became involved in
Irish-American , image = Irish ancestry in the USA 2018; Where Irish eyes are Smiling.png , image_caption = Irish Americans, % of population by state , caption = Notable Irish Americans , population = 36,115,472 (10.9%) alone ...
politics throughout New York.


U.S. House of Representatives

Democratic Congressman Thomas J. Manton announced his retirement from Congress in 1998, having already filed for and circulated petitions for reelection. He withdrew on the last day it was legally possible to do so and arranged for Crowley, his chosen successor, to replace him on the ballot. Crowley was not aware of this until Manton phoned him to tell him his name would be on the general election ballot. Prior to redistricting for the 2012 election, Crowley represented the 7th District, which encompassed portions of Queens and the Bronx. It included neighborhoods such as Woodside, Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst, and College Point, in Queens as well as the neighborhoods of Castle Hill,
Co-op City Co-op City (short for Cooperative City) is a cooperative housing development located in the northeast section of the borough of the Bronx in New York City. It is bounded by Interstate 95 to the southwest, west, and north and the Hutchinson River ...
, Parkchester, Throgs Neck, Morris Park,
Pelham Parkway The Bronx and Pelham Parkway, also known formally as the Bronx–Pelham Parkway but called Pelham Parkway in everyday use, is a parkway in the borough of the Bronx in New York City. The road begins in Bronx Park at the Bronx River Parkway and ...
, Pelham Bay,
Country Club A country club is a privately owned club, often with a membership quota and admittance by invitation or sponsorship, that generally offers both a variety of recreational sports and facilities for dining and entertaining. Typical athletic offe ...
, and City Island in the eastern Bronx. After 2013, Crowley represented
New York's 14th congressional district New York's 14th congressional district is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives located in New York City, represented by Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The district includes the eastern part of The Bronx ...
, which includes the eastern
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 part of north-central
Queens Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...
. The Queens portion includes the neighborhoods of Sunnyside, Astoria, College Point,
East Elmhurst East Elmhurst is a residential neighborhood in the northwest section of the New York City borough of Queens. It is bounded to the south by Jackson Heights and Corona, to the north and east by Bowery Bay, and to the west by Woodside and Ditmars ...
, Jackson Heights,
Corona Corona (from the Latin for 'crown') most commonly refers to: * Stellar corona, the outer atmosphere of the Sun or another star * Corona (beer), a Mexican beer * Corona, informal term for the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes the COVID-19 di ...
and Woodside. The Bronx portion of the district includes the neighborhoods of Morris Park,
Parkchester Parkchester is a planned community and neighborhood originally developed by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and located in the central Bronx, New York City. The immediate surrounding area also takes its name from the complex. Its boundari ...
, Pelham Bay, and
Throgs Neck Throggs Neck (also known as Throgs Neck) is a neighborhood and peninsula in the south-eastern portion of the borough of the Bronx in New York City. It is bounded by the East River and Long Island Sound to the south and east, Westchester Creek on ...
as well as City Island. On June 26, 2018, Crowley was defeated in the
Democratic primary This is a list of Democratic Party presidential primaries. 1912 This was the first time that candidates were chosen through primaries. New Jersey Governor Woodrow Wilson ran to become the nominee, and faced the opposition of Speaker of the Uni ...
by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.


Committee assignments

*
Committee on Ways and Means The Committee on Ways and Means is the chief tax-writing committee of the United States House of Representatives. The committee has jurisdiction over all taxation, tariffs, and other revenue-raising measures, as well as a number of other program ...
** Subcommittee on Social Security ** Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures


Caucus memberships

* Ad Hoc Committee on Irish Affairs, Co-Chair * Rare Disease Congressional Caucus, Co-Chair * Congressional Musicians Caucus, Founder and Chair * Bangladesh Caucus, Founder and Chair * Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans, former co-chair * Animal Protection Caucus * Congressional Arts Caucus * Congressional Historic Preservation Caucus * Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus * Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus * National Service Caucus *
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) is a caucus consisting of members of the United States Congress who are Asian American and Pacific Islander ( AAPI), and who have a strong interest in advocating and promoting issues and ...


Tenure

Crowley served as
Democratic Caucus Chairman of the United States House of Representatives The House Democratic Caucus is a congressional caucus composed of all Democratic Representatives in the United States House of Representatives and is responsible for nominating and electing the Democratic Party leadership in the chamber. In its ...
, the fourth highest leadership position in the
House Democratic Caucus The House Democratic Caucus is a congressional caucus composed of all Democratic Representatives in the United States House of Representatives and is responsible for nominating and electing the Democratic Party leadership in the chamber. In its ...
. Crowley's cousin, New York City firefighter John Moran, was killed as a result of the
terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...
. Crowley authored a bill that provided the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor to all emergency workers who died as a result of the terrorist acts. He also created the Urban Area Security Initiative, which directs money to prevent terrorism toward regions that are seen as the most threatened. Crowley, who has spent much time in India, created a Bangladesh caucus and was formerly the chair of the India Caucus. On October 10, 2002, Crowley was among the 81 House Democrats who voted in favor of authorizing the
invasion of Iraq The 2003 invasion of Iraq was a United States-led invasion of the Republic of Iraq and the first stage of the Iraq War. The invasion phase began on 19 March 2003 (air) and 20 March 2003 (ground) and lasted just over one month, including 26 ...
. Crowley joined Bronx Representative
José E. Serrano José Enrique Serrano (born October 24, 1943) is an American politician who was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1990 until his retirement in 2021. Serrano, a Democrat from New York, represented a district that is one of the ...
in 2008 in proposing legislation to help clean up
PCB PCB may refer to: Science and technology * Polychlorinated biphenyl, an organic chlorine compound, now recognized as an environmental toxin and classified as a persistent organic pollutant * Printed circuit board, a board used in electronics * ...
-contaminated schools. In April 2011, Crowley received media attention for an angry "speech" he gave without actually speaking. Crowley ripped pieces of paper with words to deliver his message. Crowley was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1998. The seat was considered open after incumbent Thomas J. Manton retired. In the June 26, 2018, Democratic primary for New York's 14th congressional district, Crowley was defeated by challenger Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who received 57% of the vote, in what was seen as a massive upset. Crowley remained on the general election ballot under the
Working Families Party The Working Families Party (WFP) is a minor political party in the United States, founded in New York in 1998. There are active chapters in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Ne ...
line. Ocasio-Cortez called on Crowley to take his name off the ballot, but he responded that he could not unless he moved, died, was convicted of a felony, or filed to run for another office in November as a paper candidate (which he claimed would be a form of electoral fraud). Ocasio-Cortez defeated Crowley and Republican Anthony Pappas in the November 6 general election, with Crowley receiving 7% of the vote. In February 2019, Crowley resigned as Chair of the Queens Democratic Party and signed on to the lobbying firm
Squire Patton Boggs Squire Patton Boggs is an international law firm with 42 offices in 20 countries. It was formed in 2014 by the merger of multinational law firm Squire Sanders with Washington, D.C. based Patton Boggs. It is one of the 30 largest law firms in the ...
.Crowley and Shuster head to K Street
02/19/2019,
Politico ''Politico'' (stylized in all caps), known originally as ''The Politico'', is an American, German-owned political journalism newspaper company based in Arlington County, Virginia, that covers politics and policy in the United States and intern ...
June Bunch was selected to serve as Chair on an interim basis. Crowley also became honorary co-chair of the Pass USMCA Coalition, an umbrella organization working to pass USMCA, the
Trump administration Donald Trump's tenure as the 45th president of the United States began with his inauguration on January 20, 2017, and ended on January 20, 2021. Trump, a Republican from New York City, took office following his Electoral College victory ...
's replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement. In May 2019, Crowley joined the board of Northern Swan Holdings Inc., an investment firm focused on hemp and marijuana cultivation in Colombia, along with former
Senate Majority Leader The positions of majority leader and minority leader are held by two United States senators and members of the party leadership of the United States Senate. They serve as the chief spokespersons for their respective political parties holding t ...
Tom Daschle.


Political positions


Abortion

Since 2005, Crowley consistently received ratings of 0% from the
National Right to Life Committee The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) is the oldest and largest national anti-abortion organization in the United States with affiliates in all 50 states and more than 3,000 local chapters nationwide. Since the 1980s, NRLC has influen ...
and 100% from the NARAL. In 2011, he opposed a bill that would have banned taxpayer funding for abortions, and in the 2010 election, he was endorsed by Planned Parenthood. In 2018, Crowley received a voting record of 100% from Planned Parenthood.


Health care

Since 2007, he received a rating of 100% from the American Public Health Association, the
American Nurses Association The American Nurses Association (ANA) is a 501(c)(6) professional organization to advance and protect the profession of nursing. It started in 1896 as the Nurses Associated Alumnae and was renamed the American Nurses Association in 1911. It is b ...
, and the National Breast Cancer Coalition. Crowley fought against the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM), both abroad and in the United States. In 2010, he introduced the Girls Protection Act of 2010, which would criminalize the transport of a girl under the age of 18 years old to undergo FGM. In 2015, he proposed a bill with Representative
Sheila Jackson Lee Sheila Jackson Lee (born January 12, 1950) is an American lawyer and politician who is the U.S. representative for , having served since 1995. The district includes most of central Houston. She is a member of the Democratic Party, and serve ...
encouraging the collection of data on the prevalence of FGM, and to create a plan to better prevent the practice, which is illegal in the United States. Crowley was a consistent supporter of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (known as "Obamacare", or "ACA"). On March 22, 2010, he said: "I... support the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a historic measure that will put families first when it comes to accessing health care coverage." He opposed repealing the act, and voted against a repeal on January 19, 2011. Also in 2011, he held an event to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the bill's passage. In 2017, Crowley signed on to H.R. 676, the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act. This bill was introduced by former Michigan Congressman John Conyers in January 2017.


Immigration

Crowley has been a heavy critic of President Trump's plan to build a wall on the U.S.–Mexico border and his decision to end DACA and Temporary Protected Status protection for qualifying immigrants in 2017. In 2017, Crowley introduced a bill that would grant green cards to undocumented workers who helped to recover and clean up New York City after the terrorist attacks on September 11.


Economy and budget

Crowley holds the view "that reducing barriers to investment, creating opportunities for small businesses, and providing equitable working conditions for all Americans can and should be part of our national economic policy". He supported federal spending as a way to increase economic growth. In 2008, he endorsed the Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments, which established the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) and allowed the Secretary of the Treasury to buy assets from troubled financial institutions. Crowley advocated tax increases on the highest tax brackets, tax cuts for the middle class, and reduced defense spending. When serving on the Ways and Means Committee, he stated: "I really don't see how it's justifiable or sensible to give a tax cut to the wealthiest among us, but at the same time increase taxes on U.S. soldiers." He also applauded the 2009 Budget for ending the Alternative Minimum Tax, and ensuring tax cuts for 23 million middle-class Americans. In 2011, he opposed a bill that appropriated funds to the defense budget. In 2017, Crowley opposed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, saying its only goal was to give more tax cuts to America's top 1% than the working class. In December 2017, Crowley said in a floor speech: "It's a scam, and the American people know it. Is this a bill that helps people who are living paycheck to paycheck? Hell, no."


Other positions

Crowley proposed legislation to improve conditions for renters in his district. In September 2017, he introduced the Rent Relief Act, which would give refundable tax credits to renters. Crowley had a 2016 score of 95% from the
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 ...
. Crowley's Irish roots influenced his policy decisions in Congress as a member of the Friends of Ireland Caucus. He worked on peace efforts for the conflict in Northern Ireland and securing refuge for those affected by it. Crowley spoke out against President Trump's effort to eliminate the position of
United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland The United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland (officially the Special Envoy of the President and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland) is the top United States Foreign Service, U.S. diplomat supporting the Northern Ireland peace ...
. Trump eventually reversed this decision. Crowley was named "Irish-American of the year" by the Irish Echo in 2018. Crowley voted in favor of the
Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 The Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002,UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which called Israeli settlement building in the occupied
Palestinian territories The Palestinian territories are the two regions of the former British Mandate for Palestine that have been militarily occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War of 1967, namely: the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip. The ...
a flagrant violation of international law and a major obstacle to peace.


Career after Congress

After leaving Congress in 2019, he joined the
Washington, D. C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...
lobbying and law firm
Squire Patton Boggs Squire Patton Boggs is an international law firm with 42 offices in 20 countries. It was formed in 2014 by the merger of multinational law firm Squire Sanders with Washington, D.C. based Patton Boggs. It is one of the 30 largest law firms in the ...
. In 2022, he left Squire Patton Boggs to move to the Dentons’ Law Firm, also based in Washington, D.C.


Personal life

Crowley is married to Kasey Crowley, a registered nurse. They have three children: Cullen, Kenzie, and Liam. He is the cousin of former New York City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley.


Electoral history


See also

* 1998 New York's 7th congressional district election * 2000 New York's 7th congressional district election * 2002 New York's 7th congressional district election * 2004 New York's 7th congressional district election * 2006 New York's 7th congressional district election * 2008 New York's 7th congressional district election * 2010 New York's 7th congressional district election * 2012 New York's 14th congressional district election * 2014 New York's 14th congressional district election * 2016 New York's 14th congressional district election *
2018 New York's 14th congressional district election The 2018 New York's 14th congressional district election was held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018. The primaries for New York's federal elections were held earlier in the year on June 26. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defeated incumbent congressman Jo ...


References


External links

* * * , - , - , - , - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Crowley, Joseph 1962 births 20th-century American politicians 21st-century American politicians American people of Irish descent American people of Northern Ireland descent Businesspeople in the cannabis industry Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state) Living people Democratic Party members of the New York State Assembly People from Queens, New York Queens College, City University of New York alumni People associated with Squire Patton Boggs