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66-429: Ada Smith may refer to: Ada L. Smith (born 1945), American politician from New York Ada "Bricktop" Smith (1894–1984), American jazz singer and nightclub owner Ada Smith (gymnast) (1903–1994), British gymnast Ada Smith (poet) (1875–1898), British poet [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about people with

132-438: A Weight Watchers meeting that morning and mentioned that she had lost 4.3 pounds. Jackson told police that she replied, "'at the rate you go around, I would have thought you'd lose 20 pounds'". Jackson claimed that Smith cursed and threw hot coffee in her eyes. Before leaving the office, Jackson allegedly told Smith, "'Senator, you can't do this to people. It's abusive'". Smith allegedly pulled off Jackson's hairpiece, threw it to

198-538: A $ 124 billion budget from the Spitzer administration. He stated in his inauguration speech that it would be his top priority. Paterson made reference in his speech to the economic woes being faced in the United States, calling them a "crisis", and promised to "adjust the budget accordingly". Since 1984, New York State has only passed a budget on time once, in 2005, leading Paterson to call for an "end to

264-483: A $ 9,500 per year stipend attached to her leadership position. Paterson stated that the coffee attack was the latest example of what he called "a pattern of inappropriate, unprofessional and often abusive behavior" from Smith. Smith was charged with assault in the third degree, a misdemeanor, in connection with the coffee attack on Jackson. She pleaded not guilty in Albany City Court. In August 2006, Smith

330-400: A 0.6% share. In February 2010, The New York Times reported that Paterson may have been involved in witness tampering in a domestic-abuse case involving staffer David W. Johnson after New York State Police and Paterson allegedly talked to the complainant in an attempt to persuade her to drop the case. Paterson was said to have asked the woman if she needed any help a day before the case

396-478: A 4–3 decision that Paterson's appointment of Richard Ravitch was constitutional. Paterson is the second legally blind governor of a U.S. state (the first was Bob C. Riley , who was acting governor of Arkansas for 11 days in January 1975). During his tenure, Paterson's staff read documents to him over voice mail. On July 17, 2008, Paterson was the keynote speaker addressing the 99th annual convention of

462-464: A Senate floor vote prematurely in December 2009. In March 2008, Paterson warned that New York state faced its worst fiscal crisis since 2001. On July 29, Paterson gave a rare televised address that was broadcast on all of New York's major news networks, stating that the state budget deficit had gone up $ 1.4 billion over the 90 days since his original budget submission, citing rising costs due to

528-595: A knife while they were alone in Smith's office. According to Garland-Bryan's statement, the senator became angry when she overheard Garland-Bryan telling family members that Smith "sometimes forgot to take her medication". Garland-Bryan declined to press charges, but wrote an official complaint about the incident to then- Senate Minority Leader Martin Connor , who responded by asserting that he had "no authority" to punish Smith. Smith faced charges in 1998 after allegedly biting

594-544: A law that discouraged employers from holding blood drives ; to change the way in which members are appointed to a state health and research board; to restore eligibility caps to certain senior employment programs; and to grant tax exemptions to several local development corporations in New York State. Paterson appointed Christopher O. Ward to be executive director of the Port Authority on May 22, 2008. Ward

660-410: A leadership post. In 2004, a former Smith staffer, Wayne Mahlke, alleged that Smith had subjected him to verbally abusive comments relating to sexual orientation. The following year, the state's Division of Human Rights dismissed his claims due to insufficient evidence. Smith attacked a staffer, Jennifer Jackson, on March 21, 2006, in Smith's Albany office. The senator arrived at the office following

726-496: A school tax "circuit breaker"; and for his appointment of Blue Dog Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand to a vacant seat in the United States Senate . Paterson ascended to the governor's office during the busiest legislative period of the year. The state is required by law to pass its budget prior to April 1. He had only two weeks to negotiate with lawmakers a proposal to close a $ 4.7 billion deficit and pass

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792-484: A tuition remission program for military veterans , offering them free tuition at both SUNY and CUNY institutions. Paterson called the 2008 budget proposal "too big and too bloated", and he said he would work to convince the legislature to stop what he saw as unsustainable growth. In April 2008, Paterson asked the heads of all state agencies to cut their budgets by 3.35%, threatened a hiring freeze, and asked legislative leaders to follow suit. At his first State of

858-462: A vacant U.S. Senate seat, and, in July 2009, he appointed Richard Ravitch as lieutenant governor. Paterson launched a campaign for a full term as governor in the 2010 New York gubernatorial election , but he announced on February 26, 2010, that he would bow out of the race. During the final year of his administration, Paterson faced allegations of soliciting improper gifts and making false statements; he

924-531: Is an American politician and attorney who served as the 55th governor of New York , succeeding Eliot Spitzer , who resigned, and serving out nearly three years of Spitzer's term from March 2008 to December 2010. A member of the Democratic Party , he was the first legally blind person to be sworn in as governor of a U.S. state, and the first African-American governor of New York . Following his graduation from Hofstra Law School , Paterson worked in

990-596: The 2006 New York gubernatorial election . Spitzer and Paterson were elected with 65% of the vote, and Paterson took office as lieutenant governor on January 1, 2007. After Spitzer resigned in the wake of a prostitution scandal , Paterson was sworn in as governor of New York state on March 17, 2008. Paterson held the office of governor during the Great Recession , and he implemented state budget cuts. He also made two significant appointments: In January 2009, he appointed then-U.S. representative Kirsten Gillibrand to

1056-579: The District Attorney's office of Queens County, New York , and on the staff of Manhattan borough president David Dinkins . In 1985, he was elected to the New York State Senate to a seat once held by his father, former New York Secretary of State Basil Paterson . In 2003, he rose to the position of Senate minority leader . Paterson was selected to be the running mate of Democratic gubernatorial nominee Eliot Spitzer in

1122-609: The Guinea-Bissau region of West Africa. At the age of three months, Paterson contracted an ear infection that spread to his optic nerve , leaving him sightless in his left eye and with severely limited vision in his right. Since New York City public schools would not guarantee him an education without placing him in special education classes, his family bought a home in the Long Island suburb of South Hempstead so that he could attend mainstream classes there. Paterson

1188-647: The NAACP in Cincinnati, Ohio . On October 24, 2008, Paterson's top aide, Charles J. O'Byrne , resigned from his post following the revelation that he owed nearly $ 300,000 in back taxes. O'Byrne admitted to having failed to pay taxes for five years. Although Paterson is a lifelong Democrat who was considered a liberal in the state Senate, he earned praise from some conservatives during his time as governor for making major spending cuts; for providing mandate relief; for enacting an inflation-indexed property tax cap and

1254-580: The New York State Senate in an attempt to gauge support for the passage of same-sex marriage legislation during a lame-duck session of the Legislature ; however, the governor came to the conclusion that passage of the bill during the lame-duck session was not feasible. When asked what would have to occur for same-sex marriage to be legalized in New York, Paterson responded, "Get rid of the lobbyists," and added that same-sex marriage advocates had "forced"

1320-1104: The United States Senate . Clinton resigned her Senate seat on January 21, 2009, to assume the Cabinet post. By mandate of the New York Constitution , Paterson was tasked with appointing a temporary replacement until a special election in 2010 for the conclusion of the term of her Class 1 seat . Persons mentioned in the media as potential appointees included U.S. Representative Gregory Meeks , former State Comptroller H. Carl McCall , William C. Thompson, Jr. , Byron Brown , Representative José E. Serrano , Representative Nydia M. Velázquez , Representative Nita Lowey , Representative Carolyn B. Maloney , former Hillary Clinton aide Leecia Eve , United Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten , Representative Kirsten Gillibrand , and political heiress Caroline Kennedy . While New York Attorney General and former United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Andrew Cuomo refused to publicly declare his interest in

1386-496: The Weekend Update sketch alongside Fred Armisen , who was comedically portraying Paterson. In October 2008, Paterson launched a campaign website and announced his intention to run for a full term as governor. Paterson's prime Republican opponent was expected to be former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani . By February 2009, after the prolonged Senate appointment process, a Siena College poll indicated that Paterson

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1452-470: The 81-year-old Reynolds Game Farm, in Tompkins county, the state's only remaining pheasant facility, but changed course following criticism from sportsmen's groups. In March 2009, Paterson announced that in light of the fiscal crisis, he would take a 10% pay cut. After being nominated for the position on December 1, 2008, Senator Hillary Clinton was confirmed as United States Secretary of State by

1518-597: The Alliance Defense Fund suit, Justice Billings found that the governor's order was consistent with state laws on the recognition of marriages from outside the state. In April 2009, it was revealed that Paterson would propose legislation to legalize same-sex marriage in New York . Paterson later tapped former Senate Majority Leader and former political foe Joseph Bruno to support same-sex marriage in Albany. On December 2, 2009, same-sex marriage legislation

1584-665: The Commission on Public Integrity found that Paterson had lied about accepting five free World Series tickets and fined him $ 62,125. After the Weekend Update sketch featuring David Paterson aired in 2009 on the NBC show Saturday Night Live , Paterson was upset by the way the sketch portrayed him, stating that it was an offensive stereotype to those who were visually impaired. On the 36th-season premiere of Saturday Night Live (aired September 25, 2010), Paterson appeared in

1650-678: The Democratic primary for the office of New York City Public Advocate in 1993, but he was defeated by Mark Green . Paterson was elected Minority Leader by the Senate Democratic Conference on November 20, 2002, becoming both the first non-white state legislative leader and the highest-ranking black elected official in the history of New York. Paterson unseated the incumbent minority leader, Martin Connor . Paterson became known for his consensus-building style and sharp political skills. Describing Paterson's tenure in

1716-685: The New York Court of Appeals reversed the Appellate Division's decision, holding Paterson's appointment of Ravitch to be constitutional. In January 2010, Paterson awarded a contract to operate a 4,500- slot machine racino at the Aqueduct Race Track to Aqueduct Race Track Entertainment Group (AEG) in Queens . The selection AEG led to accusations of favoritism. The New York State inspector general, Joseph Fisch, said

1782-408: The New York bar was partially the result of insufficient accommodation for his visual impairment, and has since advocated for changes in bar exam procedures. On August 6, 1985, state senator Leon Bogues died, and Paterson obtained the Democratic party nomination for the seat. In mid-September, a meeting of 648 Democratic committee members on the first ballot gave Paterson 58% of the vote, giving him

1848-526: The Senate appointment and suggested it was a cynical way of rallying upstate support for re-election. Paterson later admitted that he personally ordered his staff to contest Caroline Kennedy's version of events in the hours after she withdrew from consideration to be United States senator. Due to the ongoing leadership crisis in the New York State Senate , in which the Senate tied with 31 Democratic votes and 31 Republican votes, with no presiding officer to break

1914-483: The Senate seat. However, Kennedy abruptly withdrew her name from consideration on January 21, 2009. Up until her withdrawal, which Kennedy said was based on "personal reasons", the high-profile, well-connected daughter of former President John F. Kennedy was widely considered the front-runner for the nomination. After Kennedy removed herself from consideration, some reports indicated that Paterson "never intended" to pick Kennedy, having come to consider her "unready" for

1980-450: The Senate, The New York Times cited his "wit, flurries of reform proposals and unusual bursts of candor". In 2006, Paterson was selected by New York attorney general and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Eliot Spitzer as his running mate. The news stunned the New York political world, as the Democratic minority was poised to possibly take over the state legislature. Paterson traded the possibility of becoming Senate majority leader for

2046-674: The State address in January 2009, Paterson said "My fellow New Yorkers: let me come straight to the point—the state of our state is perilous. New York faces an historic economic challenge, the gravest in nearly a century. ... The pillars of Wall Street have crumbled. The global economy is reeling. Trillions of dollars of wealth have vanished." New York faced a budget deficit of $ 15 billion, and state debt approached $ 55 billion. Paterson's budget proposal called for dramatic across-the-board cuts to various state agencies; he described those cuts as "deep and painful". Paterson proposed to close

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2112-657: The U.S. federal government halting funding for such research. In September 2007, Paterson weighed in on a proposal before the New York City Council to extend voting rights to noncitizens. He told a crowd gathered at the West Indian American Day Carnival Parade that he believed noncitizens should be granted voting rights. He stressed that he was asking for a change in policy, rather than a new law, citing that, although 22 states and territories between 1776 and 1920 allowed

2178-549: The Yankees tickets. Following the "twin scandals", a poll showed that fewer than half of New Yorkers believed Paterson should remain in office. Despite this, Paterson announced on March 5, 2010, that he intended to remain in his post until his term in office concluded at the end of the year. Paterson was not criminally charged in connection with his witness interaction in the Johnson domestic abuse matter. On December 20, 2010,

2244-455: The appointment. Although Gillibrand's appointment was praised by some (including Schumer, New York's senior senator; President Obama; and Clinton herself, ) others criticized Paterson's choice, calling Gillibrand "sharp-elbowed", "too conservative", and "unliked". Others, including liberal New York Times editorialist Maureen Dowd and New York Magazine writer Chris Smith, criticized Paterson's "peculiar" and "dithering" handling of

2310-638: The dysfunction in Albany" in his speech, echoing a 56-page study from the nonpartisan New York University School of Law's Brennan Center for Justice , which referred to the legislature as "the least deliberative and most dysfunctional in the nation". Paterson quickly signed five pieces of legislation on his first day in office: to add the New York State Department of Labor to the New York City Transit Track Safety Task Force; to eliminate

2376-533: The first black governor in the history of the state of New York and the fourth black governor in the history of the United States (the first three being the Reconstruction -era P. B. S. Pinchback of Louisiana , Virginia 's Douglas Wilder , and Massachusetts 's Deval Patrick ). The lieutenant governor's office remained vacant until September 22, 2009, when the New York Court of Appeals ruled in

2442-470: The floor, and said, "'If you tell anyone what happened in this office, I will f—ing kill you'". Jackson was treated for injuries to her eyes, neck, and shoulders. Smith's lawyer denied the charges and accused Jackson of lying to authorities, claiming that Jackson actually told the senator she needed to lose 100 pounds. In the aftermath of the coffee attack, then-Senate Minority Leader David Paterson stripped Smith of her state-issued car, her honorary title, and

2508-529: The governorship in common: great difficulty in reading. Rockefeller was dyslexic, and Paterson compared this to his own blindness. Paterson took office as lieutenant governor on January 1, 2007. Paterson led Spitzer's successful 2007 legislative effort to approve a bond issue that will provide at least $ 1 billion toward stem-cell research. Spitzer and Paterson touted the measure partly for its economic development benefits, following California's $ 3 billion effort , which in turn had been prompted by

2574-536: The hand of a police officer in Brooklyn. She was subdued with mace by the authorities during that altercation. In 2004, Smith refused to hand over her driver's license to authorities at a police checkpoint at a state garage in Albany; instead, she drove into the parking garage. A state trooper had to step out of the way of her oncoming vehicle. Smith's actions led to a conviction; following that conviction, then-Senate Minority Leader David Paterson removed her from

2640-404: The insurance giant. He hit the cable networks early and was quoted by media around the world. Paterson revised Spitzer's record-size executive budget proposal to cut spending. Budget negotiations carried over past the deadline, causing the new governor to lament that too many lawmakers were "unwilling to make serious cuts to our budget". On April 10, 2008, a $ 121.7 billion budget package

2706-625: The opportunity to hold the largely ceremonial lieutenant governor post. During their 2006 campaign, Paterson resolved a dispute with Spitzer over turf wars between staff members. The Spitzer–Paterson ticket won a landslide victory in the election, with 65.7% of the vote. It was the largest margin of victory in a gubernatorial race in New York history, and the second-largest for any statewide race in New York history. In late December 2006, shortly before being sworn in as lieutenant governor, Paterson said that, if he ever succeeded Spitzer as governor, he and Nelson A. Rockefeller would have something besides

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2772-671: The party nomination. That October, Paterson won the virtually uncontested special State Senate election. At the time, the 29th Senate district covered the Manhattan neighborhoods of Harlem , Manhattan Valley , and the Upper West Side , the same district that Paterson's father had represented. He was re-elected ten times, and remained in the state senate until 2006, sitting in the 186th , 187th , 188th , 189th , 190th , 191st , 192nd , 193rd , 194th , 195th , and 196th New York State Legislatures. Paterson briefly ran in

2838-414: The poor economy and a struggling Wall Street , and calling the state legislature back to Albany for an emergency session starting on August 19, 2008. He also warned that the budget deficit was estimated to grow 22 percent by 2011. With AIG on the verge of collapse on September 16, 2008, and in the aftermath of Lehman Brothers filing for bankruptcy, Paterson publicly lobbied for a government bailout of

2904-471: The practice, none do now. Spitzer issued a statement expressing that he did not agree with Paterson's position, and he said that he was unaware that Paterson would be speaking on the matter. Paterson had tried to introduce legislation granting voting rights to noncitizens as a State Senator fifteen years earlier. In February 2008, a U.S. District Judge denied a motion to dismiss a racial-discrimination lawsuit naming Paterson. A white photographer claimed he

2970-459: The same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ada_Smith&oldid=1242616030 " Category : Human name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Ada L. Smith Smith

3036-457: The seat after a series of media misfires. Some sources and analysts doubted the reports' veracity, calling the Paterson camp's denials of any interest in appointing Kennedy "misdirection". On January 23, 2009, Paterson chose Gillibrand—a moderate upstate representative from a largely conservative district—to fill Clinton's vacated seat. The Kennedy family criticized Paterson's handling of

3102-495: The seat, he attracted a plurality of support from polled New Yorkers to take the seat. Cuomo was cited by some analysts as a savvy Senate appointee because his appointment might dissuade him from mounting a primary challenge against Paterson in the 2010 gubernatorial election . Paterson acknowledged on January 20, 2009, that Cuomo was indeed under consideration for the appointment. It was reported on December 5, 2008, that Paterson had spoken with Kennedy regarding her interest in

3168-405: The state government showed "militant indifference" to the public's best interest. Fisch criticized Paterson for delegating the process to his aides, who Fisch said did not keep him properly informed. On March 9, 2010, Paterson recused himself from the case, saying that he was doing so on the advice of his lawyers. On the same day, investors Floyd Flake and Jay-Z withdrew from AEG. Flake had

3234-696: The states of North Carolina and South Carolina . His paternal grandmother, a Jamaican , Evangeline Rondon Paterson, was secretary to Black Nationalist leader Marcus Garvey . His paternal grandfather was Leonard James Paterson, a native of Carriacou who arrived in the United States aboard the S.S. Vestris on May 16, 1917. It was reported by The Genetic Genealogist in March 2008 that Paterson had recently undergone genetic genealogy testing. Part of his father's ancestry consists of immigrants from England, Ireland, and Scotland, while his mother's side includes Eastern European Jewish ancestry, as well as ancestors from

3300-680: The tie, Paterson announced on July 8, 2009, that he would appoint Richard Ravitch , a former chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , to be lieutenant governor . On August 20, 2009, however, a four-judge panel of the New York State Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department, ruled that Paterson had no legal authority to name a lieutenant governor, and that the lieutenant governor position could not be filled in any way other than via an election. On September 23, 2009,

3366-558: Was "overwhelmingly" defeated on the floor of the New York State Senate by a vote of 24 to 38; no Republican voted yes, eight Democrats voted no. The Daily News described the defeat as a "major blow", while The New York Times stated that the defeat "all but ensures that the issue is dead in New York until at least 2011, when a new Legislature will be installed." In late 2010, before the January 2011 expiration of his term as governor, Paterson reached out to members of

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3432-690: Was "the right thing to do"; the governor was enthusiastically cheered when he attended the 2008 gay-pride parade in Manhattan. On June 3, 2008, a lawsuit was filed by the Alliance Defense Fund challenging the governor's directive. On September 2, 2008, Justice Lucy A. Billings of the State Supreme Court in the Bronx issued a decision that Paterson acted within his powers when he required state agencies to recognize same-sex marriages from outside New York State. In her dismissal of

3498-479: Was born in Brooklyn , New York, to Portia Hairston Paterson, a homemaker, and Basil Paterson , a labor law attorney. Basil Paterson was later a New York state senator for Harlem , secretary of state under Hugh Carey , and deputy mayor of New York City for Ed Koch . According to a New York Now interview, Paterson traces his roots on his mother's side of the family to pre– Civil War African American slaves in

3564-642: Was born on April 18, 1945, in Amherst County, Virginia , and was raised in New York City . She graduated from Baruch College in 1973. Smith entered politics as a Democrat , and was a deputy in the office of the City Clerk of New York City. She was a member of the New York State Senate from 1989 to 2006. Her district was centered in the Jamaica, Queens section of New York City . Smith

3630-400: Was caused by racism and added that Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts had received a similar reception. Paterson added that President Barack Obama would be the next African-American elected official to suffer from poor approval due to his skin color. The White House asked Paterson to tone down his comments on race, but less than 24 hours later, Paterson said: "[One] very successful minority

3696-490: Was convicted of misdemeanor harassment . She was fined and ordered to attend an anger management program. Smith was also ordered to pay any medical expenses incurred by Jackson in connection with the attack that were not covered by insurance. In 2006, The New York Times reported that tabloids referred to Smith as "'the Wild Woman of Albany'". David Paterson David Alexander Paterson (born May 20, 1954)

3762-524: Was dropped. On February 26, 2010, Paterson withdrew his bid for a full term as governor of New York. In March 2010, the New York State Commission on Public Integrity asked Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to investigate allegations that Paterson had solicited an unlawful gift of free New York Yankees tickets. He also faced allegations that he had lied under oath to the Commission on Public Integrity in 2010 during an investigation about

3828-555: Was eventually fined in excess of $ 62,000 for accepting free New York Yankees tickets. He was not charged with perjury. Since leaving office, Paterson has been a radio talk show host and chairman of the New York Democratic Party from May 2014 to November 2015. In late 2020, he published his first book, entitled Black, Blind, & in Charge: A Story of Visionary Leadership and Overcoming Adversity . Paterson

3894-473: Was fired by Paterson due to his race. The lawsuit was settled in 2009 for $ 300,000. In the midst of a prostitution scandal , Governor Eliot Spitzer resigned his position effective March 17, 2008. Following Spitzer's resignation, Paterson was sworn in as the 55th governor of New York, at the New York State Capitol on March 17, 2008, by New York chief judge Judith Kaye . Paterson was

3960-433: Was losing popularity among New Yorkers and showed Giuliani with a fifteen-point lead in a hypothetical contest. In April 2009, a Quinnipiac poll found that 60% of voters disapproved of Paterson's performance (the worst-ever rating for a New York governor); 53% believed that Paterson should withdraw his candidacy for the gubernatorial election. In an August 21, 2009, radio interview, Paterson suggested that his low popularity

4026-426: Was met with criticism from conservative legislators and from same-sex marriage opponents, one of whom referred to the directive as Paterson's "first major blunder" as governor. Then-Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno and others accused Paterson of having overstepped his bounds and usurped the authority of the legislature. Paterson reportedly described same-sex marriage as "beautiful", and contended that his decision

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4092-651: Was passed by both houses of the state legislature. The budget closed a projected $ 4.6 billion deficit with $ 1.8 billion of spending cuts, $ 1.5 billion in additional revenue from increased taxes and fees and $ 1.3 billion of one time transfers, and did not tap into the state's $ 1.2 billion of reserves or increase the top income tax rate on those earning $ 1 million or more. Paterson's budget provided property tax relief, delivered aid to municipalities, and restored hundreds of millions in property tax rebates for middle-class homeowners and $ 1 billion for upstate economic development. The budget provided for

4158-408: Was purportedly based upon a decision from New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division 's Fourth Department. The governor's directive did not receive widespread public attention until weeks after the directive was given. At that time, the governor's decision provoked public reaction on both sides of the issue. While Paterson's directive received widespread approval from same-sex marriage supporters, it

4224-530: Was successful in turning around construction at World Trade Center Site, and started the process of turning Farley Post Office into Moynihan Station . One day after Paterson's inauguration as the governor of New York, both he and his wife acknowledged having had extramarital affairs, one with a state employee. In May 2008, Paterson informed New York State agencies that they were required to recognize same-sex marriage licenses from other jurisdictions for purposes of employee benefits . The governor's directive

4290-639: Was the first student with a disability in the Hempstead public schools, graduating from Hempstead High School in 1971. Paterson earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from Columbia College of Columbia University in 1977 and a Juris Doctor from Hofstra Law School in 1983. After law school, he went to work for the Queens District Attorney 's Office, but he did not pass the New York bar examination , which prevented him from becoming an attorney at law . He claimed that his failing

4356-424: Was the ranking minority member of the Senate's Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Committee, and gained notoriety for several brushes with the law. She was backed by her party organization in the 2006 Democratic Senate primary election but lost to challenger Shirley Huntley , who also won the general election later that year. In 1996, Senate staffer LaSone Garland-Bryan accused Smith of menacing her with

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