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David Weprin

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David Weprin
Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 24th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
February 9, 2010
Preceded byMark Weprin
Member of the New York City Council
from the 23rd district
In office
January 1, 2002 – December 31, 2009
Preceded bySheldon S. Leffler
Succeeded byMark Weprin
Personal details
Born (1956-05-02) May 2, 1956 (age 68)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouses
Roselyn Weisstuch
​
(divorced)​
Ronni
​
(m. 1990)​
EducationState University of New York, Albany (BA)
Hofstra University (JD)
Signature
WebsiteOfficial website

David Ira Weprin (born May 2, 1956)[1] is a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly, representing District 24 in Queens since 2010, when he replaced his brother Mark. In the Assembly he has supported progressive[broken anchor] causes, such as a surcharge on millionaires, and granting immediate parole to prisoners who have reached 55 years of age and served 15 years in prison, regardless of their sentence. He was previously a member of the New York City Council, representing the 23rd district. He is also a former Deputy Superintendent of the NY State Banking Commission (1983–87).[1]

In 2009, Weprin lost in the Democratic primary for NYC Comptroller, coming in last with 10.6% of the vote. In 2011, Weprin lost a special election to Republican Bob Turner to fill Anthony Weiner's former seat in New York's 9th congressional district in the US House of Representatives, with 46% of the vote; the first time a Democrat had not won the district in 88 years.

Early life and education

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Weprin was born in Queens, is Jewish, and comes from a family of Democratic politicians.[2] His parents were Sylvia (Matz), an immigrant from Havana, Cuba, and NY State Assembly Speaker Saul Weprin, and his younger brother Mark Weprin is a former NY State Assemblyman and former NYC Councilman. Weprin has lived in the Hollis-Jamaica area of Queens his entire life.[3][4] He is a graduate of Jamaica High School ('72).[5]

He received a bachelor's degree in political science from the State University of New York at Albany in 1976.[6] He then received a J.D. degree from Hofstra Law School in 1980, and was admitted to the New York bar in 1981.[7][8][9]

Career

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Early career

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In 1983, two years after Weprin was admitted to the bar, then-Governor Mario Cuomo, who was a close family friend and neighbor whom Weprin viewed as family, named him the Deputy Superintendent of Banks and Secretary of the Banking Board for New York State.[10][7][11] The position was responsible for regulating financial firms in New York State.[1][11] Weprin stepped down from the role in 1987.[11]

Weprin next held a variety of positions at the Stern Brothers investment banking firm (as a vice president),[11] Advest, Pearson, Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette; Kidder Peabody; Paine Webber, and Sterne, Agee & Leach.[11][12][13] While in the private sector, he was elected to serve as Chairman of the Securities Industry Association New York District for three years, from 1997 to 2000.[1]

In 2001, Weprin was elected to the New York City Council, representing a northeast Queens district; he served from 2002 until 2009.[14] He served as Chairman of the Council's Finance Committee.[15] During his time as a Council Member, was a leading opponent in the Council against Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan, which he characterized as "an unfair tax" with "the potential for causing hardship to people who rely on their cars in boroughs other than Manhattan".[16][17]

2009 NYC Comptroller campaign

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In 2009, Weprin retired from the City Council to run for New York City Comptroller.[18] He finished last in the Democratic primary, with 10.6% of the vote, behind Melinda Katz, David Yassky, and John Liu—the eventual nominee and winner of the general election.[14][19]

Weprin was penalized $28,184 in total penalties, and $325,561 in matching public funds repayments (of the $929,000 it collected in public funds), after the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB) determined that his campaign for comptroller had been plagued with a dozen violations.[20][21][22] His offenses included accepting over-the-limit donations, accepting donations from unregistered political action committees, failing to file disclosure statements, failing to provide bank statements, making improper post-election expenditures, and failing to report transactions.[21][22] His spokesperson said that since the campaign entity and its funds no longer existed, there was no entity to pay the penalties and repayments.[22] However, Weprin and his campaign treasurer were still jointly liable for settling the $28,184 in penalties, and Weprin paid those penalties.[21][22] Weprin would have to repay the $325,561 in public funds before he could receive any public funds for another city election; as of 2016, he had not repaid the monies.[20][21][22]

NY State Assembly

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On February 9, 2010, Weprin won a special election to replace his brother Mark to represent New York State Assembly's District 24.[23][24] He won the general election the following November with 67 percent of the vote, running on both the Democratic and the Working Families tickets.[23][25] This seat was held by his brother and father before him.[26] In his most recent Democratic primary in June 2020, he won with 50.4% of the vote, and then went on to win the general election.[27] He has a record of supporting major progressive causes, such as a surcharge on millionaires.[28]

As chairman of the Assembly's Correction Committee, he worked to reform the Rockefeller drug laws and reduce the number of prisoners in New York State prisons.[11] He has proposed granting immediate parole to prisoners who have reached 55 years of age and served 15 years in prison, regardless of their health status and no matter what their sentence is—even prisoners with life sentences.[29][30][31][32] He has also proposed limiting solitary confinement to 15 days.[33]

2011 Congressional campaign

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Main article: 2011 New York's 9th congressional district special election

Weprin was selected by local Democratic Party leaders to run for the New York's 9th congressional district special election to the House of Representatives held in September 2011, to replace Democrat Anthony Weiner, who had resigned in June 2011 following a sexting scandal.[34] The district, in which registered Democrats outnumbered Republicans by three-to-one, was under consideration for elimination in 2012 redistricting, and Weprin, who lived a few blocks outside of the district, was chosen largely because he promised not to challenge another incumbent in 2012, should his seat be eliminated.[35][34]

The seat was initially considered safe for Democrats, as no Republican had won it in 88 years.[14][36] But Weprin was criticized for telling the New York Daily News editorial board in an interview that the US national debt was $4 trillion (rather than $14 trillion), for unexpectedly bowing out of a scheduled debate at the last minute blaming the already-passed Hurricane Irene, and for his image as a product of the Queens Democratic machine.[37][38] Weprin was defeated by Republican opponent Bob Turner, a retired television executive, as Turner received 54% of the vote against Weprin's 46%, after a Weprin campaign plagued by gaffes.[23][39][40][41]

Turner, a Roman Catholic, was appealing to Jewish voters, who made up about a third of the voters in the district. He criticized President Obama's policies on Israel, and portrayed Weprin, who was strongly pro-Israel, as being insufficiently critical of Obama's stance on Israel.[42][40] Former New York City mayor Ed Koch, a Democrat and Jew, supported Turner in order to send a message to President Obama to change what Koch described as his "hostile position on the State of Israel".[43] Turner was also supported by Assemblyman Dov Hikind, a Democrat and Orthodox Jew, and local rabbis, who objected to Weprin's support for same-sex marriage.[44][45]

2021 NYC Comptroller campaign

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Main article: 2021 New York City Comptroller election

In November 2020 Weprin announced himself as a candidate in the 2021 New York City Comptroller election.[26] He is running in the Democratic primary against among others NYS Senator Brian Benjamin, entrepreneur and former US Marine Zach Iscol, NYC Council member Brad Lander, and NYS Senator Kevin Parker.[46]

Weprin started his campaign with a $320,000 deficit.[47] It was a debt he had owed but not paid to New York City's Campaign Finance Board for almost a decade.[47] It related to Weprin's unsuccessful 2009 comptroller campaign, and its improper mingling of public and private funds.[47] On December 15, 2020, he finally paid off the debt, with his state campaign account.[47]

Through January 15, 2021, he was fourth in fundraising among all candidates, behind Lander, Iscol, and Benjamin.[48] He had raised approximately $455,000.[48]

Political views

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The New York Times described Weprin in 2011 as having "liberal political views".[49] Weprin is a strong supporter of social security, and is in favor of raising taxes on millionaires.[40] Though an Orthodox Jew, he supported legalizing same-sex marriage, for which he was criticized by some other Orthodox Jews.[50][51] In the debate about the Park51 Islamic community center and mosque near Ground Zero, Weprin defended the right to build an Islamic community center and mosque four city blocks from that site, but expressed his wish that the center and mosque be built at a different location.[40]

Election results

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David I. Weprin (DEM – IND – WOR) 4,465
Bob Friedrich (REP – CON) 2,757
  • November 2010 general election, NYS Assembly, 24th AD[53]
David I. Weprin (DEM – WOR) 17,817
Timothy S. Furey (REP) 5,567
Bob Friedrich (CON) 2,145
  • 2011 special election in New York's 9th congressional district to the House of Representatives (472/512 precincts reporting)[39]
Bob Turner (REP – CON) 33,816
David I. Weprin (DEM – IND – WOR) 29,688
Chris Hoeppner (SWP) 278

Personal life

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Weprin married his first wife, Roselyn (née Roselyn Weisstuch; also Roselyn Weprin Beekof), in 1984 and filed for divorce from her in 1986.[54][55][56][57] He lives with his second wife whom he married in 1990, Ronni Gold, in Holliswood, Queens, and has five children.[40][49]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "David I. Weprin: Biography". New York State Assembly. Retrieved September 13, 2011.
  2. ^ "Weprin Picked By Democrats To Run for Weiner's Seat". The Jewish Daily Forward. July 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Saul, Michael Howard (July 8, 2011). "Weiner Seat Nominee Set". The Wall Street Journal.
  4. ^ Koplowitz, Howard. 'Queens Chronicle,' "Mark, David Weprin’s mother honored by state Hispanic group". April 16, 2009 Mark, David Weprin’s mother honored by state Hispanic group
  5. ^ TimesLedger, Q. N. S. (April 19, 2011). "Jamaica HS rallies against closing plan". QNS Times Ledger.
  6. ^ Atiba Archibald (March 3, 2015). "Many SUNY Alumni Act as Voices for New Yorkers in State Government". Big Ideas.
  7. ^ a b "David Ira Weprin Profile | Attorney profile". Martindale. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  8. ^ "David Weprin's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved September 13, 2011.
  9. ^ "Hofstra Law to Honor Alumni Members of the New York State Assembly at 25th Annual PJF Auction". Hofstra University Law News. February 25, 2014.
  10. ^ "A Fighter for the Unheard". City & State NY. January 20, 2015.[permanent dead link‍]
  11. ^ a b c d e f Brady, Ryan (June 13, 2019). "What the Weprins have given Queens". Queens Chronicle.
  12. ^ Dickter, Adam (August 23, 2011). "Weprin's Tightrope". New York Jewish Week.
  13. ^ "Candidate David I. Weprin: City Controller". The New York Daily News. August 15, 2009.
  14. ^ a b c Khurshid, Samar (July 19, 2019). "Assemblymember David Weprin Plots City Comptroller Campaign". Gotham Gazette.
  15. ^ Dana Rubinstein (June 17, 2009). "An Unexciting Man for an Unexciting Job". Observer.
  16. ^ Khurshid, Samar. "David Weprin Launches Campaign for New York City Comptroller". Gotham Gazette.
  17. ^ Neuman, William (November 24, 2006). "Bigger Push for Charging Drivers Who Use the Busiest Streets". The New York Times. Retrieved September 13, 2011.
  18. ^ Fahim, Kareem (September 10, 2009). "Councilman Attacks Rivals in Final Primary Debate for Comptroller". The New York Times.
  19. ^ Stirling, Stephen (September 17, 2009). "Liu, Yassky head for comptroller runoff". Your Nabe. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  20. ^ a b Phil Corso (September 14, 2012). "Weprin camp owes $350K for '09 race". QNS Times Ledger.
  21. ^ a b c d Samar Khurshid & Jarrett Murphy (October 7, 2016). "The New York City Campaign Finance Board and Its Scofflaws". Gotham Gazette.
  22. ^ a b c d e Chan, Melissa (December 5, 2012). "Weprin fined for comptroller campaign violations". QNS Times Ledger.
  23. ^ a b c "David Weprin". Ballotpedia.
  24. ^ "Weprin Wins Special Election In Queens". NY1 News. February 9, 2010. Archived from the original on September 5, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2011.
  25. ^ "Election Results 2010: New York State Legislature". The New York Times. 2010. Retrieved September 13, 2011.
  26. ^ a b Mohamed, Carlotta (December 8, 2020). "Queens assemblyman officially launches campaign for New York City Comptroller". QNS Times Ledger. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  27. ^ "NY Assembly 24 - D Primary Race - Jun 23, 2020". Our Campaigns.
  28. ^ Azi Paybarah (July 8, 2011). "David Weprin Explains His Progressive Record in Albany [Video]". Observer.
  29. ^ Joe Mahoney (January 30, 2019). "NY prisons boss pressed by lawmakers on parole for aging inmates". Niagara Gazette.
  30. ^ Noah Goldberg and David Brand (January 1, 2020). "What to look for in criminal justice reform in New York in 2020". Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
  31. ^ Robert Harding (April 17, 2019). "NY bill would make older inmates, even those with life sentences, eligible for parole". Auburn Citizen.
  32. ^ Friedrich, Bob (May 2, 2019). "Democrats are working hard to help out criminals". Queens Chronicle.
  33. ^ Rachel Silberstein (March 27, 2019). "Budget talks include limits on solitary confinement". Capitol Confidential.
  34. ^ a b Chen, David W. (July 7, 2011). "Democrats Pick David Weprin, an Assemblyman, to Run for Weiner's Seat". The New York Times. Retrieved September 13, 2011.
  35. ^ Rubinstein, Dana (September 6, 2011). "Welcome to NY-9, and an awkward special election for an endangered congressional seat". Capital. Retrieved September 13, 2011.
  36. ^ Weiner, Rachel (September 13, 2011). "Republican Bob Turner wins New York special election". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 13, 2011.
  37. ^ Joshua Miller (August 29, 2011). "Weprin Drops Out of Debate in N.Y. Special". Roll Call.
  38. ^ Isenstadt, Alex (September 2, 2011). "Fight for Weiner seat sparks worries". Politico.
  39. ^ a b "New York – County Vote Results: U.S. House – District 9 – Special General". AP. September 15, 2011.
  40. ^ a b c d e Bilefsky, Dan (September 8, 2011). "A Scion of Queens Democrats Vies for a House Seat". New York Times. Retrieved September 13, 2011.
  41. ^ Barbaro, Michael (August 30, 2011). "Pulling Out of a Debate, Over a Storm Long Gone". The New York Times.
  42. ^ "Republican Bob Turner wins Weiner's former seat". JTA. September 14, 2011. Archived from the original on September 29, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2011.Rubinstein, Dana (September 7, 2011). "Turner targets conservative-leaning Jews of the Ninth, but just how conservative-leaning are they?". Capital. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  43. ^ Landler, Mark (September 14, 2011). "Seeing Ripple in Jewish Vote". The New York Times.Taylor, Kate (September 15, 2011). "Koch May Test His Political Voice on National Stage". The New York Times. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  44. ^ Silver, Nate (September 14, 2011). "For Democrats, It's 2010 All Over Again". The New York Times. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
  45. ^ Dickter, Adam (September 9, 2011). "Rabbis: Vote For Weprin Prohibited". The Jewish Week. Archived from the original on January 2, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  46. ^ Mays, Jeffery C. (January 27, 2021). "One Candidate Leaves Crowded Mayor's Race. One From 'Housewives' Joins". The New York Times.
  47. ^ a b c d "Frozen pens and face masks – petitioning in the pandemic". City & State NY. March 3, 2021.
  48. ^ a b "Crunching The Numbers: Who's Making Bank In The Comptroller's Race?". Gothamist. January 29, 2021.
  49. ^ a b Bilefsky, Dan (September 9, 2011). "A Scion of Queens Democrats Vies for a House Seat". The New York Times.
  50. ^ Chris Bragg (August 18, 2011). "Weprin Faces Backlash in Orthodox Community". Metrofocus.
  51. ^ "Republicans look for upset in NY special election". Associated Press. September 9, 2011. Retrieved September 13, 2011 – via Fox News.
  52. ^ "Special Election Results, 24th Assembly District: February 9, 2010" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. March 23, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 23, 2012.
  53. ^ "General Election Results, State Assembly: November 2, 2010" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. December 13, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 18, 2013.
  54. ^ "on 55". New York Daily News. March 3, 1987.
  55. ^ "Decision; In the Matter of Robert S. Ellenport an attorney at law," Supreme Court of New Jersey, Disciplinary Review Board Docket Nos. DRB 96-448 and DRB 97-012, June 30, 1997.
  56. ^ Smith, Ben (September 11, 2011). "In leaked custody filing, 'heedless' Weprin; 'dirty politics' alleged". Politico. Retrieved September 13, 2011.
  57. ^ John Hudson (October 30, 2013). "The Campaign for Anthony Weiner's Old Seat Has Gotten Ugly," The Atlantic.
[edit]
Political offices
Preceded by New York City Council, 23rd district
2002–2009 		Succeeded by
New York State Assembly
Preceded by New York State Assembly, 24th district
2010–present 		Incumbent
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