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William Carney (politician)

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William Carney
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 1st district
In office
January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1987
Preceded byOtis G. Pike
Succeeded byGeorge J. Hochbrueckner
Member of the Suffolk County, New York Legislature from 6th District
In office
January 1976 – December 1978
Preceded byAngela Christenson
Succeeded byDonald C. Allgrove
Personal details
Born(1942-07-01)July 1, 1942
New York City, U.S.
DiedMay 22, 2017(2017-05-22) (aged 74)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political partyRepublican (after 1985)
Conservative (before 1985)
SpouseBarbara Ann Haverlin
Children2
Alma materFlorida State University
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Years of service1961–1964
UnitMedical Corps

William Carney (July 1, 1942 – May 22, 2017) was an American politician from New York who served in the Suffolk County, New York Legislature and United States House of Representatives as a member of the Conservative and Republican parties. He is the only registered member of the Conservative Party of New York State to be elected to the United States House of Representatives.[1] He is one of two members of the Conservative Party to be elected to the United States Congress along with James L. Buckley, who was elected to the United States Senate from New York's Class I seat in 1970.

After serving in Suffolk County, New York's county legislature Carney was elected to the United States House of Representatives with the support of the Republican Party. He was reelected three more times before changing his party affiliation to Republican in 1985 in an attempt to gain a leadership position in the Republican House caucus. However, he chose to not seek reelection in 1986, due to negative reactions to his support of the Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant.

Early life

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William Carney was born on July 1, 1942, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, New York, to Joseph and Sally Carney. In 1960, he graduated from Delehanty High School and attended Florida State University from 1960 to 1961. From 1961 to 1964, he served in the United States Army Medical Corps.[2][3]

In April 1965, he met Barbara Ann Haverlin, proposed to her on May 14, 1965, married her on May 14, 1966, and later had two children with her.[3] Before entering politics he was a salesman for heavy equipment in Hauppauge, New York.[1]

Career

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Suffolk County Legislature

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Carney with President Ronald Reagan in 1986

In 1975, Carney received the nomination of the Conservative Party to run in the sixth district for the Suffolk County Legislature. In the general election he defeated incumbent legislator Angela Christenson.[4] He took office in January 1976, and served until December 1978, as he had chosen to seek election to the United States House of Representatives. He was succeeded by Donald C. Allgrove, a member of the Republican Party.[5][6][7]

United States House of Representatives

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Elections

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During New York's gubernatorial election in 1978, Perry B. Duryea Jr., who had received the Republican gubernatorial nomination, sought the Conservative Party's ballot line in his attempt to defeat incumbent Democratic Governor Hugh Carey. The Conservative and New York Republican parties created a compromise in which Duryea would be given the Conservative ballot line in the gubernatorial election and Carney would be allowed to run in the 1st congressional district's Republican primary.[8] Although Duryea had the nominations of both the Republican and Conservative parties through electoral fusion, he lost to Carey in the general election with 45% of the popular vote.

In 1978, Carney ran for the Republican nomination in New York's 1st congressional district and defeated four opponents.[9] In the general election he defeated John Randolph. He and Gerald Solomon were the only Republicans to flip seats held by the Democratic Party and Carney was the first registered member of the Conservative Party to win election to the United States House of Representatives.[10][11][3]

During the 1980 elections he defeated John Hart in the Republican primary and also received the nominations of the Conservative and New York State Right to Life parties.[12] In the general election he defeated Democratic nominee Thomas Twomey.[13][14]

On May 24, 1982, Carney announced that he would seek reelection and easily defeated Democratic nominee Ethan Eldon, receiving over sixty percent of the popular vote, with the Republican, Conservative, and Right to Life parties' nominations.[15][16]

On March 19, 1984, he announced that he would seek reelection and defeated Suffolk County legislator Gregory Blass in the Republican primary, although Blass attempted to have a recount conducted.[17][18][19] In the general election he narrowly defeated Democratic and Ratepayers Against Lilco nominee George J. Hochbrueckner, a member of the New York State Assembly.[20][21] The Ratepayers Against Lilco ballot line was created by Hockbrueckner in opposition of the Long Island Lighting Company's construction of the Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant, which Carney supported.[22]

Tenure

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In 1979, Carney had the lowest income out of all of the members of the House of Representatives and had a 100% voting attendance rate.[23][24] In 1980, the American Civil Liberties Union gave him a zero percent rating; Carney and Earl Hutto, the Democratic representative from Florida's 1st congressional district, were the only members of the House of Representatives to receive a zero percent rating.[25] In 1981, President Ronald Reagan selected him as one of forty-eight people to meet with Pope Pope John Paul II during a refueling stop in Anchorage, Alaska.[26] On May 23, 1983, he became the chairman of Suffolk County Executive Peter Cohalan's reelection committee.[27]

In 1985, he was appointed to the House Committee on Armed Services during the 99th session of the House of Representatives.[28]

On October 8, 1985, he announced that he had changed his party affiliation from Conservative to Republican in an attempt to improve his chances of receiving the Deputy Minority Whip position. Tom Loeffler, the current Deputy Minority Whip, had announced that he would run for the Republican nomination in the 1986 Texas gubernatorial election. The Conservative Party leader in the 1st congressional district, Harold Haar, stated that he regretted Carney's decision, but that he understood why.[29]

On May 22, 1986, Carney announced that he would not seek reelection as his unpopularity was rising due to his support of the construction of the Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant.[30]

Later life

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After leaving the House of Representatives Carney was given a position on the American Security Council Foundation that paid $100,000 per year.[31]

In 2013, he contracted prostate cancer and later died from it on May 22, 2017, in Washington, D.C.[1] Following his death he was praised by Representative Lee Zeldin.[32] Carney was buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia.[1]

Political positions

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Domestic

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In 1976, Carney opposed a sales tax increase that was requested by Suffolk County Executive John Klein.[33] In 1981, $690,000 was earmarked for the creation of a new post office in Farmingville, New York, where Carney's district office was located.[34]

In 1982, President Reagan vetoed legislation that would grant $14.2 billion in fiscal spending. Four Republicans, including Carney, out of seventeen in the House of Representatives from New York voted to sustain Reagan's veto. Only six members of New York's thirty-nine House delegation voted to sustain Reagan's veto.[35]

On August 2, 1983, the House of Representatives voted 338 to 90, with Carney voting against, in favor of legislation that would create a federally recognized holiday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Carney, Guy Molinari, Barber Conable, David O'Brien Martin, and Gerald Solomon were the only members of New York's House delegation to vote against the legislation.[36]

Foreign

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In 1979, Carney, Norman F. Lent, and Gerald Solomon sent a letter to Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti asking him to investigate black leaders who met with Yasser Arafat for violation of the Logan Act.[37]

In 1981, Carney and 107 other members of the House of Representatives signed a letter asking for the withdrawal of the visa given to Ian Paisley, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, by President Jimmy Carter. Carney signed the letter and presented it to Deputy Secretary of State William P. Clark Jr. The Department of State later chose to revoke Paisley's visa in December.[38][39]

In 1982, he supported President Reagan's opposition to a non-binding resolution in favor of a nuclear freeze.[40] On December 21, 1982, twenty-four members of the House of Representative, including Carney, sent an eight-page letter to Archbishop Joseph Bernardin defending Reagan's nuclear policy.[41]

In 1983, he praised President Reagan for sending Marines to Grenada to restore the government overthrown by the People's Revolutionary Government.[42] Carney supported giving aid to the Contras during the Nicaraguan Revolution.[43]

On April 29, 1985, and January 23, 1986, he introduced resolutions that would designate June 14, as Baltic Freedom Day and show disapproval of the Soviet Union's refusal to recognize the independence of Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia.[44][45]

Electoral history

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William Carney electoral history
1978 New York 1st congressional district Republican primary[46]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican William Carney 4,939 31.08%
Republican James M. Catterson 3,203 20.16%
Republican John J. Hart 3,085 19.41%
Republican Salvatore Nicosia 2,624 16.51%
Republican John M. Radway 2,041 12.84%
Total votes 15,892 100.00%
1978 New York 1st congressional district election[47]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican William Carney 75,586 47.18% +17.45%
Conservative William Carney 14,529 9.07% +4.12%
Total William Carney 90,115 56.25% +26.52%
Democratic John Randolph 67,180 41.93% −23.39%
Liberal Dorothy A. Samek 2,909 1.82% −0.95%
Total votes 160,204 100.00%
1980 New York 1st congressional district Republican primary[48]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican William Carney (incumbent) 15,210 57.81% +26.73%
Republican John J. Hart 11,102 42.19% +22.78%
Total votes 26,312 100.00%
1980 New York 1st congressional district election[49]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican William Carney (incumbent) 91,647 44.82% −2.36%
Conservative William Carney (incumbent) 15,174 7.42% −1.65%
Right to Life William Carney (incumbent) 8,382 4.10% +4.10%
Total William Carney (incumbent) 115,213 56.34% +0.09%
Democratic Thomas Twomey 85,629 41.88% −0.05%
Liberal Richard M. Cummings 3,644 1.78% −0.04%
Total votes 204,486 100.00%
1982 New York 1st congressional district election[50]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican William Carney (incumbent) 72,978 52.87% +8.05%
Conservative William Carney (incumbent) 9,515 6.98% −0.44%
Right to Life William Carney (incumbent) 5,741 4.16% +0.06%
Total William Carney (incumbent) 88,234 63.93% +7.59%
Democratic Ethan C. Eldon 49,787 36.07% −5.81%
Total votes 138,021 100.00%
1984 New York 1st congressional district Republican primary[51]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican William Carney (incumbent) 8,059 52.55% −5.26%
Republican Gregory J. Blass 7,276 47.45%
Total votes 15,335 100.00%
1984 New York 1st congressional district election[52]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican William Carney (incumbent) 92,262 45.77% −7.10%
Conservative William Carney (incumbent) 10,405 5.16% −1.82%
Right to Life William Carney (incumbent) 4,365 2.17% −1.99%
Total William Carney (incumbent) 107,029 53.10% −10.83%
Democratic George J. Hochbrueckner 84,058 41.70% +5.63%
Ratepayers Against Lilco George J. Hochbrueckner 10,493 5.21% +5.21%
Total George J. Hochbrueckner 84,058 46.91% +10.84%
Total votes 201,580 100.00%

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "William Carney dead; politician who backed Shoreham plant was 74". May 23, 2017. Archived from the original on May 25, 2020.
  2. ^ "CARNEY, William (1942–2017)". Archived from the original on May 30, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c "WILLIAM "BILL" CARNEY". Archived from the original on May 30, 2020.
  4. ^ "Klein Plans to Seek Reelection". Daily News. June 4, 1975. p. 357. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Present & Former Legislator List". Archived from the original on June 1, 2020.
  6. ^ "Republicans To Select Successor". Daily News. November 28, 1978. p. 496. Archived from the original on June 1, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Donald C. Allgrove (R-Hauppauge)". Daily News. March 14, 1979. p. 765. Archived from the original on June 1, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ New York State Today. State University of New York Press. 1985. p. 77. ISBN 9780791499481 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ "Carney Wins Republican nomination". Poughkeepsie Journal. September 13, 1978. p. 22. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "State GOP adds one Congress seat". Press and Sun-Bulletin. November 8, 1978. p. 9. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "A seat for Conservatives". Daily News. November 9, 1978. p. 442. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Carney wins primary". Daily News. September 11, 1980. p. 3. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Congressional races tough". Daily News. November 2, 1980. p. 590. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "N.Y. House winners". The Ithaca Journal. November 5, 1980. p. 7. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Carney eyes reelection". Daily News. May 25, 1982. p. 156. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "1982 House election". Daily News. November 4, 1982. p. 25. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Carney announces he'll run for fourth term in Congress". Daily News. March 20, 1983. p. 151. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Incumbent Carney claims victory". Democrat and Chronicle. September 12, 1984. p. 4. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Blass seeks recount in Suffolk primary". Daily News. September 13, 1984. p. 167. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "George J. Hochbrueckner". Daily News. November 4, 1984. p. 389. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "N.Y. Democrats keep house strength". Press and Sun-Bulletin. November 7, 1984. p. 11. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Candidate seeks 2d line on ballot". Daily News. September 20, 1984. p. 224. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "SEC clears Rep.Green in stock buy". Daily News. May 22, 1979. p. 114. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Garcia No. 1 in News' poll". Daily News. August 8, 1979. p. 239. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "ACLU rates Congress less liberal". Courier-Post. October 19, 1980. p. 2. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "48 Meet With Pope". Daily News. March 8, 1981. p. 302. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "Carney backs Cohalan, despite split on nuke plant". Daily News. May 24, 1983. p. 175. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ "Carney on panel". Daily News. January 25, 1985. p. 81. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ "Rep. Carney joins GOP". Daily News. October 9, 1985. p. 335. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ "Carney won't run for 5th term". Daily News. May 23, 1986. p. 305. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ^ "American Security Council Foundation". Daily News. November 19, 1986. p. 184. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ^ "Rep. Zeldin Statement on Passing of Former NY-1 Congressman William Carney". May 24, 2017. Archived from the original on February 17, 2020.
  33. ^ "Albany Frigid to Klein's Plea for Hike in Sales Tax". Daily News. March 25, 1976. p. 764. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ^ "Farmingville to get new post office". Daily News. January 29, 1981. p. 243. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  35. ^ "Most N.Y. delegates opposed Reagan plan". The Ithaca Journal. September 11, 1982. p. 12. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  36. ^ "House: Day fit for King". Daily News. August 3, 1983. p. 4. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  37. ^ "GOP reps urge probe of blacks' Arafat meeting". Daily News. September 28, 1979. p. 775. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  38. ^ "U.S. Reviewing Paisley's Visa Status". The Tampa Tribune. December 15, 1981. p. 13. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  39. ^ Slavin, Barbara; Freudenheim, Milt (December 27, 1981). "THE WORLD IN SUMMARY; U.S. PULLS THE RUG ON PAISLEY" (abstract; fee required). The New York Times. p. 2. Retrieved June 13, 2008.
  40. ^ "Reagan fights N-freeze". Daily News. August 4, 1982. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  41. ^ "Bishops' N-ban draws Hill fire". Daily News. December 22, 1982. p. 22. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  42. ^ "Invasion of Grenada". Daily News. October 26, 1983. p. 77. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  43. ^ "Vets back Contras". Daily News. April 21, 1986. p. 202. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  44. ^ "H.J.Res. 263 (99th): A joint resolution designating June 14, 1985 as "Baltic Freedom Day"". April 29, 1985. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020.
  45. ^ "H.J.Res. 500 (99th): A joint resolution designating June 14, 1986, as "Baltic Freedom Day"". January 23, 1986. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020.
  46. ^ "NY District 1 – R Primary 1978". June 13, 2010.
  47. ^ "NY District 1 1978". March 10, 2011.
  48. ^ "NY District 1 – R Primary 1980". January 10, 2015.
  49. ^ "NY District 1 1980". March 10, 2011.
  50. ^ "NY District 1 1982". March 13, 2011.
  51. ^ "NY District 1 – R Primary 1984". April 27, 2005.
  52. ^ "NY District 1 1984". July 20, 2011.
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Appearances on C-SPAN

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 1st congressional district
1979–1987 		Succeeded by
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