Bill Samuels | |
---|---|
Born | Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
Alma mater | MIT, Harvard Law School |
Occupation(s) | Businessman and political activist |
Known for | Political activism- Constitutional Convention, Blue Tiger Democrats, EffectiveNY |
Movement | Democratic Party |
Spouse | Marie Samuels |
Website | effectiveny |
William Christie Samuels is a political activist and businessman who resided in New York and now lives in Rhode Island. He was the founder of the good government group EffectiveNY and is currently the chairman of the board of the Howard Samuels Policy Center. [1] He was awarded the 2011 Common Cause Award for outstanding commitment to government and as an innovating political thinker [2] and the 2017 Center for Popular Democracy Social Justice Award. [3] Samuels was Chairman and CEO of ACTV, Inc. He was instrumental in getting the inclusive New York State Equal Rights Amendment onto the ballot in 2024.
Samuels was raised upstate in Canandaigua, New York, the son of Howard and Barbara Samuels. His father Howard J. Samuels served as U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce under President Lyndon B. Johnson, was Director of the Small Business Administration and founded Kordite, which made Baggies and Hefty. [4] [5] The company was sold to Mobil Oil in 1958. [6] In 1974, his father ran for Governor with Mario Cuomo as his Lieutenant Governor ultimately losing to Hugh Carey. [4]
Samuels attended MIT where he earned undergraduate degrees in political science, economics, and engineering. He later graduated from Harvard Law School. [7]
After law school he started an education company, APC Skills, dedicated to training entry level workers who lacked the skills to get and keep a job, which was a priority of President Johnson's War on Poverty. [7] In 1987 the company merged with the Alexander Proudfoot company which had offices in the U.S., Europe, Brazil and Mexico. In 1988, it became a publicly traded company on the London exchange (symbol MMC). [8]
Samuels was a pioneer in the introduction of interactive television. [7] He built ACTV, as a start up, with the Washington Post as a major investor. [7] [9] [10] In 1990 it went public on NASDAQ (symbol IATV). [10] In 2002, the company was sold to Liberty Media. [11]
In 1969, right out of law school, Samuels was one of the founders of the non-profit The Council of Economic Priorities (CEP). [2] The Council produced research on major public companies’ records on the environment, women and minority advancement, tobacco support, South Africa involvement, and other social issues. [12] It was an early predecessor of today’s Environmental, and Social and Governance ( ESG) efforts.
Samuels raised money and supported John Kerry’s Vietnam Veterans Against the War March on Washington on April 23,1971. [13] This is where Kerry made the famous statement “how do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam?” [14]
In 2004, Samuels produced and financed George Butler's “Going Upriver, The Long War of John Kerry,” which was released during Kerry’s Presidential campaign and countered the Republican Swift Boat attacks. [15] [16]
In January 2001, a group of largely minority school children were legally invited to Gramercy Park, the only private park in Manhattan. The students were from the near-by Washington Irving High School and belonged to a biology class that planned to examine plants and wildlife in the park. The Gramercy Park Trust has sovereignty over the park and one of the trustees ordered the student to leave and called the police. [17]
Samuels, who lived nearby, was “was disturbed enough” that he hired a major law firm and financed a civil rights lawsuit. The suit alleged teachers and students heard the trustee say “the park is not for these kinds of kids” The students won $40,000 each. [17]
Samuels founded the Blue Tiger Democrats in 2004. The tiger was the symbol of the famous 911 fire engine brigade and became the symbol of the New York Democrats in the late 19th century. [14] [18]
Blue Tiger believes that the Democratic Party needs to build into its regular voter activities, civic engagement projects such as senior computer training, VA Hospital support for the veterans, food drives, or roadway clear-ups. [18] [14]
In addition to Blue Tiger’s New York State activity, Samuels met with Michigan Governor Granholn and she brought the Blue Tiger party to Michigan. The Blue Tiger program was adopted across the state. [18] [14] The program is still active today. [19] [20] For example, in 2022 the Manistee Democratic Party set up a Blue Tiger scholarship program. [19]
As a result of his father running with Mario Cuomo as his Lieutenant Governor in 1974, Samuels knew Andrew Cuomo well. When Cuomo was elected Governor in 2010, Samuels became an outspoken critic, both in the press and on television. He said "When history is written, he'll just be a mediocre governor that had a Nixon personality." [21] [22]
Samuels even threatened to run to be his Lieutenant Governor in 2010 and 2014, not as an ally of Cuomo but as a check. [23] [24]
In 2010 Samuels grew concerned about corruption in the State Senate Democratic Party. Particularly with the Democratic Majority Leader, Pedro Espada. [25] [26]
Samuels opened offices in Espada's district and funded a major campaign to oust him. Espada was defeated and later sent to prison for five years for stealing from a non-profit. [27]
Samuels was a leader and the biggest financial supporter of the required New York State 2017 vote that asked the question: Shall there be a convention to revise the Constitution and amend the same. [25] He organized the Citizens Committee for an Effective Constitution, whose goal was to reform and update the New York State Constitution. He traveled the state with Brian Kolb, the Republican Assembly Minority leader, urging voters to approve the convention. [25]
Voters rejected the convention and Samuels said: “the measures’ defeat is a triumph for all of the enemies of reform in Albany.” [28]
He pursued one of his main suggestions: The need for an inclusive Equal Right Amendment. In 2017 he and State Senator Liz Kruger held a press briefing and submitted to the State Senate a constitutional amendment that not only covered women, but many other categories such as race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, or sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression. Later the legislature added reproductive healthcare and autonomy. [29] [30]
The legislature approved it in January, 2023 and it is on the ballot in November, 2024 for approval by the voters. [31] The measure places New York at the forefront of legal efforts to protect reproductive rights for women after the Supreme Court voted down Roe V Wade. [32]
About one and half million private sector employees in New York City have no access to a retirement saving program unlike employees of large corporations. In response to this, Samuels designed a program called “ Retirement Security for All” and introduced it to the New York City Council. He said in a September 9, 2019 press conference with Mayor De Blasio, “EffectiveNY is enormously gratified and pleased to see this tremendous progress towards providing all New Yorkers the means to retire with dignity.” [33]
It was signed into law on May 11, 2021, making it the first city in the nation to create a universal retirement program through their employers. [34]
In 2017, Samuels founded "21 in '21". At that time there were only 5 women set to remain in the 2019 NYC City Council, which had 51 members. The goal was to have 21 women on the Council by 2021. [35] In 2021, 31 women were elected or 61% of the members. [36]
Samuels served 6 years in the U.S. Army’s Judge Advocate Jag Corps. He is married to Marie Dunn Samuels and they have a daughter Kitty Samuels. He and Marie currently live in Newport, Rhode Island. [37]
Mario Matthew Cuomo was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 52nd governor of New York for three terms, from 1983 to 1995. A member of the Democratic Party, Cuomo previously served as the lieutenant governor of New York from 1979 to 1982 and the secretary of State of New York from 1975 to 1978. He was the father of former New York governor Andrew Cuomo and NewsNation anchor Christopher Cuomo.
The Liberal Party of New York is a political party in New York. Its platform supports a standard set of socially liberal policies, including abortion rights, increased spending on education, and universal health care.
Andrew Mark Cuomo is an American politician, lawyer, and former government official who served as the 56th governor of New York from 2011 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Cuomo was elected to three terms to the same position that his father, Mario Cuomo, held for three terms as the 52nd governor.
The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature, while the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Established in 1777 by the Constitution of New York, its members are elected to two-year terms with no term limits. There are 63 seats in the Senate. The Democratic Party has held control of the New York State Senate since 2019. The Senate Majority Leader is Andrea Stewart-Cousins.
Letitia Ann James is an American lawyer and politician serving since 2019 as the Attorney General of New York (NYAG), having won the 2018 election to succeed Barbara Underwood. A member of the Democratic Party, James is the first African American and first woman to be elected New York Attorney General.
The lieutenant governor of New York is a constitutional office in the executive branch of the Government of the State of New York. It is the second highest-ranking official in state government. The lieutenant governor is elected on a ticket with the governor for a four-year term. Official duties dictated to the lieutenant governor under the present New York Constitution are to serve as president of the state senate, serve as acting governor in the absence of the governor from the state or the disability of the governor, or to become governor in the event of the governor's death, resignation or removal from office via impeachment. Additional statutory duties of the lieutenant governor are to serve on the New York Court for the Trial of Impeachments, the State Defense Council, and on the board of trustees of the College of Environmental Science and Forestry. The lieutenant governor of New York is the highest-paid lieutenant governor in the country.
The 2002 New York gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2002. Republican Governor George Pataki was re-elected to a third term, defeating Democrat Carl McCall and Rochester billionaire Tom Golisano, who ran on the Independence Party line. As of 2024, this was the last time a Republican won a statewide election in New York, and the last time Albany, Tompkins and Westchester counties have voted Republican in a statewide election.
Howard Joseph Samuels was an American statesman, industrialist, civil rights activist and philanthropist who served as United States Under Secretary of Commerce and Director of the Small Business Administration under President Johnson, special advisor to the campaign for president by John F. Kennedy and the administration of President Carter.
Marcus J. Molinaro is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for New York's 19th congressional district since 2023. A member of the Republican Party, Molinaro was a member of the Dutchess County Legislature and the New York State Assembly before being elected county executive of Dutchess County, New York in 2011. He was reelected county executive in 2015 and 2019. Molinaro is also a former mayor of Tivoli; when he became mayor at age 19, he was the youngest mayor in the United States.
The 1994 New York gubernatorial election was an election for the state governorship held on November 8, 1994. Incumbent Democratic Governor Mario Cuomo ran for a fourth term, but was defeated by Republican George Pataki in an upset victory. Pataki had previously been described by the New York Daily News as "a little-known Republican state senator." The conservative New York Post attributed the result to how voters "had grown tired of the 12-year incumbent Cuomo and his liberalism."
The 1982 New York gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1982, to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of New York. Incumbent Democratic Governor Hugh Carey chose not to run for a third term, which resulted in an open race. Democratic nominee Mario Cuomo, the Lieutenant Governor of New York, narrowly defeated Republican Lewis Lehrman, a banker who ran as a conservative.
Pedro Espada Jr. is an American convicted felon and former politician. A Democrat, Espada served in the New York Senate.
The Freedom Party of New York is a party founded in 2010 by a former Black Panther Party member and New York City Councilmember Charles Barron on a black progressive platform.
Kathleen Hochul is an American politician and lawyer. Since August 24, 2021, she has served as the 57th governor of New York. A member of the Democratic Party, she is New York's first female governor and the first governor from Upstate New York since Nathan L. Miller in 1920.
Ken Martin is an American political figure from Minnesota. He is currently Chairman of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party, President of the Association of State Democratic Committees, and a Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee.
The 2014 New York gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo sought re-election to a second term in office, though incumbent Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy did not seek re-election. Cuomo and his running mate, former U.S. Representative Kathy Hochul, won contested primaries, while Republican Rob Astorino, the Westchester County Executive, and his running mate were unopposed for their party's nomination. Astorino and Moss were also cross-nominated by the Conservative Party and the Stop Common Core Party.
The 2018 New York gubernatorial election occurred on November 6, 2018. Incumbent Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo won re-election to a third term, defeating Republican Marc Molinaro and several minor party candidates. Cuomo received 59.6% of the vote to Molinaro's 36.2%.
New York Proposition 1 was a 2017 ballot measure that would have established a constitutional convention to revise the Constitution of the State of New York, subject to the approval of the voters. Section 2 of Article XIX of the state constitution requires that every 20 years the ballot question "Shall there be a convention to revise the constitution and amend the same?" should be submitted to the voters. The referendum was rejected by a large margin on November 7, 2017.
The 2018 New York Attorney General election took place on November 6, 2018. New York City Public Advocate Letitia James, a Democrat, was elected. James is the first woman and the first African-American to be elected New York Attorney General.
The 2023 United States elections were held, in large part, on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. The off-year election included gubernatorial and state legislative elections in a few states, as well as numerous citizen initiatives, mayoral races, and a variety of other local offices on the ballot. At least three special elections to the United States Congress were scheduled as either deaths or vacancies arose. The Democratic Party retained control of the governorship in Kentucky, flipped the Wisconsin Supreme Court and held a seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, gained six seats in the New Jersey General Assembly, and won back unified control of the Virginia General Assembly, while Republicans also flipped the governorship in Louisiana and narrowly retained Mississippi's governorship. The election cycle also saw Ohio voting to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution and legalize cannabis for recreational use. The results were widely seen as a success for the Democratic Party.