Steven McLaughlin
Steven McLaughlin | |
---|---|
County ExecutiveofRensselaer County | |
Assumed office January 1, 2018 | |
Preceded by | Kathleen M. Jimino |
Member of theNew York State Assembly from the 107th district | |
In office January 1, 2011 – December 31, 2017 | |
Preceded by | Timothy Gordon |
Succeeded by | Jacob Ashby |
Personal details | |
Born | Boston,Massachusetts,U.S. | October 4, 1963
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Divorced |
Children | 2 |
Alma mater | Xaverian Brothers High School Florida Institute of Technology Arizona State University Empire State College University of Phoenix |
Website | Government website |
Steven Francis "Steve" McLaughlin(born October 4, 1963)[1]is an American politician serving as County Executive of Rensselaer County, New York. ARepublican,McLaughlin represented the 107th District in theNew York State Assemblyfrom 2011 to 2017; the district included parts ofAlbany,Columbia,GreeneandRensselaer Countiesin New York'sCapital Region.[2]McLaughlin was elected Rensselaer County Executive in November 2017.
Early life and education
[edit]McLaughlin was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the third of four children of Arthur and Winifred McLaughlin. He was raised inWrentham, Massachusetts,attending public elementary school andXaverian Brothers High School.[3]
He attended theFlorida Institute of Technologyin 1983 and received commercial and instrument aircraft ratings. He then studied finance atArizona State University.He earned aB.A.degree fromEmpire State College(State University of New York) and anM.B.A.from theUniversity of Phoenix.[3]
Career
[edit]Before entering politics, McLaughlin was an airline pilot and a banker.[3]
McLaughlin was elected to the New York State Assembly on November 2, 2010, when he defeated incumbentTimothy P. Gordon.[4]McLaughlin had previously run against Gordon in 2008, but was defeated.[5]McLaughlin was re-elected to the Assembly in 2012, 2014, and 2016.[6][7]
McLaughlin was censured by the New York State Assembly Ethic Committee for violations of the Sexual Harassment Policy after he requested a female staff member send him nude photos.[8][9][10][11]
McLaughlin was accused of "roughing up" a former top aide.[12]He was recorded telling the same aide, “You’re still fat. You are. Not attractive — and you’re a (expletive) awful human being.”[12]
In 2013, McLaughlin criticized Cuomo's gun control policies and compared him toAdolf Hitler,Mussolini,andPutin.McLaughlin later apologized for making the comparison.[13]
McLaughlin ran for Rensselaer County Executive in 2017 following the retirement of longtime County Executive Kathy Jimino.[14]After defeating Deputy County Executive Christopher Meyer in a contentious Republican primary,[15]McLaughlin narrowly prevailed over Democrat Andrea Smyth in the general election.[16]
Mclaughlin was sworn in as Rensselaer County executive on January 1, 2018.[17]
In November 2019, leaked audio from a verbally abusive private meeting between McLaughlin, several of his top political and governmental aides, former Republican CongressmanJohn Sweeney,and then-Republican candidate for Troy mayor Thomas Reale, was published by theTimes Union.[18]During the meeting, McLaughlin, County Director of Operations Richard Christ, County Director of Purchasing James Gordon, and Sweeney pressured Reale to drop out of the mayoral race and endorse Rodney Wiltshire,[19]a third-party candidate defeated in the Democratic primary by incumbent Democratic MayorPatrick Madden.[20]Mr. Reale remained in the race and was defeated by Madden in the general election.[21]
In November, 2019, McLaughlin was accused of withholding his signature from documents approving a property transfer betweenRensselaer Countyand the city ofTroyassociated with the South Troy Industrial Park Road project.[22]McLaughlin later said the delay was the result of alleged unpaid bills between the two municipalities and a separate dispute over engineering services.[23]
On December 1, 2021, McLaughlin was indicted on two felony counts, including grand larceny in the third degree for misusing campaign funds to pay personal debts.[24]
On January 25, 2023, McLaughlin was acquitted of the felony counts by a jury after one hour of deliberations.[25]
In April 2023, several of McLaughlin’s top aides, including Christ and Gordon, were indicted by the FBI on federal criminal charges which alleged fraud and intimidation were used to obtain absentee ballots in the names of voters during the 2021 primary and general elections in Rensselaer County.[26]
County roads
[edit]With over 320 miles of roads in Rensselaer County, the county typically paved on average about 20 miles annually.
Personal life
[edit]McLaughlin resides in North Greenbush.[2]He has two sons, Danny and Sean.[3]Sean was a contestant on the 20th season of ABC’s dating seriesThe Bachelor.[27]
References
[edit]- ^"Legislative Preview: Meet The New Members".The Capitol.Manhattan Media.January 6, 2011. Archived fromthe originalon June 6, 2015.RetrievedMarch 17,2011.
- ^ab"Steven F. McLaughlin: Biography".New York State Assembly.RetrievedMarch 17,2011.
- ^abcd"Election 2010 Profile: Steve McLaughlin".The Record.September 21, 2010.RetrievedMarch 17,2011.
- ^https:// elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/elections/2010/general/2010AssemblyRecertified09122012.pdf2010 Assembly Election Results, New York State Board of Elections
- ^Danielle Sanzone (2010-11-03)."VIDEO: Steve McLaughlin wins in close race for the 108th State Assembly District".troyrecord.
- ^"Assembly special elections too close to call | Hudson Valley 360".hudsonvalley360.
- ^McLaughlin, Steven."County Executive".stevemclaughlinforcountyexecutive.
- ^Vilensky, Mike (29 November 2017)."New York Lawmaker Censured in Sexual-Harassment Case".Wall Street Journal.
- ^Lyons, Brendan J.; Hamilton, Matthew (2017-11-29)."Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin sanctioned for sexual harassment".Times Union.Retrieved2022-11-29.
- ^"NY Ethics Committee: Steve McLaughlin violated sexual harassment policy".NEWS10 ABC.2017-11-29.Retrieved2022-11-29.
- ^"Steve McLaughlin sanctioned following sexual harassment complaint".spectrumlocalnews.Retrieved2022-11-29.
- ^abhttps:// timesunion /news/article/Aide-accused-state-assemblyman-of-roughing-her-up-12168087.php[bare URL]
- ^Kaplan, Thomas (5 February 2013)."Cuomo Acted Like Hitler in Gun Push, Official Says".The New York Times.Retrieved7 November2017.
- ^Buonanno, Nicholas (August 12, 2017)."Assemblyman looks to be next Rensselaer County Executive".Troy Record.RetrievedDecember 2,2017.
- ^Crowe, Kenneth (September 18, 2017)."Meyer concedes Rensselaer County primaries to McLaughlin".Times Union.RetrievedDecember 2,2017.
- ^Crowe, Kenneth (November 14, 2017)."Smyth concedes to McLaughlin in county executive's contest".Times Union.RetrievedDecember 2,2017.
- ^"McLaughlin, assemblyman turns executive".WNYT NewsChannel 13.2018-01-01.Retrieved2019-10-03.
- ^"McLaughlin: I'm the ' Boss ' of Rensselaer County".Times Union.
- ^"Mayoral candidates react to expletive-laced recording leaked".News10 ABC.
- ^"Troy Mayor Patrick Madden Tops Wiltshire In Democratic Primary".WAMC Northeast Public Radio.
- ^"Madden wins in Troy".Times Union.
- ^Crowe, Kenneth (November 14, 2019)."Troy industrial road project stalls without McLaughlin's signature".Times Union.
- ^Crowe, Kenneth (January 17, 2020)."Lack of apology, bus bill blamed for Troy road delay".Times Union.
- ^Ferré-Sadurní, Luis (December 2021)."Cuomo Nemesis is Charged with Campaign Fraud".The New York Times.
- ^https:// timesunion /news/article/deliberations-expected-wednesday-steve-17740594.php[bare URL]
- ^Lyons, Brendan (April 27, 2023)."Three more Rensselaer County officials charged with federal offenses".Times Union.
- ^Stanforth, Lauren (March 30, 2023)."Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLauglin's son Sean a suitor on 'The Bachelorette'".Times Union.
External links
[edit]- 1963 births
- 21st-century American legislators
- Arizona State University alumni
- Empire State University alumni
- Florida Institute of Technology alumni
- Living people
- Republican Party members of the New York State Assembly
- People from Schaghticoke, New York
- Politicians from Boston
- University of Phoenix alumni
- W. P. Carey School of Business alumni
- Xaverian Brothers High School alumni
- American commercial aviators
- 21st-century New York (state) politicians