Wikipedia

Anthony Brindisi

Anthony Joseph Brindisi (born November 22, 1978) is an American lawyer and politician from the state of New York. He serves as a United States district judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York. Brindisi served as the U.S. representative from New York's 22nd congressional district from 2019 to 2021. He represented New York's 119th Assembly District from 2011 to 2019.

Anthony Brindisi
Official portrait, 2019
Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
Incumbent
Assumed office
December 9, 2024
Appointed byJoe Biden
Preceded byDavid N. Hurd
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 22nd district
In office
January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021
Preceded byClaudia Tenney
Succeeded byClaudia Tenney
Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 119th district
In office
September 14, 2011 – January 1, 2019
Preceded byRoAnn Destito
Succeeded byMarianne Buttenschon
Personal details
Born
Anthony Joseph Brindisi

(1978-11-22) November 22, 1978 (age 46)
Utica, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseErica McGovern
Children2
EducationMohawk Valley Community College
Siena College (BA)
Albany Law School (JD)

Before his election to the New York State Assembly, Brindisi served on the Utica School Board and practiced as an attorney. He was first elected to the New York State Assembly in a September 2011 special election. Brindisi narrowly defeated Republican U.S. Representative Claudia Tenney in the 2018 election in New York's 22nd congressional district. Tenney challenged Brindisi in 2020. Initially, the 2020 election was too close to call, and its results were challenged in court. On February 5, 2021, a state trial court judge declared Tenney the winner. After leaving Congress, Brindisi unsuccessfully sought election to the New York Supreme Court. He was later appointed to the New York Court of Claims by Governor Kathy Hochul in 2022 and to the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York by President Joe Biden in 2024.

Early life and education

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Brindisi was born in 1978 in Utica, New York, to Louis and Jacqueline Brindisi. He has five siblings. His great grandparents were from Mardin (present-day Turkey) and fled to Aleppo, Syria during the Armenian genocide.[1] His mother died of cancer when he was four years old, on the same day that a murder took place at Louis's law firm. Louis gave up the practice of criminal defense law after the murder.[2]

Brindisi graduated from Notre Dame Junior Senior High School and attended Mohawk Valley Community College before graduating from Siena College in 2000.[3] He has said that the 2000 United States presidential election inspired him to become a lawyer. Like his father, he attended Albany Law School of Union University, New York and received his J.D. degree in 2004.[4][5] He joined the law firm his father founded and later won a seat on the Utica School Board.[6][7]

New York State Assembly

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Following the appointment of Assemblywoman RoAnn Destito as Commissioner of the New York State Office of General Services, Brindisi won a special election to replace her to represent the 119th Assembly district, beating Republican Gregory Johnson in a September 13, 2011, special election.[8][9] He was unopposed in the 2012 general election, running on the Democratic, Working Families Party, and Independence Party of New York State fusion ticket. He was also unchallenged in 2014 and 2016.[10]

Brindisi voted against the NY SAFE Act, a 2013 gun control law written in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.[11] He was endorsed by the National Rifle Association of America in 2016, and the NRA also gave him a 100% rating in 2017.[12] The NRA downgraded his rating to an F during his 2018 campaign for Congress.[13]

U.S. House of Representatives

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Elections

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2018

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See also: 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in New York § District 22

Brindisi ran for Congress in New York's 22nd congressional district, which was held by one-term Republican Claudia Tenney of nearby New Hartford. Tenney had served alongside Brindisi in the State Assembly from 2011 to 2017. Brindisi ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. He was endorsed by former Republican congressmen Richard Hanna and Sherwood Boehlert.[14][15] The brand of Republicanism in central New York has traditionally been a moderate one, and Tenney was considered a staunch conservative and an outspoken supporter of President Trump.[16]

On November 19, 2018, Brindisi declared victory.[17][18] By November 20, his lead grew to over 3,900 votes, and there were not enough remaining absentee ballots for Tenney to close the gap.[19][20] Tenney conceded on November 28.[21] The 22nd voted for Donald Trump by a 15% margin over Hillary Clinton in 2016, the largest margin in any House district to change hands from a Republican to a Democrat in 2018.[22]

 
Brindisi with his wife and children in 2019

Upon his swearing-in on January 3, 2019, Brindisi became only the second Democrat to represent the district in 68 years, and the third in 119 years. The last Democrat to represent this district was Mike Arcuri, who represented what was then the 24th district from 2007 to 2011. Arcuri won with 54% of the vote, becoming only the second Democrat to represent this district and its predecessors in 106 years, and the first since 1951.[23]

2020

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See also: 2020 New York's 22nd congressional district election

Brindisi sought reelection to Congress in 2020. In October 2019, Tenney announced that she would challenge him.[24] The initial election results were too close to call, and a court challenge ensued.[25] On December 8, a New York state judge ordered a district-wide recanvass of all ballots, including provisional ballots and disputed ballots not included in the original count.[26] By January 29, 2021, Tenney had a 122-vote lead over Brindisi based on unofficial tallies.[27] On February 5, 2021, New York Supreme Court Judge Scott DelConte ruled in Tenney's favor, allowing her to be declared the winner of the election by 109 votes.[28]

Tenure

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On December 18, 2019, Brindisi voted to impeach President Donald Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.[29]

Committee assignments

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Caucus memberships

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Judicial service

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2021 campaign for Supreme Court justice

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In July 2021, Brindisi announced his candidacy for state Supreme Court.[30] He lost the 2021 race for the 5th Supreme Court District to Republican Danielle Fogel.[31]

New York State Court of Claims

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In May 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul appointed Brindisi to the New York State Court of Claims.[32]

Federal judicial service

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On July 31, 2024, President Joe Biden nominated Brindisi to serve as a United States district judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York.[33] President Biden nominated Brindisi to a seat being vacated by Judge David N. Hurd, who announced his intent to assume senior status upon confirmation of a successor.[34] On September 25, 2024, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[35] During his confirmation hearing, he was questioned by Senator John Kennedy on the constitutional limits of the government speech doctrine. Brindisi could not say whether the government has free speech rights, struggling with the constitutional law question posed by Senator Kennedy. He was also questioned by Senator Marsha Blackburn over his support for the New York Dream Act and by Senator Lindsey Graham over his past congressional co-sponsorship of the Equality Act.[36][37][38] On November 21, 2024, his nomination was reported out of committee by an 11–10 party-line vote.[39] On December 4, 2024, the United States Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 50–48 vote.[40] Later that day, his nomination was confirmed by a 50–49 vote.[41] He received his judicial commission on December 9, 2024.[42]

Electoral history

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New York's 22nd congressional district, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Anthony Brindisi 116,001 46.2
Independence Anthony Brindisi 5,673 2.3
Working Families Anthony Brindisi 4,651 1.9
Women's Equality Anthony Brindisi 1,390 0.5
Total Anthony Brindisi 127,715 50.9
Republican Claudia Tenney 110,125 43.9
Conservative Claudia Tenney 12,061 4.8
Reform Claudia Tenney 1,056 0.4
Total Claudia Tenney (incumbent) 123,242 49.1
Total votes 250,957 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican
New York's 22nd congressional district, 2020[43]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Claudia Tenney 143,291 43.88
Conservative Claudia Tenney 12,807 3.92
Total Claudia Tenney 156,098 47.80
Democratic Anthony Brindisi 138,898 42.53
Working Families Anthony Brindisi 11,188 3.43
Independence Anthony Brindisi 5,903 1.81
Total Anthony Brindisi (incumbent) 155,989 47.77
Libertarian Keith Price 6,780 2.08
Total votes 326,566 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic
New York's 5th Supreme Court district, 2021[44]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Danielle Fogel 102,144 56%
Democratic Anthony Brindisi 85,219 44%
Total votes 194,059 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

Personal life

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Brindisi lives with his wife, Erica, and their two children in Utica.[45][46]

References

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  1. ^ "Anthony Brindisi is Third Armenian American to Serve in Congress". armedia.am. November 7, 2018.
  2. ^ LaDUCA, ROCCO (May 9, 2009). "The Mob Files Day 7: How it all ended". Utica Observer Dispatch. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  3. ^ "BRINDISI, Anthony". US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  4. ^ "Anthony Brindisi announces Assembly candidacy". Observer-Dispatch. Utica, N.Y. March 4, 2011. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  5. ^ "Louis T. Brindisi". Brindisi, Murad, & Brindisi Pearlman. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  6. ^ Gault, Alex (July 13, 2021). "Former Congressman Brindisi announces run for state Fifth District Supreme Court seat". HudsonValley360.
  7. ^ Pellis, Randy (October 31, 2020). "Democrat incumbent Brindisi takes on Republican Tenney in 22nd Congressional District rematch". NNY360.
  8. ^ "UPDATED: Primary election results for Oneida, Herkimer counties". Observer-Dispatch. Utica, N.Y. September 13, 2011. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  9. ^ "6 of 6 Dems capture NY Assembly special elections". The Wall Street Journal. September 13, 2011. Archived from the original on February 28, 2018. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  10. ^ "New York District 119 State Assembly Results: Anthony Brindisi Wins". The New York Times. December 16, 2016. Archived from the original on January 29, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2018.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  11. ^ Lewis, Rebecca (March 28, 2018). "Giffords-endorsed Anthony Brindisi has a 100 percent rating from the NRA". City & State New York. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  12. ^ Perry, Luke (March 9, 2018). "NY-22 Minute: Brindisi Questioned on Gun Policy". Archived from the original on October 24, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  13. ^ Weiner, Mark (October 9, 2018). "Anthony Brindisi, once top rated by NRA, blames gun lobby for inaction in Congress". Syracuse.com. Archived from the original on October 20, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  14. ^ "Former Rep. Richard Hanna to endorse Brindisi for Congress". WKTV News.
  15. ^ "Former GOP Rep. Sherwood Boehlert endorses Brindisi". syracuse. November 2, 2018.
  16. ^ Bade, Rachael; Cheney, Kyle (April 27, 2018). "Tenney's red-meat rhetoric alarms House Republicans". POLITICO.
  17. ^ Anthony Brindisi claims victory over Tenney with majority of absentee ballots counted, Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin. Vaughn, Natasha. November 19, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  18. ^ Results from the 2018 General Election, WKTV, November 6, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  19. ^ Madison, Samantha. "Brindisi wins: Lead now exceeds remaining ballots". Uticaod. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  20. ^ Baker, Chris (November 20, 2018). "It's over: Anthony Brindisi defeats Claudia Tenney in 22nd Congressional race". The Post-Standard.
  21. ^ Weiner, Mark (November 28, 2018). "Claudia Tenney concedes NY-22 election to Anthony Brindisi". The Post-Standard.
  22. ^ Taylor, Jessica (May 17, 2019). "Under Four Months Until the Special Election, NC-09 Remains in Toss Up". Cook Political Report.
  23. ^ "Election 2006". CNN. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  24. ^ "Claudia Tenney will run for 22nd District in 2020". October 1, 2019.
  25. ^ Sayer, Ricky (December 22, 2020). "NY-22 house seat to become vacant Jan. 3 with court case continuing into 2021". WBNG. Archived from the original on March 21, 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  26. ^ DeBonis, Mike (December 8, 2020). "Judge orders votes retallied in N.Y. House race with 12-vote margin". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  27. ^ "Tenney grows lead to 122 votes over Brindisi after latest review in NY22nd race". syracuse. January 29, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  28. ^ Akin, Stephanie (February 5, 2021). "Court Clears Way for GOP's Claudia Tenney to Recapture Seat from Democrat Anthony Brindisi". Roll Call. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021.
  29. ^ "Katko, Brindisi split on Trump impeachment vote". syracuse. December 19, 2019.
  30. ^ Mark Weiner (July 12, 2021). "Former Rep. Anthony Brindisi to launch campaign for NY Supreme Court judge". Post-Standard. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  31. ^ Dowty, Douglass (November 3, 2021). "Syracuse lawyer Fogel wins 'dream job' on state Supreme Court against ex-congressman Brindisi". syracuse. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  32. ^ WKTV (May 27, 2022). "Brindisi appointed to New York State Court of Claims". WKTV NewsChannel2. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  33. ^ "President Biden Names Fifty-Third Round of Judicial Nominees" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. July 31, 2024. Retrieved July 31, 2024.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  34. ^ "Nominations Sent to the Senate" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. July 31, 2024.
  35. ^ "Nominations". Washington, D.C.: United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. September 24, 2024.
  36. ^ Headley, Tiana. "Ex-Congressman, Judicial Pick Stumbles on Free Speech Question". Bloomberg Law. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  37. ^ Weiner, Mark. "Republican Senators grill Anthony Brindisi in hearing for federal judge's post". syracuse.com. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  38. ^ Raymond, Nate. "US Senate Republicans grill former Democratic lawmaker nominated to bench". Reuters. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  39. ^ "Results of Executive Business Meeting – November 21, 2024" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. November 21, 2024. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  40. ^ "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Anthony J. Brindisi to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of New York)". United States Senate. December 4, 2024. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  41. ^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Anthony J. Brindisi, of New York, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of New York)". United States Senate. December 4, 2024. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  42. ^ Anthony Brindisi at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  43. ^ "2020 Election Results". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  44. ^ "NYS Board of Elections Official Election Results". Elections.NY.gov. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  45. ^ "Anthony Brindisi". New York State Assembly. Archived from the original on January 19, 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  46. ^ "Meet Anthony". Anthony Brindisi for Congress. September 22, 2017. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
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New York State Assembly
Preceded by Member of the New York Assembly
from the 119th district
2011–2019 		Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 22nd congressional district
2019–2021 		Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former US Representative Order of precedence of the United States
as Former US Representative 		Succeeded byas Former US Representative
Legal offices
Preceded by Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
2024–present 		Incumbent
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