Gerdi E. Lipschutz
{{Short description|American politician (1923–2010)}}
Gerdi E. Lipschutz (April 30, 1923 – November 19, 2010) was an American politician from New York.
Life
She was born on April 30, 1923, in Hagenbach, Germany. She went to the United States in 1937. She married Sam Lipschutz, and they had two children. They lived in Rockaway Park, Queens.[https://books.google.com/books?id=nGOIAAAAMAAJ&q=red+book+gerdi+e+lipschutz+born New York Red Book] (1985–1986; pg. 240)
Gerdi Lipschutz was a Democrat. In June 1974, she was appointed by Mayor Abraham Beame as Executive Director of the Voluntary Action Center.[https://www.nytimes.com/1974/06/02/archives/woman-action-center-head.html Woman Action Center Head] in the New York Times on June 2, 1974 (subscription required)
On February 10, 1976, she was elected to the New York State Assembly, to fill the vacancy caused by the election of Herbert A. Posner to the New York City Civil Court.[https://www.nytimes.com/1976/02/11/archives/democrats-win-special-elections-party-retains-brooklyn-and-queens.html DEMOCRATS WIN SPECIAL ELECTIONS] in the New York Times on February 11, 1976 (subscription required) She was re-elected several times, and remained in the Assembly until 1987, sitting in the 181st, 182nd, 183rd, 184th, 185th, 186th and 187th New York State Legislatures.
In January 1987, she was the subject of an inquiry by the Assembly Ethics and Guidance Committee. Lipschutz had hired two secretaries who were paid with money from the Assembly, but did not work for her. They worked in the law office of Richard L. Rubin, a Democratic boss of Queens. Lipschutz testified under an immunity agreement against Rubin who was prosecuted in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.[https://www.nytimes.com/1987/01/27/nyregion/ethics-panel-studies-legislator-s-role.html ETHICS PANEL STUDIES LEGISLATOR'S ROLE] in the New York Times on January 27, 1987 On March 3, 1987, the Ethics Committee debated the issue behind closed doors, but it was leaked that they would recommend that Lipschutz be censured.[https://www.nytimes.com/1987/03/04/nyregion/assembly-panel-reported-ready-to-urge-censure.html ASSEMBLY PANEL REPORTED READY TO URGE CENSURE] in the New York Times on March 4, 1987 Lipschutz resigned her seat on March 9, before a vote on the findings of the Ethics Committee could be taken.[https://www.nytimes.com/1987/03/10/nyregion/a-legislator-quits-as-panel-urges-penalty.html A LEGISLATOR QUITS AS PANEL URGES PENALTY] in the New York Times on March 10, 1987
She died on November 19, 2010, in Sarasota, Florida.[http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/heraldtribune/obituary.aspx?pid=146844558 Gerdi E. Lipschutz] in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, on November 28 and 29, 2010; at Legacy.com
References
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{{succession box | before = Herbert A. Posner | title = New York State Assembly
22nd District | years = 1976–1982 | after = George H. Madison}}
{{succession box | before = John A. Esposito | title = New York State Assembly
23rd District | years = 1983–1987 | after = Audrey Pheffer}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lipschutz, Gerdi E.}}
Category:Politicians from Queens, New York
Category:Women state legislators in New York (state)
Category:Democratic Party members of the New York State Assembly
Category:People from Rockaway, Queens
Category:Emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United States
Category:21st-century American women
Category:20th-century members of the New York State Legislature