Harvey Epstein
{{Short description|American politician (born 1967)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Harvey Epstein
| image = Harvey Epstein, May 3, 2024 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Epstein in 2024
| state_assembly = New York
| district = 74th
| term_start = May 20, 2018
| term_end =
| predecessor = Brian P. Kavanagh
| party = Democratic
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|02|05}}
| birth_place = Wantagh, New York, U.S.
| alma_mater =
| residence = New York, New York, U.S.
|signature=Harvey Epstein Signature.png
| website = {{URL|nyassembly.gov/mem/Harvey-Epstein| Assembly website}}
| education = Ithaca College (B.A.)
CUNY School of Law (J.D.)
}}
Harvey Epstein is an American politician from the state of New York. He is a member of the New York State Assembly from the 74th district, which consists parts of the Lower East Side, East Village, and Midtown East neighborhoods of Manhattan.
Early life and career
Epstein earned a bachelor's degree from Ithaca College in social studies. He ran a homeless shelter in Hempstead, New York, and worked in the South Bronx for a foster care agency. He earned a Juris Doctor from CUNY Law School and worked for Queens Legal Services and The Legal Aid Society. Epstein served as community development director for the Urban Justice Center.{{Cite news|last=Blumenthal|first=Ralph|date=April 13, 2009|title=A Legal Advocate for Social Justice|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/nyregion/14experience.html|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 3, 2024}}
Political career
Epstein won a special election to the New York Assembly to succeed Brian P. Kavanagh, who was elected to the New York State Senate, in 2018.{{cite web |last=Litvak |first=Ed |date=February 15, 2018 |url=http://www.thelodownny.com/leslog/2018/02/harvey-epstein-is-the-democratic-nominee-in-the-74th-assembly-district.html |title=Harvey Epstein is the Democratic Nominee in the 74th Assembly District|website=The Lo-Down |access-date=January 12, 2019}}{{cite web |last=Litvak |first=Ed |date=April 25, 2018 |url=http://www.thelodownny.com/leslog/2018/04/harvey-epstein-wins-special-election-in-74th-assembly-district.html |title=Harvey Epstein Wins Special Election in 74th Assembly District |website=The Lo-Down |access-date=January 12, 2019}}
Epstein is a member of the Vote Blue Coalition, a progressive group and federal Political Action Committee (PAC) created to support Democrats in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania through voter outreach and mobilization efforts.{{cite web |url=https://votebluenyc.org/coalition/ |title=Coalition |website=Vote Blue |language=en |access-date=2024-07-17}}
Epstein sponsored legislation to reform the New York State Real Property Law and Tax Law in regards to mezzanine financing. The legislation calls for the recording of mezzanine debt and preferred equity investments and subject it to the mortgage recording tax. These amendments will force borrowers and lenders to reconsider the economic costs of mezzanine financing. It was introduced on January 22, 2021.{{Cite web |last1=Herman |first1=Steven |last2=Schromm |first2=Michael |date=February 10, 2021 |url=https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/new-york-assembly-sponsored-legislation-2610087/ |title=New York Assembly Sponsored Legislation Proposes New Tax on Mezzanine Debt and Preferred Equity |website=JD Supra |access-date=December 22, 2021}}
In February 2024, Epstein, along with four other Jewish elected officials from New York (Liz Krueger, Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Brad Lander and Lincoln Restler), signed an open letter on the Gaza war. The letter condemned Hamas and other groups in the Middle East for attacking Israel and seeking to foment antisemitism and anti-Zionism around the world, while also criticizing the Israeli government under Benjamin Netanyahu for civilian deaths in Gaza, its settlement policy in the West Bank, and leniency towards violence by Israeli settlers. The letter's signatories called for the Israeli government to prioritize negotiations to release hostages held in Gaza and voiced support for a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.{{Cite press release|url=https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/articles/2024/liz-krueger/open-letter-jewish-elected-officials-regarding-war-gaza|title=An Open Letter From Jewish Elected Officials Regarding The War In Gaza|last1=Krueger|first1=Liz|last2=Hoylman-Sigal|first2=Brad|last3=Epstein|first3=Harvey|last4=Lander|first4=Brad|last5=Restler|first5=Lincoln|access-date=2024-11-04|date=2024-02-20|publisher=Liz Krueger}}
Epstein has announced he will be a candidate in the Democratic primary for New York City's 2nd City Council district in the 2025 municipal election. Epstein is running unopposed for re-election in the 2024 New York State Assembly election, but says he intends to resign his Assembly seat if elected to the City Council in 2025.{{Cite news |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=2024-11-03 |title=NYC Politician Harvey Epstein Reacts To John Mulaney’s ‘SNL’ Parody Campaign Ad Aimed At His Unfortunate Name |url=https://deadline.com/2024/11/harvey-epstein-reaction-snl-john-mulaney-ad-name-1236165666/ |access-date=2024-11-03 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}} His 4 opponents in the 2025 Democratic Primary for the New York City Council are Allie Ryan, Sarah Batchu, Andrea Gordillo, and Anthony Weiner.https://www.ourtownny.com/news/in-wide-open-district-2-council-race-local-activist-batchu-emerges-as-surprise-top-fundraiser-BE4116175
In popular culture
The November 2, 2024 episode of Saturday Night Live (SNL) ran a spoof campaign advertisement in which Harvey Epstein (played by host John Mulaney) repeatedly affirms that he is not Harvey Weinstein, Jeffrey Epstein or some amalgamation thereof. Harvey Epstein, who is a regular SNL viewer, was surprised at the sketch and told The New York Times that he found it "ridiculously funny" and encouraged readers to support survivors of sexual abuse by donating to RAINN.{{Cite web |last=Gallaga |first=Omar L. |date=2024-11-03 |title=Kamala Harris cold-opens 'SNL' with Maya Rudolph |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2024-11-03/snl-john-mulaney-kamala-harris-chappell-roan |access-date=2024-11-03 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/03/nyregion/harvey-epstein-snl-skit.html|date=2024-11-03|last=Coleman|first=Maia|work=The New York Times|title=An 'S.N.L.' Sketch Gives Harvey Epstein His 15 Minutes of Fame|access-date=2024-11-04}}
Personal life
Epstein lives in the East Village. He and his wife Anita have two children, Leila and Joshua.{{Cite web|title=Biography|last=Epstein|first=Harvey|url=https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Harvey-Epstein|access-date=2024-11-04}} Epstein is Jewish.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{CongLinks|votesmart=179694}}
{{New York State Assembly}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Epstein, Harvey}}
Category:Politicians from Manhattan
Category:Ithaca College alumni
Category:CUNY School of Law alumni
Category:Democratic Party members of the New York State Assembly
Category:20th-century American Jews
Category:21st-century American Jews
Category:Jewish American people in New York City politics
Category:Jewish American state legislators in New York (state)
Category:21st-century members of the New York State Legislature