John M. Murphy (New York politician)

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = John Murphy

|image = John M. Murphy.jpg

|office = Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from New York

|term_start = January 3, 1963

|term_end = January 3, 1981

|predecessor = John H. Ray (redistricting)

|successor = Guy Molinari

|constituency = {{ushr|NY|16|16th district}} (1963–1973)
{{ushr|NY|17|17th district}} (1973–1981)

|birth_name = John Michael Murphy

|birth_date = {{birth date|1926|8|3}}

|birth_place = New York City, New York, U.S.

|death_date = {{death date and age|2015|5|25|1926|8|3}}

|death_place = New York City, New York, U.S.

|party = Democratic

|spouse = Kathleen Murphy

|children = 2

|education = Amherst College
United States Military Academy (BS)

}}

John Michael Murphy (August 3, 1926 – May 25, 2015) was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 16th (1963–1973) and 17th (1973–1981) districts.{{CongBio|M001098|inline=1}} He was convicted of taking bribes in the 1980 Abscam scandal.

Life and career

Murphy was born in Staten Island, New York City, New York, the son of Florence and Frank Murphy.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Dhg5AQAAMAAJ&q=%221926+,+son+of+Frank+and+%22&pg=PA119|title=Official Congressional Directory|last1=Congress|first1=United States|year=1972}} He attended La Salle Military Academy, Amherst College, and the United States Military Academy at West Point.

= Military service =

He served in the U.S. Army from August 1944 to July 1956, first as an enlisted man before receiving his commission after four years at West Point. During his military service he received the Distinguished Service Cross and the Bronze Star, and was discharged as a captain.

= Congress =

He was elected as a Democrat to the 88th U.S. Congress and to the eight succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1981). After being indicted in the Abscam bribery scandal, he ran unsuccessfully for re-election in 1980.{{cite news| url= https://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/05/nyregion/the-1997-elections-congress-republican-wins-us-house-seat-left-by-molinari.html | title= Republican Wins U.S. House Seat Left by Molinari | work=The New York Times | date=November 5, 1997 | access-date=2009-12-21 | quote=The stakes were perhaps higher for the Republicans, who had represented the district since 1981, after Guy V. Molinari defeated John M. Murphy, a nine-term incumbent whose campaign was hobbled by his indictment in the Abscam bribery scandal. | first=Jonathan P. | last=Hicks}} Murphy was acquitted of bribery, but found guilty on lesser charges, and served 18 months in prison.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/27/us/politics/john-murphy-staten-island-congressman-convicted-in-abscam-sting-dies-at-88.html?_r=0|title = John Murphy, Congressman Convicted in Abscam Sting, Dies at 88|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 26 May 2015|last1 = Fried|first1 = Joseph P.}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.silive.com/obituaries/2015/05/former_staten_island_congressm.html|title = Former Staten Island Congressman Jack Murphy dead at 88|date = 27 May 2015}}

During his time in Congress he chaired committees dealing with maritime and oceanic matters. He was a life long friend of Anastasio Somoza since their days as students at West Point; while in office, Murphy opposed the Carter administrations efforts to remove Somoza.{{cite news|url=https://www.thecrimson.com/article/1979/3/12/nicaragua-la-lucha-continua-pbibt-has/|date=March 12, 1979|access-date=July 9, 2015|title=Nicaragua: La Lucha Continua|author=Robert Grady|work=Harvard Crimson}}

= Family =

His son, Mark Murphy, is a real-estate developer who worked as an aide to Bill de Blasio during his tenure as New York City Public Advocate.{{Cite web|url=http://www.silive.com/northshore/index.ssf/2011/07/democratic_scion_mark_murphy_f.html|title = Democratic scion Mark Murphy forswears designs on North Shore Council seat|date = 16 July 2011}} On January 19, 2012, Mark Murphy announced he would seek election to the Congressional seat his father once held.{{Cite web|url=http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/01/murphy_declares_for_staten_isl.html|title = Democrat Mark Murphy declares for Staten Island congressional seat|date = 19 January 2012}} On November 6, Murphy lost the election to incumbent Republican Michael Grimm, 46.2% – 52.8%.{{cite news|title=New York – Election 2012 – NYTimes.com|url=http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/results/states/new-york|work=The New York Times|access-date=12 April 2013}}

= Death =

Murphy died the age of 88 on May 25, 2015, at Richmond University Medical Center in Staten Island, NY of complications from a heart attack.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/27/us/politics/john-murphy-staten-island-congressman-convicted-in-abscam-sting-dies-at-88.html |title=John Murphy, Staten Island Congressman Convicted in Abscam Sting, Dies at 88|last=Fried|first=Joseph P.|work=New York Times|date=May 26, 2015|access-date=May 26, 2015}}