Richard E. Schermerhorn
{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2011}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Richard E. Schermerhorn
| image =
| caption =
| state_senate1 = New York State
| district1 = 39th
| term_start1 = January 1, 1983
| term_end1 = December 31, 1988
| predecessor1 = Jay P. Rolison, Jr.
| successor1 = E. Arthur Gray
| state_senate2 = New York State
| district2 = 40th
| term_start2 = January 1, 1973
| term_end2 = December 31, 1982
| predecessor2 = Walter B. Langley
| successor2 = Charles D. Cook
| state_senate3 = New York State
| district3 = 37th
| term_start3 = January 1, 1971
| term_end3 = December 31, 1972
| preceded3 = D. Clinton Dominick III
| succeeded3 = Bernard G. Gordon
| birth_date = {{birth date|1927|10|29}}
| birth_place = Albany, New York
| death_date = {{death date and age|1995|6|21|1927|10|29}}
| death_place = Newburgh, New York
| nationality =
| party = Republican
| spouse = Connie Edwards
| parents =
| children = 4
| residence =
| education = Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk High School
Albany Military Academy
| alma_mater = Bryant University
| occupation =
| profession =
| allegiance = {{flag|United States|1912}}
| branch = United States Army
| rank =
| battles = World War II
}}
Richard Edward Schermerhorn (October 29, 1927 – June 21, 1995) was an American politician from New York. A vocal anti-abortionist, Schermerhorn served in the New York State Senate from 1971 to 1988.
In 1987, Schermerhorn was accused of taking a mafia bribe, which was downgraded to an undeclared campaign contribution. In 1988, he was indicted for fraud, tax evasion, and obstruction of justice, and subsequently lost his bid for reelection. In 1989, Schermerhorn was acquitted on the fraud charges, but was convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to a year and a half in jail and two years' probation. Schermerhorn was released in 1991.
After serving his prison term, Schermerhorn became a lobbyist in the state capital of Albany.
Life
Schermerhorn was born on October 29, 1927, in Albany, New York. He was sent to a foster home when he was 3 months old, and later stated that, if abortion had been legal at the time, he might never have been born. He attended Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk High School and Albany Military Academy and graduated with an M.B.A. from Bryant University.
Career
During World War II, Schermerhorn served in the U.S. Army.[https://books.google.com/books?id=S4pDAQAAIAAJ&q=red+book+richard+schermerhorn+born New York Red Book] (1983–1984; pg. 138) He then went into the insurance business, and entered politics as Republican.
In June 1970,{{cite news|last1=Kovach|first1=Bill|title=Primaries May Decide Control of Legislature|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/06/19/archives/primaries-may-decide-control-of-legislature.html?_r=0|accessdate=4 March 2017|work=The New York Times|date=19 June 1970}} he defeated the incumbent State Senator D. Clinton Dominick III in the Republican primary.{{cite news|last1=Farrell|first1=William E.|title=BALLOTING AT 18 PASSES IN ALBANY; REFERENDUM DUE|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/01/12/archives/balloting-at-18-passes-in-albany-referendum-due-final-legislative.html|accessdate=4 March 2017|work=The New York Times|date=12 January 1971}} Dominick had voted for the 1970 abortion law, and Schermerhorn was a conservative anti-abortionist,[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9B06E1DE1539E63BBC4C51DFB066838B669EDE Two Key Backers of Abortion Reform in the Legislature Are Defeated Upstate] in the New York Times on June 24, 1970 (subscription required) who opposed abortion in all circumstances.{{cite news|last1=Greenhouse|first1=Linda|title=ANTI-ABORTION MOVE IS BACKED IN ALBANY|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/06/02/archives/antiabortion-m0ve-is-backed-in-albany-senate-resolution-asks.html|accessdate=4 March 2017|work=The New York Times|date=2 June 1977}} Throughout his career, he was vocal about abortion and adoption.{{cite news|last1=Schermerhorn|first1=Richard E.|title=BRING BACK THE ORPHANAGES AS HOMES FOR CHILDREN; Screen Foster Parents|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/03/28/opinion/l-bring-back-the-orphanages-as-homes-for-children-screen-foster-parents-671187.html|accessdate=4 March 2017|work=The New York Times|date=28 March 1987}}
He was a member of the New York State Senate from 1971 to 1988, sitting in the 179th, 180th, 181st, 182nd, 183rd, 184th, 185th, 186th and 187th New York State Legislatures.
=Indictment and conviction=
On July 29, 1987, federal prosecutors accused Schermerhorn of having taken a bribe in 1984 from Dominick Lofaro, an ex-mafioso-turned-informer.[https://www.nytimes.com/1987/07/30/nyregion/new-york-investigators-say-state-senator-took-a-bribe.html New York Investigators Say State Senator Took a Bribe] in the New York Times on July 30, 1987 The facts were then re-evaluated, and the bribe became a campaign contributions from Lofaro which had not been listed by Schermerhorn in his election campaign financial statement. Therefore, on September 23, 1988, he was indicted by a federal grand jury for fraud.[https://www.nytimes.com/1988/09/24/nyregion/state-legislator-faces-5-charges-in-fraud-inquiry.html State Legislator Faces 5 Charges In Fraud Inquiry] in the New York Times on September 24, 1988 On November 2, 1988, he was also indicted for tax evasion. and obstruction of justice. In 1985, he had sold his interest in a hotel, and did not report the capital gain in his tax statement.[https://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/03/nyregion/newburgh-lawmaker-indicted-as-tax-dodger.html Newburgh Lawmaker Indicted as Tax Dodger] in the New York Times on November 3, 1988 On November 8, 1988, he was defeated for re-election by Democrat E. Arthur Gray.[https://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/09/nyregion/the-1988-elections-legislature-new-york-passes-road-bond-issue.html THE 1988 ELECTIONS] in the New York Times on November 9, 1988
Schermerhorn went to trial in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. On October 26, 1989, Schermerhorn was acquitted on the fraud charges, but was convicted of tax evasion.[https://www.nytimes.com/1989/10/27/nyregion/ex-new-york-senator-guilty-of-tax-evasion.html Ex-New York Senator Guilty of Tax Evasion] in the New York Times on October 27, 1989 On December 15, 1989, he was sentenced by Judge Gerard Goettel to a year and a half in jail, and afterwards two years' probation.[https://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/16/nyregion/ex-senator-sentenced-to-prison-in-tax-case.html Ex-Senator Sentenced to Prison in Tax Case] in the New York Times on December 16, 1989 On July 2, 1991, Schermerhorn was released from Federal Prison Camp, Montgomery, and transferred to the Brooklyn Community Corrections Center.[https://www.nytimes.com/1991/07/09/style/chronicle-624091.html CHRONICLE; RICHARD E. SCHERMERHORN, a former Republican New York State senator from Orange County, has been released...] in the New York Times on July 9, 1991
After serving his prison term, Schermerhorn became a lobbyist in Albany.
Personal life
Schermerhorn married Connie Edwards, and they had four daughters.
Schermerhorn died on June 21, 1995, at his home in Newburgh, New York, of throat cancer;[https://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/23/obituaries/richard-e-schermerhorn-67-a-state-senator-for-nine-terms.html Richard E. Schermerhorn, 67, A State Senator for Nine Terms] in the New York Times on June 23, 1995 and was buried at the Calvary Cemetery in New Windsor.
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Find a Grave|18338597}}
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{{succession box | before = D. Clinton Dominick III | title = New York State Senate
37th District | years = 1971–1972 | after = Bernard G. Gordon}}
{{succession box | before = Walter B. Langley | title = New York State Senate
40th District | years = 1973–1982 | after = Charles D. Cook}}
{{succession box | before = Jay P. Rolison, Jr. | title = New York State Senate
39th District | years = 1983–1988 | after = E. Arthur Gray}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schermerhorn, Richard E.}}
Category:Politicians from Albany, New York
Category:Republican Party New York (state) state senators
Category:Politicians from Newburgh, New York
Category:Deaths from cancer in New York (state)
Category:Bryant University alumni
Category:New York (state) politicians convicted of crimes
Category:20th-century members of the New York State Legislature