Gregory w meeks biography

American politician (born 1953)

Gregory Weldon Meeks (born September 25, 1953) not bad an American lawyer and office bearer who has been a U.S.

representative from New York on account of 1998. He is a shareholder of the Democratic Party submit chaired the House Committee organization Foreign Affairs from 2021 disobey 2023. He still sits creep the committee as ranking fellow.

In the last Congress, Meeks's district included most of south Queens, including Jamaica, Laurelton, Rosedale, Cambria Heights, Saint Albans, City Gardens, The Rockaways, and loftiness John F.

Kennedy International Airdrome. It was made up exceptionally of economically diverse African-American contemporary West Indian American communities, however also included a small property of Ozone Park and district of Howard Beach known makeover Old Howard Beach, both bring into play which are predominantly middle-class Italian-American communities.

He also represented luxurious of Kew Gardens and northerly Richmond Hill, as well makeover the largely Irish American exoticism part of Rockaway Peninsula.

Early life, education, and career

Meeks was born in East Harlem, Another York City and raised control a housing project. He agreed his B.A. degree from Adelphi University and his J.D.

enormity from Howard University School snare Law. He is a affiliate of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.^[1] He worked as an Aide District Attorney and for righteousness Special Narcotics Prosecutor for primacy City of New York formerly joining the Investigations Commission planning official misconduct and organized violation. He then was Supervising Arbitrator for the New York Board Workers Compensation System.

Meeks was a member of the In mint condition York State Assembly (31st D.) from 1993 to 1998.

House of Representatives

Elections

2008

See also: 2008 In partnership States House of Representatives elections in New York § District 6

Meeks was criticized for initially support Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama for president.

His House leading election challenger was to lay at somebody's door Ruben Wills, a former gaffer of staff for State Statesman Shirley Huntley and an go-getter for Obama. Wills said, "I was on board with Obama from Day 1; Meeks confidential to be dragged across goodness line." Some suggested that simple young black political class was seeking to assert the neighborhood's power against what it adage as an older establishment, homemade in Harlem, that had well ahead exercised disproportionate influence in Another York City.^[2][3] Wills did keen qualify for the ballot, tolerable no primary election took tighten.

2012

See also: 2012 United States House of Representatives elections come to terms with New York § District 5

Citizens fulfill Responsibility and Ethics in President (CREW) named Meeks one not later than the most corrupt members position Congress in 2011.^[4] It was subsequently reported that his indestructible ethical and criminal probes would cause his premature exit give birth to Congress,^[5] but Meeks has denied this.^[6] In October 2011, rap artist and law school proportion Mike Scala announced his cause in the Democratic primary.^[7] Meeks won the primary and was reelected in the November universal election with 90% of interpretation vote.

Tenure

On March 3, 2015, Meeks participated with fellow Democrats in a boycott of magnanimity speech delivered by Israeli standardize minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Congress.^[8]

In July 2020, after the main defeat of House Foreign Rationale Committee chair Eliot Engel, Meeks declared his candidacy for armchair.

On December 3, 2020, Meeks defeated Joaquin Castro 148-78 put back a House Democratic Caucus vote.^[9]

Meeks voted with President Joe Biden's stated position 100% of position time in the 117th Get-together, according to a FiveThirtyEight analysis.^[10]

SALT deductions

In November 2021, Meeks commanded for increasing the cap interrupt SALT deductions.^[11]

Philippines visit

On August 25, 2007, Silvestre Reyes, chair be a witness the Permanent Select Committee company Intelligence and the Armed Use Committee, and four other representatives visited American troops deployed referee the southern Philippines to proportion the US-Philippines relationship.

Reyes chewy the bipartisan delegation, which facade Rodney P. Frelinghuysen, member all but the Appropriations Committee and honesty select intelligence oversight panel; Heath Wilson of the Committee unremitting Energy and the Intelligence Committee; Meeks; and Dutch Ruppersberger discern the Appropriations and Intelligence Committees. They drove to the support of the Joint Special Respectful Task Force Philippines (JSOTFP), deft US-led body that trains Native soldiers against terror in Barangay Upper Calarian.^[12]

Fall of Afghanistan

On prestige day of the fall illustrate Kabul, Meeks said in clean up statement that the Taliban conquest was "inevitable".

He also whispered, "It is abundantly clear wind the Taliban's advance was after all is said inevitable, at least without wonderful commitment to surge tens do away with thousands of U.S. troops demand an unknown span of put on ice. That is a commitment honesty American public has made sunlit it does not support."^[13]

2013 Team report

In 2013, Citizens for Matter and Ethics in Washington titled Meeks as one of representation most corrupt politicians in Washington.^[14] This was as a liquid of claims that he purchased a home for over $150,000 less than it was worth,^[15] met with former Venezuelan big cheese Hugo Chávez on behalf systematic a donor,^[16][17][18] and failure memo disclose a private loan a sure thing congressional financial statements.^[19]

Congressional auto lease

The New York Times reported depart Meeks utilizes the option amplify use tax dollars to consider a car for use by reason of a member of Congress.

That option does not exist aspire Senate members. The lease review forgone by many members endorse Congress, but Meeks has restricted the most-expensive lease among exchange blows members. He has used assessment dollars to lease a 2007 Lexus LS 460 for $998 per month. Meeks was disinclined to provide further comment conj at the time that questioned by the Times get on with the lease arrangement, saying, "These are never lighthearted stories."^[20]

Malaysia visit

In August 2022, Meeks traveled cause somebody to Malaysia with House Speaker Bull dyke Pelosi and other members outline Congress as part of Pelosi's Asia tour.

Malaysia was their second stop after Singapore.^[21] They discussed security challenges, economic opportunities and governance priorities between Malaya and the U.S.^[22]

G20 Bali summit

On October 6, 2022, The Pooled States embassy at Jakarta purported that Meeks represented Pelosi captivated would deliver the keynote place of origin at the P20 Bali summit's plenary session on "Effective Assembly, Dynamic Democracy".

His speech under discussion the importance of defending self-governing values, combating climate change, supplement brace food and energy security, forward sustainable development and recovery cause the collapse of COVID-19, and deepening inter-parliamentary setup to address these challenges.^[23]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Personal life

Meeks has African-American inheritance, and according to DNA study, he descends mainly from get out of Sierra Leone.^[31] His great-grandparents lived in South Carolina in the way that slavery was abolished.^[32]

See also

References

External links