G. Oliver Koppell

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

G. Oliver Koppell (born December 15, 1940 in the Bronx, New York) is a member of the New York City Council from District 11 in the Borough of The Bronx, covering the neighborhoods of Riverdale, Norwood, and Bedford Park. He was elected to the Council in 2001, and recently defeated Ari Hoffnung by a 3 to 1 margin in 2005.

Prior to his term in the City Council, he had been a member of the New York State Assembly in from 1970 to 1994. While in the Assembly, he served as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and passed the New York bottle bill. In 1994 he was elected by the New York State Legislature to fill the remaining year of the unexpired term of the New York State Attorney General, succeeding Robert Abrams, who resigned. As attorney general, he successfully brought a lawsuit to allow drivers under the age of 25 to obtain rental cars in the State of New York.

He sought a full four year term as attorney general in the 1994 election, but lost to Judge Karen Burstein in the Democratic Primary. He finished second, ahead of Brooklyn District Attorney Charles "Joe" Hynes and prosecutor Eliot Spitzer. In 1998, he again sought the Democratic nomination for state attorney general. He finished third in the primary, behind Spitzer, who won, and State Sen. Catherine Abate. Koppell finished ahead of Charles Davis, a former staffer for former Gov. Mario Cuomo.

He is married to Lorraine Coyle Koppell, who narrowly lost a race for the New York State Senate in 2000 to Guy Velella.

[edit] External links

• New York City Council - Council Member Official Website
• Koppell and Associates Profile
• Searchlight 2002-District 11
• NYC Campaign Finance Board: The 2001 Voter Guides
• Koppell Raises Money Despite Safe Seat
• Candidates Are Attacked Over Tobacco Money
• Primary Ahead in Attorney General Race
• WTC Plans Got Trashed

Preceded by Benjamin Altman	New York State Assembly, 84th District 1970 – 1982	Succeeded by Gordon W. Burrows
Preceded by Guy J. Velella	New York State Assembly, 80th District 1983 – 1992	Succeeded by George Friedman
Preceded by ?	New York State Assembly, 81st District 1993 – 1994	Succeeded by Jeffrey Dinowitz
Preceded by Robert Abrams	New York State Attorney General 1994 – 1995	Succeeded by Dennis Vacco
Preceded by June M. Eisland	New York City Council, 11th District 2002 – present	Incumbent