Jeffrey Klein

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This article is about Jeffrey David Klein, the senator. For Jeffrey Klein, the Mother Jones (magazine) editor, see Jeffrey Bruce Klein.

Jeffrey David Klein (born in the Bronx, New York on July 10, 1960) is a New York State Senator representing parts of Bronx County and Westchester County. He was elected to his first term in the Senate in 2004 after being advised to run for the seat by Democratic colleagues, who promised him campaign support and volunteers.

A lifelong resident of the northeast Bronx, he was educated in Bronx public schools. Klein received a B.A. with honors from Queens College, an M.P.A. from Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs, and a J.D. from the City University of New York School of Law where he was a member of the law review.

A former chief of staff to Congressman James Scheuer, Klein served as a Democratic State Committeeman and District Leader before being elected to the New York State Assembly in 1994. During his ten years representing the 80th Assembly District in the state legislature, Jeff Klein served as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime and the Elderly, the Committee on State-Federal Relations, and the Committee on Oversight, Analysis and Investigations.

After former State Sen. Guy Velella was convicted on corruption charges, Senator Klein declined to seek reelection to the Assembly in order to run for the Senate.

In the Democratic Senate Primary, Senator Klein defeated then Assemblyman Stephen Kaufman. Klein received a tepic endorsement from The New York Times. Prior to running for the Senate, Senator Klein was reported to be considering a race for New York State Attorney General in 2006, but did not do so because Andrew Cuomo and Jeanine Pirro were competing for that position. After two years in the Senate he abandoned plans to run for the Majority Leader position, instead opting for the Deputy Minority Leader spot. It is widely speculated that Klein plans to run for Congress.

Called “smart and hard-working” by the New York Times, an “energetic legislator” by the New York Sun, and with "no real credentials as a reformer" by the Times, Klein has authored laws that impact the citizens of New York, including measures to protect the thousands of senior citizens and working families who live in Mitchell-Lama housing. He also introduced legislation protecting homeowners against blockbusting real estate solicitations and creating New York's Do Not Call telemarketing registry, which has enrolled almost two million residential telephone customers since its April 2001 inception.

Klein is also a partner in the law firm of Klein Calderoni & Santucci, LLP.

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Preceded by
George Friedman		 New York State Assembly, 80th District
1995–2004		 Succeeded by
Naomi Rivera
Preceded by
Guy Velella		 New York State Senate, 34th District
2005 – present		 Incumbent