| Michael W. Cole | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New York State Assembly from the 142nd district |
|
| In office May 2006 – December 2008 |
|
| Preceded by | Sandra Lee Wirth |
| Succeeded by | Jane L. Corwin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1971/1972 (age 39–40)[1] |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Lori[2] |
| Children | two[2] |
| Residence | Alden, New York[2] |
| Alma mater | SUNY Brockport SUNY Buffalo School of Law[2] |
| Profession | lawyer, politician |
| Religion | Roman Catholic[2] |
Michael W. "Mike" Cole (born 1971/1972)[1] was a Republican member of the New York State Assembly representing the 142nd Assembly District, covering portions of Erie and Niagara Counties. He served on the Tourism, Arts and Sports Development Committee, Higher Education Committee, Local Governments Committee, and Government Operations Committee. He was also the ranking member of the Ethics and Guidance Committee.
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Cole was raised in Alden, New York, and is a graduate of Alden Central High School. He received a B.S. degree from the State University of New York College at Brockport in 1994 and a Juris Doctor degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law. He was admitted to the bar in February 2001 and maintains a private law practice.[2]
Cole's first elected office was as Alden Town Councilman in 1998 and he later served as the Town Supervisor.[2]
He was first elected to the Assembly during a special election in May 2006, gaining close to 70 percent of the vote. He was elected to his first full term as an Assemblyman on November 7, 2006, defeating Democratic challenger Laura Monte with nearly 57 percent of the vote.
Cole won a Republican nominating convention for his Assembly District in May 2008,[3] but was defeated in the September 2008 Republican primary election by challenger Jane Corwin.[4]
In 2007, Cole was formally censured by New York State Assembly. He admitted to drinking excessively with a student intern and then spending the night in her apartment with her. These actions were direct violations of the Assembly policy against fraternization with student interns. The intern additionally lost her position.[5][6] Additionally, Cole was removed as the ranking Republican on the Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Committee, was barred from the Assembly Intern Program and lost the rights and privileges otherwise due to him per his seniority.[7][8]
This has been criticized by news sources, such as the Rupert Murdoch-owned newspaper New York Post, as a partisan move by Democratic Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver because Democratic Legislature members, such as Diane Gordon (who is under indictment for soliciting a $500,000 bribe), Brian McLaughlin (who is under indictment for racketeering, embezzlement and fraud),[9] Clarence Norman Jr. (who was convicted in three separate trials on felony larceny and corruption charges; sentenced to two to six years in prison, pending an appeal), and Gloria Davis, (who pleaded guilty in 2003 to bribery and served two months on Rikers Island) are under investigation for (with the exception of Davis) felony criminal offenses, yet Speaker Silver chose to censure Cole, for an incident in which he broke no law.[10]
Cole resides in Alden with his wife Lori (née Kolodziej). They have two daughters, Emily and Allison, and attend St. John’s Roman Catholic Church in Alden.[2]
| Jane L. Corwin | ... | 3,951 |
| Michael W. Cole | ... | 3,063 |
| Leonard A. Roberto | ... | 1,481 |
| Jeffrey A. Bono, III | ... | 255 |
| Preceded by Sandra Lee Wirth |
New York State Assembly, 142nd District 2006–2008 |
Succeeded by Jane Corwin |