James J. Crisona
James J. Crisona (August 30, 1907 - September 4, 2003) was a lawyer, Democratic politician and judge from Queens, New York City.
Crisona received a law degree from New York University in 1931 and subsequently joined Manhattan firm Crisona Brothers, where he was senior partner from 1945 to 1957.[1]
While still practicing law, Crisona won election to the New York State Assembly in 1946, and then to the New York State Senate in 1955, representing Queens constituencies in both offices. Among his legislative achievements, he is credited with helping transfer control of LaGuardia Airport and Idlewild Airport (now John F. Kennedy Airport) to the Port Authority.[2]
In 1957, he won the election for Queens borough president against the Republican incumbent James A. Lundy.[2] Crisona was accused of offering bribes during the campaign by James A. Phillips, then a leader of the Queens County Democrats and a rival for the nomination. He appeared voluntarily before a grand jury, which cleared him of all charges in 1959.[3] He took office in 1958, but only stayed until the end of the year, when he stepped down to take a seat on the New York Supreme Court. He remained on the bench until 1976 when he returned to lawyering.[1]
Crisona died in a Manhattan nursing home in 2003.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "James J. Crisona, 96, Lawyer, Legislator and New York Judge". The New York Times. September 10, 2003. Retrieved October 25, 2009.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "A Look at the Political Past: Queens Borough Presidents from Frederick Bowley (1898) to Pat Clancy (1962)" (PDF). Central Queens Historical Association. May 2, 1996. Retrieved October 25, 2009.
- ↑ "Crisona Cleared of Bribe Charge". The New York Times. January 31, 1959. p. 39.
| Preceded by James A. Lundy |
Borough President of Queens 1958 |
Succeeded by John T. Clancy |
|