1.
Gregory Meeks
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 5th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2013
Preceded by Gary Ackerman
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 6th district
In office
January 3, 1998 – January 3, 2013
Preceded by Floyd H. Flake
Succeeded by Grace Meng
Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 31st district
In office
1993–1998
Preceded by Anthony S. Seminerio
Succeeded by Pauline Rhodd-Cummings
Personal details
Gregory Meeks
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gregory Weldon Meeks (born September 25, 1953) is the
U.S. Representative for New York's 5th congressional district,
formerly in the 6th District since 1998. He is a member of the
Democratic Party. The district formerly included, in the last
congress, most of southeastern Queens, including Jamaica,
Laurelton, Rosedale, Cambria Heights, Saint Albans,
Springfield Gardens, Far Rockaway, and the John F. Kennedy
International Airport. His district is made up mainly of middle
and upper middle-class African-American and West Indian
American communities, but also included a small part of
Ozone Park and part of Howard Beach known as Old Howard
Beach, both of which are predominantly middle-class Italian-
American communities. In addition, he represented much of
Kew Gardens and northern Richmond Hill.
Contents
1 Early life, education and career
2 U.S. House of Representatives
2.1 Committee assignments
2.2 Caucus memberships
2.3 Boycotted Israeli Prime Minister
3 Philippine visit
4 Letter to Tirofijo
5 Congressional Auto Lease
6 2008 House Primary election
7 2012 House Primary election
8 Personal life
9 References
10 External links
Early life, education and career
Born in East Harlem, New York City and raised in a housing
project, Meeks attended Adelphi University and obtained a
law degree from Howard University School of Law. He is a
member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.[1]
He worked as an Assistant District Attorney and Special
Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York before joining
the Investigations Commission on official misconduct and
organized crime. He then was Supervising Judge for the New
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2.
Born Gregory Weldon Meeks
September 25, 1953
New York City, New York
Political
party
Democratic
Spouse(s) Simone Marie Meeks
Residence Queens, New York City, New York
Alma mater Adelphi University, Howard
University
Occupation attorney, judge
Religion African Methodist Episcopal
(attends Greater Allen Cathedral)
York State Workers Compensation System.
Meeks was a member of the New York State Assembly (31st
D.) from 1993 to 1998, sitting in the 190th, 191st, and 192nd
New York State Legislatures.
U.S. House of Representatives
Committee assignments
Committee on Financial Services
Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and
Consumer Credit
Committee on Foreign Affairs
United States House Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere
United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia Ranking Member
Caucus memberships
Co-chair of the Dialogue Caucus
Co-chair of the Malaysia Caucus
Co-chair of the Middle East Economic Partnership Caucus
Co-chair of the Services Caucus
Co-chair of the Caucus on US Russian Trade and Economic Relations
Meeks is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, the International Conservation Caucus and the New
Democrat Coalition.
On the U.S. Federal Budget, Meeks supports Social Security and Medicare and wants to balance the budget,
lower the national debt while sending money to education, environment and national defense.[2] He is also
against the privatization of Social Security.[3] On Homeland Security, Gregory Meeks has unwavering support of
on-ground troops, and a large supporter of veterans and emergency responders.[4] Finally, Gregory Meeks is a
strong supporter of the Health Care plan and is currently working to promote the extension and expansion of the
State’s Children’s Health Insurance Program. He has also worked hard to increase the federal funding to
research fields to speed cures.[5]
Meeks is pro-choice on abortion, and he supported Planned Parenthood all throughout his career. His votes, such
as voting against the prohibition of late-term or partial birth abortions, twice in 2003 against the Republicans,
support and strengthen his position on abortion. However, in the recent 2008 election for funding federal money
to abortions, he voted against it.[6] He is supported by NARAL Pro-Choice America, National Family Planning
& Reproductive Health Association. He is not supported by National Rights to Life Committee.[7]
Meeks is for animal rights, and he never supported or voted for the organizations supporting hunters and animal
owners based on his votes in Congress. He is also a supporter of endangered species and voted to protect them.
In the 2005 Endangered Species Reauthorization Bill, he voted against the Republicans in vain.[8] He is
supported by the Humane Society of the United States, Big Cats Rescue and is not supported by Sportsmen and
Animal Owner’s Voting Alliance.[6]
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3.
Meeks is not supported by the Americans for Fair Taxation, which wants to the change the tax system, so a clean
slate is given to every American and he or she is taxed equally by using retail sales tax. However, this would
banish Social Security, Medicare and other government-supported plans.[9] Also, the National Taxpayers Union
does not support Meeks.[10]—the National Taxpayers Union strives to change the current tax system to make it
simpler to the individual[11] Similarly, he is not supported by the National Tax Limitation Committee and
Americans for Tax Reform, which have supported more Republicans than Democrats. None of these groups
have overwhelmingly supported Gregory Meeks since he has been a representative of New York.[12]
Meeks has supported the Bush Administration wiretapping programs that were undertaken without the
attainment of a warrant.
During the 2008 electoral campaign, Meeks appeared in a television advertisement[13] endorsing the reelection
of Puerto Rico Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá.
Boycotted Israeli Prime Minister
On March 3, 2015, Meeks participated with fellow Democrats in the boycott of the speech delivered by Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Congress.[14]
Philippine visit
On August 25, 2007, Silvestre Reyes, chairman of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the
Armed Services Committee, and four other US Congressmen visited American troops deployed in the southern
Philippines, to overview the US-Philippines relationship. Reyes headed the bipartisan delegation which included
New Jersey Rep. Rodney P. Frelinghuysen, member of appropriations committee and the select intelligence
oversight panel; New Mexico Rep. Heather Wilson of the committee on energy and the intelligence committee;
New York Rep. Gregory W. Meeks, a Democrat, of the financial services and international relations committees;
and Maryland Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger of the appropriations and intelligence committees. They drove to the
base of the Joint Special Operation Task Force Philippines (JSOTFP), a US-led body, which trains Filipino
soldiers against terror, in Barangay Upper Calarian.[15]
Letter to Tirofijo
On December 20, 2007, together with two other US representatives (Bill Delahunt and Jim McGovern), Meeks
wrote a letter thanking the head of the leftist Colombian guerilla organization FARC (Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia, in Spanish) for the release of evidence that confirmed the survival of several of the
forty-five hostages that the terrorist groups held captive (including three US citizens), some of them for over a
decade. The group is considered a terrorist organization by the US government and the European Union (EU).
Congressional Auto Lease
It was recently noted by the New York Times that Meeks utilizes the option to use tax dollars to lease a car, for
use as a member of Congress. This option does not exist for Senate members. The lease is forgone by many
members of Congress, but Meeks has held the most-expensive lease among all members. He has used tax dollars
to lease a 2007 Lexus LS 460, at $998 per month. Meeks was unwilling to provide further comment when
questioned by the New York Times, on the lease arrangement, saying, "These are never lighthearted stories." [16]
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4.
2008 House Primary election
Meeks was criticized for initially supporting Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama for President. His House
primary election challenger was to be Ruben Wills, a former chief of staff for State Senator Shirley L. Huntley
and an organizer for Obama. Wills said, "I was on board with Obama from Day 1; Meeks had to be dragged
across the line." Some suggested that a young black political class was seeking to assert the neighborhood’s
power against what it saw as an older establishment, based in Harlem, that had long exercised disproportionate
influence in New York City.[17][18] Wills did not qualify for the ballot, resulting in no primary election taking
place.
2012 House Primary election
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) named Meeks one of the most-corrupt members
of Congress in 2011.[19] It was subsequently reported that Meeks' continuing ethical and criminal probes would
cause his premature exit from Congress;[20] however, Meeks has denied this.[21] Hip hop artist and law school
graduate Mike Scala announced in October 2011 to run for office against Meeks.[22] However, Meeks won the
Democratic primary and was re-elected with 89.7% of the general election vote in November 2012.
Personal life
Ethnically, Gregory Meeks is of African-American heritage, and according to a DNA analysis, he descended,
mainly, from people of Sierra Leone.[23]
References
Lawrence Kestenbaum. "Alpha Phi Alpha
Politicians". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved
August 23, 2010.
1.
"Project Vote Smart - Representative Gregory W.
Meeks - Issue Position: The Federal Budget".
Votesmart.org. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
2.
"Project Vote Smart - Representative Gregory W.
Meeks - Issue Position: Social Security and
Medicare". Votesmart.org. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
3.
"Project Vote Smart - Representative Gregory W.
Meeks - Issue Position: Homeland Security".
Votesmart.org. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
4.
"Project Vote Smart - Representative Gregory W.
Meeks - Issue Position: Health Care". Votesmart.org.
Retrieved August 23, 2010.
5.
"Project Vote Smart - Representative Gregory W.
Meeks - Voting Record". Votesmart.org. Retrieved
August 23, 2010.
6.
"Project Vote Smart - Representative Gregory W.
Meeks - Interest Group Ratings". Votesmart.org. May
14, 2010. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
7.
"Project Vote Smart - Representative Meeks on HR
3824 - Endangered Species Reauthorization Bill".
Votesmart.org. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
8.
"Project Vote Smart - Americans for Fair Taxation
Rating". Votesmart.org. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
9.
"Project Vote Smart - National Taxpayers Union
Rating". Votesmart.org. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
10.
David Keating (April 18, 2011). "A Taxing Trend:
The Rise in Complexity, Forms, and Paperwork
Burdens - NTU Policy Paper 128". NTU - National
Taxpayers Union. National Taxpayers Union.
Retrieved June 28, 2012.
11.
"Project Vote Smart - Representative Gregory W.
Meeks - Interest Group Ratings". Votesmart.org. May
14, 2010. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
12.
“”. "¿A quién recomiendan los congresistas?".
YouTube. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
13.
"List of 56 Democrats Not Attending Netanyahu's
Speech". IJ Review. March 3, 2015. Retrieved
March 4, 2015.
14.
Matikas Santos (June 28, 2012). " 'Dindo' will hit N.
Luzon, 10 areas under Signal No. 2". Philippine Daily
Inquirer. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
15.
Hernandez, Raymond (May 1, 2008). "What Would
You Drive, if the Taxpayers Paid?". The New York
Times.
16.
Gregory Meeks - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_Meeks
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5.
Hernandez, Raymond (July 1, 2008). "A New
Campaign Charge: You Supported Clinton". The New
York Times.
17.
Obama Forces Back Challenges To Meeks In SE
Queens Primary | www.qgazette.com | Queens Gazette
(http://www.qgazette.com/news/2008
/0716/political_page/014.html)
18.
Staff (2012). "Gregory Meeks (D-NY)". CREW's
Most Corrupt. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics
in Washington. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
19.
Vincent, Isabel; Klein, Melissa (October 2, 2011).
"Pushing Meeks out door". New York Post.
20.
U.S. Rep. Greg Meeks (November 3, 2011). "Meeks
Clears Air". Queens Tribune. Retrieved June 28,
2012.
21.
Queens-Politics (October 28, 2011). "Scala Seeks
Democratic Endorsement For 6th Congressional.".
Queens-Politics.com. Queens-Politics.com. Retrieved
June 28, 2012.
22.
Congressman Greg Meeks Ancestry Reveal
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dpmi9ZiAKbw)
on YouTube
23.
External links
Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (http://www.house.gov/meeks/) official U.S. House site
Gregory Meeks for Congress (http://www.congressmangregorymeeks.com/)
Gregory Meeks (http://dmoztools.net/Regional/North_America/United_States/New_York/Government
/Federal/US_House_of_Representatives/Gregory_Meeks_%5BD-05%5D) at DMOZ
Biography (http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=m001137) at the Biographical
Directory of the United States Congress
Profile (https://www.votesmart.org/candidate/4360) at Project Vote Smart
Financial information (federal office) (http://www.fec.gov/fecviewer
/CandidateCommitteeDetail.do?&tabIndex=1&candidateCommitteeId=H8NY06048) at the Federal
Election Commission
Legislation sponsored (https://www.congress.gov/member/gregory-meeks/1506) at The Library of
Congress
Profile (http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Greg_Meeks) on SourceWatch
Political offices
Preceded by
Anthony S. Seminerio
New York State Assembly
31st District
1993–1998
Succeeded by
Pauline Rhodd-Cummings
United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Floyd H. Flake
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 6th congressional district
1998–2013
Succeeded by
Grace Meng
Preceded by
Gary Ackerman
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 5th congressional district
2013–present
Incumbent
United States order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Adam Smith
D-Washington
United States Representatives by seniority
72nd
Succeeded by
Barbara Lee
D-California
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gregory_Meeks&oldid=768371418"
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6.
Categories: 1953 births American people of Sierra Leonean descent
African-American members of the United States House of Representatives
African-American state legislators in New York Living people Members of the New York State Assembly
Members of the United States House of Representatives from New York New York Democrats
People from Harlem American Methodists Howard University School of Law alumni
Adelphi University alumni Public officeholders of Rockaway, Queens
People of the African Methodist Episcopal church 20th-century Methodists
Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives 21st-century American politicians
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