Louis Lefkowitz
| Louis Lefkowitz | |
|---|---|
| 59th Attorney General of New York | |
| In office January 10, 1957 – January 1, 1979 |
|
| Governor | Nelson Rockefeller, Malcolm Wilson, Hugh Carey |
| Preceded by | Jacob K. Javits |
| Succeeded by | Robert Abrams |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Louis J. Lefkowitz July 3, 1904 Manhattan, New York |
| Died | June 20, 1996 (aged 91) Manhattan, New York |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Helen Schwimmer |
| Children | 2 |
| Profession | Lawyer, Judge, Politician |
Louis J. Lefkowitz (July 3, 1904 – June 20, 1996) was an American lawyer and politician. He served as the Attorney General of New York State for 22 years.
Life and career [edit]
Lefkowitz was born in Manhattan, New York City, the son of Samuel Lefkowitz and Mollie (Isaacs) Lefkowitz, and brother of Leo Lefkowitz and Helen (Lefkowitz) Schlesinger. On June 14, 1931, he married Helen Schwimmer (1908–1986). They had a son, Stephen Lefkowitz, and a daughter, Joan Lefkowitz Feinbloom.
He was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1928 to 1930, elected in the 6th district of New York. In 1935, he became a municipal judge. In 1957, he was appointed New York State Attorney General by the New York State Legislature to succeed Jacob K. Javits, who resigned after his election to the U.S. Senate. Lefkowitz was re-elected in 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970 and 1974, holding the office for 22 years, the longest tenure since the office was established in 1777.
In 1961, he was the Republican candidate for Mayor of New York City, but lost to Robert F. Wagner, Jr.
Lefkowitz was a delegate to the 1944, 1948, 1960, and 1964 Republican National Conventions, and an alternate delegate to the 1956 Republican National Convention. He was a moderate or even liberal Republican and part of the Thomas E. Dewey and Nelson A. Rockefeller faction of the New York Republican Party.
Lefkowitz died from Parkinson's disease at his home in Manhattan.
The Louis J. Lefkowitz State Office Building at 80 Centre Street in the Civic Center district of Manhattan was named for him.[1]
References [edit]
Notes
- ^ "Louis J. Lekfowitz State Office Building" on the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services website
External links [edit]
- Lefkowitz at PoliticalGraveyard.com
- "Louis J. Lefkowitz, 22-Year Attorney General, Dies at 91" (obituary), The New York Times, June 21, 1996
- "MRS. LOUIS J. LEFKOWITZ" (Helen Lefkowitz obituary), The New York Times, March 19, 1986
| New York Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Morris Weinfeld |
New York State Assembly, New York County 6th District 1928–1930 |
Succeeded by Irving Neustein |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by Jacob K. Javits |
New York State Attorney General 1957–1978 |
Succeeded by Robert Abrams |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Robert Christenberry |
Republican Nominee for Mayor of New York City 1961 |
Succeeded by John V. Lindsay |
