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[[Angela Battaglia]] (girlfriend)<ref name="nypost_20100926">{{citation | title=Vito Lopez's gal pal a baroness of Brooklyn housing | last=Goldstein | first=Joseph | last2=Vincent | first2=Isabel | last3=Klein | first3=Melissa | publisher=[[New York Post]] | url=http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/meet_dem_own_big_money_honey_LQIEOz2F37TEP5YApw1HBK | accessdate=2010-09-27 }}</ref>
[[Angela Battaglia]] (girlfriend)<ref name="nypost_20100926">{{citation | title=Vito Lopez's gal pal a baroness of Brooklyn housing | last=Goldstein | first=Joseph | last2=Vincent | first2=Isabel | last3=Klein | first3=Melissa | publisher=[[New York Post]] | url=http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/meet_dem_own_big_money_honey_LQIEOz2F37TEP5YApw1HBK | accessdate=2010-09-27 }}</ref>
|children = [[Gina Marie Lopez Summa]], [[Stacey Anne Lopez Breves]]<ref name="nyt_20090803">{{citation | title=WEDDINGS/CELEBRATIONS; Stacey Lopez, Sean Breves | publisher=[[New York Times]] | date=2003-08-03 | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/03/style/weddings-celebrations-stacey-lopez-sean-breves.html }}</ref>
|children = [[Gina Marie Lopez Summa]], [[Stacey Anne Lopez Breves]]<ref name="nyt_20090803">{{citation | title=WEDDINGS/CELEBRATIONS; Stacey Lopez, Sean Breves | publisher=[[New York Times]] | date=2003-08-03 | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/03/style/weddings-celebrations-stacey-lopez-sean-breves.html }}</ref>
|alma_mater = [[Yeshiva University]] <small>([[Master of social work]])</small><br>[[Long Island University]] <small>([[Bachelor of Science|BS]], Business Administration)</small><ref name="votesmart" /> [[James Madison High School]]
|alma_mater = [[Yeshiva University]] <small>([[Master of social work]])</small><br>[[Long Island University]] <small>([[Bachelor of Science|BS]], Business Administration)</small><ref name="votesmart" /> [[James Madison High School (New York)]]
|religion = [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]]
|religion = [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]]
|profession = Social Worker, Non-profit Program Manager
|profession = Social Worker, Non-profit Program Manager, Politician
|website = [http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=053 Assembly Website]
|website = [http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=053 Assembly Website]
}}
}}

Revision as of 16:43, 29 September 2010

Vito J. Lopez
Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 53rd district
Assumed office
January 2008
Preceded byVictor Robles
Personal details
Born (1941-06-05) June 5, 1941 (age 83)[1]
Brooklyn[2]
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseJoan Lopez (divorced)[3] Angela Battaglia (girlfriend)[4]
ChildrenGina Marie Lopez Summa, Stacey Anne Lopez Breves[5]
Alma materYeshiva University (Master of social work)
Long Island University (BS, Business Administration)[1] James Madison High School (New York)
ProfessionSocial Worker, Non-profit Program Manager, Politician
WebsiteAssembly Website

Vito Joseph Lopez (born 1941) represents the 53rd District in the New York State Assembly, which comprises primarily Bushwick and Williamsburg. First elected in 1984, he began his twelfth term as Assemblyman in January 2007. He is also the current Chairman of the Kings County Democratic Party.

Chairman of the Kings County Democratic County Committee

He is also the current Chairman of the Kings County Democratic Party, having replaced Clarence Norman who was convicted of fraud and is currently serving a prison sentence.

Fighting the Housing Issues and the Pfizer Land Deal

Lopez introduced a bill in the Assembly seeking to take the property from Pfizer through eminent domain. Pfizer strongly condemned Lopez's attempt to take its land. [1]. Others insist that Lopez is involved in a complex bargain with Bishop DiMarzio of the Brooklyn Archdiocese and Rabbi David Neiderman of United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg (UJO) in which they are supporting his efforts at seizing the Pfizer property in exchange for his attempts to block the Child Victims Act. [2].

Childhood Sexual Abuse Legislation Controversy

Lopez is facing harsh criticism for his efforts propose a competing bill to the Child Victims Act, a bill sponsored by Assemblywoman Margaret M. Markey [3] which would open a one year window to allow all victims of childhood sexual abuse the ability to file civil actions against their abusers.

While in previous years Lopez voted in favor of the bill, he has now taken the position that the bill is not to his liking and has sponsored a competing bill that offers no window but would change current law and allow lawsuits against public institutions without requiring a 90 day notice of claim. The New York Times reported on June 9, 2009 that in an effort to reach a compromise with Lopez's bill, Markey amended her bill to specifically include all public institutions through the waiver of the current 90 day notice of claim requirement and also limited the window to victims aged 53 or younger.[4]

Stance on Gay Marriage

During an October 13, 2006 meeting with the Lambda Independent Democrats, a political club of gay Democrats in New York City, Lopez publicly declared his support for extending the right of civil marriage to same-sex couples for the first time in his political career. He also intimated that he would help to enact legislation that would recognize same-sex marriages, which the highest court in New York State refused to recognize earlier that year. [5]

RBSSC

Lopez created the Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council, Inc. (RBSCC), which was founded in order to provide services to senior citizens within their respective neighborhoods. However, over the years RBSCC has grown into one of NYS largest not-for-profit organizations. It has been accused by an official City of New York investigation of political conflicts of interest and financial mismanagement. [6]

References

  1. ^ a b Assembly Member Vito J. Lopez - Biography, Project Vote Smart, retrieved 2010-09-27
  2. ^ "Vito J. Lopez - Biography, New York State Assembly
  3. ^ Barnes, Julian E., The Two Faces of Bushwick; A Troubled Brooklyn Neighborhood Is Mending. But Its Leaders Are Feuding Over the Size of the Gains and What to Do Next., New York Times
  4. ^ Goldstein, Joseph; Vincent, Isabel; Klein, Melissa, Vito Lopez's gal pal a baroness of Brooklyn housing, New York Post, retrieved 2010-09-27
  5. ^ WEDDINGS/CELEBRATIONS; Stacey Lopez, Sean Breves, New York Times, 2003-08-03
New York State Assembly

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