Adam Bradley (politician)
Adam Bradley | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New York State Assembly from the 89th district | |
| In office January 2003 – December 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Naomi Matusow |
| Succeeded by | Robert Castelli |
| Mayor of White Plains | |
| In office January 2010 – February 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Joseph M. Delfino |
| Succeeded by | Thomas M. Roach, Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 13, 1961 Westchester County, New York |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | Two daughters |
| Alma mater | Pace University Pace Law School |
| Profession | lawyer, politician |
| Website | AdamBradley.org |
Adam T. Bradley (born July 13, 1961) is a Democratic former New York State Assemblyman and former Mayor of the City of White Plains.
Early life and career
Bradley was born and raised in Westchester County, New York. He attended Pace University, where he received a B.A. in 1985 and a law degree in 1989. He worked as an attorney in private practice specializing in family law. Bradley also served as an assistant county attorney in Westchester County and as counsel to Assemblyman Richard L. Brodsky.[1]
New York State Assembly
Bradley was a member of the New York State Assembly, representing the 89th Assembly District, which encompasses the towns of Bedford, Harrison, Lewisboro, Mount Kisco, New Castle, North Castle, Pound Ridge.
He was first elected to the Assembly in November 2002 after a successful primary election against the then Democratic incumbent Naomi C. Matusow. The central issue in that election revolved around a special sales tax premium afforded to the City of White Plains. The controversial nuclear reactor at Indian Point also featured prominently in the election.
Bradley was a leading advocate for children's safety, environmental conservation and protection, and health care when he was in the New York State legislature.
Mayor of White Plains
Bradley was elected Mayor of the City of White Plains in 2009.
He was a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition,[2] a bi-partisan coalition co-chaired by Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Arrest, conviction, resignation, exoneration
On February 28, 2010, Bradley was charged in White Plains City Court with assault in the 3rd degree, a class A misdemeanor, after his wife filed a domestic violence complaint against him.[3] Bradley's wife, Fumiko Bradley, alleged that he grabbed her left arm, placed it on a door frame, and slammed the door on her hand. Bradley acknowledged that he and his wife had problems, but denied that he assaulted her.
Marcia Pappas, the president of the New York State chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) said, "If these allegations are true, Adam Bradley is certainly not fit to be mayor of White Plains."[4] Bradley's office said he would not resign.
On March 5, 2010, Neal Comer, Fumiko Bradley's lawyer, revealed that she wanted the assault charge against her husband dropped.[5] Comer said if Fumiko Bradley was "forced to testify, she won't support this charge, and the D.A. should be aware of that." The couple filed for divorce on September 14, 2010.
On December 9, 2010, he was found guilty of the attempted assault and harassment of his wife, Fumiko Bradley, and criminal contempt, following a lengthy non-jury trial.[6]
On February 18, 2011, Bradley resigned as mayor.[7]
On March 17, 2011, he was sentenced to probation for a period of three years. In addition, the court issued a permanent order of protection requiring Bradley to have no contact with his wife for five years.[8]
On October 17, 2012 an Appeals court overturned the criminal conviction finding that he did not receive a fair trial.[9]
Additional charges
On April 8, 2010, Westchester County prosecutors filed additional charges against Bradley related to his arrest for allegedly assaulting his wife. Bradley was charged with witness tampering, harassment, and contempt of court.[10] Bradley pleaded not guilty to the new charges and was eventually found not guilty on all criminal charges filed against him.
In August 2010 Mayor Bradley ran into additional legal problems when the White Plains Common Council and the city's ethics board opened an ethics investigation against him. After Bradley was forced to leave his residence due to an order of protection against him, he rented an apartment in a building owned by a real estate developer who had properties in the City of White Plains. His rent there hasn't been disclosed. According to news reports, within days of moving into that apartment, Bradley arranged a meeting between the developer-landlord and highly placed city officials. The developer is the son-in-law of a former mobster, Anthony Anastasio.
The City retained independent counsel to carry out the investigation. As of the date of his resignation this investigation ceased as it is now moot due to his not being Mayor any longer.
Shortly after the criminal charges, a movement began to remove him from office. The White Plains Common Council passed a No Confidence Vote expressing that the Common Council is not confident Adam Bradley is capable of being mayor of White Plains. A letter was sent in a few days to Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York Attorney General, Eric T. Schneiderman, asking for Bradley's removal from office.[11]
Retrial, charges dropped
On Friday, June 21, 2013, a six-person jury found Adam Bradley not guilty of all the remaining criminal charges filed, three counts of harassment, one of attempted assault and one of criminal contempt. The two-week retrial was presided over by acting state Supreme Court Justice Barry Warhit at the Westchester County courthouse in White Plains, NY,[12]
References
- ^ "Biography". Assemblyman Adam T. Bradley website.
- ^ "Coalition Members". Mayors Against Illegal Guns. Archived from the original on 2007-03-06.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Assault Charge for White Plains Mayor". The New York Times. February 28, 2010.
- ^ "'Assault' mayor told: Quit, NOW". The New York Post. March 2, 2010.
- ^ "Mayor's wife wants assault charge dropped". The Journal News. LoHud.com. March 6, 2010. Archived from the original on March 8, 2010.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "White Plains Mayor Adam Bradley found guilty on five of eight counts in assault case". WABC-TV Eyewitness News. December 9, 2010.
- ^ "White Plains Mayor Adam Bradley Resigns". MyFoxNY.com. February 18, 2011.
On October 17, 2012 an Appeals court overturned the criminal conviction finding that he did not receive a fair trial.
- ^ "Ex-mayor ducks jail". The New York Post. March 18, 2011.
- ^ "Supreme Court of the State of New York Appellate Division: Second Judicial Department" (pdf). October 27, 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
- ^ "More Charges for a Mayor in Westchester". The New York Times. April 8, 2010.
- ^ www.RecallBradley.com Archived December 20, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Adam Bradley says acquittal on all criminal charges leveled against him was['3 years too late'" The Journal News. June 22, 2013