Melinda Katz

Early life and education

Melinda Katz grew up in Forest Hills, Queens.

She comes from a Jewish family with a long history of civic involvement. Her father, David Katz, was founder of the Queens Symphony Orchestra in 1953, and her mother, Jeanne Dale Katz, founded the Queens Council on the Arts.

Katz earned a B.A. degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst (summa cum laude), where she was named a Commonwealth Scholar, and later earned a J.D. degree from St. John's University School of Law.

Career

She was recruited by the law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges, where she worked as an associate for several years before running for the New York State Assembly. In 1995 the New York Daily News named her "one of the one hundred up-and-coming young leaders for the 21st Century."

New York State Assembly

Katz served as a Member of the New York State Assembly from 1994 to 1999, representing Queens' 28th District, which included Forest Hills, Rego Park, and parts of Middle Village and Glendale. During her tenure as an Assembly member, Katz drafted sixteen bills that became laws, including some crucial health care initiatives. She wrote the law requiring HMOs to provide women direct access to gynecological care without forcing them to first see a primary care physician. She also was the Chair of the subcommittee on Urban Health. Additionally, she carried several bills to increase penalties for various forms of assault.

1998 Congressional Democratic Primary

In 1998, Katz ran for Congress from New York's 9th congressional district, which was the seat held by Chuck Schumer, who was running for the U.S. Senate. She lost the primary by 285 votes to Anthony Weiner, who went on to win the subsequent general election.

New York City Council

Katz then became Director of Community Boards for the Office of the Queens Borough President from 1999 to 2002, before winning a seat on the New York City Council, where she served from 2002 to 2009, representing the 29th district, which included Forest Hills, Rego Park, Kew Gardens and parts of Maspeth, South Elmhurst and Richmond Hill. Katz served as Chair of the Standing Committee on Land Use, which was responsible for approving rezoning measures for wide-ranging pockets of the city, including Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Jamaica. As chair of the committee, Katz oversaw the rezoning of 6,000 city blocks, including the Greenpoint-Williamsburg rezoning in 2005.

Private sector

Term-limited out of the Council in 2009, Katz worked at the Greenberg Traurig law firm, where she specialized in government affairs and land use. In that position, she was paid to lobby for News Corporation.

2009 New York City Comptroller Democratic Primary

In 2009, Katz ran for New York City Comptroller in a four-person Democratic primary. She finished third with 20 percent of the vote, behind winner John Liu and second-place David Yassky.

Borough President

In 2012, Katz announced her plans to run for Queens Borough President in 2013. She was endorsed by Congresswoman Grace Meng, Councilman Leroy Comrie and the 1199 Hospital Workers Union. She won the Democratic nomination, defeating former New York City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. and others, and went on to easily win the general election. She was re-elected in 2017.

Queens District Attorney

Main article: 2019 Queens County District Attorney election

In December 2018, Katz announced her candidacy for Queens District Attorney. In the Democratic primary, Katz faced Tiffany Cabán, a public defender who was endorsed by several progressive politicians, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders. The initial results of the Democratic primary on June 25, 2019, showed Cabán with a narrow 1.3 percent lead over Katz. Katz performed particularly well in Assembly Districts 23–29, which comprise much of Southeast Queens. On July 3, 2019, election officials said Katz pulled ahead in the final count and led Caban by a mere 20 votes, triggering a recount.{{cite news |last1=Muoio |first1=Danielle |url=https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2019/07/03/katz-queens-da-ballot-count-recount-planned-1087436 |title=Katz pulls ahead of Cabán in Queens DA primary, prompts recount

Katz was sworn in on January 6, 2020.

Katz successfully ran for re-election in 2023.

Personal life

Katz was in a relationship with Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels and later the 2021 and 2025 Republican nominee for New York City mayor, and separated from him in 2014; they have two children together, conceived in vitro over the previous five years. She is named in a court case involving Sliwa, accused by his ex-wife, Mary, of diverting money to Katz while still married to Mary, as part of a plan to build a "nest egg" with Katz prior to moving in with her. On February 14, 2015, the New York Daily News reported that Katz and Sliwa had separated on Election Day 2014. Katz now lives with their children in Forest Hills.

References

References

1. "Queens County District Attorney - JENNIFER L. NAIBURG - CHIEF ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY".
2. (August 16, 2009). "Candidate Melinda Katz: City Controller". The New York Daily News.
3. Ross, Barbara. (2013-05-09). "Curtis Sliwa scammed ex to give child support to mistress, lawsuit claims". New York Daily News.
4. (2019-07-29). "Election board to declare Katz victory over Caban in Queens District Attorney race". [[WABC-TV.
5. Huffington Post, The. (2009). "Melinda Katz". The Huffington Post.
6. "Melinda Katz". Queensnewyork.com.
7. Bertrand, Donald. (October 24, 2004). "Orchestrating 29th Council District Pol's Still in First House – But on Fourth Career". The New York Daily News.
8. Craven Mcginty, Jo. (September 11, 2007). "Rezoning Plan for Jamaica Wins Approval of Council". The New York Times.
9. Hughes, C.J.. (2012-05-01). "Where real estate meets politics".
10. Cullen, Terence. "Katz creates campaign team for Queens borough president run". Terence Cullen.
11. (July 29, 2011). "Pols on the Payroll". New York Magazine.
12. Ross Barkan. (2013-08-15). "Melinda Katz Scores 1199 Endorsement | Observer". Politicker.com.
13. "Statement and Return Report for Certification General Election 2013 — 11/05/2013 — Queens County — All Parties and Independent Bodies Borough President — Queens". Board of Elections in the City of New York.
14. "Statement and Return Report for Certification — General Election — 11/07/2017 — Queens County — All Parties and Independent Bodies — Borough President — Queens". Board of Elections in the City of New York.
15. (4 December 2018). "Borough President Katz Launches Run for Queens District Attorney". Sunny Side Post.
16. "On eve of primary, Queens DA race turns more negative". Politico PRO.
17. "Progressive Insurgent Tiffany Cabán Declares Victory in the Primary for Queens DA". Mother Jones.
18. (June 25, 2019). "The Latest: Caban Claims Victory in Queens DA Race". [[U.S. News & World Report]].
19. (27 June 2019). "More Than 6,300 Ballots Left to be Counted in Contentious Queens DA Race". Queens Post.
20. "With Queens DA Election Too Close to Call, Cabán Troops Prepare to Fight For Every Vote".
21. (29 July 2019). "Queens district attorney primary to be certified by Board of Elections". [[AM New York]].
22. (7 August 2019). "Tiffany Cabán concedes Democratic race for Queens district attorney, securing Melinda Katz's razor-thin victory". New York Daily News.
23. (January 6, 2020). "Melinda Katz sworn in as new Queens district attorney".
24. Kaye, Jacob. (2023-11-07). "Queens election results: Incumbents cruise to victory".
25. Karni, Annie. (April 14, 2012). "Sliwa's a parent & Guardian to secret donor kids with fmr. City Councilwoman Melinda Katz". [[New York Post]].
26. Chung, Jen. (April 15, 2012). "Curtis Sliwa Was Ex-Council Member Melinda Katz's Sperm Donor And Now They're Getting Married". [[Gothamist]].
27. Fanelli, James. (May 9, 2013). "Guardian Angels' Curtis Sliwa Swindled Wife During Affair, Lawsuit Says". DNAinfo New York.
28. Gregorian, Dareh. (December 11, 2013). "Curtis Sliwa Child-Support Trial: Queens Borough President-elect Melinda Katz Gets Grilled". New York Daily News.