Eric Gioia

Eric Gioia is a member of the New York City Council and a Democratic Party politician in New York. He was elected to two year terms in 2001 and 2003 and to a four year term in 2005. He represents the Queens neighborhoods of Woodside, Sunnyside, Maspeth, and Long Island City.

Gioia attended public schools P.S. 11 and I.S. 125 in Queens. He is a graduate of St. Francis Preparatory School, New York University and Georgetown University Law Center. He worked his way through college as a janitor and elevator operator and member of Local 32BJ. He worked as a law clerk during law school in the White House under President Bill Clinton. He has also worked in his family's florist in Woodside, which has operated on Roosevelt Avenue for over 100 years. He worked in the private practice of law in Manhattan and on the presidential campaign of Al Gore in 2000.

Gioia has become well known as an advocate for the hungry, and has written laws to alleviate child hunger and protect the environment. He has improved schools and fought for affordable and middle class housing in his district. He founded a youth baseball league and brought a bank to Queensbridge Houses in Long Island City. He is the Chairman of the Oversight and Investigations Committee, and has conducted over [http://nyccouncil.info/media/reports.cfm?VIEWALL=YES 50 investigations] leading to the passage of laws that protect homeless people with HIV and AIDS, increase government accountability and transparency, and register young people to vote.

As a councilman he has been known as an ally of current Council Speaker Christine Quinn and former Speaker Gifford Miller.

Council investigation into FDNY radio problems

"Please see main article: September 11, 2001 radio communications"

Fire Department of New York radios failed in the Twin Towers during the rescue operations immediately following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. Council member Gioia introduced a measure to have the Council investigate the issue of FDNY radio problems. [Don Hazen, "NYC Council Member Agrees To Push Investigation of Giuliani and the 9/11 Firemen Radio Debacle" alternet.org November 1, 2007 http://www.alternet.org/story/66721/]

"I will do everything in my power to get answers, to get the truth," said Gioia said. "These families deserve answers and really the entire city and our country deserve answers." Gioia introduced the investigation resolution following a petition drive to have the Council investigate the radios issue. The petitions carried 20,000 signatures. Petition organizers congratulated Gioia on his sponsorship of the investigation proposal. [Sam Stein, "Giuliani Faces Investigation of 9/11 Radios" November 1, 2007 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/11/01/giuliani-faces-investigat_n_70709.html] [ [http://www.kxmb.com/News/Nation/176810.asp NYC City Council Starts Investigation of Radios Used By Firefighters On 9/11 | KXNet.com North Dakota News ] ]

References

External links

* [http://council.nyc.gov/d26/html/members/home.shtml Official NYC Council Website about Eric Gioia]
* [http://www.ericgioia.com Councilman Eric Gioia's Campaign Website]