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Ed Koch

May 18, 2023

"Edward Koch" redirects here. For the Australian medical practitioner known for his research of malaria, see Edward Albert Koch.

Edward Irving Koch (/kɒtʃ/ KOTCH;[1] December 12, 1924 – February 1, 2013) was an American politician, lawyer, political commentator, film critic, and television personality. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 and was mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989.

Ed Koch
Koch in 1988
105th Mayor of New York City
In office
January 1, 1978 – December 31, 1989
Preceded byAbraham Beame
Succeeded byDavid Dinkins
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from New York
In office
January 3, 1969 – December 31, 1977
Preceded byTheodore Kupferman
Succeeded byBill Green
Constituency
Member of the New York City Council
from the 2nd district
In office
January 1, 1967 – January 3, 1969
Preceded byWoodward Kingman
Succeeded byCarol Greitzer
Personal details
Born
Edward Irving Koch

(1924-12-12)December 12, 1924
New York City, U.S.
DiedFebruary 1, 2013(2013-02-01) (aged 88)
New York City, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Education
Signature
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Years of service1943–1946
RankSergeant
Unit104th Infantry Division
Battles/wars
Awards

Koch was a lifelong Democrat who described himself as a "liberal with sanity".[2] The author of an ambitious public housing renewal program in his later years as mayor, he began by cutting spending and taxes and cutting 7,000 employees from the city payroll. As a congressman and after his terms as the third Jewish mayor of New York City (after Fiorello LaGuardia and Abraham Beame),[citation needed] Koch was a fervent supporter of Israel. He crossed party lines to endorse Rudy Giuliani for mayor of New York City in 1993, Al D'Amato for Senate in 1998, Michael Bloomberg for mayor of New York City in 2001, and George W. Bush for president in 2004.[3]

A popular figure, Koch rode the New York City Subway and stood at street corners greeting passersby with the slogan "How'm I doin'?"[4] He was a lifelong bachelor, had no children and did not come out as gay during his lifetime.[5] A 2022 New York Times article posthumously identified him as gay.[5]

Koch was first elected mayor of New York City in 1977, and he won reelection in 1981 with 75% of the vote. He was the first New York City mayor to win endorsement on both the Democratic and Republican party tickets. In 1985, Koch was elected to a third term with 78% of the vote. His third term was fraught with scandal regarding political associates (although the scandal never touched him personally) and with racial tensions, including the killings of Michael Griffith and Yusuf Hawkins. In a close race, Koch lost the 1989 Democratic primary to his successor, David Dinkins.[3]

Early life

Koch was born in Crotona Park East section of The Bronx borough of New York City,[6] the son of Yetta (or Joyce,[7] née Silpe) and Louis (Leib) Koch, Polish-Jewish immigrants from Kozliv and Uścieczko in Eastern Galicia.[8] He came from a family of Conservative Jews who resided in Newark, New Jersey, where his father worked at a theater. As a child, he worked as a hatcheck boy in a Newark dance hall.[9] He graduated from South Side High School in Newark in 1941.[10]

WWII

In 1943 he was drafted into the United States Army,[11][12]. Koch did his basic training at at Camp Croft, SC in 1943 before entering the Army Specialized Training Program[13]. He then joined the 104th Infantry Division (a sub-division of the 26th Infantry Division). On 27 August 1944, he departed New York City, landing in Cherbourg, France, on 7 September 1944. He earned a European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, a World War II Victory Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge for service in the European Theater of Operations. After V-E Day, because he could speak German, Koch was sent to Bavaria to help remove Nazi public officials from their jobs and find non-Nazis to take their place. He was honorably discharged with the rank of Sergeant in 1946.[6][14]

A secret WW2 journal belonging to the former Mayor was unearthed by his sister in 2013 shortly after his death.[15]

Post WWII

Koch returned to New York City to attend City College of New York, graduating in 1945, and New York University School of Law, receiving his law degree in 1948. Koch was a sole practitioner from 1949 to 1964, and a partner with Koch, Lankenau, Schwartz & Kovner from 1965 to 1968. A Democrat, he became active in New York City politics as a reformer and opponent of Carmine DeSapio and Tammany Hall. In 1962 Koch ran for office for the first time, unsuccessfully opposing incumbent William Passannante, a DeSapio ally, for the Democratic nomination for the State Assembly.[16]

In 1963, Koch defeated DeSapio for the position of Democratic Party leader for the district which included Greenwich Village, and Koch won again in a 1965 rematch.[17] Koch served on the New York City Council from 1967 to 1969.[18]

Career

Elections

1968

Koch ran for Congress in New York's 17th congressional district after Republican Theodore Roosevelt Kupferman retired. He defeated Republican Whitney Seymour Jr. and Conservative Richard J. Callahan, who partly split the conservative vote.[19] He won 48.5% of the vote to Seymour's 45.6% and Callahan's 5.9%.

1970

Koch was reelected with 62% of the vote, defeating Republican Peter J. Sprague and Conservative Callahan who finished with 32% and 6%, respectively.[20]

1972

In advance of the 1972 elections, Koch's district was redistricted into the 18th district. He defeated Republican Jane Pickens Langley and Socialist Workers nominee Rebecca Finch, 70%–29%–1%.[21]

1973

See also: 1973 New York City mayoral election

Koch briefly ran for mayor in 1973, but garnered little support and dropped out before the Democratic primary. He threw his support to State Assemblyman Albert H. Blumenthal, but Blumenthal's bid was derailed by a scandal and he came in third.[22] Comptroller Abraham Beame won the election.[23]

1974

Koch won reelection (with career-best 76.7% of the vote) to the 18th district against John Boogaerts Jr. (Republican, 18.8%), Gilliam M. Drummond (Conservative, 3.7%), and Katherine Sojourner (Socialist Workers, 0.8%).[24]

1976

Koch was again reelected, this time with 75.7% of the vote, defeating Sonia Landau (Republican, 20.1%), and James W. McConnell (Conservative, 4.3%).[25]

1977

See also: 1977 New York City mayoral election

Koch announced his campaign for mayor of New York City against incumbent Beame. Koch and future governor Mario Cuomo finished first (19.8%) and second (18.7%) in the Democratic primary, eliminating Beame (18%). In the runoff, Koch defeated Cuomo, 55%-45%.

Koch ran to the right of the other candidates on a "law and order" platform. According to historian Jonathan Mahler, the New York City blackout of July 1977 and the subsequent rioting helped catapult Koch and his message of restoring public safety to front-runner status.[26]

1981

See also: 1981 New York City mayoral election

Koch won both the Democratic and Republican nominations and appeared on the ballot with both of their lines. He faced opposition only from third parties. He won 74.6% of the vote, with Unity candidate Frank Barbaro netting next-best 13.3%. John A. Esposito (Conservative) and Mary T. Codd (Liberal) also ran.[27] Koch swept all five boroughs by landslide margins, breaking 60% of the vote in Manhattan and 70% in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island.[28]

1982

See also: 1982 New York gubernatorial election

After incumbent Hugh Carey announced he would not run for reelection, Koch announced his candidacy for governor of New York. Cuomo, who had been elected lieutenant governor, also ran. Koch received the party's endorsement with 61% of the convention vote, but Cuomo won the Democratic primary. The New York Times called Cuomo's victory a "stunning upset" that relied on "an unusual coalition of liberal Democrats, labor, minorities and upstaters". Koch ran strongly in Jewish communities, while Cuomo won black, liberal, and Italian communities by a similar margin. A key to Cuomo's victory was his strong showing in New York City itself; though Koch won the city and its four suburban counties (Rockland, Westchester, Suffolk, and Nassau) as expected, Cuomo kept the margin close and won half of the city's Assembly districts. That, combined with large victories in nearly every upstate county, allowed Cuomo to win. Koch endorsed Cuomo immediately, declaring "what's important to all of us is that we keep a Democrat in Albany."[29] Many say the deciding factor in Koch's loss was an interview with Playboy magazine in which he called the lifestyle of suburbia and upstate New York "sterile" and lamented the thought of having to live in "the small town" of Albany as governor. Koch's remarks are thought to have alienated many voters from outside New York City.[30] Cuomo was elected governor over Republican Lewis Lehrman, and served three terms.

1985

See also: 1985 New York City mayoral election

Koch was reelected to a third term in a landslide. He defeated Carol Bellamy (Liberal) and Dian McGrath (Republican/Conservative), 78%-10%-9%, respectively, and was sworn into his third and final term in January 1986. As of 2021, this is the most recent mayoral election in which a Democrat carried Staten Island.[31] During the campaign, Koch visited the Lubavitcher Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, seeking his blessing and endorsement.[32]

1989

See also: 1989 New York City mayoral election

Koch ran for an unprecedented fourth term in 1989. No mayor had ever won a fourth term, though Fiorello La Guardia and Robert Wagner also served three terms, and Wagner attempted to run for a fourth in 1969. Koch lost the Democratic primary to Manhattan Borough President David Dinkins, who finished with 547,901 votes to Koch's 456,313. Dinkins was helped in part by large margins in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Brooklyn, while Koch carried Staten Island and Queens.[33] Dinkins defeated Rudy Giuliani in the general election by a narrow margin, with Giuliani carrying both counties Koch won in the primary. Giuliani won a rematch against Dinkins in 1993.

U.S. Congressional tenure

 
Koch served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977.

Koch was the Democratic U.S. Representative from New York's 17th congressional district from January 3, 1969, until January 3, 1973, when, after a redistricting, he represented New York's 18th congressional district until December 31, 1977, when he resigned to become Mayor of New York City.[34]

Koch said he began his political career as "just a plain liberal", with positions including opposing the Vietnam War and marching in the South for civil rights.[35] In April 1973, Koch coined the term "Watergate Seven" when, in response to U.S. Senator Lowell P. Weicker, Jr.'s indicating that one of the men in Watergate scandal had been ordered in the spring of 1972 to keep certain senators and representatives under surveillance, he posted a sign on his office door reading, "These premises were surveilled by the Watergate Seven. Watch yourself".[36] At about the same time, Koch began his rightward shift toward being a "liberal with sanity" after reviewing the 1973 controversy around then-New York City Mayor John Lindsay's attempt to place a 3,000-person housing project in a middle-class community in Forest Hills, Queens. Koch met with residents of the community, most of whom were against the proposal. He was convinced by their arguments, and spoke out against the plan, shocking some of his liberal allies.[37]

Koch was active in advocating for a greater U.S. role in advancing human rights within the context of fighting Communism. He had particular influence in the foreign aid budget, as he sat on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations. In 1976, Koch proposed that the U.S. cut off military aid and supplies to the military dictatorship of Uruguay. In mid-July 1976, the CIA learned that two high-level Uruguayan intelligence officers had discussed a possible assassination attempt on Koch by Dirección de Inteligencia Nacional (DINA), the Chilean secret police under dictator Augusto Pinochet. The CIA did not regard these threats as credible until after the September 1976 assassination of Orlando Letelier in Washington, D.C., by DINA agents coordinated by Operation Condor. After that, Director of Central Intelligence George H. W. Bush informed Koch of the threat. Koch subsequently asked both the CIA and the FBI for protection, but none was extended.[38]

Tenure as mayor of New York City

First term

 
Koch (left) with Representative Bella Abzug (center) and President Jimmy Carter (right) in 1978
 
President Ronald Reagan presenting Ed Koch and other New York leaders, including Governor Mario Cuomo, with a check for Westway Project Funds, September 1981

When Koch took office, the city was reeling from high crime, a devastating blackout, and a fiscal crisis. During his first term, which many considered his best, he instituted austerity measures and moderated the municipal unions, measures that helped bolster the city's finances during his second term.[39] During his first term, a number of major events occurred in New York City. John Lennon's abrupt assassination sent shock waves around the world. Grief-stricken New Yorkers walked the streets openly crying for days after the shooting, which took place in front of The Dakota, Lennon's place of residence on Manhattan's Upper West Side.[40] Koch also dealt with the second transit strike, and pushed for the 1980 Democratic National Convention to be in NYC.[41] His first term also saw a sister city relationship begin with Beijing.

Second term

 
Koch giving interview to WABC-TV in 1981

Among the events of Koch's second term as mayor were the Brooklyn Bridge's 100th anniversary, the appointing of Benjamin Ward as the city's first ever African American police commissioner in 1983, the emergence of AIDS as a public health crisis, extensive media coverage of Bernhard Goetz's shooting of four African American teenagers in the subway in 1984, and the United Nations' 40th anniversary.[42]

Koch often deviated from the conventional liberal line, strongly supporting the death penalty, adding 3,500 officers to the NYPD in the 1980s,[43] and taking a hard line on "quality of life" issues, such as giving police broader powers in dealing with the homeless and signing legislation banning the playing of radios on subways and buses. These positions prompted harsh criticism from the local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and many African-American leaders, particularly Reverend Al Sharpton.[44]

In 1984, Koch published his first memoir, Mayor, which became a best-seller and was adapted into an off-Broadway and later Broadway musical, Mayor.[45]

Third term

In 1986, Koch signed a lesbian and gay rights ordinance for the city after the City Council passed the measure (on March 20), after 15 years of failed attempts by that body to approve such legislation. Despite his overall pro-lesbian and pro-gay-rights stance, he nonetheless backed up the New York City Health Department's decision to shut down the city's gay bathhouses in 1985 in response to concerns over the spread of AIDS. The enactment of the measure the next year placed the city in a dilemma, as it apparently meant that the bathhouses would have to be reopened because many heterosexual "sex clubs" – such as Plato's Retreat – were in operation in the city at the time, and allowing them to remain open while keeping the bathhouses shuttered would have been a violation of the newly adopted anti-discrimination law. The Health Department, with Koch's approval, reacted by ordering the heterosexual clubs, including Plato's Retreat, to close as well. Also in 1986, Koch participated in Hands Across America and in the Statue of Liberty's 100th anniversary celebration. The career-ending face-slashing of model Marla Hanson, the paralyzing shooting of NYCPD detective Steven McDonald, crack cocaine and its related gangs, the Robert Chambers "preppie murder" case, the Howard Beach incident, and the racially motivated murder of Yusef Hawkins also happened during Koch's third term.[42]

Koch consistently demonstrated a fierce love for New York City, which some observers felt he carried to extremes on occasion: in 1984 he went on record as opposing the creation of a second telephone area code for the city, claiming that this would divide the city's population; and when the National Football League's New York Giants won Super Bowl XXI in January 1987, he refused to grant a permit for the team to hold their traditional victory parade in the city, quipping famously, "If they want a parade, let them parade in front of the oil drums in Moonachie" (a town in New Jersey adjacent to the East Rutherford site of the Meadowlands Sports Complex, where the Giants play their home games).

 
Edward Koch at the commissioning of USS Lake Champlain (1988)

In his third term, Koch's popularity was shaken after a series of corruption scandals, touched off by Donald Manes's suicide and the PVB scandal, which revealed that he had acceded to the requests of political allies (most notably Queens Borough President Manes, Bronx Democratic Party official Stanley M. Friedman and Brooklyn Democratic Party chairman Meade Esposito, an American Mafia associate long perceived as New York City's preeminent political leader) to stack city agencies with patronage appointments. There were no allegations that Koch obtained any financial benefit from the corruption, but the scandals undermined Koch's claims that he ran a patronage-free municipal government. Michael Tager attributes the scandals not to Koch's failures but to the steadily declining power of the Democratic machine and its bosses' desperate efforts to reverse the collapse.[46][47]

In July 1987, Koch proposed banning bicycling on Fifth, Park and Madison Avenues during weekdays, but many bicyclists protested and had the ban overturned.[48][49]

 
Koch with Ed van Thijn on a visit to Amsterdam in 1988

It has been said that race relations in Koch's last years in office were poor.[50] He became a controversial figure in the 1988 presidential campaign with his public criticism of Democratic candidate Jesse Jackson, who surprised many political observers by winning key primaries in March and running even with the front-runner, Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis. As the April New York primary approached, Koch reminded voters of Jackson's earlier antisemitic statements, and said that Jews would be "crazy" to vote for Jackson. Koch endorsed Tennessee Senator Al Gore, who had run well in his native South, but hadn't won 20% in a northern state. As Koch's anti-Jackson rhetoric intensified, Gore seemed to shy away from Koch. On primary day, Gore finished a weak third place with 10% of the vote and dropped out of the race. Jackson ran ten points behind Dukakis, whose nomination became assured after his New York win.[51]

Assessments

A 1993 survey of historians, political scientists and urban experts conducted by Melvin G. Holli of the University of Illinois at Chicago ranked Koch as the 15th-worst American big-city mayor to have served between 1820 and 1993.[52] Other analyses rate his tenure more favorably.[53]

Post-mayoral years

 
Koch and Colin Powell lead the US delegation for the 2004 Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Conference on Anti-Semitism, held in Berlin, Germany (April 28, 2004)

In the years following his mayoralty, Koch became a partner in the law firm of Robinson, Silverman, Pearce, Aronsohn, and Berman LLP (now Bryan Cave LLP) and a commentator on politics, as well as reviewing movies and restaurants for newspapers, radio and television. He also became an adjunct professor at New York University (NYU) and the judge on The People's Court for two years (1997–99) following the retirement of Judge Joseph Wapner. In 1999, he was a visiting professor at Brandeis University. Koch regularly appeared on the lecture circuit, and had a high-rated talk show on WABC radio. He also hosted his own online movie review show, The Mayor at the Movies.[54]

A street in southern Tel Aviv was named after Koch in an August 12, 1993, ceremony attended by him alongside prominent Israeli and American dignitaries.[55][56]

In 2004, together with his sister Pat (also Pauline)[7] Koch Thaler, Koch wrote a children's book, Eddie, Harold's Little Brother; it tells the story of Koch's childhood, when he tried unsuccessfully to emulate his older brother Harold's baseball talents, before realizing that he should instead focus on what he was already good at, which was telling stories and speaking in public.[57]

The New York City Council voted to rename the Queensboro Bridge the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge on March 23, 2011.[58] Later, city councilman Peter Vallone introduced legislation banning the naming of New York City property after people who are still alive, but the legislation failed.[59]

Koch formed an organization called New York Uprising to push for statewide redistricting reform. In April 2011, he publicly upbraided 42 state legislators he claimed had broken their promises to support redistricting reform.[60]

In May 2011, Koch sat for a portrait by Dmitry Borshch that has been exhibited at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, DePaul University, Brecht Forum, and CUNY Graduate Center, and is included in the Catalog of American Portraits at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery.[61][62][63]

"Mayor at the Movies"

Koch began appearing in weekly movie review segments for an online show, Mayor at the Movies, in the summer of 2009.[64] He was an avid moviegoer who often saw two or three movies a weekend. Although he was invited to private screenings, Koch preferred to see films with a public audience and was often approached by moviegoers who were surprised to find him there. His reviews were outspoken and wry, with his rating system consisting not of stars but of a "plus" for a good film or a "minus" for a bad one. He sought out great documentaries, and had a particular passion for anything of Jewish interest.[65]

He had a particular passion for independent cinema and documentaries, but enjoyed dramas and action films as well. In addition to Mayor at the Movies,[64] his film reviews were regularly featured on The Huffington Post[66] and in the New York newspaper The Villager.[67] Koch also appeared in more than 60 Hollywood films and television shows as himself, including Sex and the City, Spin City, and Double Rush, and also hosted Saturday Night Live.[68][69] A documentary about his life, Koch, had its world premiere at the Hamptons International Film Festival on October 8, 2012, and was released theatrically on February 1, 2013 (coincidentally, the day of Koch's death).[70]

Political endorsements

After leaving office, Koch frequently endorsed prominent Republican candidates, including Rudy Giuliani[71] and Michael Bloomberg[72] for mayor, Al D'Amato for U.S. Senate, Peter T. King for U.S. House, George Pataki[73] for governor, and, in 2004, George W. Bush for president.[74] Koch also endorsed Democrats, including Eliot Spitzer for governor in the 2006 election. He endorsed Bill Bradley for president in 2000.[75]

Koch took back his endorsement of Spitzer in the aftermath of the governor's prostitution scandal. He said, "At the time the prostitution episode emerged, I commented that nothing could explain his behavior other than the fact that he had a screw loose in his head. Probably several."[76]

Though Koch supported Giuliani's first mayoral bid, he became opposed to him in January 1996, and began writing a series of columns in the New York Daily News criticizing Giuliani, most frequently accusing him of being authoritarian and insensitive. In 1999, the columns were compiled into the book Giuliani: Nasty Man. He resumed his attacks, and had the book republished, in 2007, after Giuliani announced his candidacy for president. In May 2007, Koch called Giuliani "a control freak" and said that "he wouldn't meet with people he didn't agree with. That's pretty crazy." He also said that Giuliani "was imbued with the thought that if he was right, it was like a God-given right. That's not what we need in a president."[77]

Koch originally endorsed Hillary Clinton for president during the 2008 campaign,[78] then endorsed Democratic nominee Barack Obama in the general election. In his endorsement of Obama, Koch wrote that he felt that (unlike in 2004) both candidates would do their best to protect both the United States and Israel from terrorist attacks, but that he agreed with Obama's domestic policies much more and that the idea of Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin ascending to the presidency "would scare me".[79] In 2010, he rescinded his support for Obama, saying that Obama could very well harm American–Israeli relations.[80]

Koch endorsed Republican Bob Turner for Congress in 2011 because he "wanted to send a message to Obama to take a stronger position in support of Israel."[81]

In October 2012, Koch told Al Sharpton that after a conversation with Obama about his position on Israel he was satisfied, and endorsed his reelection.[82]

Early in 2013, Koch endorsed Christine Quinn in the Democratic primary for that year's mayoral election.[83]

Other political statements

Koch often wrote in defense of Israel and against antisemitism. He also appeared in the documentary FahrenHYPE 9/11 defending President Bush and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and blasting Michael Moore. Koch was quoted in the film saying of Moore's film Fahrenheit 9/11, "It's not a documentary, it's a lie."

Koch praised New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, saying that he had the right approach in reducing government spending and refraining from raising taxes.[84]

Koch was an early supporter of the Iraq War. In July 2007, Koch wrote that he was "bailing out" of his previous support for that war, due to the failure of the United States' NATO allies, and other Arab countries, to contribute to the war effort. Koch wrote, "I would support our troops remaining in Iraq if our allies were to join us. But they have made it clear they will not." He added that the U.S. must still "prepare for the battles that will take place on American soil by the Islamic forces of terror who are engaged in a war that will be waged by them against Western civilization for at least the next 30 years."[85]

On April 8, 2010, Koch wrote a piece in The Jerusalem Post excoriating what he saw as increasing anti-Catholicism in the media, largely made evident by coverage of the priest sex abuse scandals. While denouncing the abuse, Koch wrote, "the procession of articles on the same events are, in my opinion, no longer intended to inform, but simply to castigate." He also wrote that he believed that many in the media, some themselves Catholic, exhibited such anti-Catholicism largely because of their opposition to the Catholic Church's teachings on such issues as abortion, homosexuality, and artificial contraception. He stated that, while he opposed the Church's teaching in all these matters, he firmly believed that the Church had the right to espouse these beliefs and to expect its members to espouse them as well, calling the Church "a force for good in the world, not evil."[86]

Personal life

 
Prior to his death, Koch lived in an apartment at 2 Fifth Avenue (the high-rise building to the left of the Washington Square Arch, as seen in the background of a 2016 image of Washington Square Park).

Koch was a resident of Greenwich Village for most of his adult life. At the time of his death, he lived at 2 Fifth Avenue, overlooking Washington Square Park.[87]

Sexuality

Koch never married, and rumors about his sexual orientation became an issue in the 1977 mayoral election with the appearance of placards and posters (disavowed by the Cuomo campaign) with the slogan "Vote for Cuomo, Not the Homo." Koch denounced the attack.[88]

In 1989, Koch was interviewed about a book he had coauthored with Cardinal John J. O'Connor. When the interviewer asked Koch to clarify his views on homosexuality relative to O'Connor, Koch responded, "I happen to believe that there's nothing wrong with homosexuality. It's whatever God made you. It happens that I'm a heterosexual."[89] He once told New York magazine, "Listen, there's no question that some New Yorkers think I'm gay, and voted for me nevertheless. The vast majority don't care, and others don't think I am. And I don't give a shit either way!"[5][90][91] He was frequently accompanied at political functions by his friend Bess Myerson, who acted as a beard.[92][93]

A 2022 New York Times article confirmed Koch's homosexuality, based on interviews with close confidants. The Times reported that Koch disclosed his sexuality only to friends he knew were gay, and was only known to have had one long-term relationship, with health care consultant Richard W. Nathan, which Koch ended when he was elected mayor, apparently out of fear that the relationship would become public.[5] In the 1980s, activist and writer Larry Kramer, who was sharply critical of Koch's handling of the AIDS epidemic, unsuccessfully attempted to out him after learning of his relationship with Nathan.[5] This reportedly influenced Koch's insistence on remaining closeted for the duration of his life, as he did not "want to give activists like Mr. Kramer the satisfaction of seeing him come out, after they had tried so hard to see him outed".[5]

Health, death and funeral

Koch had a mild stroke in 1987, but was able to resume his duties as mayor within about a week.[5][94] In 2022, his former spokesman, George Arzt, suggested that the anxiety Koch experienced amid efforts to out him during the period caused a decline in his health, which he said might have contributed to the stroke.[5]

Koch experienced some health problems, including heart issues, after his mayoralty, and was frequently hospitalized in the final months of his life.[95][96] On January 31, 2013, he was admitted to Columbia University Irving Medical Center in Manhattan due to fatigue, where he died from heart failure at 2 a.m. the next day, aged 88.[90][95] His funeral took place on February 4, 2013, at Temple Emanu-El, a Reform Jewish congregation in Manhattan.[97] Because of Koch's fierce loyalty to Israel, the Israeli Consul-General to New York City spoke. Former president Bill Clinton also addressed the congregation, serving as President Obama's representative. New York City Police Department helicopters gave a fly-over at the service.[98][97]

Koch purchased a burial plot in Trinity Church Cemetery in April 2008 so that he could be buried in Manhattan. It is the only graveyard in the borough that accepts new burials. He chose to put the last words of the late journalist Daniel Pearl on his tombstone: "My father is Jewish, my mother is Jewish, I am Jewish."[99]

Wit

A practiced public speaker since his days stumping for Adlai Stevenson, Koch was well known for his quips and one-liners.[100] A few include:

  • (On the occasion of his primary loss to David Dinkins) "The people have spoken ... and they must be punished."[100]
  • "I'm the sort of person who will never get ulcers. Why? Because I say exactly what I think. I'm the sort of person who might give other people ulcers."[100]
  • "If you agree with me on nine out of 12 issues, vote for me. If you agree with me on 12 out of 12 issues, see a psychiatrist."[100]

Works

  • Koch, Edward I. (1980). The Mandate Millstone. US Conference of Mayors. OCLC 040152378. ASIN B00072XPA8
  • Koch, Edward I. (1980). "The mandate millstone". National Affairs (61).
  • Koch, Ed (1981). How'm I Doing?: The Wit and Wisdom of Ed Koch. New York: Lion Books. ISBN 0-87460-362-5.
  • Rauch, William; Koch, Ed (1984). Mayor. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0-671-49536-4.
  • Rauch, William; Koch, Ed (1985). Politics. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-671-53296-0.
  • Koch, Ed; O'Connor, John Joseph (1989). His Eminence and Hizzoner: A Candid Exchange. New York: Morrow. ISBN 0-688-07928-8.
  • Jones, Leland T.; Koch, Ed (1990). All the Best: Letters from a Feisty Mayor. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0-671-69365-4.
  • Paisner, Daniel; Koch, Ed (1992). Citizen Koch: An Autobiography. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-08161-8.
  • Koch, Ed (1994). Ed Koch on Everything: Movies, Politics, Personalities, Food, and Other Stuff. Carol Publishing Corporation. ISBN 1-55972-225-8.
  • Resnicow, Herbert; Koch, Ed (1995). Murder at City Hall. New York: Kensington Books. ISBN 0-8217-5087-9.
  • Koch, Edward I. (1997). Murder on Broadway. New York: Kensington. ISBN 1-57566-186-1.
  • Koch, Ed (1997). Murder on 34th Street. New York: Kensington. ISBN 1-57566-232-9.
  • Koch, Ed (1998). The Senator Must Die. New York: Kensington. ISBN 1-57566-325-2.
  • Koch, Ed (1999). Giuliani: Nasty Man. New York: Barricade Books. ISBN 1-56980-155-X.
  • Graham, Stephen; Koch, Ed (1999). New York: A State of Mind (Urban Tapestry Series). Towery Pub. ISBN 1-881096-76-9.
  • Paisner, Daniel; Koch, Ed (2000). I'm Not Done Yet!: Keeping at It, Remaining Relevant, and Having the Time of My Life. New York: William Morrow. ISBN 0-688-17075-7.
  • Warhola, James; Thaler, Pat Koch; Koch, Ed; Koch, Edward D. (2004). Eddie: Harold's Little Brother. New York: G. P. Putnam's sons. ISBN 0-399-24210-4.
  • Heady, Christy; Koch, Edward D.; Koch, Ed (2007). Buzz: How to Create It and Win With It. New York, N.Y: American Management Association. ISBN 978-0-8144-7462-4.

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ "Koch". Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  2. ^ "Mayor Koch, Self-Proclaimed 'Liberal With Sanity' Who Led New York From Fiscal Crisis, Is Dead at 88". The New York Sun. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
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Primary sources

  • Koch, Edward, and Daniel Paisner. Citizen Koch: an autobiography (St. Martin's Press, 1992).
  • Koch, Ed. The Koch Papers: My Fight Against Anti-Semitism (Macmillan, 2008).

Further reading

  • Goodwin, Michael, ed. New York Comes Back: The Mayoralty of Edward I. Koch, powerHouse Books, 2005. ISBN 1-57687-274-2.
  • Harrington, Michael. "When Ed Koch Was Still a Liberal". Dissent (1987): 595–602.
  • Mollenkopf, John H. A Phoenix in the Ashes: The Rise and Fall of the Koch Coalition in New York City Politics. Princeton University Press, 1994.
  • Newfield, Jack and Barrett, Wayne. City For Sale: Ed Koch and the Betrayal of New York, London: HarperCollins, 1989. ISBN 0-06-091662-1.
  • Soffer, Jonathan. Ed Koch and the Rebuilding of New York City (Columbia University Press; 2010) 494 pages.
  • Thompson, J. Phillip. "David Dinkins' victory in New York City: The decline of the Democratic Party organization and the strengthening of black politics". PS: Political Science & Politics (1990) 23#2 pp. 145–148.
  • Paterson, David Black, Blind, & In Charge: A Story of Visionary Leadership and Overcoming Adversity. Skyhorse Publishing. New York City, 2020

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ed Koch.
 
Wikiquote has quotations related to Ed Koch.

Interviews

  • from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
  • A film clip "The Open Mind – A Winter's Tale – and More (1988)" is available at the Internet Archive
  • The Trust Is Gone Opinion piece by Koch, critical of current administration's relationship with Israel
  • Oral history interview with Ed Koch (2008) from Justice in New York: An Oral History (full transcript and audio clips)

News collections

Archives

  • Edward I. Koch Collection August 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine of La Guardia and Wagner Archives – Koch's mayoral records as well as personal papers and photographs
  • Notable New Yorkers – Edward I. Koch Biography, photographs, and interviews of Ed Koch from the Notable New Yorkers collection of the Oral History Research Office at Columbia University.
  • Ed Koch Threatened with Assassination in 1976 from the National Security Archive (with archival documents)
  • FBI Records: The Vault – Edward Erving "Ed" Koch at fbi.gov
Political offices
Preceded by
Woodward Kingman
 Member of the New York City Council
from the 2nd district
1967–1969 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Mayor of New York City
1978–1989 		Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 17th congressional district
1969–1973 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 18th congressional district
1973–1977 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Mayor of New York City
1977, 1981, 1985 		Succeeded by
Legal offices
Preceded by Judge of The People's Court
1997–1999 		Succeeded by

May 18, 2023
koch, edward, koch, redirects, here, australian, medical, practitioner, known, research, malaria, edward, albert, koch, edward, irving, koch, kotch, december, 1924, february, 2013, american, politician, lawyer, political, commentator, film, critic, television,. Edward Koch redirects here For the Australian medical practitioner known for his research of malaria see Edward Albert Koch Edward Irving Koch k ɒ tʃ KOTCH 1 December 12 1924 February 1 2013 was an American politician lawyer political commentator film critic and television personality He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 and was mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989 Ed KochKoch in 1988105th Mayor of New York CityIn office January 1 1978 December 31 1989Preceded byAbraham BeameSucceeded byDavid DinkinsMember of theU S House of Representativesfrom New YorkIn office January 3 1969 December 31 1977Preceded byTheodore KupfermanSucceeded byBill GreenConstituency17th district 1969 1973 18th district 1973 1977 Member of the New York City Councilfrom the 2nd districtIn office January 1 1967 January 3 1969Preceded byWoodward KingmanSucceeded byCarol GreitzerPersonal detailsBornEdward Irving Koch 1924 12 12 December 12 1924New York City U S DiedFebruary 1 2013 2013 02 01 aged 88 New York City U S Political partyDemocraticEducationCity College of New York BA New York University LLB SignatureMilitary serviceBranch serviceUnited States ArmyYears of service1943 1946RankSergeantUnit104th Infantry DivisionBattles warsWorld War II Battle of Hurtgen Forest Battle of the BulgeAwardsCombat Infantryman BadgeEuropean African Middle Eastern Campaign MedalWorld War II Victory MedalKoch was a lifelong Democrat who described himself as a liberal with sanity 2 The author of an ambitious public housing renewal program in his later years as mayor he began by cutting spending and taxes and cutting 7 000 employees from the city payroll As a congressman and after his terms as the third Jewish mayor of New York City after Fiorello LaGuardia and Abraham Beame citation needed Koch was a fervent supporter of Israel He crossed party lines to endorse Rudy Giuliani for mayor of New York City in 1993 Al D Amato for Senate in 1998 Michael Bloomberg for mayor of New York City in 2001 and George W Bush for president in 2004 3 A popular figure Koch rode the New York City Subway and stood at street corners greeting passersby with the slogan How m I doin 4 He was a lifelong bachelor had no children and did not come out as gay during his lifetime 5 A 2022 New York Times article posthumously identified him as gay 5 Koch was first elected mayor of New York City in 1977 and he won reelection in 1981 with 75 of the vote He was the first New York City mayor to win endorsement on both the Democratic and Republican party tickets In 1985 Koch was elected to a third term with 78 of the vote His third term was fraught with scandal regarding political associates although the scandal never touched him personally and with racial tensions including the killings of Michael Griffith and Yusuf Hawkins In a close race Koch lost the 1989 Democratic primary to his successor David Dinkins 3 Contents 1 Early life 2 WWII 3 Post WWII 4 Career 4 1 Elections 4 2 U S Congressional tenure 4 3 Tenure as mayor of New York City 4 3 1 First term 4 3 2 Second term 4 3 3 Third term 4 3 4 Assessments 4 4 Post mayoral years 4 4 1 Mayor at the Movies 4 5 Political endorsements 4 6 Other political statements 5 Personal life 5 1 Sexuality 5 2 Health death and funeral 6 Wit 7 Works 8 See also 9 References 9 1 Notes 9 2 Primary sources 10 Further reading 11 External links 11 1 Interviews 11 2 News collections 11 3 ArchivesEarly life EditKoch was born in Crotona Park East section of The Bronx borough of New York City 6 the son of Yetta or Joyce 7 nee Silpe and Louis Leib Koch Polish Jewish immigrants from Kozliv and Uscieczko in Eastern Galicia 8 He came from a family of Conservative Jews who resided in Newark New Jersey where his father worked at a theater As a child he worked as a hatcheck boy in a Newark dance hall 9 He graduated from South Side High School in Newark in 1941 10 WWII EditIn 1943 he was drafted into the United States Army 11 12 Koch did his basic training at at Camp Croft SC in 1943 before entering the Army Specialized Training Program 13 He then joined the 104th Infantry Division a sub division of the 26th Infantry Division On 27 August 1944 he departed New York City landing in Cherbourg France on 7 September 1944 He earned a European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two campaign stars a World War II Victory Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge for service in the European Theater of Operations After V E Day because he could speak German Koch was sent to Bavaria to help remove Nazi public officials from their jobs and find non Nazis to take their place He was honorably discharged with the rank of Sergeant in 1946 6 14 A secret WW2 journal belonging to the former Mayor was unearthed by his sister in 2013 shortly after his death 15 Post WWII EditKoch returned to New York City to attend City College of New York graduating in 1945 and New York University School of Law receiving his law degree in 1948 Koch was a sole practitioner from 1949 to 1964 and a partner with Koch Lankenau Schwartz amp Kovner from 1965 to 1968 A Democrat he became active in New York City politics as a reformer and opponent of Carmine DeSapio and Tammany Hall In 1962 Koch ran for office for the first time unsuccessfully opposing incumbent William Passannante a DeSapio ally for the Democratic nomination for the State Assembly 16 In 1963 Koch defeated DeSapio for the position of Democratic Party leader for the district which included Greenwich Village and Koch won again in a 1965 rematch 17 Koch served on the New York City Council from 1967 to 1969 18 Career EditElections Edit 1968Koch ran for Congress in New York s 17th congressional district after Republican Theodore Roosevelt Kupferman retired He defeated Republican Whitney Seymour Jr and Conservative Richard J Callahan who partly split the conservative vote 19 He won 48 5 of the vote to Seymour s 45 6 and Callahan s 5 9 1970Koch was reelected with 62 of the vote defeating Republican Peter J Sprague and Conservative Callahan who finished with 32 and 6 respectively 20 1972In advance of the 1972 elections Koch s district was redistricted into the 18th district He defeated Republican Jane Pickens Langley and Socialist Workers nominee Rebecca Finch 70 29 1 21 1973 See also 1973 New York City mayoral election Koch briefly ran for mayor in 1973 but garnered little support and dropped out before the Democratic primary He threw his support to State Assemblyman Albert H Blumenthal but Blumenthal s bid was derailed by a scandal and he came in third 22 Comptroller Abraham Beame won the election 23 1974Koch won reelection with career best 76 7 of the vote to the 18th district against John Boogaerts Jr Republican 18 8 Gilliam M Drummond Conservative 3 7 and Katherine Sojourner Socialist Workers 0 8 24 1976Koch was again reelected this time with 75 7 of the vote defeating Sonia Landau Republican 20 1 and James W McConnell Conservative 4 3 25 1977 See also 1977 New York City mayoral election Koch announced his campaign for mayor of New York City against incumbent Beame Koch and future governor Mario Cuomo finished first 19 8 and second 18 7 in the Democratic primary eliminating Beame 18 In the runoff Koch defeated Cuomo 55 45 Koch ran to the right of the other candidates on a law and order platform According to historian Jonathan Mahler the New York City blackout of July 1977 and the subsequent rioting helped catapult Koch and his message of restoring public safety to front runner status 26 1981 See also 1981 New York City mayoral election Koch won both the Democratic and Republican nominations and appeared on the ballot with both of their lines He faced opposition only from third parties He won 74 6 of the vote with Unity candidate Frank Barbaro netting next best 13 3 John A Esposito Conservative and Mary T Codd Liberal also ran 27 Koch swept all five boroughs by landslide margins breaking 60 of the vote in Manhattan and 70 in Brooklyn the Bronx Queens and Staten Island 28 1982 See also 1982 New York gubernatorial election After incumbent Hugh Carey announced he would not run for reelection Koch announced his candidacy for governor of New York Cuomo who had been elected lieutenant governor also ran Koch received the party s endorsement with 61 of the convention vote but Cuomo won the Democratic primary The New York Times called Cuomo s victory a stunning upset that relied on an unusual coalition of liberal Democrats labor minorities and upstaters Koch ran strongly in Jewish communities while Cuomo won black liberal and Italian communities by a similar margin A key to Cuomo s victory was his strong showing in New York City itself though Koch won the city and its four suburban counties Rockland Westchester Suffolk and Nassau as expected Cuomo kept the margin close and won half of the city s Assembly districts That combined with large victories in nearly every upstate county allowed Cuomo to win Koch endorsed Cuomo immediately declaring what s important to all of us is that we keep a Democrat in Albany 29 Many say the deciding factor in Koch s loss was an interview with Playboy magazine in which he called the lifestyle of suburbia and upstate New York sterile and lamented the thought of having to live in the small town of Albany as governor Koch s remarks are thought to have alienated many voters from outside New York City 30 Cuomo was elected governor over Republican Lewis Lehrman and served three terms 1985 See also 1985 New York City mayoral election Koch was reelected to a third term in a landslide He defeated Carol Bellamy Liberal and Dian McGrath Republican Conservative 78 10 9 respectively and was sworn into his third and final term in January 1986 As of 2021 this is the most recent mayoral election in which a Democrat carried Staten Island 31 During the campaign Koch visited the Lubavitcher Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson seeking his blessing and endorsement 32 1989 See also 1989 New York City mayoral election Koch ran for an unprecedented fourth term in 1989 No mayor had ever won a fourth term though Fiorello La Guardia and Robert Wagner also served three terms and Wagner attempted to run for a fourth in 1969 Koch lost the Democratic primary to Manhattan Borough President David Dinkins who finished with 547 901 votes to Koch s 456 313 Dinkins was helped in part by large margins in Manhattan the Bronx and Brooklyn while Koch carried Staten Island and Queens 33 Dinkins defeated Rudy Giuliani in the general election by a narrow margin with Giuliani carrying both counties Koch won in the primary Giuliani won a rematch against Dinkins in 1993 U S Congressional tenure Edit Koch served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 Koch was the Democratic U S Representative from New York s 17th congressional district from January 3 1969 until January 3 1973 when after a redistricting he represented New York s 18th congressional district until December 31 1977 when he resigned to become Mayor of New York City 34 Koch said he began his political career as just a plain liberal with positions including opposing the Vietnam War and marching in the South for civil rights 35 In April 1973 Koch coined the term Watergate Seven when in response to U S Senator Lowell P Weicker Jr s indicating that one of the men in Watergate scandal had been ordered in the spring of 1972 to keep certain senators and representatives under surveillance he posted a sign on his office door reading These premises were surveilled by the Watergate Seven Watch yourself 36 At about the same time Koch began his rightward shift toward being a liberal with sanity after reviewing the 1973 controversy around then New York City Mayor John Lindsay s attempt to place a 3 000 person housing project in a middle class community in Forest Hills Queens Koch met with residents of the community most of whom were against the proposal He was convinced by their arguments and spoke out against the plan shocking some of his liberal allies 37 Koch was active in advocating for a greater U S role in advancing human rights within the context of fighting Communism He had particular influence in the foreign aid budget as he sat on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations In 1976 Koch proposed that the U S cut off military aid and supplies to the military dictatorship of Uruguay In mid July 1976 the CIA learned that two high level Uruguayan intelligence officers had discussed a possible assassination attempt on Koch by Direccion de Inteligencia Nacional DINA the Chilean secret police under dictator Augusto Pinochet The CIA did not regard these threats as credible until after the September 1976 assassination of Orlando Letelier in Washington D C by DINA agents coordinated by Operation Condor After that Director of Central Intelligence George H W Bush informed Koch of the threat Koch subsequently asked both the CIA and the FBI for protection but none was extended 38 Tenure as mayor of New York City Edit First term Edit Koch left with Representative Bella Abzug center and President Jimmy Carter right in 1978 President Ronald Reagan presenting Ed Koch and other New York leaders including Governor Mario Cuomo with a check for Westway Project Funds September 1981 When Koch took office the city was reeling from high crime a devastating blackout and a fiscal crisis During his first term which many considered his best he instituted austerity measures and moderated the municipal unions measures that helped bolster the city s finances during his second term 39 During his first term a number of major events occurred in New York City John Lennon s abrupt assassination sent shock waves around the world Grief stricken New Yorkers walked the streets openly crying for days after the shooting which took place in front of The Dakota Lennon s place of residence on Manhattan s Upper West Side 40 Koch also dealt with the second transit strike and pushed for the 1980 Democratic National Convention to be in NYC 41 His first term also saw a sister city relationship begin with Beijing Second term Edit Koch giving interview to WABC TV in 1981 Among the events of Koch s second term as mayor were the Brooklyn Bridge s 100th anniversary the appointing of Benjamin Ward as the city s first ever African American police commissioner in 1983 the emergence of AIDS as a public health crisis extensive media coverage of Bernhard Goetz s shooting of four African American teenagers in the subway in 1984 and the United Nations 40th anniversary 42 Koch often deviated from the conventional liberal line strongly supporting the death penalty adding 3 500 officers to the NYPD in the 1980s 43 and taking a hard line on quality of life issues such as giving police broader powers in dealing with the homeless and signing legislation banning the playing of radios on subways and buses These positions prompted harsh criticism from the local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and many African American leaders particularly Reverend Al Sharpton 44 In 1984 Koch published his first memoir Mayor which became a best seller and was adapted into an off Broadway and later Broadway musical Mayor 45 Third term Edit In 1986 Koch signed a lesbian and gay rights ordinance for the city after the City Council passed the measure on March 20 after 15 years of failed attempts by that body to approve such legislation Despite his overall pro lesbian and pro gay rights stance he nonetheless backed up the New York City Health Department s decision to shut down the city s gay bathhouses in 1985 in response to concerns over the spread of AIDS The enactment of the measure the next year placed the city in a dilemma as it apparently meant that the bathhouses would have to be reopened because many heterosexual sex clubs such as Plato s Retreat were in operation in the city at the time and allowing them to remain open while keeping the bathhouses shuttered would have been a violation of the newly adopted anti discrimination law The Health Department with Koch s approval reacted by ordering the heterosexual clubs including Plato s Retreat to close as well Also in 1986 Koch participated in Hands Across America and in the Statue of Liberty s 100th anniversary celebration The career ending face slashing of model Marla Hanson the paralyzing shooting of NYCPD detective Steven McDonald crack cocaine and its related gangs the Robert Chambers preppie murder case the Howard Beach incident and the racially motivated murder of Yusef Hawkins also happened during Koch s third term 42 Koch consistently demonstrated a fierce love for New York City which some observers felt he carried to extremes on occasion in 1984 he went on record as opposing the creation of a second telephone area code for the city claiming that this would divide the city s population and when the National Football League s New York Giants won Super Bowl XXI in January 1987 he refused to grant a permit for the team to hold their traditional victory parade in the city quipping famously If they want a parade let them parade in front of the oil drums in Moonachie a town in New Jersey adjacent to the East Rutherford site of the Meadowlands Sports Complex where the Giants play their home games Edward Koch at the commissioning of USS Lake Champlain 1988 In his third term Koch s popularity was shaken after a series of corruption scandals touched off by Donald Manes s suicide and the PVB scandal which revealed that he had acceded to the requests of political allies most notably Queens Borough President Manes Bronx Democratic Party official Stanley M Friedman and Brooklyn Democratic Party chairman Meade Esposito an American Mafia associate long perceived as New York City s preeminent political leader to stack city agencies with patronage appointments There were no allegations that Koch obtained any financial benefit from the corruption but the scandals undermined Koch s claims that he ran a patronage free municipal government Michael Tager attributes the scandals not to Koch s failures but to the steadily declining power of the Democratic machine and its bosses desperate efforts to reverse the collapse 46 47 In July 1987 Koch proposed banning bicycling on Fifth Park and Madison Avenues during weekdays but many bicyclists protested and had the ban overturned 48 49 Koch with Ed van Thijn on a visit to Amsterdam in 1988 It has been said that race relations in Koch s last years in office were poor 50 He became a controversial figure in the 1988 presidential campaign with his public criticism of Democratic candidate Jesse Jackson who surprised many political observers by winning key primaries in March and running even with the front runner Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis As the April New York primary approached Koch reminded voters of Jackson s earlier antisemitic statements and said that Jews would be crazy to vote for Jackson Koch endorsed Tennessee Senator Al Gore who had run well in his native South but hadn t won 20 in a northern state As Koch s anti Jackson rhetoric intensified Gore seemed to shy away from Koch On primary day Gore finished a weak third place with 10 of the vote and dropped out of the race Jackson ran ten points behind Dukakis whose nomination became assured after his New York win 51 Assessments Edit A 1993 survey of historians political scientists and urban experts conducted by Melvin G Holli of the University of Illinois at Chicago ranked Koch as the 15th worst American big city mayor to have served between 1820 and 1993 52 Other analyses rate his tenure more favorably 53 Post mayoral years Edit Koch and Colin Powell lead the US delegation for the 2004 Organization for Security and Co operation in Europe Conference on Anti Semitism held in Berlin Germany April 28 2004 In the years following his mayoralty Koch became a partner in the law firm of Robinson Silverman Pearce Aronsohn and Berman LLP now Bryan Cave LLP and a commentator on politics as well as reviewing movies and restaurants for newspapers radio and television He also became an adjunct professor at New York University NYU and the judge on The People s Court for two years 1997 99 following the retirement of Judge Joseph Wapner In 1999 he was a visiting professor at Brandeis University Koch regularly appeared on the lecture circuit and had a high rated talk show on WABC radio He also hosted his own online movie review show The Mayor at the Movies 54 A street in southern Tel Aviv was named after Koch in an August 12 1993 ceremony attended by him alongside prominent Israeli and American dignitaries 55 56 In 2004 together with his sister Pat also Pauline 7 Koch Thaler Koch wrote a children s book Eddie Harold s Little Brother it tells the story of Koch s childhood when he tried unsuccessfully to emulate his older brother Harold s baseball talents before realizing that he should instead focus on what he was already good at which was telling stories and speaking in public 57 The New York City Council voted to rename the Queensboro Bridge the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge on March 23 2011 58 Later city councilman Peter Vallone introduced legislation banning the naming of New York City property after people who are still alive but the legislation failed 59 Koch formed an organization called New York Uprising to push for statewide redistricting reform In April 2011 he publicly upbraided 42 state legislators he claimed had broken their promises to support redistricting reform 60 In May 2011 Koch sat for a portrait by Dmitry Borshch that has been exhibited at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences DePaul University Brecht Forum and CUNY Graduate Center and is included in the Catalog of American Portraits at the Smithsonian s National Portrait Gallery 61 62 63 Mayor at the Movies Edit Koch began appearing in weekly movie review segments for an online show Mayor at the Movies in the summer of 2009 64 He was an avid moviegoer who often saw two or three movies a weekend Although he was invited to private screenings Koch preferred to see films with a public audience and was often approached by moviegoers who were surprised to find him there His reviews were outspoken and wry with his rating system consisting not of stars but of a plus for a good film or a minus for a bad one He sought out great documentaries and had a particular passion for anything of Jewish interest 65 He had a particular passion for independent cinema and documentaries but enjoyed dramas and action films as well In addition to Mayor at the Movies 64 his film reviews were regularly featured on The Huffington Post 66 and in the New York newspaper The Villager 67 Koch also appeared in more than 60 Hollywood films and television shows as himself including Sex and the City Spin City and Double Rush and also hosted Saturday Night Live 68 69 A documentary about his life Koch had its world premiere at the Hamptons International Film Festival on October 8 2012 and was released theatrically on February 1 2013 coincidentally the day of Koch s death 70 Political endorsements Edit After leaving office Koch frequently endorsed prominent Republican candidates including Rudy Giuliani 71 and Michael Bloomberg 72 for mayor Al D Amato for U S Senate Peter T King for U S House George Pataki 73 for governor and in 2004 George W Bush for president 74 Koch also endorsed Democrats including Eliot Spitzer for governor in the 2006 election He endorsed Bill Bradley for president in 2000 75 Koch took back his endorsement of Spitzer in the aftermath of the governor s prostitution scandal He said At the time the prostitution episode emerged I commented that nothing could explain his behavior other than the fact that he had a screw loose in his head Probably several 76 Though Koch supported Giuliani s first mayoral bid he became opposed to him in January 1996 and began writing a series of columns in the New York Daily News criticizing Giuliani most frequently accusing him of being authoritarian and insensitive In 1999 the columns were compiled into the book Giuliani Nasty Man He resumed his attacks and had the book republished in 2007 after Giuliani announced his candidacy for president In May 2007 Koch called Giuliani a control freak and said that he wouldn t meet with people he didn t agree with That s pretty crazy He also said that Giuliani was imbued with the thought that if he was right it was like a God given right That s not what we need in a president 77 Koch originally endorsed Hillary Clinton for president during the 2008 campaign 78 then endorsed Democratic nominee Barack Obama in the general election In his endorsement of Obama Koch wrote that he felt that unlike in 2004 both candidates would do their best to protect both the United States and Israel from terrorist attacks but that he agreed with Obama s domestic policies much more and that the idea of Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin ascending to the presidency would scare me 79 In 2010 he rescinded his support for Obama saying that Obama could very well harm American Israeli relations 80 Koch endorsed Republican Bob Turner for Congress in 2011 because he wanted to send a message to Obama to take a stronger position in support of Israel 81 In October 2012 Koch told Al Sharpton that after a conversation with Obama about his position on Israel he was satisfied and endorsed his reelection 82 Early in 2013 Koch endorsed Christine Quinn in the Democratic primary for that year s mayoral election 83 Other political statements Edit Koch often wrote in defense of Israel and against antisemitism He also appeared in the documentary FahrenHYPE 9 11 defending President Bush and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and blasting Michael Moore Koch was quoted in the film saying of Moore s film Fahrenheit 9 11 It s not a documentary it s a lie Koch praised New York Governor Andrew Cuomo saying that he had the right approach in reducing government spending and refraining from raising taxes 84 Koch was an early supporter of the Iraq War In July 2007 Koch wrote that he was bailing out of his previous support for that war due to the failure of the United States NATO allies and other Arab countries to contribute to the war effort Koch wrote I would support our troops remaining in Iraq if our allies were to join us But they have made it clear they will not He added that the U S must still prepare for the battles that will take place on American soil by the Islamic forces of terror who are engaged in a war that will be waged by them against Western civilization for at least the next 30 years 85 On April 8 2010 Koch wrote a piece in The Jerusalem Post excoriating what he saw as increasing anti Catholicism in the media largely made evident by coverage of the priest sex abuse scandals While denouncing the abuse Koch wrote the procession of articles on the same events are in my opinion no longer intended to inform but simply to castigate He also wrote that he believed that many in the media some themselves Catholic exhibited such anti Catholicism largely because of their opposition to the Catholic Church s teachings on such issues as abortion homosexuality and artificial contraception He stated that while he opposed the Church s teaching in all these matters he firmly believed that the Church had the right to espouse these beliefs and to expect its members to espouse them as well calling the Church a force for good in the world not evil 86 Personal life Edit Prior to his death Koch lived in an apartment at 2 Fifth Avenue the high rise building to the left of the Washington Square Arch as seen in the background of a 2016 image of Washington Square Park Koch was a resident of Greenwich Village for most of his adult life At the time of his death he lived at 2 Fifth Avenue overlooking Washington Square Park 87 Sexuality Edit Koch never married and rumors about his sexual orientation became an issue in the 1977 mayoral election with the appearance of placards and posters disavowed by the Cuomo campaign with the slogan Vote for Cuomo Not the Homo Koch denounced the attack 88 In 1989 Koch was interviewed about a book he had coauthored with Cardinal John J O Connor When the interviewer asked Koch to clarify his views on homosexuality relative to O Connor Koch responded I happen to believe that there s nothing wrong with homosexuality It s whatever God made you It happens that I m a heterosexual 89 He once told New York magazine Listen there s no question that some New Yorkers think I m gay and voted for me nevertheless The vast majority don t care and others don t think I am And I don t give a shit either way 5 90 91 He was frequently accompanied at political functions by his friend Bess Myerson who acted as a beard 92 93 A 2022 New York Times article confirmed Koch s homosexuality based on interviews with close confidants The Times reported that Koch disclosed his sexuality only to friends he knew were gay and was only known to have had one long term relationship with health care consultant Richard W Nathan which Koch ended when he was elected mayor apparently out of fear that the relationship would become public 5 In the 1980s activist and writer Larry Kramer who was sharply critical of Koch s handling of the AIDS epidemic unsuccessfully attempted to out him after learning of his relationship with Nathan 5 This reportedly influenced Koch s insistence on remaining closeted for the duration of his life as he did not want to give activists like Mr Kramer the satisfaction of seeing him come out after they had tried so hard to see him outed 5 Health death and funeral Edit Koch had a mild stroke in 1987 but was able to resume his duties as mayor within about a week 5 94 In 2022 his former spokesman George Arzt suggested that the anxiety Koch experienced amid efforts to out him during the period caused a decline in his health which he said might have contributed to the stroke 5 Koch experienced some health problems including heart issues after his mayoralty and was frequently hospitalized in the final months of his life 95 96 On January 31 2013 he was admitted to Columbia University Irving Medical Center in Manhattan due to fatigue where he died from heart failure at 2 a m the next day aged 88 90 95 His funeral took place on February 4 2013 at Temple Emanu El a Reform Jewish congregation in Manhattan 97 Because of Koch s fierce loyalty to Israel the Israeli Consul General to New York City spoke Former president Bill Clinton also addressed the congregation serving as President Obama s representative New York City Police Department helicopters gave a fly over at the service 98 97 Koch purchased a burial plot in Trinity Church Cemetery in April 2008 so that he could be buried in Manhattan It is the only graveyard in the borough that accepts new burials He chose to put the last words of the late journalist Daniel Pearl on his tombstone My father is Jewish my mother is Jewish I am Jewish 99 Wit EditA practiced public speaker since his days stumping for Adlai Stevenson Koch was well known for his quips and one liners 100 A few include On the occasion of his primary loss to David Dinkins The people have spoken and they must be punished 100 I m the sort of person who will never get ulcers Why Because I say exactly what I think I m the sort of person who might give other people ulcers 100 If you agree with me on nine out of 12 issues vote for me If you agree with me on 12 out of 12 issues see a psychiatrist 100 Works EditKoch Edward I 1980 The Mandate Millstone US Conference of Mayors OCLC 040152378 ASIN B00072XPA8 Koch Edward I 1980 The mandate millstone National Affairs 61 Koch Ed 1981 How m I Doing The Wit and Wisdom of Ed Koch New York Lion Books ISBN 0 87460 362 5 Rauch William Koch Ed 1984 Mayor New York Simon and Schuster ISBN 0 671 49536 4 Rauch William Koch Ed 1985 Politics New York Simon amp Schuster ISBN 0 671 53296 0 Koch Ed O Connor John Joseph 1989 His Eminence and Hizzoner A Candid Exchange New York Morrow ISBN 0 688 07928 8 Jones Leland T Koch Ed 1990 All the Best Letters from a Feisty Mayor New York Simon and Schuster ISBN 0 671 69365 4 Paisner Daniel Koch Ed 1992 Citizen Koch An Autobiography New York St Martin s Press ISBN 0 312 08161 8 Koch Ed 1994 Ed Koch on Everything Movies Politics Personalities Food and Other Stuff Carol Publishing Corporation ISBN 1 55972 225 8 Resnicow Herbert Koch Ed 1995 Murder at City Hall New York Kensington Books ISBN 0 8217 5087 9 Koch Edward I 1997 Murder on Broadway New York Kensington ISBN 1 57566 186 1 Koch Ed 1997 Murder on 34th Street New York Kensington ISBN 1 57566 232 9 Koch Ed 1998 The Senator Must Die New York Kensington ISBN 1 57566 325 2 Koch Ed 1999 Giuliani Nasty Man New York Barricade Books ISBN 1 56980 155 X Graham Stephen Koch Ed 1999 New York A State of Mind Urban Tapestry Series Towery Pub ISBN 1 881096 76 9 Paisner Daniel Koch Ed 2000 I m Not Done Yet Keeping at It Remaining Relevant and Having the Time of My Life New York William Morrow ISBN 0 688 17075 7 Warhola James Thaler Pat Koch Koch Ed Koch Edward D 2004 Eddie Harold s Little Brother New York G P Putnam s sons ISBN 0 399 24210 4 Heady Christy Koch Edward D Koch Ed 2007 Buzz How to Create It and Win With It New York N Y American Management Association ISBN 978 0 8144 7462 4 See also EditList of Jewish members of the United States Congress List of mayors of New York City Timeline of New York City 1970s 1980sPortals Biography New York state United States Journalism New York City LGBT PoliticsReferences EditNotes Edit Koch Random House Webster s Unabridged Dictionary Retrieved March 28 2021 Mayor Koch Self Proclaimed Liberal With Sanity Who Led New York From Fiscal Crisis Is Dead at 88 The New York Sun Retrieved October 21 2016 a b Smith Benjamin February 1 2013 Mayor Koch Self Proclaimed Liberal With Sanity Who Led New York From Fiscal Crisis Is Dead at 88 New York Sun New York City Mayor Ed Koch From Time s Archives Time February 1 2013 Retrieved October 15 2014 a b c d e f g h Flegenheimer Matt Goldensohn Rosa May 7 2022 The Secrets Ed Koch Carried New York Times Archived from the original on May 7 2022 Retrieved May 7 2022 a b Koch Edward Irving Biographical Information Retrieved November 11 2009 a b 1940 US Federal Census Ancestry com Retrieved February 5 2013 Stone Kurt F December 29 2010 The Jews of Capitol Hill A Compendium of Jewish Congressional Members Kurt F Stone Google Books ISBN 9780810877382 Retrieved May 12 2014 New Jersey Trivia Rutledge Hill Press 1993 p 74 ISBN 1 55853 223 4 The Ultimate New Jersey High School Yearbook The Star Ledger June 27 1999 NARA WWII Enlistment Records Koch Edward I U S National Archives and Records Administration HeroVet Ed Koch Late Mayor of NYC and WWII Veteran Veterans Advantage August 8 2017 Retrieved February 9 2022 https www jstor org stable 26304217 Saxena Jaya October 11 2012 behindthescenes nyhistory org Mayor Ed Koch Speaks at WWII amp NYC Opening Reception Retrieved February 8 2013 New York Post February 17 2013 Ed Koch s secret diary bares battle with Army Jew haters I m glad I fought Prial Frank J September 20 1977 Koch Celebrates Victory Briefly And Then Be gins Running Again The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved February 9 2022 Ortega Tony October 19 2009 September 23 1965 Ed Koch Finally Slays Carmine DeSapio For Good Village Voice Archived from the original on February 7 2013 Partner biography Ed Koch Bryan Cave LLP Archived from the original on January 2 2012 Retrieved March 28 2021 McFadden Robert D June 30 2019 Whitney North Seymour Jr Former U S Prosecutor Who Fought Corruption Dies at 95 The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved February 9 2022 Koch Faces Novel Challenge in Silk Stocking District The New York Times October 31 1970 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved February 9 2022 The Pickens Sisters Singers of High Society Travalanche August 10 2017 Retrieved February 9 2022 New York s colorful feisty former Mayor Edward I Koch dies United Press International Retrieved May 12 2014 Chen David W Thee Brenan Megan October 28 2013 De Blasio in Position to Win Mayor s Race by Historic Margin Poll Shows The New York Times pp A1 ProQuest 1815039529 Retrieved May 18 2022 Buckley Tom October 28 1974 Manhattan Democrats Face Easy Congressional Rapes The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved February 9 2022 Romano Lois December 12 1984 Sonia Landau At the Controls Washington Post ISSN 0190 8286 Retrieved February 9 2022 That 70 s Show Gotham Gazette May 9 2005 Archived from the original on May 9 2013 Wayne Stephen 2008 Parties and Elections in America The Electoral Process Fifth Edition Rowman amp Littlefield McFadden Robert D February 2 2013 Ed Koch 88 irrepressible ex mayor of New York International Herald Tribune p 5 ProQuest 1283358254 Retrieved May 18 2022 Lynn Frank September 24 1982 Cuomo Beats Koch in Democratic Primary Leherman Moynihan And Mrs Sullivan Win The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved February 9 2022 LoGiurato Brett In An Interview With Playboy Ed Koch Delivered A Famous Line About The Hell Of Living In The Suburbs Business Insider Retrieved February 9 2022 Lambert Bruce Jr November 6 1985 Election 85 Koch Wins 3rd Term in a Walk Voters Hand Dinkins Goldin And Stein Expected Victories Newsday p 3 ProQuest 285247038 Retrieved May 18 2022 Ehrlich M Avrum The Messiah of Brooklyn Understanding Lubavitch Hasidim Past and Present KTAV Publishing January 2005 p 109 ISBN 0 88125 836 9 KOCH LOSES N Y PRIMARY TO DINKINS Chicago Tribune Retrieved February 9 2022 Edward Koch Columbia University Libraries Oral History Research Office Retrieved March 28 2021 Ed Koch s Legacy Gotham Gazette November 14 2005 Archived from the original on April 27 2007 Retrieved July 15 2007 Madden Richard L April 7 1973 Javits Picks a Campaign Team Citing the Need to Think Ahead Votes in Congress This Week s Tally for Metropolitan Area Senate House The New York Times p 19 Retrieved July 5 2012 Vincent Cannato 2009 The Ungovernable City Basic Books p 511 ISBN 9780786749935 Ed Koch Threatened with Assassination The National Security Archives George Washington University Retrieved May 4 2009 Ed Koch Biography Mayor amp Facts Britannica www britannica com Retrieved February 9 2022 Biggest New York Events Of The 1980s January 15 2015 Retrieved February 9 2022 Democrats Pick New York for 1980 Convention The Washington Post June 29 1979 Retrieved February 9 2022 a b New York City Back in the 1980s GREAT FUTURE STORIES Retrieved February 9 2022 The Remarkable Drop in Crime in New York City PDF October 21 2004 Archived from the original PDF on February 15 2009 Chung Jen February 1 2013 Sharpton On Koch We Argued About Everything But He Was Never A Phony Or A Hypocrite Gothamist Retrieved February 9 2022 Lumenick Lou February 2 2013 Ed Koch was a pop culture sensation New York Post Retrieved February 8 2013 Michael Tager Corruption And Party Machines in New York City Corruption amp Reform 1988 3 1 pp 25 39 Newfield Jack amp Barrett Wayne City For Sale Ed Koch and the Betrayal of New York London HarperCollins 1989 ISBN 0 06 091662 1 Dunham Mary Frances Fifth Park and Madison Bicycle Blueprint Archived from the original on March 4 2016 Retrieved March 28 2021 Yee Marilynn K August 25 1987 Ban on Bikes Could Bring More Mopeds The New York Times Archived from the original on August 25 2009 Retrieved March 28 2021 How Would Dinkins Have Done Had He Come After Giuliani New York January 17 24 2011 Taylor Paul April 20 1988 DUKAKIS WINS N Y PRIMARY The Washington Post Retrieved February 9 2022 Holli Melvin G 1999 The American Mayor University Park PSU Press ISBN 0 271 01876 3 Roberts Sam September 17 2010 A New Look at Koch Elevates His Legacy New York Times Retrieved March 23 2023 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Mayor at the Movies with Ed Koch Mayorkoch blip tv Archived from the original on April 1 2010 Retrieved May 12 2014 Ed Koch Returns to Israel and Receives Hero s Welcome August 16 1993 Ed Koch Ed Koch EDDIE HAROLD S LITTLE BROTHER Kirkus Reviews Einhorn Erin March 23 2011 Ed Koch Queensborough bridge Span officially renamed in honor of former New York City mayor Daily News New York Archived from the original on March 25 2011 Retrieved March 23 2011 Lamb Rich July 11 2012 Councilman Peter Vallone Wants To Ban The Renaming of City Property After Living People CBS local New York CBS Radio Retrieved February 2 2013 Ed Koch identifies New York lawmakers who reneged on redistricting reform plan Syracuse com April 12 2011 Retrieved June 30 2018 The Portraits npg si edu August 21 2015 ARTstor Happy birthday to Mayor Ed Koch Artstor Blog December 12 2011 Retrieved October 15 2014 Russian American Cultural Center on ArtDiscover Retrieved October 15 2014 a b The Mayor at the Movies Mayorkoch com Retrieved May 12 2014 Remembering Ed Koch Mayor at the Movies myemail constantcontact com Retrieved February 9 2022 Koch s page at The Huffington Post The Huffington Post Retrieved May 12 2014 The Villager homepage thevillager com Retrieved May 12 2014 Ed Koch at IMDb tv com Double Rush The Documentary Episode Cast amp Crew Accessed June 5 2021 Archived from the original on June 8 2021 Retrieved June 7 2021 Koch Zeitgeist Films Manegold Catherine S October 15 1993 Assailing Dinkins Koch Backs Giuliani The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved February 9 2022 Koch and Carey Endorse Bloomberg New York Post November 2 2001 Retrieved February 9 2022 Endorse is Endorse of Course of Course Unless It s Mayor Ed New York Post March 20 2000 Retrieved February 9 2022 Sirota David February 4 2013 When Ed Koch backed George Bush Salon Retrieved February 9 2022 Ed Koch Teaches the World His Bill Bradley Cheer Observer March 6 2000 Retrieved February 9 2022 Client 9 The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer The Mayor at the Movies January 11 2011 Archived from the original on March 25 2012 Seidman David Railing at Rudy New York Post May 13 2007 p 9 Healy Patrick December 15 2006 Lunch Menu D Amato Koch Clinton 08 The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved February 9 2022 Smith Ben September 9 2008 Koch backs Obama calls Palin scary Politico Retrieved March 28 2021 Koch Outraged By Obama s Treatment of Israel Over Housing Construction Fox News April 1 2010 Archived from the original on July 24 2015 Retrieved March 28 2021 Guttman Nathan September 16 2011 Koch Takes a Victory Lap on N Y Congressional Race The Jewish Daily Forward Christopher Tommy October 13 2012 Ed Koch Tells Al Sharpton He s Back On Board The Bus With President Obama Mediaite Retrieved March 28 2021 Grynbaum Michael M February 9 2013 An Endorsement Hard to Pass Up and Harder to Promote The New York Times Archived from the original on February 19 2013 Retrieved March 28 2021 Reason tv Mayor Ed Koch on rent control his sexuality Andrew Cuomo and how he helped save New York Reason June 29 2011 Koch Ed July 18 2007 I m Done Defending the Iraq Policy RealClearPolitics Retrieved March 28 2021 A dangerous silence The Jerusalem Post JPost com Retrieved February 9 2022 Bermsn Andrew February 1 2013 Ed Koch 1924 2013 and the Village Off the Grid Retrieved March 12 2019 Hornblower Margot February 2 1984 Koch Lets Hair Down in Biography Mayor The Washington Post p A3 ProQuest 138384352 Mayor Koch I m a Heterosexual Associated Press News AP News Archive March 16 1989 a b Almasy Steve March 7 2013 New York s brash former mayor Ed Koch dies at 88 CNN Retrieved June 4 2016 Joscarelli Joe February 1 2013 The Quotable Ed Koch Wit Wisdom and One Liners New York Retrieved March 28 2021 Ed Koch s pal former Miss America Bess Myerson was a constant at his side New York Daily News February 2 2013 Bess Myerson Is One Tough Customer by Susan Berman New York November 14 1977 Finder Alan August 8 1987 Koch Experienced a Trivial Stroke New Tests Show The New York Times p 1 Retrieved May 8 2022 a b McFadden Robert D February 2 2013 Edward I Koch a Mayor as Brash Shrewd and Colorful as the City He Led Dies at 88 The New York Times p A1 Retrieved May 7 2022 New York Former Mayor Ed Koch dies at 88 BBC News February 1 2013 Retrieved February 1 2013 a b Jim Fitzgerald February 4 2013 Ed Koch Funeral Clinton Bloomberg Speak At Service For Former NYC Mayor The Huffington Post Retrieved July 7 2015 Deepti Hajela February 3 2013 With death of legendary New York City mayor Koch tributes pour in funeral set for Monday Star Tribune Minneapolis Associated Press Retrieved May 12 2014 Mary Frances Schjonberg February 4 2013 Former New York Mayor Ed Koch laid to rest in Trinity plot Episcopal News Service Archived from the original on July 8 2015 Retrieved July 7 2015 a b c d Joe Coscarelli February 1 2013 The Quotable Ed Koch Wit Wisdom and One Liners New York Primary sources Edit Koch Edward and Daniel Paisner Citizen Koch an autobiography St Martin s Press 1992 Koch Ed The Koch Papers My Fight Against Anti Semitism Macmillan 2008 Further reading EditGoodwin Michael ed New York Comes Back The Mayoralty of Edward I Koch powerHouse Books 2005 ISBN 1 57687 274 2 Harrington Michael When Ed Koch Was Still a Liberal Dissent 1987 595 602 online Mollenkopf John H A Phoenix in the Ashes The Rise and Fall of the Koch Coalition in New York City Politics Princeton University Press 1994 Newfield Jack and Barrett Wayne City For Sale Ed Koch and the Betrayal of New York London HarperCollins 1989 ISBN 0 06 091662 1 Soffer Jonathan Ed Koch and the Rebuilding of New York City Columbia University Press 2010 494 pages Thompson J Phillip David Dinkins victory in New York City The decline of the Democratic Party organization and the strengthening of black politics PS Political Science amp Politics 1990 23 2 pp 145 148 Paterson David Black Blind amp In Charge A Story of Visionary Leadership and Overcoming Adversity Skyhorse Publishing New York City 2020External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ed Koch Wikiquote has quotations related to Ed Koch United States Congress Ed Koch id K000302 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Ed Koch on Twitter Appearances on C SPAN Ed Koch at IMDb Ed Koch at Find a Grave Ed Koch on Charlie RoseInterviews Edit Voices on Antisemitism Interview with Edward Koch from the U S Holocaust Memorial Museum A film clip The Open Mind A Winter s Tale and More 1988 is available at the Internet Archive The Trust Is Gone Opinion piece by Koch critical of current administration s relationship with Israel Interview with Ed Koch On the 1988 Tompkins Square Park Riots Oral history interview with Ed Koch 2008 from Justice in New York An Oral History full transcript and audio clips News collections Edit Ed Koch collected news and commentary at The New York Times Podcasts of Ed Koch commentaries at Bloomberg comArchives Edit Edward I Koch Collection Archived August 8 2012 at the Wayback Machine of La Guardia and Wagner Archives Koch s mayoral records as well as personal papers and photographs Notable New Yorkers Edward I Koch Biography photographs and interviews of Ed Koch from the Notable New Yorkers collection of the Oral History Research Office at Columbia University Ed Koch Threatened with Assassination in 1976 from the National Security Archive with archival documents FBI Records The Vault Edward Erving Ed Koch at fbi govPolitical officesPreceded byWoodward Kingman Member of the New York City Councilfrom the 2nd district1967 1969 Succeeded byCarol GreitzerPreceded byAbraham Beame Mayor of New York City1978 1989 Succeeded byDavid DinkinsU S House of RepresentativesPreceded byTheodore Kupferman Member of the U S House of Representativesfrom New York s 17th congressional district1969 1973 Succeeded byJohn MurphyPreceded byCharie Rangel Member of the U S House of Representativesfrom New York s 18th congressional district1973 1977 Succeeded byBill GreenParty political officesPreceded byAbraham Beame Democratic nominee for Mayor of New York City1977 1981 1985 Succeeded byDavid DinkinsLegal officesPreceded byJoseph Wapner Judge of The People s Court1997 1999 Succeeded byJerry Sheindlin Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ed Koch amp oldid 1155592912, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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