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Establishing His Own Identity, Preserving His District’s
There are several myths about Assembly Member Daniel O’Donnell (D-Manhattan). One is that his full name, according to the New York Post, is apparently Daniel–brother of Rosie–O’Donnell. Another is that he is rich. Yet another is that his sister funds his campaigns.
None of them are true.
Yes, celebrity comedienne and talk show host Rosie O’Donnell is his sister, and therefore the source of many of these myths, but O’Donnell said his constituents in the 69th Assembly District know him mostly as Danny—which is fine by him.
O’Donnell, a former criminal defense attorney, was first elected to the Assembly in 2002, becoming the first openly gay man in the chamber. In the four years since, he has forged an identity as an outspoken advocate for civil liberties and an ardent opponent of the death penalty.
He has also not been afraid to cast unpopular votes. When the Assembly voted to end the statute of limitations on rape crimes earlier this year, O’Donnell was the only member who voted no. However, he said, dozens of members approached him afterward to say they agreed with him, though they “didn’t have the guts” to vote that way.
While he has gained political influence and experience in both Albany and back in his Upper Manhattan district, O’Donnell acknowledges that being the brother of a celebrity strongly impacts his political life.
“It’s mostly a negative,” he said. “It’s difficult to attain your own identity, and it’s more difficult now that she’s back on television.”
On a recent Tuesday afternoon, 38 blocks north of the ABC Studios, where his sister tapes episodes of “The View” five days a week, O’Donnell was doing what he calls his “seven-day- a-week job” representing his constituents.
His desk is tucked at the end of a narrow alcove within his multi-room first floor offices on West 104th Street. In front of it, Lynnea Benson, artistic director of the Frog & Peach theater company, sat talking with him about being priced out of the district and her search for a new venue. She explained who she was, and before they even got to the problem, the discussion turned to Shakespeare—Richard III is his favorite, O’Donnell said.
He made no promises, but he said he would do what he could to help.
“I say that it is one-third black, one-third brown, one-third white, and the whites are primarily Jewish and they elected an openly gay Irish Catholic guy,” Assembly Member Daniel O’Donnell
(D-Manhattan) said of his district. “I don’t know, do the math.”
“I give meetings to anyone who asks for them,” O’Donnell said afterward.
However, he added, Benson’s particular request represented one of the biggest concerns in his district: overdevelopment. As luxury developers increasingly move into the area, commercial rents are rising sharply, forcing out many smaller businesses.
“Until recently, there was a perception that luxury developers would never come north of 96th Street,” O’Donnell said, “but they’re here.”
O’Donnell can quickly recite a list of businesses that have closed due to rent increases, including his favorite video store, “The Movie Place.” He said his biggest goal in 2007 is to force developers into a meaningful dialogue with the community in order to preserve the district’s character while accommodating growth.
The character of the district was what spurred him to move there in 1990, O’Donnell said. He sees his own elections as a sign of the area’s unique diversity.
“I say that it is one-third black, one-third brown, one-third white, and the whites are primarily Jewish and they elected an openly gay Irish Catholic guy,” he said. “I don’t know, do the math.”
While the district includes such seemingly opposite neighborhoods as the Upper West Side and West Harlem, O’Donnell said he has connected with all of his constituents by reflecting the values of the district as a whole.
“This district is a perfect balance, and if you take away that balance, you can do a lot of harm,” he said.
Working to keep that balance keeps him busy. He is constantly seeing constituents with problems. And these days, as requests pour in for money from member items in the upcoming state budget, he is even busier.
While he offered no specific prediction about how Albany will change once Eliot Spitzer (D) takes office, O’Donnell said he was looking forward to working with a governor from his own party for the first time.
“We’ve had a Republican absentee governor whose only interest was self-interest,” he said. “It will be a joy to have a governor who will actually be focused on governing the state of New York.”
One of the things to change may be the member item system, by which legislators are annually allotted a portion of state money to put towards projects in their districts. O’Donnell estimated he will receive about 20 applications looking for a piece of what he believes will be around $60,000.
Member items have been the subject of controversy in and around Albany, largely because of lack of disclosure: they are currently listed as a lump sum rather than individually. Critics say the potential for abuse in the system is too high, and O’Donnell has been outspoken about the need for full disclosure.
He claimed the current system was put in place because Gov. George Pataki (R) used to veto Democratic member items while leaving Republican requests untouched.
“Now that we’re getting a new governor, hopefully we won’t be playing politics anymore,” O’Donnell said.
Other critics of the current system say that changes in disclosure rules are not enough. They want member items taken out of the hands of legislators entirely, with a state agency created to distribute funds instead.
O’Donnell criticized that approach as unnecessary and ineffective.
“I am the local person,” he said. “I know who the good and bad players are.”
So far, O’Donnell said that keeping his local presence and perspective has been easy, and in just two terms has even been able to exert behind-the-scenes influence.
But, he admitted, circumstances might change.
“As you move up the food chain in Albany, you get greater responsibility,” he said. “That means more time and energy and focus spent on the work in Albany.”