Claudia Tenney Politician
Claudia Tenney (born February 4, 1961) is an American lawyer, publisher, commentator and politician who was elected in 2010 to represent the 101st Assembly District of the New York State Assembly. Tenney had served her predecessor, former Assemblyman David Townsend, from 2003-2009 as his chief of staff and legal counsel. Her district comprises parts of Oswego County and Oneida County.Tenney is a native of New Hartford, New York and the daughter of former New York State Supreme Court Justice John R. Tenney. She graduated from Colgate University in 1983, and the Taft College of Law at the University of Cincinnati.Early in her career, she was the only American employed by the Consulate General of Yugoslavia. She acted as intermediary between ABC Sports and the Yugoslavian government leading up to the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo.From 1996 through 2004, she established Tenney Media Group in Clinton, New York where she served as publisher and corporate counsel. Tenney Media Group published and printed free community newspapers founded by her parents and grandparents: eight weekly newspaper editions known as the Mid-York Weekly & Pennysaver with a total direct mailed circulation of over 100,000 households throughout three counties in Central New York. The original Mid-York Weekly’s roots date back to the early 19th century and it remains one of the oldest continuously running weekly newspapers in the country.Tenney also maintains an active private law practice based in Clinton. Prior to opening her private practice, she was a partner at the Utica area law firm of Groben, Gilroy, Oster and Saunders. She is currently a co-owner and legal counsel to Mid-York Press, a commercial printing and manufacturing firm started by her mother’s family in 1946. Mid-York Press employs nearly eighty people in the Chenango County community of Sherburne.In January 2001, she began serving as co-host and moderator of “Common Cents”, a radio and television program that airs weekly across Oneida and most of Herkimer County. In February 2010, Claudia began co-hosting “First Look” on WIBX 950 Radio.In 2009 Claudia Tenney ran for Oneida County Surrogate Court Judge. She ran as a Republican against incumbent Democrat, Louis Gigliotti. Tenney was beaten by the Democrat. She managed only 45% of the vote to Gigliotti's 55%.Tenney also worked for the State Assembly as a staff member to Assemblyman David Townsend, who announced in 2010 he was a candidate for Oneida County Sheriff. Tenney defeated Oneida County Legislator George Joseph in a Republican primary in September for a chance to represent the seat. With no Democratic or other opponents in the November 2010 general election, Tenney became the district’s first assemblywoman.In 2012, Assemblywoman Tenney cosponsored the controversial Internet Protection Act (A.8688A/S.6779). The bill would have forced anonymous commenters on the internet to attach their name to anything they write. "Website administrators would be required to provide a contact number or email address for people to request anonymous comment removals. Upon receiving a complaint, the website would then be required to contact the original commenter and give them a 48-hour window to identify their posts. If the anonymous commenter chooses not to identify themselves by providing their IP address, legal name and home address within the 48-hour slot, the website must delete the comment." Another cosponsor, Assemblyman Dean Conte, defended the bill by saying "the legislation will help cut down on the types of mean-spirited and baseless political attacks that add nothing to the real debate and merely seek to falsely tarnish the opponent’s reputation by using the anonymity of the Web." Opponents of the bill believe that this is a clear constitutional violation of the First Amendment.In 2014, Tenney announced that she was running for Congress in New York's 22nd District. She ran against incumbent Richard Hanna in the primary on June 24, but lost by 6%, 47-53%.Tenney is a resident of New Hartford. She has one son, Wayne "Trey" Ralph Cleary III, who, in 2009 received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, and commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps in May 2013.