John Francis Quinn Jr. (born April 13, 1951) is a retired American politician and academic administrator from the state of New York. He was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1993 to 2005, and went on to serve as president of Erie Community College (ECC) from 2008 to 2017.SUNY ECC: Erie Community College: State University of New York: About ECC: The president's office , Erie Community College.edu, Retrieved December 4, 2013.Jack Quinn to take helm at ECC: His selection raises questions by some on criteria for the post, McClatchy – Tribune Business News, Washington, DC: McClatchy – Tribune Business News, January 30, 2008, Rey, J., Retrieved January 11, 2014.
A native of the Buffalo area, Quinn taught in Orchard Park, New York; worked at a steel plant; and before his election to Congress in 1992, was involved in local politics, sitting on the Hamburg Town Council, as well as serving as the town's supervisor. While in Congress, he was considered a moderately conservative Republican, and was active in numerous committees, subcommittees, and caucuses as chair or member. Prior to becoming a congressional representative, as well as being the town's supervisor. After leaving Congress and prior to taking the top leadership post at ECC, Quinn was also president of a lobbying firm in Washington, D.C.
Background Quinn was born in Buffalo, New York on April 13, 1951.Quinn, John Francis (Jack), Biographical Directory of the United States Congress: 1774–Present, Washington, DC, 2014, Retrieved January 4, 2014. His father, Jack Quinn Sr., was a locomotive engineer with the South Buffalo Railway,John R. Quinn Sr., close advisor to congressman son, Buffalo News, Buffalo, NY: Berkshire Hathaway, July 19, 2004, Retrieved January 10, 2014.Fundraiser for Congressman Jack Quinn , American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, Washington, DC: American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, 2014, Retrieved January 5, 2014, and also worked at the Erie County Public Library. Quinn's mother is Norma; and he has four brothers, Kevin, Jeffrey, Thomas, and Michael.American Ireland Fund: Jack Quinn and his brothers , Susan O'Neill & Associates, 2008, Retrieved January 5, 2014.
Education Quinn graduated from Siena College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1973 and the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1978 with a Master's degree in Education.UB Alumni Association: Jack Quinn Jr., EdM '78, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, January 2006, Byers, B.A., Retrieved October 16, 2013. Quinn also holds a school superintendent credential that he earned at the State University of New York at Fredonia.
Pre-congressional career
Quinn was a middle school English teacher in the Orchard Park Central School District for 10 years, where he coached track and field, basketball,The parable of Jack Quinn, Boston Globe, Boston, MA, December 29, 1998, Shribman, D.M., Retrieved January 10, 2014. and football.Congressman Jack Quinn, R-New York, Internet Multicasting Service, Undated, Retrieved January 7, 2014. Prior to entering the teaching field, Quinn briefly worked at the Bethlehem Steel Plant in Lackawanna, New York. He served on the Hamburg, New York Town Council from 1982 to 1984, followed by a stint as town supervisor until 1993.
Congressional career
After the retirement of Congressman Henry Nowak,Everyone can find something to like, quibble with after Quinn's 1st year, Buffalo News, Washington, DC Bureau, January 1, 1994, Zremski, J., Retrieved January 11, 2014. Quinn was elected to the House of Representatives in 1992 representing most of Buffalo and suburban Erie County in the 30th District.Congressman Jack Quinn, 30th District, New York, Library of Congress Web Archives, Washington, DC: Library of Congress Web Archives, August 5, 2011, Retrieved January 4, 2014.Congressman Jack Quinn, 30th District, New York, Library of Congress: United States 107th Congress Web Archive Collection, Washington, DC: Library of Congress, December 12, 2002, Retrieved January 4, 2014. On paper, the district was heavily Democratic, and had been made even more Democratic after redistricting in 1992. However, Quinn defeated Erie County Executive Dennis Gorski in an upset.Quinn, Jack, Our Campaigns, September 4, 2005, Retrieved January 7, 2014. He was re-elected five more times by surprisingly wide margins in what was by far the most Democratic district in the nation to be represented by a Republican.
Quinn survived in this district in large part due to the close ties he developed with organized labor, something not common with most Republicans. Quinn worked to develop those ties even while voting against several programs and initiatives early in his career,Does how Quinn votes really matter? A different political climate insulates Buffalo congressman, Buffalo News, Buffalo, NY: Berkshire Hathaway, May 22, 1995, Turner, D., Retrieved January 11, 2014. a few of which included Amtrak subsidies, Social Security, and the Low Income Home Energy Assistant Program. Despite such votes and initially being an unknown, Quinn was successful in Buffalo, much as Jack Kemp was twenty years earlier. Quinn was also viewed as being honorable,Jack Quinn's disappointing choice, Buffalo News, Buffalo, NY: Berkshire Hathaway, December 16, 1998, Retrieved January 11, 2014. and he did not have any character issues.
Despite a close relationship with Bill Clinton, whom he considers his friend, he voted for three of the articles of impeachment against him. There have been several suggestions that the House leadership pressured him into doing so, though Quinn, himself, denied this in a 1999 article in the Washington Post. Quinn stated that his position in regard to impeaching Clinton was “a vote of conscience” that was “a personal decision and personally painful”, though he initially stated that the situation did not merit impeachment. It has been reported that Clinton's 1999 visit to BuffaloBush to visit Buffalo on Tuesday; president will speak at Kleinhans to invitation-only crowd, Buffalo News, Buffalo, NY: Berkshire Hathaway, April 16, 2004, Turner, D.L., Retrieved January 10, 2014. after his State of the Union Address was in response to Quinn's votes.
During the 2002 redistricting process, one map had Quinn drawn into a district with a longtime friend, Democrat John LaFalce. Ultimately, his district was preserved and renumbered as the 27th District. It covered nearly all of his former territory and added Chautauqua County.Congressman Jack Quinn: The end of a term... A legacy continues, From Our Perspective, December 5, 2004, Retrieved January 7, 2014. This came after New York lost a district in the 2000 census. On paper, the new 27th was slightly more Republican than the old 30th. However, had it existed in 2000, Al Gore would have carried it with 53 percent of the vote, one of his best showings for a district represented by a Republican.Presidential results by congressional district for districts used from 2003 to 2013, via Swing State Project
On April 26, 2004, Quinn announced he would not seek re-election.House GOP member announces retirement, CNN.com, Atlanta, GA: Cable News Network/Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., April 26, 2004, Henry, E., Retrieved January 7, 2014. After leaving Congress, Quinn reported that he had a 70% approval rating while in his position.Challenger says he battles the mighty Quinns; claims ex-congressman unfairly aids son's race, Buffalo News, Buffalo, NY: Berkshire Hathaway, July 29, 2006, McCarthy, R.J., Retrieved January 11, 2014.
Selected electoral history
Quinn's electoral history record has been tracked at Our Campaigns, and portions of it are also presented here.
Quinn also ran on the Conservative ticket in this election. These election results reflect Quinn's largest margin of victory.
Quinn also ran on the Change Congress ticket in this election. These election results represent Quinn's smallest margin of victory.
Duties During his tenure in Congress, Quinn was a chair and/or active member of several committees, subcommittees, and caucuses.
Quinn was a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee,Honoring Congressmen Amo Houghton and Jack Quinn , Capitol Words, Sunlight Foundation, December 6, 2004, Retrieved January 6, 2014.Honoring Congressman Jack Quinn , Capitol Words, Sunlight Foundation, December 7, 2004, Retrieved January 6, 2014.Jack Quinn's quest, Railway Age, Vol. 203 (5), No. 4, 2002, Vantuono, W.C., Retrieved January 11, 2014. where he served as chairman of the Railroads Subcommittee. On the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Quinn was a member of the Transportation Subcommittees on Aviation, Surface Transportation, Mass Transit, and Water and Environment.
Quinn chaired both the Executive Committee of the Congressional Steel Caucusand the Benefits Subcommittee. He further chaired the Republican Working Group on Labor. Quinn was also a member of the Veteran's Affairs Committee, and its related Subcommittee on Hospitals and Health Care. He served on the Joint Economic Committee as a member.
Further serving as a leader of Congressional committees, Quinn co-chaired both the Northern Border Caucus and the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition.
Quinn was also a member of the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus; the Congressional Fire Services Caucus; and the Friends of Ireland Congressional Committee.
To aid his constituents, Quinn opened and closed more than 10,000 working cases during his time in Congress. This type of commitment to completing federal casework has been described as “legendary”.
Political views Quinn's political affiliation is Republican Conservative to Republican Moderate-Conservative.Jack Quinn thriving as moderate republican, Buffalo News, Buffalo, NY: Berkshire Hathaway, June 28, 1998, McCarthy, B., Retrieved January 11, 2014.Jack Quinn's decision, Buffalo News, Buffalo, NY: Berkshire Hathaway, September 11, 2001, Retrieved January 11, 2014. His political views placed him as a centrist between Democrats and Republicans on most issues on which he voted in Congress in 2004.Rep. Jack Quinn, Govtrack.us, Washington, DC: Civic Impulse, LLC, 2014, Retrieved January 4, 2014. Much later in his congressional career, his voting record was typically in the middle, falling between Democratic and Republican views.
In his first year in Congress, Congressional Quarterly reported that Quinn's voting record was 84–85% Republican in support of the party line.The evolution of Jack Quinn; redistricting sets the Hamburg republican up for a long run in Congress, despite a term-limit pledge made when he was first elected, Buffalo News, Buffalo, NY: Berkshire Hathaway, June 16, 2002, Turner, D., Retrieved January 11, 2014. During his first year, while there were issues that he voted in favor of, there were also those that he voted against, including a $16 million community development stimulus package for Buffalo. The Buffalo News reported that Quinn's consistency in voting along Republican party lines was reflected in 87% of his votes by 2001.
A portion of Quinn's voting record has been tracked, online, regarding issues such as abortion, education,Hamilton: Obama, Lewis, and Quinn on education, Niagara Gazette, Niagara Falls, NY: Niagara Gazette, August 23, 2013, Hamilton, K., Retrieved January 5, 2014. energy and the environment, gay marriage, healthcare, homeland security, immigration, social security, stem cell research, taxes, the economy, the second amendment (the right to keep and bear arms), and both the War in Afghanistan and the War in Iraq., PoliGu.com: The political guide, Undated, Retrieved January 4, 2014.