Clarence Norman Jr. facts for kids

Clarence Norman Jr. (born August 25, 1951) is a former American politician from the state of New York. He was the former chairman of the Kings County Democratic Party and member of the New York State Assembly from the 43rd Assembly District in Central Brooklyn, which includes Crown Heights and parts of Flatbush and Prospect Heights.

He was convicted of three felony counts of accepting illegal campaign contributions during his 2000 and 2002 re-election campaigns for his seat in the New York State Assembly and served time in prison.

Early years

Norman was one of five children of the Rev. Clarence Norman Sr., a politically influential head pastor of the First Baptist Church of Crown Heights, and his wife, Ellen.

Career

After earning degrees from Howard University and St. John's School of Law he entered politics, first serving as general counsel to the New York State Assembly Subcommittee on Probation and Parole. He later served in the Kings County District Attorney's office for five years as an Assistant District Attorney in the felony bureau.

Election to New York State Assembly

In November 1982, Norman was elected to the New York State Assembly for the first time, representing the 43rd District in Central Brooklyn, which included Crown Heights and parts of Flatbush and Prospect Heights. He was a member of the Assembly from 1983 to 2005, sitting in the 185th, 186th, 187th, 188th, 189th, 190th, 191st, 192nd, 193rd, 194th, 195th and 196th New York State Legislatures.

After being re-elected easily from an overwhelmingly Democratic district several times, the first major challenge to Norman's political power base in Brooklyn came in 1998, when New York City police officer, minister, and future City Councilman James E. Davis ran against him in a Democratic primary. Although Norman was victorious in that race, he was re-elected by only 580 votes, a relatively slim margin of 55% to 45%, which signaled the first chinks in his previously impregnable political armor.

Party leadership

He served as District Leader from 1986 to 1993. In 1990, Norman became the first African-American, and the youngest Democrat, to be elected as chairman of the Executive Committee of the Kings County Democratic County Committee. Heading the largest county Democratic organization in the country, Norman became an influential power broker, on municipal, statewide, and national levels.

In addition to being a member of the Assembly for 23 years, and head of the Kings County Democratic Party for 15, Norman also held other positions within the city, state, and national Democratic Party, including being a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2000 and 2004, a Presidential Elector from New York in 2000, a member of the Democratic National Committee from New York in 2004, and Assistant Majority Leader of the New York State Assembly beginning in 2001.

Successors

After his conviction, a special election was held to determine Norman's successor as Assemblyman. Karim Camara, a member of the church where Clarence Norman Sr. was pastor, won overwhelmingly, defeating two opponents, one of whom was the brother of former City Councilman and Norman rival James E. Davis.

Assemblyman Vito Lopez eventually replaced Norman as leader of the Kings County Democratic Party. .....

See also

• Gerald Garson, New York State Supreme Court judge who was part of the sting to catch Norman
• Kings County Democratic Committee