Member of the U.S.
House of Representatives, representing the 8th district of
New York, which includes the west side of
Manhattan and a piece of
Brooklyn.
Nadler is a giant presence in congress… literally. His leathery skin and considerable girth invoke the politicians of a by-gone era. Indeed he is a bit of a Teddy Roosevelt, staking out principled and unabashed positions on the issues important to him. Nadler is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and was most recently re-elected in 2000 with 80% of the vote.
Nadler is also quintessentially New York. He grew up in Brooklyn and attended a Yeshiva in Crown Heights, before going to Columbia University on a scholarship and Fordham University Law School. He was a founder of a 60s-era group known as the 'West Side Kids,' which were dedicated to working within the New York Democratic Party to strengthen its anti-war and civil rights commitments. He was elected to the New York state assembly in 1976, and to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1992.
Championing the unique causes important to Manhattan residents often puts one at odds with the rest of the nation. For instance, Nadler has proposed bills that would adjust the tax code to reflect the cost of living in a particular area. From his positions on the Transportation and Infrastructure committee and as co-chair of the Congressional Transit Caucus, he is a leading advocate for public transportation and improving the nation’s rail infrastructure. He champions gay rights, and civil rights and civil liberties in general, and is a leading advocate of funding for the arts.
Vanity Fair magazine has said that Nadler “Epitomizes liberalism the way it ought to be.” He considers himself to have been a vigorous defender of the Constitution during the Clinton impeachment proceedings, from his position on the House Judiciary Committee.
Nadler’s district includes the former World Trade Center site.
help from http://www.house.gov/nadler/