Linda Winikow (May 9, 1940 – August 24, 2008) was an American politician from New York. Winikow pleaded guilty to grand larceny, commercial bribe receiving and making illegal campaign contributions.
Linda Winikow | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New York State Senate from the 38th district | |
| In office 1975–1985 | |
| Preceded by | Donald R. Ackerson |
| Succeeded by | Eugene Levy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Linda Bord May 9, 1940 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | August 24, 2008 (aged 68) Sarasota, Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | Hofstra University |
| Known for | Pleaded guilty to grand larceny, commercial bribe receiving and making illegal campaign contributions. |
Early life
editOn May 9, 1940, Winikow was born as Linda Bord in New York City. Winikow's family lived in Hewlett, Nassau County, New York.
Education
editWinikow graduated from Hofstra University. Then she taught history at a high school in Long Island.
Career
editWinikow entered politics as a Democrat, and became a member of the Town of Ramapo Zoning Board of Appeals in 1968; a member of the Ramapo Town Council in 1972; and a member of the Rockland County Legislature in 1974.[1]
Winikow was a member of the New York State Senate from 1975 to 1984, sitting in the 181st, 182nd,183rd, 184th and 185th New York State Legislatures. She was a delegate to the 1980 Democratic National Convention but in June 1984, she announced that she would not seek re-election.[2]
In 1979, the Supersisters trading card set was produced and distributed; card number 22 featured Winikow's name and picture.[3]
On July 1, 1984, Winikow became the Vice President of Orange and Rockland Utilities's public relations.[4] On August 16, 1993, she was arrested, and accused of funneling more than $250,000 of the company's money away for corrupt purposes and her personal use.[5] Investigations showed that she had paid local newspapers to refrain from publishing articles with undesired coverage of Orange and Rockland Utilities and the company's top employees; that she forced the utility's advertising company to pay kickbacks; and that she made contributions to the election campaigns, using the company's money but declaring it as coming from different sources. On October 6, 1993, she pleaded guilty in Rockland County Court to grand larceny, commercial bribe receiving and making illegal campaign contributions.[6] In 1995, she was sentenced to nine months in the Rockland county jail.[7]
Personal life
editWinikow's husband was Arnold Winikow (1936–2000). In 1964, Winikow and her family moved to Spring Valley, New York, Rockland County.
Winikow died on August 24, 2008, in Sarasota, Florida at the age of 68.[8]
References
edit- ^ LINDA WINIKOW: DRIVEN TO POWER, DRIVEN TO A FALL in the Times Herald-Record, of Middletown, re-posted on January 15, 2007
- ^ Mrs. Winikow Leaving Senate in the New York Times on June 8, 1984
- ^ Wulf, Steve (March 23, 2015). "Supersisters: Original Roster". Espn.go.com. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ From a Utility's Gadfly To Its Profligate Lobbyist in the New York Times on October 16, 1994
- ^ Steinberg, Jacques (August 29, 1993). "Ex-State Senator Is at Center of Embezzlement Charges". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
- ^ Steinberg, Jacques (October 7, 1993). "Former State Senator Admits Illegal Use of Money". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
- ^ Rohde, David (May 11, 1998). "Financial Scandal Mars Utility's Decorous Past". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
- ^ Former state Sen. Winikow, convicted of felony charges in utilities scandal, dies at 68 Archived January 18, 2015, at archive.today by Laura Incalcaterra, in The Journal News on August 28, 2008