Queens powerbroker Tom Manton dies

The Queens County Democratic party lost its chairman and one of the most influential powerbrokers in New York City politics when Thomas Manton, 73, died from cancer on Saturday, July 22 at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx.
Manton, who spent the past 20 years running the organization, helped broker deals to get the current City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and her predecessor Speaker Gifford Miller elected in exchange for high-power chair positions for Queens Councilmembers. Manton took over as chairman of the Queens Democratic organization in 1986 during a tumultuous time after Donald Manes resigned from that position earlier in the year.
Current State Senator John Sabini served as the interim chair of the party until Manton was elected later that year.
&#8220Tom Manton was a Democratic chair who opened up the party to new opportunities for women, African Americans, Hispanics and Asians,” Sabini said. &#8220He leaves the legacy of a diverse roster of Democratic officials.”
In addition to his time as Chairman, Manton also served as a seven-term Congressman before retiring from that position in 1997 and picking his successor Congressman Joseph Crowley.
&#8220I can honestly say that over the last 20 years Tom was a colleague, mentor and friend,” Crowley said. &#8220He was a person of incredible dignity, and a person that conducted himself with grace.”
City Comptroller William J. Thompson Jr., remembers Manton for his wisdom and advisement to many people throughout the area in order to help the people of Queens.
&#8220Throughout Tom Manton's career in elected office, he used his integrity and influence to advocate tirelessly for Queens residents, and was an invaluable source of insight and wisdom for countless elected officials, myself included,” Thompson said.
Manton graduated from St. John's University in 1958 and served as a police officer for five years and a salesman for I.B.M. for four years before being elected to the City Council in 1969.
&#8220As a former police officer, Tom Manton never forgot his working-class Irish immigrant roots,” said President of the New York City Central Labor Council/AFL-CIO Brian McLaughlin. &#8220He was a friend of the carpenters, the plumbers, the pipe fitters, the firefighters, the working men and women of New York.”
However, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney who was a colleague and friend of Manton said that his greatest legacy would be the impact he had while serving as the chair of the Queens County Democratic party.
&#8220But, perhaps Tom Manton's most enduring legacy may be forging the most united and effective political party organization in any county in the nation,” said Maloney, who plans to deliver a tribute to Manton on the floor of the House later this week. &#8220He accomplished this remarkable achievement in what is probably the most ethnically diverse county in the nation, and he did it with his singular and extraordinary powers of leadership.”
Queens City Councilmember John Liu expressed similar statements about Manton's legacy having long-lasting effects.
&#8220Tom was uniquely skilled at fostering the unity of elected officials and the general public alike,” he said. &#8220Tom channeled the collective efforts of Queens officials in a way that brought more to the people of Queens than the sum of individual efforts could ever have.”
With Manton's death, the questions have turned to who will take over the influential leadership position.
&#8220We have some big shoes to fill,” said Crowley, who many political insiders are touting as the favorite to succeed Manton. However, Crowley said he would not entertain questions at the current time regarding these prospects.
&#8220We are sorry, but at the same time he has left the Democratic Party in the strongest position we could possibly be in, and every Democrat in the city, state and county should be grateful for that,” Crowley said.
Manton's funeral will take place on Friday at St. Sebastian's Roman Catholic Church in Woodside.