Background
Abraham Jacob Hirschfeld was born on December 12, 1919 in Tarnów, Poland.
editor treasurer Broadway producer
Abraham Jacob Hirschfeld was born on December 12, 1919 in Tarnów, Poland.
He was the owner of several buildings in Manhattan. He served as treasurer for the New York State Democratic Committee in the 1960s and as city commissioner of Miami Beach, Florida in 1989. He immigrated to the British Mandate of Palestine in the early 1930s.
He said most of his extended family stayed and died in the Holocaust.
Hirschfeld moved to the United States in 1950. Hirschfeld became the owner of the Vertical Club, a health club on the Upper East Side.
He was a co-owner of the Hotel Pennsylvania. Additionally, he was an investor in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Times Square.
In 1989, he funded the Broadway show Prince of Central Park and the Jackie Mason show, Love Thy Neighbor.
In March 1993, Hirschfeld was the owner of New York Post for two weeks. During that period of time, he dismissed editor Pete Hamill, but later upon court order reinstated him and kissing his face in a famous picture. After his New York Post failure, he founded Open Air Prime Minister.
Hirschfeld served as treasurer for the New York State Democratic Committee in the 1960s and was elected to the City Commission of Miami Beach in 1989.
In September 1987, Hirschfeld launched a campaign in Miami to draft New York developer Donald Trump for president, according to the Associated Press.
In 1998, Hirschfeld offered $1,000,000 United States dollar to Paula Jones to drop her sexual harassment lawsuit against former United States President Bill Clinton. In 1999, Hirschfeld was cleared of charges he owed United States$3.3 million in taxes.
Hirschfeld was sentenced to three years in prison, of which he served two. When he got out of prison he ran for the United States. Senate, calling himself "Honest Abe".
Hirschfeld died at age 85 on August 9, 2005 at the Saint Barnabas Hospital in The Bronx, of cardiac arrest stemming from complications of a battle with terminal cancer.
Throughout his career, Hirschfeld ran for political office several times, including unsuccessful bids as "Honest Abe" for the United States. Senate in 1974 (defeated in Democratic primary), for the New York City Council, for Manhattan Borough President in 1997, for Lieutenant Governor of New York, for New York State Comptroller in 1998, and for Mayor of Miami Beach, Florida. In 2004, Hirschfeld ran as a third party candidate for United States Senator from New York against Charles Schumer. Schumer won 71% of the vote.
Hirschfeld garnered less than 1%.