Paul Jerome Curran

February 21, 1933 (age 75)

Manhattan, New York City

After serving as an officer in the United States Air Force, he spent three years prosecuting narcotics cases as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New New York On December 23, 1966, he was appointed by Mayor John V. Lindsay to help in the passing of laws concerning New York City by the State Legislature. Governor Nelson Rockefeller appointeded Curran to the New York State Commission of Investigation in 1968, elevating him to chairman the following year. Under his leadership, and despite the body"s lack of authority to prosecute crimes they had uncovered, the Commission exposed kickbacks and fraud in Buffalo and Albany. He was appointed by President Richard Nixon as United States. Attorney for the Southern District of New York in 1973. He remained in office until 1975, obtaining convictions of Carmine Tramunti, the head of the Lucchese crime family, and Representative Bertram L. Podell. He obtained an indictment against nursing home operator Bernard Bergman, that later led to a guilty plea in a $1.2 million Medicaid fraud case. He was a consultant to the Pentagon on intelligence matters in 1976. Unlike Archibald Cox and Leon Jaworski who were named as special prosecutors to investigate the Watergate scandal, Curran"s position as special counsel meant that he would not be able to file charges on his own, but would require the approval of Assistant Attorney General Philip Heymann. As special counsel, he became the first lawyer to question a sitting president under oath as part of an investigation of that president The investigation was concluded in October 1979, with Curran announcing that no evidence had been found to support allegations that funds loaned from the National Bank of Georgia had been diverted to Carter"s 1976 presidential campaign. Curran entered the Republican primary race in 1982. Curran lost in the primary to Lewis Lehrman by a 4-1 margin.

Paul Jerome Curran

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politician

Background

Curran was born on February 21, 1933, in Manhattan, New York City, the son of Secretary of State of New York Thomas J. Curran (1898–1958).

Education

He attended Xavier High School. He graduated from Georgetown University in 1953, and from Fordham Law School in 1956.

Career

After serving as an officer in the United States Air Force, he spent three years prosecuting narcotics cases as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New New York On December 23, 1966, he was appointed by Mayor John V. Lindsay to help in the passing of laws concerning New York City by the State Legislature. Governor Nelson Rockefeller appointeded Curran to the New York State Commission of Investigation in 1968, elevating him to chairman the following year.

Under his leadership, and despite the body"s lack of authority to prosecute crimes they had uncovered, the Commission exposed kickbacks and fraud in Buffalo and Albany.

He was appointed by President Richard Nixon as United States. Attorney for the Southern District of New York in 1973. He remained in office until 1975, obtaining convictions of Carmine Tramunti, the head of the Lucchese crime family, and Representative Bertram L. Podell.

He obtained an indictment against nursing home operator Bernard Bergman, that later led to a guilty plea in a $1.2 million Medicaid fraud case. He was a consultant to the Pentagon on intelligence matters in 1976.

Unlike Archibald Cox and Leon Jaworski who were named as special prosecutors to investigate the Watergate scandal, Curran"s position as special counsel meant that he would not be able to file charges on his own, but would require the approval of Assistant Attorney General Philip Heymann.

As special counsel, he became the first lawyer to question a sitting president under oath as part of an investigation of that president The investigation was concluded in October 1979, with Curran announcing that no evidence had been found to support allegations that funds loaned from the National Bank of Georgia had been diverted to Carter"s 1976 presidential campaign. Curran entered the Republican primary race in 1982.

Curran lost in the primary to Lewis Lehrman by a 4-1 margin.

Achievements

The gubernatorial election that was ultimately won by Democrat Mario Cuomo.

Membership

Curran was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1963 to 1966, sitting in the 174th, 175th and 176th New York State Legislatures.

Connections

Friend:: Bert Lance

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Paul Jerome Curran

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