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American politician (born 1955)

John Edward Sweeney (born August 9, 1955) is an American politician from the U. S. state of New York. A Republican, he represented New York's 20th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from January 1999 to January 2007. He was dubbed "Congressman Kick Ass" by President George W. Bush for his take no prisoners style. He was defeated for reelection in 2006 by Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand.

Sweeney was "Rensselaer County's one time STOP DWI coordinator." New York's "landmark" workers' comp reforms created the Office of Workers' Compensation Fraud, an Inspector General, and a workers' compensation fraud unit at the State Insurance Department and elevated workers' comp fraud from a misdemeanor to a felony punishable by fines, restitution and incarceration.

Prior to the 1998 election, Sweeney moved from Cohoes to Speigletown, to run for the seat in the district of Republican Representative Gerald B. H. Solomon who was retiring. Sweeney was born, raised and lived most of his life in Solomon's Congressional District. Solomon endorsed and campaigned for Sweeney, as did every Republican elected official and organization in the district. Sweeney was elected to the US House in 1998, winning with 55 percent of the vote over Democratic challenger Jean Bordewich, despite the fact that President Bill Clinton carried the district over U. S. Senator Bob Dole in 1996 by a 46 percent to 41 percent margin.

In 2000, Sweeney defeated Democrat Kenneth McCallion, receiving 68 percent of the vote. In 2002, he defeated Frank Stoppenbach, getting 73 percent of the vote. In 2004, he defeated Doris F. Kelly, receiving 66 percent of the vote.

During the 2000 election, Sweeney allegedly helped earn his nickname from President Bush, "Congressman Kick Ass," by organizing the so called Brooks Brothers riot that disrupted the Florida elections commissioners. He was said to have led the charge on the third recount in Miami, flying in GOP operatives and instructing them to "shut it down!" by raising a clamor and pounding on the election commission's doors. Sweeney used the words "thugs" to describe the Florida officials involved in the recount. He defended his actions in connection with the incident as "completely and absolutely legitimate" and declared that his intent was only to stop the canvassing board from withdrawing its activities from public view. Former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie, in his book Winning Right, wrote that the night before the recount began in Miami Dade County, Sweeney was one of about a dozen Bush campaign operatives who gathered at Joe's Stone Crab in South Beach, that set out the campaign's media strategy. Gillespie recalled that Sweeney said, 'I know what I'm going to say tomorrow morning. 'I'm going to say that Joseph Stalin said, 'It doesn't matter who casts the votes, it only matters who counts the votes.' And these people are worse than Stalin.' He ended up holding the Stalin quotation until the 5:30 pm wrap up."

In September 2006, the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) included Sweeney on its annual list of "The 20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress," citing ethical concerns arising from a "ski trip to New York, the exchange of legislative assistance for campaign contributions and the hiring of his wife as a campaign fundraiser."

On April 11, 2003, Sweeney began paying a company called Creative Consulting for fund raising. The company had been founded a day earlier by Gaia "Gayle" Ford. Between April 2003 and December 2003, Sweeney's campaign paid $42,570 to the firm. Sweeney proposed to Ford in September 2003 and married her in 2004. Sweeney spokeswoman Melissa Carlson said the congressman considers his wife "his best representative in the district when he's fund raising." She said Ford, who had no previous fund raising experience, receives a 10 percent commission on whatever she raises. Between January 2005 and April 2006, Ford was paid $30,879. Sweeney also has had a fundraising consultant on monthly retainer since June 2004, who is paid $8,583 a month. Ford also works for Powers & Company, the lobbying firm of former state GOP Chairman William Powers, Sweeney's longtime political ally and onetime boss.

The Winter Challenge was started in 1998 by Sweeney's House predecessor, Gerald Solomon, with the declared purpose of showcasing the Olympic facilities at Lake Placid, New York to congressmen and their staffers in hopes of getting federal funds; Sweeney has hosted the annual event since 1999. In January 2006, Sweeney, his wife, and about 60 other people spent a four day weekend at the facilities, competing against each other in skating, downhill skiing and bobsledding events. The group included Representative Pete Sessions (R TX), a close friend of Sweeney and his wife; and aides to U. S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D NY), Senator Harry Reid (D NV), Representative Randy Kuhl (R NY), and Representative Bart Stupak (D MI). The weekend cost the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) $27,500, plus in kind services it provided and the costs of operating the Olympic venues for the competition (exact figures for the latter two were unavailable). ORDA is a part of the New York State government. In the fall of 2005, the House ethics panel told Sweeney in a letter that he should be careful to let the Olympics groups invite guests to avoid the appearance of an endorsement by the House. In his request to the House ethics committee, Sweeney did not ask about lobbyists. A spokesman for ORDA said he does not know why the lobbyists were invited.

Sweeney was part of a group of lawmakers known as the Caribbean Caucus, sponsored by disgraced financier Allen Stanford. The group, formed to promote relations with Caribbean nations, took 11 trips to places like St. Croix, Montego Bay and Key Biscayne. The meetings, which included receptions with lobster, caviar and wine, cost $311,307 and were paid for by the Inter American Economic Council, a non profit funded by Stanford. Other members of the Caucus included convicted influence peddler Rep. Bob Ney and close Sweeney friend Rep. Pete Sessions. In 2004, Stanford hosted a wedding reception for Sweeney and wife at the Pavilion Restaurant, owned by Stanford. At the time, Sweeney told the Antigua Sun "If it wasn't for Allen, I certainly would not be here today."

On October 31, 2006, the Albany Times Union reported on a 9 1 1 call made by Sweeney's wife in December 2005, in which she complained that her husband had been "'knocking her around' during a late night argument at the couple's home." The responding officers filed a domestic incident report, which states that Sweeney allegedly grabbed his wife "by the neck" and pushed her around the house. John and Gaia Sweeney subsequently said they would give the New York State Police permission to release a report about the incident. They said that the report was inaccurate but have not disputed its contents. On November 17, 2006, the Times Union reported that there were two versions of the domestic violence report that had been prepared by the State Police, one that was sent to them, doctored and lacking details, and the original report. On July 22, 2007, the Albany Times Union reported that Gaia Sweeney, who was contesting a divorce action by her husband, said that he was often verbally abusive and at times physically abused her during their marriage. She also said that a statement she made on the eve of last fall's election, denying marital abuse, was "coerced". Sweeney denied that he had been abusive; he had recently obtained a judicial order of protection against his wife. Sweeney's first wife, Betty Sweeney, of Schaghticoke, told the Times Union that she had "never observed any kind of behavior like that towards me or anybody else." The captain denied leaking the report, saying he was wrongly accused, and the captain was supported by the New York State Police Benevolent Association (PBA), who called the captain a scapegoat. Democrats ridiculed Sweeney over the embarrassing photos; Sweeney's blood alcohol content registered at .18 percent, more than double the legal limit. and on November 14, 2007, Sweeney pleaded guilty to drunk driving after his attorney vocally and publicly denied he had even been drinking that evening. Sweeney paid a US$1,000 fine, but avoided jail time. His license was suspended for six months and had to attend a victim impact panel for drunken drivers. Early on the morning of April 5, 2009, Sweeney was pulled over by state police for speeding. He refused a breathalyzer test ordered by the officer, and according to a newspaper report, "Sweeney allegedly told the officers he would not pass the sobriety test, adding he was in 'big trouble.'" specifically a misdemeanor count. The agreement allowed Sweeney to avoid a felony conviction and thus avoid disbarment. He was sentenced to 30 days in county jail,

In 2011, Sweeney told a reporter that he had been sober since April 6, 2009. During the meeting, McLaughlin, County Director of Operations Richard Christ, County Director of Purchasing James Gordon, and Sweeney pressured Reale to drop out of the mayoral race and endorse Rodney Wiltshire, a third party candidate defeated in the Democratic primary by incumbent Democratic Mayor Patrick Madden. Mr. Reale remained in the race and was defeated by Madden in the general election.

Sweeney has three adult children from his first marriage. He lives in Clifton Park, New York. He has two young children with his wife, Erin, and two step children from her prior marriage. Sweeney's father was the leader of a shirt cutter's union in Troy, NY.