Steve Cohen - First Jewish Congressman from Tennessee

Steve Cohen
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Tennessee's 9th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2007
Preceded by Harold Ford
Personal details
Born Stephen Ira Cohen
May 24, 1949
Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Alma mater Vanderbilt University
University of Memphis
Steve Cohen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stephen Ira "Steve" Cohen (born May 24, 1949) is the U.S.
Representative for Tennessee's 9th congressional district,
serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Tennessee's 9th district includes almost three-fourths of
Memphis. Cohen is Tennessee's first Jewish congressman.[1]
Contents
1 Early life, education, and law career
2 Early political career
3 Tennessee Senate
4 U.S. House of Representatives
4.1 Elections
4.2 Tenure
4.3 Media
4.4 Committee assignments
4.5 Caucus memberships
5 References
6 External links
Early life, education, and law career
Cohen was born in Memphis, Tennessee on May 24, 1949, the
son of Genevieve (née Goldsand) and pediatrician Morris
David Cohen. He has two older brothers, Michael Corey and
Martin D. Cohen.[2][3] He is a fourth-generation Memphian,[4]
and is a grandson of Jewish immigrants from Lithuania and
Poland.[5] His immigrant grandfather owned a newsstand.[6]
Cohen contracted polio when he was five, and the disease
caused him to shift his attention from sports to politics at an
early age.[4] When Cohen was eleven, John F. Kennedy made
a campaign stop in Memphis, and Cohen took a picture of Kennedy sitting on a convertible. Cohen describes
Kennedy as his political hero; the picture still hangs in his office.[6] In 1961, Cohen’s family moved to Coral
Gables, Florida where his father took a residency in psychiatry at the University of Miami. From 1964 to 1966,
the Cohen family resided in Pasadena, California where Dr. Cohen completed a fellowship in pediatric
psychiatry at the University of Southern California. Cohen, who attended Polytechnic School, returned to Florida
in 1966 to graduate from Coral Gables High School before returning to Memphis where his father established his
private psychiatry practice.
Cohen graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. While at Vanderbilt, he was
a member of the Alpha Gamma chapter of the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity.[7] In 1973, he graduated from the
University of Memphis School of Law of Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis) with a
Steve Cohen - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen
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Juris Doctor.[2] From 1978-2006, Cohen was the sole practitioner of his own law firm, practicing civil and
criminal law until his election to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Early political career
While serving for three years as Legal Advisor for the Memphis Police Department, Cohen rose to political
prominence when he was elected to the Tennessee Constitutional Convention of 1977 at the age of 27. The
Convention elected him its vice president.[8] Cohen was then elected to serve as a commissioner on the Shelby
County Commission, an office he held from 1978 to 1980.[2] During his time at the Commission, Cohen was
instrumental in the creation of The Med, a community-funded regional hospital.[8] In 1980, Cohen served as an
interim Shelby County General Sessions Court judge.[2] He has also served as a delegate to the 1980, 1992, 2004,
2008, 2012, and 2016 Democratic National Conventions.[2]
Tennessee Senate
Cohen was elected to the Tennessee Senate in 1982, representing District 30, which includes parts of Memphis.
He held that position for 24 years.[2]
For 18 years, Cohen strove to repeal the ban on lotteries in the Tennessee State Constitution.[8] His efforts were
successful in 2002, and a state lottery program designed to provide college scholarships for Tennessee students
was adopted the following year.[8] The lottery program is regarded as the most well-known accomplishment of
Cohen's Senate career, having raised over $2 billion for scholarships, afterschool programs, pre-K, technical
center grants, and energy saving capital programs in K-12 schools as of 2012.[8] Cohen also sponsored legislation
relating to expansion of community access to healthcare, the protection of animal rights, the reinstatement of
voting rights, graduated driver licenses, and funding for the arts during his career.[8] He sponsored the T-Bo law,
the nation's first-ever statute providing for damages up to $5000 in cases of intentional or negligent acts resulting
in the death of a companion dog or cat.[9] He has won six awards from the Humane Society as of 201.
He sponsored and passed legislation providing funding for the construction of the Autozone Park baseball
stadium, creating the Holocaust Commission, and providing permanent funding for the arts with Tennesseans for
the Arts license plates. He was awarded the Bill of Rights Award from the American Civil Liberties Union and
the Bird Dog Award for Ethics from Tennessee Common Cause in 1992.
In March 2005, Cohen was one of three Tennessee Senators to vote against the Tennessee Marriage Protection
Amendment, which Tennessee voters approved via a referendum in November 2006.[10] During the course of the
debate on the amendment, Cohen offered several amendments to the amendment, all of which failed, including
the proposed addition of an "adultery clause," which said "Adultery is deemed to be a threat to the institution of
marriage and contrary to public policy in Tennessee."[11] Cohen won the Political Leadership Award from the
Human Rights Campaign.
Cohen was widely regarded as one of the Senate's toughest and most articulate debaters, as he has an unusually
straightforward and direct style when compared to other Southern politicians. One Tennessee writer described
him as "very outspoken, very persistent, and a lot more cerebral than most of his colleagues."[6]
When elected in 1982, Cohen was the first Jewish member to serve in the Tennessee Senate since 1958.[6]
U.S. House of Representatives
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Elections
1996
In 1996, Cohen ran for election to the United States House of Representatives seat for the 9th District, which
came open when 22-year incumbent and fellow Democrat Harold Ford, Sr. announced his retirement. The then
26-year-old Harold Ford, Jr., the incumbent's son, was his opponent in the Democratic primary.[6] Reflecting on
the race, Cohen said, "I'd spent fourteen years in the [state] Senate, had the experience, and didn't like the idea
of [the seat] being handed down like an heirloom."[6]
Cohen lost the primary to Ford by 25 points.[8] Noting that Ford, an African-American, did much better than
Cohen in majority black precincts despite Ford's inexperience, Cohen said, "It is impossible for a person who is
not African American to get a large vote in the African American community... against a substantial candidate.
The fact is, I am white, and it doesn't seem to matter what you do."[6] Later, Cohen admitted that his statement
was "impolitic" but also noted that "race is still an important factor in voting."[6]
Cohen was able to return to the State Senate after the election. Tennessee state senators serve staggered
four-year terms, and Cohen did not have to run for reelection to the Senate until 1998.
2006
In early April 2006, Cohen announced that he was again running for the 9th District seat; Ford, Jr. was not
running for reelection. Cohen was the first candidate in the race with significant name recognition outside the
Memphis area but had fourteen opponents in the primary.[8] The Commercial Appeal, Memphis' daily newspaper,
endorsed Cohen in the race.[12] The crowded nature of the primary was largely due to the district's
demographics. The 9th is a heavily Democratic, black-majority district, and it was considered very likely that
whoever won the Democratic primary would be the district's next congressman.
Cohen won the August 3 primary by a decisive 4,000-vote margin despite being outspent 2 to 1 by the runner-up
in the primary. In fact, six Democrats raised more money than he did.[13] He carried many of the district's
predominantly black precincts by healthy margins. He faced Republican Mark White and independent Jake Ford
(the younger brother of Harold Ford, Jr.) in the general election in November.[14]
Though the Ninth District is heavily Democratic, Jake Ford was seen as a serious contender for the race because
of his significant name recognition among Memphis' black voters.[6] Jake Ford had skipped the Democratic
primary because he felt it was too crowded, but stated he would caucus with the Democrats if elected. The Ford
family has been a significant force in Memphis' black community since the days of E.H. Crump. Indeed, it
seemed that the real race was between Cohen and Jake Ford. White was not a serious factor, and would have
faced nearly impossible odds even in a two-way race with Cohen.
Cohen was endorsed by the mayor of Memphis, W. W. Herenton, and the mayor of Shelby County, A.C.
Wharton, both of whom are black and members of the Democratic Party.[15] He was also endorsed by many
local Democratic activists who had long felt Harold Ford, Jr. was too moderate.
However, many of the city's politically influential black pastors refused to support Cohen, and the area Black
Ministers Association overwhelmingly voted to endorse Jake Ford. The Ford family itself was split. While Harold
Ford, Jr. himself remained neutral (despite rumors of collusion between the two brothers' campaigns), their
cousin Joe Ford, Jr., an entertainment lawyer, strongly endorsed Cohen after finishing third in the primary.
However, Harold Ford, Sr. strongly supported his younger son.[16]
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On October 8, 2006, Cohen, Ford, and White participated in a televised debate in Memphis. Among other topics,
issues discussed included Iraq, medical marijuana, education, and the Tennessee Marriage Protection
Amendment.[17] Ford attacked Cohen's record in the State Senate, including his opposition to the Marriage
Protection Amendment, support for medical marijuana, and his voting attendance record.[17] Cohen responded
by standing by his public record, pointing out Ford's lack of experience in public office, and indicating that Ford
had been to jail and had dropped out of high school.[17]
Cohen won the election by a decisive margin, winning 60% of the vote to Ford's 22% and White's 18%.[18] Sixty
percent of the votes received by Cohen were from African-American voters.
2008
Despite Cohen's strong performance in the black community, many of the city's politically active blacks felt
chagrined at being represented by him. Besides some sentiment that the 9th should be represented by a black
Democrat, his socially liberal views (see below) also gave them pause. For example, Cohen's support for a
hate-crimes bill drew particularly strong opposition from most of the city's black ministers because it included a
sexual orientation provision. Cohen contends that every member of the Congressional Black Caucus voted for
the bill, and Harold Ford, Jr. had voted for it in the previous Congress. Still, many of the city's black ministers
tried to rally behind a consensus black candidate to challenge Cohen in the Democratic primary.[19]
Cohen faced four challengers in the August 7, 2008 Democratic primary for the 9th District. His major opponent
was Nikki Tinker, a lawyer who had finished second to Cohen in the 2006 primary and had formerly been an
aide to Harold Ford, Jr.[20] Tinker received the endorsement of the city's Black Ministerial Association.
At a June 2008 campaign event, then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi referred to Cohen as "the conscience of the
freshman class", adding “He is a progressive and an important member of the Transportation Committee, which
provides the infrastructure for jobs that will make America more competitive in the global economy.”[21]
The campaign quickly turned ugly, with Tinker putting together a raft of negative ads. One attacked Cohen for
voting against a proposal that would have removed a statue and the remains of Nathan Bedford Forrest, a
Confederate lieutenant-general who was involved in the founding of the Ku Klux Klan,[22] from the Medical
Center park. The ad falsely implied that Cohen had ties to the Klan by juxtaposing Cohen with a white-clad
Klansman.[23] Another ad accused Cohen of "praying in our churches"[24] while voting against school prayer
during his tenure in the State Senate. Tinker's campaign later removed the ads from its YouTube account amid
criticism from a number of sources.
On the day the Primary was held, Barack Obama denounced Tinker's ads, saying they "have no place in our
politics, and will do nothing to help the good people of Tennessee." Harold Ford, Jr. also denounced the ads.[25]
The primary had been marred by racial tensions for months prior to the August vote. In February 2008, Rev.
George Brooks, a Tinker supporter, distributed literature in the district which stated that "Cohen and the Jews
HATE Jesus" and urged the defeat of an "opponent of Christ and Christianity." Another minister, Rev. Robert
Poindexter of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, said that he was supporting Tinker because Cohen "(is) not black, and
he can't represent me, that's just the bottom line." [26]
Ultimately, Cohen won the primary in a rout, taking 79 percent of the vote to Tinker's 19 percent. In his victory
speech, Cohen said his victory proved "Memphis has come a long, long way" from its racially divisive past.[25]
Cohen's primary win virtually assured him of a second term; no Republican even filed, and any Republican
challenger would have faced nearly impossible odds in any case. He was reelected with 87.9 percent of the vote
against three independent challengers, one of whom was Jake Ford (who won 4.8 percent of the vote).
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Cohen endorsed Barack Obama in the 2008 Democratic presidential primary on February 4, 2008, the day
before the Super Tuesday primaries.[27] On September 10, 2008, while speaking on the floor of the House, Cohen
compared Obama's work as a community organizer to Jesus' work.[28]
2010
Former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton announced that he would challenge Cohen in the 2010 Democratic
primary for the seat. In a guest column in the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Herenton wrote that while he hoped
the campaign would focus on issues rather than race or religion, that "it remains a fact that the 9th Congressional
District provides the only real opportunity to elect a qualified African-American to the all-white 11-member
delegation representing Tennessee in Washington." Herenton also denied having supported Cohen in his 2006 bid
against Jake Ford, writing "I did not support Steve Cohen the individual for the 9th Congressional District. I
supported an idea that was bigger than him as an individual. I supported the principle of fairness."[29] During the
2006 campaign, Herenton endorsed Cohen, saying "Steve Cohen is the best-qualified candidate for this
leadership role".[30] While Cohen's commanding win in the 2008 primary suggested that he has won strong
support among the district's African-American community, Herenton was easily his highest-profile opponent to
date.
In September 2009, Herenton drew controversy when he stated in a radio interview that Cohen "really does not
think very much of African-Americans" and that "[Cohen]’s played the black community well.” In addition,
Herenton's campaign manager Sidney Chism told the New York Times that the Memphis-area congressional seat
Cohen holds "was set aside for people who look like me. It wasn't set aside for a Jew or a Christian. It was set
aside so that blacks could have representation." The National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) criticized
Herenton for these remarks, stating that he comments were "unacceptable in a Democratic primary or anywhere
in our political discourse."[31][32]
President Obama endorsed Congressman Cohen for re-election, saying “Congressman Cohen is a proven leader
in the United States Congress and a strong voice for Tennessee. Together, we passed historic health care reform
and together we’re continuing the fight to renew our economy and bring jobs back to the American people. I am
proud to stand with Steve and support his re-election to Congress."
In the unofficial election results, Steve Cohen won 79% of the vote to Herenton's 21%. The vote marked the first
time Herenton, 70, elected to a record five terms as mayor, lost a race for public office.[33] This all but assured
Cohen of a third term. In the general election, Cohen easily dispatched Republican challenger Charlotte
Bergmann, taking 74 percent of the vote to Bergmann's 25 percent.
2012
Cohen was challenged in the Democratic Primary by Tomeka Hart, a female African-American member of the
Memphis School Board and Memphis Urban League President who was undefeated in elections up to that point.
Cohen won the Democratic Primary with 89.2% of the vote on August 2, 2012[34]—the highest vote total in the
district in recent history and the highest percentage vote for a white candidate running for office in a majority
African-American district in history.
President Obama endorsed Cohen on April 5, 2012, saying “Congressman Steve Cohen has worked with me on
jobs bills, health care, and other issues of importance to the middle class. He also never fails to pitch me on the
city of Memphis, whether it’s Booker T. Washington High School, Memphis basketball, or barbecue. I urge you
to vote for Steve Cohen, a tireless advocate for the 9th District".[35] In the general election, Cohen trounced
Republican businessman George Flinn with 75 percent of the vote.
2014
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Cohen was challenged in the Democratic Primary by prominent African American Attorney Ricky Wilkins.
Cohen defeated Wilkins by a two-to-one margin, winning every precinct.
Tenure
Cohen is the first Jew to represent Tennessee in Congress, as well as the first white Democrat to represent a
significant portion of Memphis since freshman George Grider was defeated by Republican Dan Kuykendall in
1966, and the first Jew to represent a majority black district,[6] as well as one of the few white congressmen that
has represented a black-majority district. Before being elected, Cohen told reporters that he would seek to
become the first white member of the Congressional Black Caucus, but later decided against joining after
members of the CBC (influenced by co-founder Bill Clay) indicated that they would not allow a non-black to
join.[6]
Budget
Cohen voted against prioritizing spending in the event of the debt limit being reached.[36] He voted to create an
825 billion dollar economic recovery package as well as an additional 192 billion dollar anti-recession stimulus in
2009.[36] He has supported additional stimulus packages and bailouts, such as the GM and Chrysler bailout.[36]
Cohen supports raising Senator salaries.[36] He also supports extending unemployment benefits from 39 weeks to
59 weeks.[36] He opposes any move to privatize social security.[36]
Gun control
Cohen supports a ban on the gun show loophole and on 'fire sales' of firearms. However he does support citizen's
rights to bear concealed firearms.[36] He supports educating children on gun safety through a school program.[36]
Cohen was also one of 80 house members to sign a letter written to President Obama urging him to ban the
importation of military-style semiautomatic firearms.[37]
Energy
To expand funds available for research and development of alternative energy sources, Cohen supports an
excess profits tax on oil companies.[38] He supports investments into solar, wind, and hybrid cars.[36] He supports
offering tax credits and incentives to companies that adopt renewable and clean energy methods.[36] He supports
the regulation of oil and gas prices and seeks to criminalize oil cartels like OPEC.[36] He opposes off-shore
drilling and seeks to revoke tax incentives for exploration of oil and gas.[36]
Environment
Cohen is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. He supports environmental conservation.[39] He
opposed a resolution that would bar the EPA from regulating emissions, and opposes allowing off-shore
drilling.[36] In addition he supports the expansion of public transportation and train lines.[36]
He believes there are several more animal species that should be classified as endangered and thus receive
protection. He believes outdoor classroom experiences should be expanded through massive federal funding.[36]
Healthcare
Cohen believes adequate healthcare is a basic right and has opposed any cuts to healthcare funding.[36] He has
voted several times to extend healthcare coverage through federal funding.[36]
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On May 10, 2012, at a House subcommittee hearing on asbestos trust transparency legislation, Cohen described
plaintiff's attorneys who contacted him about the illness of his friend, Warren Zevon as "parasites." He said that
Warren Zevon—who died from asbestos related cancer—did not seek a lawyer and did not want damages. In
spite of Cohen's feelings against those plaintiff's attorneys, he spoke against the bill.[40][41]
Cohen has said that he believes that adequate health care is a "fundamental right" of all citizens.[42] Cohen
supports gender equality, progressive taxation, medicinal use of marijuana, decriminalization of Marijuana, gun
rights and capital punishment. Cohen was the headline speaker at the Marijuana Policy Project's January 2010
annual gala in Washington.[43]
Medical marijuana
On March 23, 2015, Cohen introduced into the U.S. House a version of the CARERS Act, H.R. 1538, the
companion to the bill introduced into the U.S. Senate by U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, which aims to remove
medical marijuana from the list of controlled substances and shift cannabis policy to the state level from the
federal government.[44]
Government reform
He supports limiting campaign donations and disclosure of amounts coming from lobbyists.[36]
During his first month in Congress, Cohen supported the "100-Hour Plan" in the House, which included raising
the federal minimum wage, requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower Medicare
prescription drug prices, and reducing interest rates for student borrowers. Cohen also cosponsored House
Concurrent Resolution 23, which "[expresses] the sense of Congress that the President should not order an
escalation in the total number of members of the United States Armed Forces serving in Iraq."[45]
On February 27, 2007, Cohen introduced a resolution in the House that apologizes for African-American slavery
and the system of Jim Crow laws that persisted for 100 years after the abolition of slavery. Cohen noted that no
president has officially apologized for allowing slavery. The bill had 36 cosponsors.[46] The resolution passed on
July 29, 2008, marking the first time a branch of the federal government had officially apologized for the
institution of slavery and its aftermath.[47] Cohen was honored with the D. Emelio Castelar Work Recognition
Award by the Vida Foundation in Madrid, Spain for his work on the slavery apology bill and served as the
keynote speaker for their international symposium on the abolition of slavery and the slave trade.[48]
Cohen supported the Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act (H.R. 2919; 113th Congress), a bill that would
require the Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) to prepare a report each year on the amount
of fees and other expenses awarded by federal courts to nonfederal entities when they prevail in a case against
the United States.[49] Cohen, an original co-sponsor of the bill, argued that "Americans have a right to know what
their government is doing and their government has a duty to be as transparent as possible."[50]
Civil rights
Cohen received the American Bar Association's Day Award along with Congressman John Lewis (GA-5),
Senator Olympia Snowe (ME) and Senator Richard Lugar (IN). Cohen was recognized by the ABA for his
efforts to improve access to the justice system by providing more funding for the Legal Services Corporation,
which provides legal counsel for low income individuals and families. Cohen dedicated the award to Dr.
Benjamin Hooks and Dr. Dorothy Height during his acceptance speech.[51]
Cohen sponsored the SPEECH Act banning the practice of libel tourism, rendering libel lawsuits unenforceable
if the judgments were issued in a nation where the legal standard for libel is set lower than our own. The Senate
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Sponsor was Senator Patrick Leahy. The bill passed both houses of Congress in July 2010 and was signed into
law by President Barack Obama the following month.[52]
Abortion
Cohen supports legal abortion.[53] He opposes the repeal of federally funded abortions and supports a focus on
preventing pregnancies with the availability of emergency contraceptives if needed.[36]
Iraq War
He opposed Republican policy regarding the War in Iraq.[54]
Cohen made a trip to Iraq from October 4, 2007, to October 7, 2007, as part of a congressional fact-finding
delegation. Cohen noted that his impression was that the country was "not in very good shape" and that its
economy has been "ravaged." Cohen met with soldiers who complained that long deployments are causing
divorces. When Cohen raised this concern with General David Petraeus, Petraeus told Cohen that the claims
were being exaggerated. After meeting with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Cohen described him as "overly
optimistic," noting his "bizarre" statement that sectarian war in Iraq is over.[55]
Afghanistan infrastructure
In 2012, Cohen sponsored the Cohen Amendment reducing infrastructure funding to Afghanistan. The Afghan
Infrastructure Fund has been plagued with problems, with millions of taxpayer dollars disappearing. When
another member of the House said the funding was essential to bringing our troops home, Cohen replied “The
truth of the matter is that it has nothing to do with whether we can bring our troops home or not. The truth is that
we cannot account for where this money is going, and it is likely going into the pockets of the top one-half of one
percent in Afghanistan. The infrastructure holds up well enough there to deploy and redeploy our troops, so it’s
good enough to bring them home permanently.” The Amendment passed 228-191 and is the first piece of
legislation reducing funding to Afghanistan.[56]
National Guard & Reservist Debt Relief Extension Act
Cohen sponsored and co-authored, along with Congressman J. Randy Forbes (R-VA-4), Congressman Dana
Rohrabacher (R-CA-46), Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9), and Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-8)
The National Guard & Reservist Debt Relief Extension Act, which allows qualifying members of the National
Guard and reservists to bypass the often onerous means testing required under current bankruptcy law if their
financial hardships were caused by deployment. The bill was signed into law by President Barack Obama in
December 2011.[57]
Judicial recommendations
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi assigned Cohen to serve on the House Judiciary Committee, which was Cohen's
first choice for a committee assignment, as well as the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.[58]
As there are no Democratic U.S. Senators from Tennessee, President Barack Obama asked Cohen to recommend
judicial nominees. Cohen recommended Judge Bernice Donald for United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit,
Judge John Fowlkes and Sheryl H. Lipman for District Court Judge for the Western District of Tennessee. All
three have been confirmed by the United States Senate. Cohen also recommended Ed Stanton III as District
Court Judge for Western Tennessee. Stanton is still waiting for confirmation by the United States Senate.
TVA Recommendations
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Cohen recommended Bishop William Graves, V. Lynn Evans, and Ron Walter for the Board of Directors at the
Tennessee Valley Authority. All three were nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the United
States Senate. They are the only African-Americans on the TVA Board. Evans and Walter, both from Shelby
County, represent the only time two residents of Shelby County have been on the TVA Board simultaneously.
U.S. Attorney
Cohen recommended Ed Stanton III to President Barack Obama as U.S. Attorney for Tennessee's Western
District. Stanton was confirmed in August 2010.
Votes
Steve Cohen has sponsored 16 bills since January 4, 2007, of which 13 haven't made it out of committee and 2
were successfully enacted. Cohen has co-sponsored 762 bills during the same time period.[59]
Main Street to Main Street Multi-Modal Connector Project
Cohen announced in 2012 that Memphis is to be awarded a $15 million TIGER IV Grant for the Main Street to
Main Street Multi-Modal Connector Project. The project will add a dedicated sidewalk to the Harahan Bridge
connecting Tennessee to Arkansas, allowing people to walk, run, or bicycle over the Mississippi River. The
project has drawn praise from many in the business community, including FedEx founder Fred Smith.[60]
Helsinki Commission
Cohen was appointed to the Helsinki Commission by Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi in 2011. “Congressman
Steve Cohen is a leader in promoting civil rights and opportunity of all Americans, and he brings this same
passion to the promotion of human rights and democracy around the world,” Pelosi said. "The Helsinki
Commission is a focal point for security and cooperation among nations and leaders, and Congressman Cohen’s
voice is sure to strengthen and advance the commission’s work.”[61]
Armenian issues
Although his family has no knowledge of any Turkish heritage, Cohen's mother's birth certificate states his
maternal grandfather was born in Turkey when it was part of the Ottoman Empire. He is a member of the
Congressional Caucus on US Turkish Relations and Turkish Americans.[62] He has consistently opposed
Congressional recognition of the Armenian Genocide on pragmatic grounds, believing that recognizing it
officially in Congress would damage relations with Turkey.[63]
On August 6, 2008, one day before the August 7, 2008 Democratic Congressional Primary, a confrontation
between California-based documentary filmmaker Peter Musurlian and Cohen erupted. During a press
conference at Cohen's home, Musurlian was asked to leave by Cohen's staff and Cohen himself. Cohen then put
both hands on Musurlian's arms and forced him out of the home after Musurlian refused to leave.[64][65]
2011 Nazi controversy
In a speech on the House floor on January 18, 2011, Cohen said of the Republican effort to repeal the Obama
administration's health care reform law:
They say it's a government takeover of health care, a big lie just like Goebbels. You say it enough,
you repeat the lie, you repeat the lie, you repeat the lie and eventually, people believe it. Like blood
libel. That's the same kind of thing. The Germans said enough about the Jews and the people
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believed it and you had the Holocaust. You tell a lie over and over again. And we've heard on this
floor, government takeover of health care.[66]
According to Cohen's hometown paper, the Memphis Commercial Appeal, he was "accused of upsetting the
newfound atmosphere of civility in the House" following the assassination attempt on Arizona Congresswoman
Gabrielle Giffords.[67] Republicans,[68] as well as many in the media and in the Jewish community, expressed
outrage and demanded that Democrats condemn Cohen's comment. Ron Kampeas of the Jewish Telegraphic
Agency wrote that "someone needs to carpet Cohen, pronto, for his rhetoric."[69] His remarks were also
condemned by the National Jewish Democratic Council, which issued a statement saying that "invoking the
Holocaust to make a political point is never acceptable—on either side of the aisle. Cohen’s comments and
similar comments made by others are not helpful as our leaders and citizens conduct a joint effort to advance
civility in our political discourse. We implore Cohen and all our leaders to choose their words carefully as we
move forward."[69]
In response to the controversy, Cohen said "I said Goebbels lied about the Jews, and that led to the Holocaust.
Not in any way whatsoever was I comparing Republicans to Nazis. I was saying lies are wrong."[68]
Cohen later expressed regret for his remarks:
I would certainly never do anything to diminish the horror of the Nazi Holocaust as I revere and
respect the history of my people. I sponsored legislation which created one of the first state
Holocaust Commissions in America and actively served as a Commission member for over 20 years.
I regret that anyone in the Jewish Community, my Republican colleagues or anyone else was
offended by the portrayal of my comments. My comments were not directed toward any group or
people but at the false message and, specifically, the method by which is has been delivered.[69]
Boycott of Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress
In March 2015, Steve Cohen boycotted the speech of the Prime Minister of Israel to Congress, writing: "While
Americans and members of Congress may disagree on anything, even foreign policy, providing a forum of such
immense prestige and power to the leader of another country who is opposing our nation’s foreign policy is
beyond the pale. It endangers the negotiations, insults the good faith of the other nations involved in the
negotiations and emboldens Iran who may well view this schism in our government as an opportunity for
advantage. While we can disagree with our President, we as a nation should be as one on our foreign policy and
any disagreements should be presented in a respectful, appropriate and time-honored manner.”"[70]
In response, Israeli journalist Caroline Glick wrote in an opinion column in the Jerusalem Post: "Radical leftist
representatives who happen to be Jewish, like Jan Schakowsky of suburban Chicago and Steve Cohen of
Memphis, are joining Netanyahu’s boycotters in order to give the patina of Jewish legitimacy to an
administration whose central foreign policy threatens the viability of the Jewish state."[71]
Media
Cohen has been interviewed on The Colbert Report and is a frequent guest on MSNBC's Up with Chris Hayes
and Current TV's The Young Turks. He has also appeared on Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura in which he
was confronted by Ventura for co-sponsoring H.R. 645 which directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to
establish national emergency centers, otherwise known as Federal Emergency Management Agency camp
facilities, on military installations.
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Cohen became the subject of media attention when during the 2013 State of the Union address he accidentally
publicly tweeted at model Victoria Brink, “pleased u r watching. ilu,” and then deleted the tweet.[72] He later
explained to reporters that Brink was his daughter and that he had only learned of her three years prior. In July
2013, CNN facilitated a DNA test with Cohen, Brink, and the man who raised her, John Brink. The test revealed
that John Brink was in fact the father of Victoria. Cohen said in a statement "I was stunned and dismayed."[73]
Committee assignments
Committee on the Judiciary
Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice (Ranking Member)[74]
Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Subcommittee on Aviation
Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
Caucus memberships
Congressional Caucus on Turkey and Turkish Americans
Congressional Progressive Caucus
International Conservation Caucus
Congressional Arts Caucus
References
Cohen beats back Memphis challenge (http://jta.org/news/article/2008/08/08/109849/tinkerobama) Jewish Telegraph
Agency - August 8, 2008
1.
Project Vote Smart biography (http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=CS027828)2.
Fiery Cohen builds loyal support base, by Halimah Abdullah, The Commercial Appeal, October 19, 2006
(https://web.archive.org/web/20061105104553/http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/politics/article
/0,1426,MCA_1496_5076661,00.html) at the Wayback Machine (archived November 5, 2006)
3.
Cohen's campaign website biography (http://www.cohenforcongress.com/bio.php)4.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/reps/cohen.htm5.
Yo Vey! (https://ssl.tnr.com/p/docsub.mhtml?i=20060925&s=martin092506) (subscribers only), Jonathan Martin,
The New Republic, September 25, 2006.
6.
http://www.zbt.org/who-we-are/notable-alumni.html7.
"Elder Statesmen" (http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/Content?oid=oid%3A16848), Jackson Baker, Memphis
Flyer, June 14, 2006.
8.
, Animal Defense Fund (http://www.aldf.org/article.php?id=860)9.
Senate OKs gay marriage ban (https://web.archive.org/web/20050506085914/http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com
/index.cfm?section=9&screen=news&news_id=39607) at the Wayback Machine (archived May 6, 2005), Skip
Cauthorn, The City Paper, March 1, 2005.
10.
Marriage Act sponsor facing divorce (https://web.archive.org/web/20070213004420/http:
//www.nashvillecitypaper.com/index.cfm?section=9&screen=news&news_id=40741) at the Wayback Machine
(archived February 13, 2007), Skip Cauthorn, The City Paper, April 15, 2005.
11.
From the editorial board: Our recommendations in August 3 races (http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/editorials
/article/0,2845,MCA_25348_4875526,00.html), The Commercial Appeal, July 28, 2006.
12.
Tennessee Congressional Races in 2008 (http://www.opensecrets.org/states/election.asp?State=TN&year=2006)13.
Steve Cohen wins; will face Jake Ford, Mark White in November (http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/politics
/article/0,1426,MCA_1496_4892409,00.html), Halimah Abdullah, The Commercial Appeal, August 3, 2006.
14.
11 of 15 3/5/2017 6:13 PM

Mayors endorse Cohen (http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/politics/article
/0,1426,MCA_1496_4973651,00.html), Halimah Abdullah and Lawrence Buser, The Commercial Appeal, September
7, 2006.
15.
"Campaign 2006: Politics Are a Family Matter in Tennessee". Time. September 25, 2006. Retrieved May 24, 2010.16.
9th District rivals spar over war, pot, politics (http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/politics/article
/0,1426,MCA_1496_5052855,00.html), by Alex Doniach, The Commercial Appeal, October 9, 2006
17.
"CNN.com - Elections 2006". CNN. Retrieved May 24, 2010.18.
In Memphis, Debate Over a White Representative (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14810455).
All Things Considered, September 28, 2007
19.
O' Brien, Michael. Cohen defeats Tinker in Tennessee primary (http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/cohen-defeats-
tinker-in-tennessee-primary-2008-08-07.html) The Hill, August 7, 2008.
20.
, Cohen For Congress (http://www.cohenforcongress.com/2008/06/22/pelosi-steve-cohen-the-conscience-of-the-
freshman-class/)
21.
Nossiter, Adam (August 7, 2008). "Race Takes Central Role in a Memphis Primary". The New York Times.22.
Tinker lowers bar in the 9th (http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/aug/05/editorials-tinker-lowers-bar-in-
the-9th/). Editorial, The Commercial Appeal, August 5, 2008.
23.
Kraushaar, Josh. Obama forced to deal with Tenn. primary (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12378.html).
The Politico, August 7, 2008.
24.
Incumbent Cohen holds off Tinker in overwhelming 9th District win (http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008
/aug/07/cohen-takes-early-lead-over-tinker-towns-jr/), Zack McMillin and Cindy Wolff, The Commercial Appeal,
August 7, 2008
25.
Race-baiting in the 9th (http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/feb/13/editorials-race-baiting-in-the-9th/)
Commercial Appeal, Wednesday, February 13, 2008
26.
Rep. Cohen Endorses Obama; So Does Local Democratic Chairman (http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis
/Content?oid=38879), Jackson Baker, The Memphis Flyer, February 4, 2008
27.
Cohen: Jesus was a community organizer (http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/10/dem-compares-obama-
to-jesus/)
28.
"Guest column: Mayor hears higher calling to national stage". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved July 12, 2010.29.
Sullivan, Bartholomew. "Cohen on Herenton's commentary: Mayor's opinions outdated". The Commercial Appeal.
Retrieved July 12, 2010.
30.
Ex-Mayor of Memphis Starts Bid for Congress, Invoking Race in Campaign (https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09
/14/us/14memphis.html?_r=2) by Robbie Brown, New York Times, September 13, 2009.
31.
NJDC defends Cohen (http://jta.org/news/article/2009/09/18/1007975/njdc-defends-cohen), Jewish Telegraphic
Agency (JTA), September 18, 2009.
32.
Steve Cohen's landslide 9th District win ends Willie Herenton's run, by Kristina Goetz, Commercial Appeal,
Memphis, August 5, 2010 (http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/aug/05/9th-district-steve-cohen-willie-
herenton-square-de/)
33.
Cohen, Flinn to meet for Memphis' Congressional seat, Commercial Appeal, Memphis, August 3, 2012
(http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/aug/03/cohen-flinn-to-meet-for-memphis-congressional/)
34.
Obama endorses Cohen in 9th District race; Hart makes primary challenge official, Commercial Appeal, Memphis,
April 5, 2012 (http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/05/obama-endorses-cohen-9th-district-race-hart-
makes/)
35.
"Steve Cohen (Democrat, district 9)". On the Issues.36.
Sherfinski, David (9 April 2014). "Obama urged to enforce ban on importing military-style firearms". The
Washington Times. The Washington Times. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
37.
Cohen campaign website, Issues-Energy (http://www.cohenforcongress.com/issues-energy.html)38.
Cohen campaign website, Issues-Environment (http://www.cohenforcongress.com/issues-environment.html)39.
John O'Brien (May 11, 2012). "Dem. Congressman calls attorneys who contacted him 'parasites' ". Legal Newsline
(LNL). Retrieved May 18, 2012.
40.
Dem Congressman Describes Asbestos Lawyers as Parasites. Institute for Legal Reform. Retrieved May 18, 2012.41.
Cohen campaign website, Issues-Health Care (http://www.cohenforcongress.com/issues-health.html)42.
Rep. Cohen a hit at Marijuana Policy Project gala dinner (http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/jan/14
/rep-cohen-hit-marijuana-policy-project-gala-dinner/), by Ben Evans, Associated Press, January 14, 2010
43.
12 of 15 3/5/2017 6:13 PM

"H.R. 1538: To extend the principle of federalism to State drug policy, provide access to medical marijuana, and
enable research into the medicinal properties of marijuana". GovTrack. Washington, D.C. March 23, 2015. Retrieved
March 24, 2015. "This bill was assigned to a congressional committee on March 23, 2015, which will consider it
before possibly sending it on to the House or Senate as a whole."
44.
Thomas search (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/R?d110:FLD004:@1(Rep+Cohen+Steve%20%20):')) via The
Library of Congress
45.
Bartholomew Sullivan (February 28, 2007). "Cohen calls for slavery apology". Commercial Appeal. Archived from
the original on March 18, 2007. Retrieved February 28, 2007.
46.
House apologizes for slavery, 'Jim Crow' injustices (http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/29/house.slavery
/index.html), CNN, July 29, 2008.
47.
Congressman Steve Cohen to be Honored by The Vida Foundation, Cohen for Congress, November 15, 2008
(http://www.cohenforcongress.com/2008/11/15/congressman-steve-cohen-to-be-honored-by-the-vida-foundation/)
48.
"CBO - H.R. 2919". Congressional Budget Office. Retrieved 5 May 2014.49.
D'Amico, Christine (1 August 2013). "Lummis, Cohen Draft Bill to Track Equal Access to Justice Act Payments
Bipartisan legislation restarts agency tracking obligations; modernizes record-keeping with online database.". House
Office of Cynthia Lummis. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
50.
, Cohen House Site (http://cohen.house.gov/week-april-19-e-newsletter#Award)51.
, Cohen for Congress (http://www.cohenforcongress.com/2010/08/10/president-obama-to-sign-speech-act-today/)52.
Cohen campaign website, Issues-Women's Issues (http://www.cohenforcongress.com/issues-women.html)53.
Cohen campaign website, Issues-Iraq (http://www.cohenforcongress.com/issues-iraq.html)54.
Bartholomew Sullivan (October 8, 2007). "Cohen, Wicker back from Iraq". Commercial Appeal. Retrieved
October 8, 2007.
55.
, Cohen House web site (http://cohen.house.gov/press-release/house-passes-cohen-amendment-reduce-infrastructure-
funding-afghanistan)
56.
, Cohen for Congress (http://www.cohenforcongress.com/2011/12/14/president-signs-cohens-national-guard-reservist-
debt-relief-extension-act-into-law/)
57.
Cohen named to Judiciary panel (http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/politics/article
/0,1426,MCA_1496_5209566,00.html), by Bartholomew Sullivan, The Commercial Appeal, December 13, 2006.
Retrieved December 18, 2006.
58.
Govtrack.us Members of Congress - Steve Cohen (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/person.xpd?id=412236),
Govtrack.us. retrieved on October 10, 2008
59.
, Downtown Memphis Commission (http://www.downtownmemphiscommission.com/article.asp?id=76)60.
, Cohen For Congress (http://www.cohenforcongress.com/2011/04/01/congressman-steve-cohen-appointed-to-the-
helsinki-commission/)
61.
"Turkish Coalition Of America". Turkishcoalition.org. Retrieved July 12, 2010.62.
House Speaker Now Unsure if Armenian Genocide Motion Will Reach a Vote (https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10
/18/washington/18cong.html), Carl Hulse, New York Times, October 18, 2007
63.
Cohen asks photographer to leave his home, then pushes him out (http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008
/aug/06/cohen-asks-photographer-leave-his-home-then-pushes/), by Zack McMillin, The Commercial Appeal, August
7, 2008.
64.
"APA - U.S. Congressman expels Armenian journalist from the hall for asking about so-called genocide". En.apa.az.
Retrieved July 12, 2010.
65.
Wing, Nick (2011-01-19) Democratic Congressman Compares Republicans To Nazis On House Floor (VIDEO)
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/19/steve-cohen-republican-nazis_n_811170.html), Huffington Post
66.
Sullivan, Bartholomew (January 19, 2011) Goodbye civility as Rep. Steve Cohen says Republicans lie like the
Nazis (http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/jan/19/goodbye-civility-rep-steve-cohen-says-gop-lies-naz/),
Memphis Commercial Appeal
67.
Sargent, Greg (January 19, 2011) Dem Rep: No apology for saying GOP mendacity is worthy of Goebbels
(http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2011/01/dem_rep_no_apology_for_saying.html), Washington Post
68.
Kampeas, Ron (January 19, 2011) Doesn’t Steve Cohen read JTA? (http://blogs.jta.org/politics/article/2011/01
/19/2742630/doesnt-steve-cohen-read-jta), JTA
69.
Statement of Congressman Steve Cohen on His Decision Not to Attend PM Netanyahu’s Address to Congress
(https://cohen.house.gov/press-release/statement-congressman-steve-cohen-his-decision-not-attend-pm-netanyahu
%E2%80%99s-address) Feb 24, 2015, Official Website
70.
13 of 15 3/5/2017 6:13 PM

Wikimedia Commons has
media related to Steve
Cohen.
In Israel’s hour of need (http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Column-One-In-Israels-hour-of-need-392348) By CAROLINE
B. GLICK 02/26/2015
71.
Sullivan, Bartholomew. "Memphis Congressman Cohen tweets Texas co-ed: 'ilu' ". Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Retrieved 18 July 2013.
72.
Marquez, Miguel. " 'New Day' Exclusive: CNN DNA test proves congressman not model's father". CNN. Retrieved
18 July 2013.
73.
"Committees and Caucuses". cohen.house.gov. Retrieved September 17, 2014.74.
External links
Congressman Steve Cohen (http://cohen.house.gov/) official U.S.
House site
Steve Cohen for Congress (http://www.cohenforcongress.com)
Steve Cohen (https://www.dmoz.org/Regional/North_America
/United_States/Tennessee/Government/Federal/US_House_of_Representatives
/Steve_Cohen_%5BD-9%5D) at DMOZ
Biography (http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=c001068) at the Biographical
Directory of the United States Congress
Profile (https://www.votesmart.org/candidate/24340) at Project Vote Smart
Financial information (federal office) (http://www.fec.gov/fecviewer
/CandidateCommitteeDetail.do?&tabIndex=1&candidateCommitteeId=H6TN09068) at the Federal
Election Commission
Legislation sponsored (https://www.congress.gov/member/steve-cohen/1878) at The Library of Congress
Biography (https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Stephen_Cohen.html) at the Jewish
Virtual Library
On Their Way: Cohen Rises Above Ford Family Drama in Tenn. 9 (http://www.cqpolitics.com/2006/11
/on_their_way_cohen_rises_above.html), Rachel Kapochunas, CQPolitics.com, November 2, 2006
In a campaign featuring anti-Semitic smears, Jewish incumbent wins big (http://www.jta.org/cgi-bin
/iowa/news/article/200808080808tinkercohen.html), Eric Fingerhut, Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA),
August 21, 2008
[1] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOTc91lHbbQ) Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura: Police
State Banned Episode
United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Harold Ford
Member of the U.S. House of
Representatives
from Tennessee's 9th congressional
district
2007–present
Incumbent
United States order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Yvette Clarke
D-New York
United States Representatives by seniority
143rd
Succeeded by
Joe Courtney
D-Connecticut
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&oldid=768676800"
Categories: 1949 births American people of Lithuanian-Jewish descent
American people of Polish-Jewish descent
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Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives
Jewish members of the United States House of Representatives Living people
Members of the United States House of Representatives from Tennessee People from Coral Gables, Florida
People from Memphis, Tennessee Tennessee Democrats Tennessee lawyers Tennessee State Senators
University of Memphis alumni Vanderbilt University alumni 21st-century American politicians
This page was last modified on 5 March 2017, at 04:26.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may
apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered
trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
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Steve Cohen - First Jewish Congressman from Tennessee

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