Christine Quinn is an American politician who served as the Speaker of the New York City Council, making her the first female and openly gay person to hold the position. A member of the Democratic Party, she unsuccessfully ran for mayor of New York City in 2013. Quinn currently provides political commentary on CNN and MSNBC.
July 25, 1966: Christine Quinn is born
Christine Callaghan Quinn was born on July 25, 1966 in Glen Cove, New York.
1982: Quinn's mother passes away
In 1982, Christine Quinn's mother, Mary (née Callaghan) Quinn, died of breast cancer.
1988: Quinn graduates from Trinity College
Christine Quinn graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut in 1988.
1991: Quinn's entry into politics
Christine Quinn's political career began in 1991 when she managed Thomas Duane's City Council campaign. She then served as his chief of staff for five years.
1999: Quinn's first election to City Council
In a 1999 special election, Christine Quinn won a seat on the New York City Council, representing the 3rd district.
2000: Redistricting in NYC
The New York City Council districts were redrawn following the 2000 census.
2001: Quinn's re-election to City Council
Christine Quinn was re-elected to the City Council in 2001, defeating Republican Michelle Bouchard.
2003: Quinn's re-election to City Council
Christine Quinn was re-elected to the City Council in 2003 after redistricting.
2004: Quinn Purchases Vacation Home in Bradley Beach
In 2004, Christine Quinn acquired a vacation home in Bradley Beach, New Jersey, where she spends summer weekends with her wife.
2005: Quinn elected Speaker after opposing term limits
Christine Quinn was elected Speaker of the City Council in 2005 after years of opposing term limits, a stance that helped her secure the position.
2005: Quinn's re-election to City Council
Christine Quinn was re-elected to the City Council unopposed in 2005.
January 2006: Quinn elected Speaker of the NYC Council
Christine Quinn was elected as the Speaker of the New York City Council in January 2006, becoming the first woman and first openly gay person to hold the position.
2006: Quinn boycotts St. Patrick's Day Parade
Christine Quinn boycotted the annual New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade in 2006 due to the sponsor's policy against openly gay marchers.
December 2007: Quinn declares opposition to repealing term limits
In December 2007, Christine Quinn publicly declared her opposition to repealing term limits for New York City elected officials, calling it "anti-democratic."
2007: Quinn opposes Ahmadinejad's lecture at Columbia University
In 2007, Christine Quinn requested that Columbia University withdraw its invitation to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad due to his controversial views. Her request was denied.
2007: Quinn advocates for food stamp accessibility
Under Christine Quinn's leadership, the New York City Council advocated for Greenmarkets to accept food stamps and opposed the fingerprinting of food stamp applicants, a practice that continued in New York City under the Bloomberg administration despite being stopped by New York State.
April 2008: Quinn embroiled in "slush fund" scandal
In April 2008, the New York Post reported on Christine Quinn's office's misappropriation of City Council funds, leading to federal and city investigations. Quinn denied knowledge of the practice and hired a lawyer.
2008: Quinn reverses stance on term limits
Christine Quinn reversed her stance on term limits in 2008, supporting Mayor Michael Bloomberg's effort to overturn the two-term limit for New York City elected officials.
2008: Quinn named Irish-American of the Year
Despite boycotting the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade, Christine Quinn was named the 2008 Irish-American of the Year by the Irish Echo.
June 2009: City Council Approves Budget Cuts for Public Advocate's Office
In June 2009, the New York City Council approved a 40% cut to the Public Advocate's Office budget, a move that Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum deemed "political payback" for her opposition to changes in term limit laws. Quinn refuted Gotbaum's claim, calling it "ridiculous."
November 2009: Quinn advocates for same-sex marriage in New York
In November 2009, Christine Quinn urged the New York Senate to pass same-sex marriage legislation, stating that she and her partner would not marry until they could do so in New York.
2009: Quinn's Support for Bloomberg's Third Term Impacts 2013 Mayoral Run
Christine Quinn's reversal of her position on mayoral term limits in 2009 to support Bloomberg's bid for a third term came back to haunt her during her 2013 mayoral campaign. This change in stance was widely reported as a damaging factor in her campaign.
2009: Quinn's re-election to City Council
Christine Quinn was re-elected to the City Council for a third term in 2009.
2009: Recipients of "secret slush" funds contribute to Quinn's mayoral run
Records indicated that several recipients of the misappropriated City Council funds had contributed to Christine Quinn's 2009 mayoral run.
2010: Quinn re-elected as Speaker
Christine Quinn was re-elected as Speaker of the New York City Council in 2010.
2010: New Yorkers Vote to Reinstate Two-Term Limit
In 2010, New York City residents voted overwhelmingly to reinstate the two-term limit for elected officials, reversing a previous decision that had extended term limits.
September 2011: Federal investigation into Quinn's office closes
In September 2011, the federal investigation into Christine Quinn's office regarding the "slush fund" scandal was closed without action, but not before two councilmen were indicted.
May 19, 2012: Quinn Marries Kim Catullo
Christine Quinn married Kim Catullo, a lawyer, on May 19, 2012.
July 28, 2012: Quinn demands NYU sever ties with Chick-fil-A
On July 28, 2012, Christine Quinn sent a letter to the president of NYU, demanding the university end its relationship with Chick-fil-A because of the company CEO's stance against same-sex marriage.
December 26, 2012: Quinn requests commutation of Jonathan Pollard's sentence
Christine Quinn wrote a letter to President Obama on December 26, 2012, requesting the commutation of Jonathan Pollard's life sentence for providing classified information to Israel.
2012: Quinn's control over City Council funds
In 2012, Christine Quinn faced criticism for her authority over the yearly City Council funds, with allegations of using the funds for political retaliation. Quinn denied these allegations.
March 10, 2013: Quinn Announces Candidacy for Mayor of New York City
On March 10, 2013, Christine Quinn formally announced her candidacy for Mayor of New York City, entering the race to succeed the term-limited incumbent, Michael Bloomberg.
August 2013: Quinn's Mayoral Campaign Impacted by Bloomberg's Endorsement and Term Limits Controversy
In August 2013, media outlets suggested that Michael Bloomberg's "tacit endorsement" of Christine Quinn's mayoral campaign could negatively affect her chances in the primary.
2013: Quinn runs for NYC Mayor
Christine Quinn ran for New York City mayor in 2013, losing the Democratic primary.
2013: Quinn Publishes Memoir "With Patience and Fortitude - A Memoir"
Christine Quinn released her memoir, "With Patience and Fortitude - A Memoir," in 2013, published by William Morrow. However, the book experienced disappointing sales, with The New York Times reporting only 100 copies sold in its first week.
2013: Quinn Runs for Mayor as Openly Gay Candidate
Christine Quinn entered the 2013 New York City mayoral race as an openly gay candidate.
February 2014: Quinn Joins the Board of Athlete Ally
Christine Quinn joined the board of Athlete Ally, an organization dedicated to combatting homophobia in sports, in February 2014.
July 2014: Cuomo Establishes Women's Equality Party
In July 2014, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo founded the Women's Equality Party, a move that would later draw both support and criticism.
October 2014: Quinn Supports Women's Equality Party
Christine Quinn actively campaigned for the Women's Equality Party, a new political party established by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in July 2014. When confronted about the Working Families Party's criticism of this new party, Quinn simply remarked, "Change is hard."
January 2015: Quinn Appointed as Special Advisor to Governor Cuomo
In January 2015, Governor Andrew Cuomo appointed Christine Quinn as a special advisor.
2015: Quinn Becomes President and CEO of Women in Need (WIN)
In 2015, Christine Quinn took on the role of president and CEO at Women in Need (WIN), a prominent New York City non-profit organization dedicated to providing services to homeless women and children.
2018: Quinn Criticizes Cynthia Nixon's Gubernatorial Campaign
In 2018, Christine Quinn attracted attention for her critical remarks regarding Cynthia Nixon's campaign for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Drawing a parallel to her own experience in the 2013 mayoral race, Quinn stated, "Cynthia Nixon was opposed to having a qualified lesbian become mayor of New York City", and further commented, "Now she wants to be an unqualified lesbian to be the governor of New York. [Being] an actress and celebrity doesn’t make you qualified for public office".
2019: Quinn and WIN Face Criticism Over Homeless Shelter Contracts
Christine Quinn, in her capacity as president and CEO of WIN, faced criticism in 2019 concerning two contracts for homeless shelters in South Park Slope, Brooklyn. The controversy stemmed from allegations, substantiated by several journalists, that the contracts included up to $89 million in unexplained and potentially inflated costs. WIN and Quinn consistently refused to provide clarification regarding the costs when questioned.
2020: Quinn Designated as Elector, Brewer Serves as Alternate
Christine Quinn was designated as an elector for the 2020 presidential election, but Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer ultimately served as her alternate.
2020: One of the Controversial Homeless Shelters Opens
One of the homeless shelters embroiled in controversy regarding its contract and costs, managed by WIN under Christine Quinn's leadership, opened in 2020.