# Harvey Epstein

Harvey Epstein is an American politician from the state of New York. He is a member of the New York State Assembly from the 74th district, which consists parts of the Lower East Side, East Village, and Midtown East neighborhoods of Manhattan.

## Early life and career

Epstein earned a bachelor's degree from Ithaca College in social studies. He ran a homeless shelter in Hempstead, New York, and worked in the South Bronx for a foster care agency. He earned a Juris Doctor from CUNY Law School and worked for Queens Legal Services and The Legal Aid Society. Epstein served as community development director for the Urban Justice Center.

## Political career

Epstein won a special election to the New York Assembly to succeed Brian P. Kavanagh, who was elected to the New York State Senate, in 2018.
Epstein is a member of the Vote Blue Coalition, a progressive group and federal PAC created to support Democrats in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania through voter outreach and mobilization efforts.
Epstein sponsored legislation to reform the New York State Real Property Law and Tax Law in regards to mezzanine financing. The legislation calls for the recording of mezzanine debt and preferred equity investments and subject it to the mortgage recording tax. These amendments will force borrowers and lenders to reconsider the economic costs of mezzanine financing. It was introduced on January 22, 2021.
In February 2024, Epstein, along with four other Jewish elected officials from New York (Liz Krueger, Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Brad Lander and Lincoln Restler), signed an open letter on the Israel–Hamas war. The letter condemned Hamas and other groups in the Middle East for attacking Israel and seeking to foment antisemitism and anti-Zionism around the world, while also criticizing the Israeli government under Benjamin Netanyahu for civilian deaths in Gaza, its settlement policy in the West Bank, and leniency towards violence by Israeli settlers. The letter's signatories called for the Israeli government to prioritize negotiations to release hostages held in Gaza and voiced support for a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
Epstein has announced he will be a candidate in the Democratic primary for New York City's 2nd City Council district in the 2025 municipal election. Epstein is running unopposed for re-election in the 2024 New York State Assembly election, but says he intends to resign his Assembly seat if elected to the City Council in 2025. His 4 opponents in the 2025 Democratic Primary for the New York City Council are Allie Ryan, Sarah Batchu, Andrea Gordillo, and Anthony Weiner.

## In popular culture

The November 2, 2024 episode of Saturday Night Live ran a spoof campaign advertisement in which Harvey Epstein (played by host John Mulaney) repeatedly affirms that he is not Harvey Weinstein, Jeffrey Epstein or some amalgamation thereof. Harvey Epstein, who is a regular SNL viewer, was surprised at the sketch and told the New York Times that he found it "ridiculously funny" and encouraged readers to support survivors of sexual abuse by donating to RAINN.

## Personal life

Epstein lives in the East Village. He and his wife Anita have two children, Leila and Joshua. Epstein is Jewish.