Brooklyn, NY- Today, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (NY-8) released the following statement in the wake of the death of the legendary Former Mayor Edward Irving Koch: 

“Edward I. Koch served as a Big Apple Mayor with a big personality who embodied the spirit, wit and resilience of New York City. During his tenure, Mayor Koch saved the City from bankruptcy, led us through a crippling transit strike and engineered the development of thousands of units of affordable housing that have benefited generations of working families in some of our toughest neighborhoods.

A pioneer in his day, he reinvented in no uncertain terms what it meant to be a big city Mayor. His journey has now ended, and so it is instead left to us to ask one last time: How did he do? All throughout our City the people are making it clear: He did well.”

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Edward Irving Koch (December 12, 1924 – February 1, 2013) was the former Mayor of the City of New York from 1978 – 1989. He also served in Congress from 1969- 1977.