Another new daily high for coronavirus-related deaths was reached in New York. Among them was a former state assemblyman from Westchester County.
One of those who likely died of the virus is former Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, who passed away Wednesday morning. Brodsky, a 73-year-old Democrat from Westchester, became ill with COVID-like symptoms and took a test on Friday, according to his wife. Brodsky, who had an underlying heart condition, died suddenly without receiving the results of the test.
The 14-term assemblyman was known for his wit and his feistiness. He championed many reforms, including successfully establishing a watchdog body over the state’s secretive public authorities.
Brodsky always defended the power of the legislative branch of government, especially when there were power struggles with governors. In a 2015 interview, he gave advice to the then-newly elected speaker, Carl Heastie.
“The legislature gets beaten up very badly. Some of it, it deserves; some of it, it doesn’t deserve,” Brodsky said at the time, adding that the job of the speaker was to “project an image of the legislature that the public understands and appreciates.”
In recent years he served as a senior fellow for the Demos think tank, and wrote regular editorials for newspapers.
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