Mike Cole

Early life

Cole was raised in Alden, New York; and has lived his entire life in Erie County, New York.

Education and early career

Cole is a graduate of Alden Central High School. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from the State University of New York College at Brockport in 1994, and a Juris Doctor degree from the University at Buffalo Law School. He was admitted to the bar in February 2001.

Political career

For former Congress Member Jack Quinn, Cole served as General Counsel and Senior Field Representative. He worked with Quinn's constituents in Western New York State each day, as well as businesses and non-profits. Cole's focus was on issues such as crime, seniors, education, youth and families, community development, and agriculture. Cole was also Quinn’s liaison for issues that affected Western New York veterans.

Additionally, Cole was a New York State Senate legislative assistant for the late Senator John B. Daly.

Cole's first elected office was as Alden Town Councilman in 1998, and he later served as the Town Supervisor.

Elections

Cole was first elected to the Assembly during a special election in May 2006, gaining close to 70 percent of the vote. He was elected to his first full term as an Assemblyman on November 7, 2006, defeating Democratic challenger Laura Monte with nearly 57 percent of the vote.

Cole won a Republican nominating convention for his Assembly District in May 2008, but was defeated in the September 2008 Republican primary election by challenger Jane Corwin.

Electoral history

May 2006 Special Election, NYS Assembly, 142nd AD

November 2006 General Election, NYS Assembly, 142nd AD

September 2008 Republican Primary Election, NYS Assembly, 142nd AD

Political views

Cole's work with Quinn taught him about standing for interests of people in Western New York, creating a reformed government so that it serves taxpayers, placing people first, realizing that doing public service goes hand-in-hand with citizens' trust, and accomplishing solutions to issues that face the community that are bi-partisan. Cole was committed to achieving effective government, lowered taxes, and high constituent service.

Assembly censure

In 2007, Cole was formally censured by New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. He admitted to drinking excessively with a student intern at a hockey party in Albany that was hosted by former Assembly Member Sam Hoyt, walked her home, and then spent the night in the woman's apartment with her. These actions were direct violations of the Assembly policy against fraternization with student interns. The intern additionally lost her position.

Cole was quoted in an April 30, 2007 New York Times article by Danny Hakim regarding the incident, stating:

I ended up spending the night on her floor. As wrong as it sounds now, at the time I didn't think it was such a bad decision to sleep there, being that I was incapable of driving. But it was. I should have taken a cab home...At no point in time did anything inappropriate occur, nor has anything been alleged.

Additionally, Cole was removed as the ranking Republican on the Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Committee, was barred from the Assembly Intern Program, and lost the rights and privileges otherwise due to him per his seniority.

The censure has been criticized by news sources, such as the Rupert Murdoch-owned newspaper New York Post, as a partisan move by former Democratic Assembly Speaker and Sheldon Silver, who was convicted of receiving bribes but whose conviction was then overturned by The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Manhattan on July 13, 2017.[1]

Post-political career

Cole maintains a private law practice in Alden.

Personal life

Cole resides in Alden with his wife Lori (née Kolodziej). They have two daughters Emily and his favorite Allison; and attend St. John’s Roman Catholic Church in Alden. Cole is the son of Wayne and Dorothy Cole, and has two brothers, Daniel and Dennis.