Jay Costa
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania (BA)
Duquesne University (JD)
Jay Costa (born November 17, 1957) is an American politician, currently serving as a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate who has represented the 43rd District since 1996.[2] On November 17, 2010, Senate Democrats elected Costa as their new floor leader, succeeding the retiring Bob Mellow.[3]
Education
Costa attended the Community College of Allegheny County, earning an A.S.degree in Criminology in 1977. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania where he studied Criminal Justice with the ultimate goal of becoming a police officer, and then earned a Juris Doctor from the Duquesne University School of Law.[4][5]
Career
Jay Costa began his career after graduating with a bachelor's degree as a Deputy Sheriff of Allegheny County.[6]
In 2013, Costa’s chief of staff, Tony Lepore, testified under oath that Lepore functioned as a “middle man” in a corruption scheme involving awarding lucrative state contracts.[7] As of February 2021, Lepore is still working for Costa.[8]
He is supportive of abortion rights and received a 100% rating from Planned Parenthood in 2013 and 2014.[9][10]
In May 2019, it was reported that Costa and State Attorney General Josh Shapiro had directed paid communications staffers to edit their Wikipedia pages with positive material.[11][12]
December 18, 2020, it was let known Jay Costa's law firm received $7,309,100 in PPP (Covid Related Paycheck Protection Program) loans ranking it 7th in all of Pittsburgh.[13]
Early in his career, Costa sponsored a plan to leverage rebates to lower drug costs for seniors.[14][15]
In February 21, 2021, it was revealed Jay Costa's son, Anthony, works for lobbying firm Cameron Companies which "lobbies on behalf of some of the state’s largest corporations" including 3M.[16]
In a March 12, 2021, ruling, RE: "Gittins v. Gateway Clipper," the defendant represented by Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote of which Jay Costa is a Principal was fined $67,614 for failing to turn over discovery information. [17]
Costa has served on the board of trustees of the University of Pittsburgh and is treasurer of the Community College of Allegheny County board.[18][19]
References
- ^ Fischione Donovan, Sandra (May 21, 1997). "County races decided". The Allegheny Times. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- ^ Cox, Harold (2004). "Pennsylvania Senate - 1995-1996" (PDF). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.
- ^ Bumsted, Brad (November 18, 2010). "Pennsylvania political power shifts west". The Pittsburgh Tribune. Retrieved November 18, 2010. [permanent dead link]
- ^ Center, Legislativate Data Processing. "Senator Jay Costa". The official website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
- ^ "Jay Costa".
- ^ "Jay Costa".
- ^ Micek, John (March 27, 2013). "Senate staffer still on state payroll despite role in Turnpike scandal". PennLive. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
- ^ "Legislative Directory". Retrieved February 17, 2021.
- ^ "Legislative Scorecard". Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates. Archived from the original on July 27, 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
- ^ "Jay Costa, Jr.'s Political Summary". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
- ^ BOARD, THE LNP EDITORIAL. "Public employees shouldn't be tasked with writing glowing entries for elected officials' Wikipedia pages [opinion]". LancasterOnline. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
- ^ Writers, CARTER WALKER and JUNIOR GONZALEZ | Staff. "Wikipedia flags Pa. Attorney General Josh Shapiro over glowing, staff-written bio". LancasterOnline. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
- ^ "PPP brought $1.5 billion to Pittsburgh. Did it go where it was most needed?". December 18, 2020.
- ^ "Ban on procedures for transgender children endangers health insurance program". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
- ^ Smith, Tom (December 10, 2019). "Jay Costa Announces 2020 Campaign". The Pittsburgh Reporter. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
- ^ "Sons of top two Pa. Senate leaders are registered lobbyists for same firm | PA Power and Policy | lancasteronline.com".
- ^ "US Judge Orders Nearly $70K in Fees and Costs Over Failure to Turn Over Discovery Materials | The Legal Intelligencer".
- ^ "Board of Trustees | Office of the Chancellor | University of Pittsburgh". chancellor.pitt.edu. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
- ^ "Senator Jay Costa, Jr". Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
External links
Media related to Jay Costa at Wikimedia Commons
- Senator Costa official caucus website
- Pennsylvania State Senate - Jay Costa official PA Senate website
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Follow the Money - Jay Costa
- 2006 2004 2002 2000 campaign contributions
Pennsylvania State Senate | ||
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Preceded by | Minority Leader of the Pennsylvania Senate 2011–present | Incumbent |
- v
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- e
leaders
- AL: ▌Livingston (R)
- AK: ▌Giessel (R)
- AZ: ▌Borrelli (R)
- AR: ▌Johnson (R)
- CA: ▌Gonzalez (D)
- CO: ▌Rodriguez (D)
- CT: ▌Duff (D)
- DE: ▌Townsend (D)
- FL: ▌Albritton (R)
- GA: ▌Gooch (R)
- HI: ▌Kanuha (D)
- ID: ▌Anthon (R)
- IL: ▌Lightford (D)
- IN: ▌Garten (R)
- IA: ▌Whitver (R)
- KS: ▌Alley (R)
- KY: ▌Thayer (R)
- LA: ▌Stine (R)
- ME: ▌Vitelli (D)
- MD: ▌King (D)
- MA: ▌Creem (D)
- MI: ▌Brinks (D)
- MN: ▌Murphy (D)
- MS: ▌Kirby (R)
- MO: ▌O'Laughlin (R)
- MT: ▌Fitzpatrick (R)
- NE: ▌Aguilar (R)*
- NV: ▌Cannizzaro (D)
- NH: ▌Carson (R)
- NJ: ▌Ruiz (D)
- NM: ▌Wirth (D)
- NY: ▌Stewart-Cousins (D)
- NC: ▌Newton (R)
- ND: ▌Hogue (R)
- OH: ▌McColley (R)
- OK: ▌McCortney (R)
- OR: ▌Lieber (D)
- PA: ▌Pittman (R)
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- WV: ▌Takubo (R)
- WI: ▌LeMahieu (R)
- WY: ▌Hicks (R)
- DC: ▌Mendelson (D)*
- GU: ▌Barnett (D)*
- MP: ▌Magofna (D)
- PR: ▌Aponte (PPD/D)
- VI: ▌Gittens (D)*
leaders
- AL: ▌Singleton (D)
- AK: Vacant
- AZ: ▌Epstein (D)
- AR: ▌Leding (D)
- CA: ▌Jones (R)
- CO: ▌Lundeen (R)
- CT: ▌Harding (R)
- DE: ▌Hocker (R)
- FL: ▌Book (D)
- GA: ▌Butler (D)
- HI: ▌Fevella (R)
- ID: ▌Wintrow (D)
- IL: ▌Curran (R)
- IN: ▌Taylor (D)
- IA: ▌Jochum (D)
- KS: ▌Sykes (D)
- KY: ▌Neal (D)
- LA: ▌Boudreaux (D)
- ME: ▌Stewart (R)
- MD: ▌Hershey (R)
- MA: ▌Tarr (R)
- MI: ▌Nesbitt (R)
- MN: ▌Johnson (R)
- MS: ▌Simmons (D)
- MO: ▌Rizzo (D)
- MT: ▌Flowers (D)
- NE: Vacant*
- NV: ▌Titus (R)
- NH: ▌Soucy (D)
- NJ: ▌Bucco (R)
- NM: ▌Baca (R)
- NY: ▌Ortt (R)
- NC: ▌Blue (D)
- ND: ▌Hogan (D-NPL)
- OH: ▌Antonio (D)
- OK: ▌Floyd (D)
- OR: ▌Bonham (R)
- PA: ▌Costa (D)
- RI: ▌de la Cruz (R)
- SC: ▌Hutto (D)
- SD: ▌Nesiba (D)
- TN: ▌Akbari (D)
- TX: ▌Alvarado (D)
- UT: ▌Escamilla (D)
- VT: ▌Brock (R)
- VA: ▌McDougle (R)
- WA: ▌Braun (R)
- WV: ▌Woelfel (D)
- WI: ▌Hesselbein (D)
- WY: ▌Rothfuss (D)
- DC: None*
- GU: ▌Blas (R)*
- MP: ▌Manglona (I)
- PR: ▌Rivera (PNP/R)
- VI: ▌DeGraff (I)*