Claudia Tenney
Claudia Tenney (born February 4, 1961) is an American lawyer, publisher, commentator and politician who was elected in 2010 to represent the 101st Assembly District of the New York State Assembly. Tenney had served her predecessor, former Assemblyman David Townsend, from 2003-2009 as his chief of staff and legal counsel. Her district comprises parts of Oswego County and Oneida County.
Tenney is a native of New Hartford, New York and the daughter of former New York State Supreme Court Justice John R. Tenney. She graduated from Colgate University in 1983, and the Taft College of Law at the University of Cincinnati.
Early in her career, she was the only American employed by the Consulate General of Yugoslavia. She acted as intermediary between ABC Sports and the Yugoslavian government leading up to the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo.
From 1996 through 2004, she established Tenney Media Group in Clinton, New York where she served as publisher and corporate counsel. Tenney Media Group published and printed free community newspapers founded by her parents and grandparents: eight weekly newspaper editions known as the Mid-York Weekly & Pennysaver with a total direct mailed circulation of over 100,000 households throughout three counties in Central New York. The original Mid-York Weekly’s roots date back to the early 19th century and it remains one of the oldest continuously running weekly newspapers in the country.
