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'''Charles Vincent Cusimano, II''', known as '''Chuck Cusimano''' (born November 25, 1953), is a [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[politician]] from the large census-designated place of Metairie in Jefferson Parish in suburban [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]].

'''Charles Vincent Cusimano, II''', known as '''Chuck Cusimano''' (born November 25, 1953), is a [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[politician]] from the large census-designated place of Metairie in Jefferson Parish in suburban [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]].

   

   

==Biography==

==Background==

Cusimano is the son of Charles Cusimano, I, a New Orleans native (born September 29, 1927), and the former Violet Taranto (1928-2015). In addition to their one son, Charles, II, the Cusimanos had three daughters, Lisa Cusimano (formerly Lisa Brewer), Jan Simon (husband David), and Cathy Daigle (husband Keith).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://obits.theadvocate.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=violet-taranto-cusimano&pid=176481433&fhid=5630|title=Violet Cusimano Obituary|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=November 15, 2015}}</ref> The senior Cusimano is an engineering graduate of [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]], a former member of the LSU Board of Supervisors, and the founder of Energy Corporation of America. Cusimano, I, has also been active in Republican Party affairs and was a major fund raiser for former [[Governor]] [[Mike Foster|Murphy James Foster, Jr.]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eng.lsu.edu/alumni/hodmember/charles.cusimano|title=Charles V. Cusimano: Hall of Distinction, 1998-1999|publisher=eng.lsu.edu/alumni|accessdate=November 11, 2009}}</ref> Cusimano was already contributing to the [[Ronald W. Reagan]] campaign in 1980, while his son was a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] in the state legislature.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/elec2/80/elec-METAIRIE-LA-80.html|title=Metairie, LA Political Contributions by Individuals|publisher=city-data.com|accessdate=November 11, 2009}}</ref>  

Cusimano is the son of Charles Cusimano, I, a New Orleans native (born September 29, 1927), and the former Violet Taranto (1928-2015). In addition to their one son, Charles, II, the Cusimanos had three daughters, Lisa Cusimano (formerly Lisa Brewer), Jan Simon (husband David), and Cathy Daigle (husband Keith).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://obits.theadvocate.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=violet-taranto-cusimano&pid=176481433&fhid=5630|title=Violet Cusimano Obituary|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=November 15, 2015}}</ref> The senior Cusimano is an engineering graduate of [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]], a former member of the LSU Board of Supervisors, and the founder of Energy Corporation of America. Cusimano, I, has also been active in Republican Party affairs and was a major fund raiser for former [[Governor]] [[Mike Foster|Murphy James Foster, Jr.]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eng.lsu.edu/alumni/hodmember/charles.cusimano|title=Charles V. Cusimano: Hall of Distinction, 1998-1999|publisher=eng.lsu.edu/alumni|accessdate=November 11, 2009}}</ref> Cusimano was already contributing to the [[Ronald W. Reagan]] campaign in 1980, while his son was a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] in the state legislature.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/elec2/80/elec-METAIRIE-LA-80.html|title=Metairie, LA Political Contributions by Individuals|publisher=city-data.com|accessdate=November 11, 2009}}</ref>  

 

At the age of twenty-five, just as he launched his law practice, Cusimano was elected in 1979 as a Democrat to the District 81 seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives. He switched to Republican affiliation at the start of his second term, 1984 to 1988.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2016: Jefferson Parish Parish|publisher=house.louisiana.gov|accessdate=May 23, 2015}}</ref> He served on the House committees on Criminal Justice, Civil Law, and Natural Resources.<ref name=cusimano>{{cite web|url=http://www.fifthjpc.com/aboutus.htm|title=About Judge Charles V. Cusimano, II|publisher=fifthjpc.com|accessdate=November 11, 2009; no longer on-line}}</ref> On October 24, 1987, he was elected again, having defeated fellow Republican Steve Little, 9,650 (65.2 percent) to 5,165 (34.8 percent) in the nonpartisan blanket primary.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns for Jefferson Parish, October 24, 1987.

 

At the age of twenty-five, just as he launched his law practice, Cusimano was elected in 1979 as a Democrat to the District 81 seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives. He switched to Republican affiliation at the start of his second term, 1984 to 1988.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2016: Jefferson Parish Parish|publisher=house.louisiana.gov|accessdate=May 23, 2015}}</ref> He served on the House committees on Criminal Justice, Civil Law, and Natural Resources.<ref name=cusimano>{{cite web|url=http://www.fifthjpc.com/aboutus.htm|title=About Judge Charles V. Cusimano, II|publisher=fifthjpc.com|accessdate=November 11, 2009; no longer on-line}}</ref> On October 24, 1987, he was elected again, having defeated fellow Republican Steve Little, 9,650 (65.2 percent) to 5,165 (34.8 percent) in the nonpartisan blanket primary.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns for Jefferson Parish, October 24, 1987.</ref>

Cusimano was described by his House colleague, [[Ron Gomez]] of [[Lafayette]], as "a diminitive firebrand from Metairie."<ref>[[Ron Gomez]], ''My Name Is Ron And I'm a Recovering Legislator: Memoirs of a Louisiana State Representative'' ([[Lafayette]], [[Louisiana]]: Zemog Publishing, 2000), p. 134, isbn=0-9700156-0-7</ref> In House debate over the [[New Orleans Saints]]'s lease of the Louisiana Superdome (since the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Cusimano proposed an amendment that would restrict the team's concession revenues to a minimum level, after which the proceeds would be split 50-50 with the state. The amendment, strongly opposed by the Saints' owner, Thomas Milton "Tom" Benson (1927-2018), appeared to have passed until Governor [[Edwin Edwards]], in an unprecedented move, came to the chamber to plead with the lawmakers to reverse themselves. Edwards claimed that the Cusimano amendment would cause the Saints, then a repeatedly losing team, to leave New Orleans and practically make the state the laughingstock of the nation. After the visibly shaken Edwards spoke, Representative [[Raymond Laborde]] of Marksville, Edwards' friend from childhood, stepped to the microphone and moved that the previous amendment be deleted. No debate was allowed on the previous question, and Benson and Edwards prevailed.<ref>Ron Gomez, pp. 134-137.</ref>

Cusimano was described by his House colleague, [[Ron Gomez]] of [[Lafayette]], as "a diminitive firebrand from Metairie."<ref>[[Ron Gomez]], ''My Name Is Ron And I'm a Recovering Legislator: Memoirs of a Louisiana State Representative'' ([[Lafayette]], [[Louisiana]]: Zemog Publishing, 2000), p. 134, isbn=0-9700156-0-7</ref> In House debate over the [[New Orleans Saints]]'s lease of the Louisiana Superdome (since the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Cusimano proposed an amendment that would restrict the team's concession revenues to a minimum level, after which the proceeds would be split 50-50 with the state. The amendment, strongly opposed by the Saints' owner, Thomas Milton "Tom" Benson (1927-2018), appeared to have passed until Governor [[Edwin Edwards]], in an unprecedented move, came to the chamber to plead with the lawmakers to reverse themselves. Edwards claimed that the Cusimano amendment would cause the Saints, then a repeatedly losing team, to leave New Orleans and practically make the state the laughingstock of the nation. After the visibly shaken Edwards spoke, Representative [[Raymond Laborde]] of Marksville, Edwards' friend from childhood, stepped to the microphone and moved that the previous amendment be deleted. No debate was allowed on the previous question, and Benson and Edwards prevailed.<ref>Ron Gomez, pp. 134-137.</ref>

On the district court, Judge Cusimano was instrumental in revamping the criminal justice computer system.<ref name=cusimano/> In 2006, he did not seek reelection  and was succeeded by Republican Cornelius E. "Conn" Regan, a narrow winner over Danyelle Taylor, also a Republican.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, September 30, 2006.</ref> In 2008, Cusimano was unopposed for the position of Fifth Justice of the Peace Court in Jefferson Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lwvno.org/f2008-EG-jp.html|title=Fall 2008 Candidate Guide for Jefferson Parish|publisher=[[League of Women Voters]] of [[New Orleans]] |accessdate=November 11, 2009}}</ref> Cusimano worked to modernize justice-of-the-peace operations, with electronic case management to allow litigants to file electronically and monitor the status of their case via the [[Internet]].<ref name=cusimano/>His current term expires on December 31, 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/electedofficials|title=Elected Officials (Jefferson Parish)|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 15, 2019}}</ref>

On the district court, Judge Cusimano was instrumental in revamping the criminal justice computer system.<ref name=cusimano/> In 2006, he did not seek reelection  and was succeeded by Republican Cornelius E. "Conn" Regan, a narrow winner over Danyelle Taylor, also a Republican.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, September 30, 2006.</ref> In 2008, Cusimano was unopposed for the position of Fifth Justice of the Peace Court in Jefferson Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lwvno.org/f2008-EG-jp.html|title=Fall 2008 Candidate Guide for Jefferson Parish|publisher=[[League of Women Voters]] of [[New Orleans]] |accessdate=November 11, 2009}}</ref> Cusimano worked to modernize justice-of-the-peace operations, with electronic case management to allow litigants to file electronically and monitor the status of their case via the [[Internet]].<ref name=cusimano/>His current term expires on December 31, 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/electedofficials|title=Elected Officials (Jefferson Parish)|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 15, 2019}}</ref>

==References==

==References==