George W. Plunkitt

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George Washington Plunkitt (November 17, 1842 – November 19, 1924) was an American politician from New York State, who served in both houses of the New York State Legislature. He was a leader of the Tammany Hall political organization, a vehement critic of the Civil Service, and notably responsible for a series of colloquial and practical short talks recorded in "Plunkitt of Tammany Hall," which comprise his observations and successful mastery of machine politics.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Biography

He was born on November 17, 1842, in Manhattan, New York City.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

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"Years later Plunkitt recalled that he was born on 'Nanny Goat Hill', just 'twenty feet inside the Central Park wall at [West] 84th Street....'"

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He served in the New York State Assembly (New York Co., 17th D.) between 1869 and 1873.<ref name="service-list">Template:Cite book</ref>

He was a member of the New York State Senate from 1884 to 1887 (11th D.),<ref name="service-list"/> in 1892 and 1893 (11th D.), and from 1899 to 1904 (17th D.). He sat in the 107th, 108th, 109th, 110th, 115th, 116th, 122nd, 123rd, 124th, 125th, 126th, and 127th New York State Legislatures.

File:George Washington Plunkitt.jpg
George Washington Plunkitt, center

Plunkitt became wealthy by practicing what he called "honest graft" in politics.<ref name="Noonan1987">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Safire2008">Template:Cite book</ref> He was a cynically honest practitioner of what today is generally known as "machine politics," patronage-based and frank in its exercise of power for personal gain.<ref name="KraseLaCerra1991">Template:Cite book</ref>

In one of his speeches, quoted in Plunkitt of Tammany Hall, he describes the difference between dishonest and honest graft. For dishonest graft, one works solely for one's own interests. For honest graft, one pursues, at the same time, the interests of one's party, state, and person.<ref name="RiordonMcDonald1993">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="BermanBerman2015" />

He made most of his money through the purchase of land that he knew would be needed for public projects. He would buy such parcels and then resell them at an inflated price. This was honest graft. Dishonest graft, according to Plunkitt, would be buying land and then using influence to have a project built on it.<ref name="BermanBerman2015">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="RichterBurke2007">Template:Cite book</ref>

Plunkitt defended his own actions, saying: "I could get nothin' at a bargain but a big piece of swamp, but I took it fast enough and held on to it. What turned out was just what I counted on. They couldn't make the park complete without Plunkitt's swamp, and they had to pay a good price for it. Anything dishonest in that?"<ref name="JacksonDunbar2002">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Bainbridge2013">Template:Cite book</ref>

Plunkitt was also a thoroughgoing party man, believing in appointments, patronage, spoils, and all of the practices curtailed by the civil service law.<ref name="TolchinTolchin2015">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="MaiselBrewer2009">Template:Cite book</ref> He saw such practices as both the rewards and cause of patriotism. He hated the civil service system and fought against it politically.<ref name="Plunkitt2007">Template:Cite book</ref>

Plunkitt is also remembered for the line he used to defend his actions: "I seen my opportunities and I took 'em."<ref name="RiordonMcDonald1993" /><ref name="BermanBerman2015" /><ref name="LLC1992">Template:Cite journal</ref>

On October 7, 1905, he underwent an operation for retro-peritoneal abscess, and almost died.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

He died on November 19, 1924, in Manhattan, New York City.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Warren2008">Template:Cite book</ref> He was buried at the Calvary Cemetery in Queens.<ref name="D'Antonio2009">Template:Cite book</ref>

References

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Further reading

Riordon, William L., Plunkitt of Tammany Hall: A Series of Very Plain Talks on Very Practical Politics, Bedford Books of St. Martin's Press, 1993. (Originally published in 1905)

Vatsal, Radha, No. 10 Doyers Street, Level Best, 2025. Work of fiction.

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