Charles A. Buckley

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Charles Anthony Buckley (June 23, 1890 – January 22, 1967) was a Democratic politician from The Bronx, New York. An Irish-American, he started in politics as a Bronx block captain in 1911, was a member of the New York City Board of Aldermen from 1918 to 1923, served as a city tax appraiser in 1923, and as chamberlain (city treasurer area) from 1929 to 1933.

Buckley was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1934 and served 15 terms, from 1935 to 1965. He rose to power as the boss of the Bronx County Democratic Party, becoming head of the Executive Committee in 1953 and using his influence to back campaigns, including John F. Kennedy in 1960. He chaired the House Committee on Pensions (1943–1947) and the House Committee on Public Works (1951–1953 and 1955–1965).

Known for directing federal funds and jobs to loyalists, Buckley was also criticized for absenteeism in voting and for clashes with reformers and Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr. His career ended after a tough 1964 Democratic primary, when he lost to Jonathan Bingham. He remained a leader of the Bronx Democratic Party for a time afterward. Buckley was married to Marion Cowan and had two children, Eileen and Charles Jr. He died of lung cancer in The Bronx in 1967 at age 76.