Numbers

The Gang of Four (New York Politics)

• David Dinkins
• Basil Paterson
• Charles Rangel
• Percy Sutton

How It's Used

“As for the Gang of Four, the term dates to 1985, when Mr. [Herman] Badillo used it to describe Mr. Paterson and three other black political leaders after they supported a black mayoral hopeful rather than uniting behind Mr. Badillo that year. The three were David N. Dinkins, the future mayor; Representative Charles B. Rangel; and Percy E. Sutton, the former Manhattan borough president.

“Mr. Paterson denied last week that he and the three others had conspired against Mr. Badillo. But of the 'gang' appellation, he said, 'We like it.' Every decade, he said, 'We take a picture, to see what changes there have been.'"

“In the late 1960s, Sutton turned his attention to politics, becoming a New York State assemblyman. He ran for the Manhattan borough president post in 1966 and won in a landslide. Sutton held the position for 12 years. During that time, he became a leader of the so-called Harlem Clubhouse, a group of black leaders that dominated Democratic politics in Harlem for years.

“Among the ‘Gang of Four’ were former Mayor David Dinkins, Rep. Charles Rangel, and former New York Secretary of State Basil Paterson, the governor's father. ‘As a member of the Gang of Four, [Sutton] spawned the successful careers of so many other African-American leaders,’ [Gov.] Paterson said. ‘It was Percy Sutton who talked me into running for office and who has continued to serve as one of my most valued advisers ever since.’”

“In less than a week the legendary ‘Harlem Clubhouse’ has suffered two mortal blows. On March 3^rd Charles Rangel, the last of the political machine’s original ‘Gang of Four’ still in elected office, stepped down as chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee of the House of Representatives amid charges of ethics violations. Officially this is a temporary leave of absence, but he may not return. Five days earlier David Paterson, New York’s governor, ended his election campaign amid allegations that he had abused his position, and intense pressure for his resignation. Mr. Paterson is the son of Basil, another member of the Gang of Four, which mentored both Malcolm X and Al Sharpton and, since the 1960’s, has been a launch-pad for New York’s black political leaders.”

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