Topic: Ed Koch

Edward Irving "Ed" Koch ( /ˈkɒtʃ/; born December 12, 1924) is an American lawyer, politician, and political commentator. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 and three terms as mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989. He also became known as a "judge" on the television judge show The People's Court from 1997 to 1999.

Koch was born in The Bronx, New York City, New York to a Conservative Jewish family residing in Newark, New Jersey, where his father worked at a theater. As a child he worked as a hatcheck boy in a Newark dance hall. He graduated from South Side High School in Newark in 1941. He was drafted into the United States Army in 1943 where he served as an infantryman with the 104th Infantry Division, landing in Cherbourg, France in September 1944. He earned two Battle Stars as a Combat Infantryman. He was honorably discharged with the rank of Sergeant in 1946. Koch returned to New York City to attend City College of New York and New York University School of Law and received his law degree in 1948.

Koch was the Democratic US Representative from New York's 17th congressional district from January 3, 1969 until January 3, 1973, when after a redistricting he represented New York's 18th congressional district until December 31, 1977, when he resigned to become Mayor of New York City.