Green's career as a public servant spans 28 years, most of which has beendevoted to exposing government and corporate abuses and remedying suchsituations. From 1970-1980, he worked as an aide for Ralph Nader and laterheaded the Democracy Project, a New York-based public policy think tank. In1986, he won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate but lost the generalelection to Senator Al D'Amato. From 1990-1993, Green served as New YorkCity's Commissioner of Consumer Affairs, and his exemplary service led RalphNader to call him "the best consumer law enforcement official in thecountry."
In 1993, Green became the first Public Advocate of the City of New York andwas re-elected to that post in 1997, winning 73 percent of the vote. The PublicAdvocate works directly under the mayor and is responsible for responding tocomplaints against the bureaucracy, investigating city agencies and programsand proposing solutions to make government more efficient and accountable.
During his time in office, Green published a study that showed how 12 NewYork City HMOs withheld crucial information from consumers and providedsubstandard health care to cut costs; created C-PLAN (Child Planning andAdvocacy Now), a program that addresses problems in the Child WelfareAdministration; and was instrumental in drafting the law that brought an end tothe mob-controlled garbage cartel that eventually saved small businessesmillions of dollars.
Green also has written or edited over 15 books, including the best-sellingWho Runs Congress? and Reagan's Reign of Error. A second editionof his most recent book, The Consumer Bible, will be publishedlater this year.
Green's visit to Hamilton is part of a two-day, nine-city tour of the state tokick off his campaign.
