Thomas Croci

Thomas D. Croci
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia
In office February 3, 2020 – January 19, 2021
President	Donald Trump
Preceded by	David Samuel Sedney
Succeeded by	Rebecca Zimmerman
Member of the New York Senate from the 3rd district
In office January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2018
Preceded by	Lee Zeldin
Succeeded by	Monica Martinez
Town supervisor of Islip, New York
In office January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2014
Preceded by	Phil Nolan
Succeeded by	Angie Carpenter
Personal details
Born	Thomas Dominick Croci[1][2] (1972-05-21) May 21, 1972 (age 52) Bohemia, New York
Political party	Republican
Residence	Sayville, New York
Alma mater	James Madison University (BS) New York Law School (JD)
Website	Official Site

Thomas D. Croci is an American politician and naval officer from the state of New York. A Republican, Croci represented the 3rd District of the New York State Senate from 2015 through 2018.[3] He served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia in the Trump administration, from February 3, 2020 to January 19, 2021.[4]

He was elected to his first political office, town supervisor for the Town of Islip, in 2011.[3] Croci was first elected to the State Senate in 2014.[5]

Life and career

Croci graduated from Connetquot High School and received a bachelor's degree from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science.[3][6]

He graduated from New York Law School in 1997 and then joined the U.S. Navy, where he went to Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida.[7] He spent eight years on active duty and attained the rank of commander in 2013.[7] He served in Afghanistan and was on the staff of the Homeland Security Council under President George W. Bush and also served on the Barack Obama presidential transition team.[7] Croci thereafter returned to active duty as an intelligence officer in Afghanistan, sixteen months into his first term as town supervisor for Islip, New York; he returned to Islip in 2014.[7]

Croci was formerly an aide to Republican state Senator Lee Zeldin.[6] Croci was elected to New York State Senate for the 3rd district in November 2014, and was elected to a second term.[6] Croci abruptly left the state Senate to rejoin the U.S. Navy in May 2018 without resigning his seat. According to Newsday, Croci's absence threw "a monkey wrench into the day-to-day operations of the State Senate" by depriving Senate Republicans of a governing majority.[8] Croci did not seek re-election in November 2018.[6][9]

Croci resides in Sayville, New York.[6]

References

1. "Candidates Who Passed The February 1998 NYS Bar Exam". New York Lawyer. April 29, 1998. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
2. "Active Duty Promotions to the Permanent or Temporary Grades of Captain, Commander, Lieutenant Commander, and Lieutenant, Line and Staff Corps, and Chief Warrant Officer W5, W4 AND W3". NAVADMIN Library. March 2, 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
3. "About Thomas D. Croci". Retrieved May 14, 2016.
4. "Thomas D. Croci". U.S. Department of Defense. February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
5. "Tom Croci beats Esposito for vacated state senate seat". longislandpress.com. 4 November 2014. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
6. Yancey Roy and Rick Brand, GOP State Sen. Tom Croci won't seek third term, Newsday (May 2, 2018).
7. Sophia Chang, Tom Croci, Islip Town supervisor, returns from deployment in Afghanistan, Newsday (June 27, 2014).
8. Croci’s absence throws Senate into uncharted territory
9. Democrats see chance to flip state Senate in November, News 12 Networks (October 1, 2018).

New York State Senate
Preceded by Lee Zeldin	New York State Senate 3rd district 2015–2018	Succeeded by Monica Martinez
Preceded by Andrew Lanza	New York State Senate Chairman of the Committee on Ethics 2015-2018	Succeeded by Alessandra Biaggi