Alan Caswell
Alan Caswell | |
|---|---|
 Official Portrait, 2025 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives for New York’s 17th District | |
| Assumed office December 31st 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Mike Lawler |
| Chair of the House Republican Conference | |
| In office December 31st 2024 – January 9th 2025 | |
| Preceding | Bryan Hanson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Alan Viktor Caswell October 10, 1980 |
Alan Viktor Caswell (born October 10 1980) is an American politician, venture capitalist, and owner of the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association. Serving in New York's 17th congressional district since 2024 in the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party, Caswell succeeded outgoing representative Mike Lawler, in representing the district. Known for his ownership and transformation of the New York Knicks, Alan Caswell was not involved in politics until his announcement of running for the 2015 open state senate seat for New York's 35th district, which he won. Since then he has been an outspoken critic of democrat establishment and politics and has given the ownership of the New York Kicks, to his wife, Claudia.
Early Life and Education
Alan Caswell was born in Mahopac, New York, to Tomas and Alline Caswell. Growing up he was raised in a socially liberal household. His dad, Tomas was working as an executive at Stop & Shop. Alan Caswell attended Mahopac High School and graduated valedictorian of his high school class.
Caswell earned a Master's Degree in Political Science and Economics from Fordham University. He later transferred to Columbia University to finish his degrees. Once finished with college, he founded several start up companies looking to invest in high profile sport leagues. During this time, he wrote a book, titled "Growing Up In Mahopac," which led to international success, being featured on the New York Time's 100 best bestsellers.
Early Career
During the 2008 financial crisis, Caswell bought the majority of the New York Knicks from Madison Square Garden's Sports. The latter company was on the verge of financial bankruptcy, and sold many of their assets, including the rights to the New York Knicks. Once Caswell purchased the Knicks, he fired many top coaches and executives, including head coach Thomas Thibodeau, who Alan Caswell said "had a rough relation with me." Later on in the 2009 NBA season, the Knicks finished 36-46, an improvement, largely due to Caswell's new ownership. Over the 12 years he has owned the knicks, he has won 1 NBA final, in 2017 against the Dallas Mavericks, tying him with Leon Rose, for amount of finals won. He is noted with transforming the team in many ways, including changing the color scheme from blue to red, changing the name of the arena to York Credit Stadium and offering free seats for a season to anyone who had "knick" verifiably as their middle name.
Entering Politics
Alan Caswell, regarded as an independent by many people, had never run for political office before, but in 2015, largely due to the Yellow Paper Scandal, a scandal about misusing tax dollars to fund democrat politicians in New York, many high profile New York Democrats resigned, including Anthony Morren, the former state senator for the 35th district. Caswell registered to be on the ballot for this seat, as a republican, and was largely the front runner due to the fallout of the Yellow Paper Scandal. He easily won with 62.39% of the vote, becoming the first republican to occupy the seat since 1982. During his tenure, he introduced new bills promoting law enforcement and a total ban of online gambling for people under 18.
U.S. House Of Representatives
Election:
In 2023, representative, Mike Lawler, announced his retirement from politics, serving New York's 17th Congressional District since 2010. This led to a heatly contested battle for the Republican nomination. Alan Caswell registered his name under the Republican primary. During the campaign, he recivied several high profile endorsements from Democratic Representative Mason Jackson, of Michigan's 5th Congressional District, Zachary Husted, a news owner of the Daily Divine and campaigning representative from Pennsylvania's 9th Congressional District, and Austin Baker, an entrepreneur and donator to several high republican positions. During the campaign, he participated in 2 debates, which viewers thought he won both of them. On June 26th 2024, he easily won the republican primary and advanced to the general election, where he faced Joe Bowman, a former attorney general of New York and brother of Representative Jaamal Bowman of New York's 16th District. Largely due to the controversy surrounding Jaamal Bowman's pulling of a fire alarm 20 days before election day, the race shifted towards Alan Caswell's lead. Caswell pledged to vote on tax cuts, an end to funding in ukraine, a partial abortion ban, and to bring patriotism back to our youth. On election day, Caswell won with 55.02% of the vote, the highest ever for a republican candidate since Mike Lawler's 2016 victory.
Committee Memberships:
Committee on the Budget, Commerce, and Interior Affairs: Being of member of this committee, Alan Caswell has made sure to focus on tax cuts, deregulations for certain industries and bringing American jobs back to America. He has also worked with Native Americans to make sure their land is federally owned by them and improving living conditions for them.
Leadership Roles:
House Republican Chairman: 1/1/25 to 1/9/25: During this time, Alan Caswell was House Republican Chairman, he used this time to unite the house republicans, especially after the 1/1/25 speakership election.
Tenure:
Alan Caswell has been an instrumental member of the house, voting 91% with house republicans. On the house floor, he has voted for Nota Tentacles twice for Speaker of the House and has future plans to introduce new bills and acts in the house.