Caren Turner
Caren Zeldie Turner | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1957 New Jersey, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Attorney, lobbyist |
| Known for | Commissioner at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; 2018 Tenafly traffic stop incident |
Caren Zeldie Turner (born 1957) is an American attorney and lobbyist who formerly held a commissioner position at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. She gained widespread attention in 2018 following a traffic stop incident in Tenafly, New Jersey that went viral on YouTube.
Early life and education
Caren Turner was born in New Jersey to Bernard and Joyce Turner. Her father practiced law and contributed as a member of the local Board of Education, while her mother worked as an editor for Prentice Hall.
Turner graduated cum laude from Brandeis University with a bachelor's degree, focusing on political science and Spanish. She earned her juris doctor from Georgetown Law, where she served as editor for the Law and Policy in International Business journal. Additionally, she holds an executive MBA from Rutgers University.
Career
Turner is the founder and CEO of Turner Government & Public Affairs, a consulting firm specializing in government relations. Her client portfolio includes companies supplying components for Lockheed Martin fighter aircraft. Previously, she worked as an attorney at Potomac Law Group and taught as an adjunct professor at George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management.
Media
Turner has appeared on Fox Business as a correspondent covering Washington lobbying activities and has contributed written pieces to The Huffington Post. She is widely acknowledged as an expert in government lobbying on television platforms.
Political activism
Turner participated in the finance committees for political figures such as Jon Corzine and Hillary Clinton. She also co-chaired the Financial Committee for Ready for Hillary, a super political action committee focused on encouraging Clinton’s candidacy in the 2016 Presidential Election.
Port Authority board of commissioners
In March 2017, Turner commenced a six-year voluntary term on the Board of Commissioners for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Her appointment followed a recommendation by New Jersey Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, nomination by Governor Chris Christie, and confirmation by the New Jersey State Senate.
Controversy
Following criticism over her behavior during a March 2018 traffic stop in Tenafly, New Jersey, Turner resigned from the Port Authority and was fined $1,500 by the Ethics Commission. The stop involved a vehicle carrying Turner’s adult daughter and friends, who were cited for expired registration and no insurance. Upon arriving, Turner demanded explanations, insisted on being addressed by her title "commissioner," referenced her influential contacts, and used profanities toward law enforcement officers.
A police video capturing the episode circulated widely on YouTube and attracted national news coverage from outlets including CBS News, CNBC, and The New York Times. Although some voiced support for Turner, she eventually issued an apology after initially denying any ethical wrongdoing.
Personal life
Turner has one brother. She is divorced from Henry Fishman, a physician who hosts the Associated Press Radio Network program Health and Medicine. She has also served on the Georgetown Law Alumni Board.
External links
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1957 births
- Living people
- American lobbyists
- Place of birth missing (living people)
- New Jersey Democrats
- People from Tenafly, New Jersey
- Port Authority of New York and New Jersey people
- Georgetown University Law Center alumni