Joe Crowley

Crowley was born in Woodside, Queens, New York City, to Joseph F. Crowley Sr., an Irish American, and Eileen Crowley, who emigrated from County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Crowley Sr. served in the United States Army during the Korean War, later becoming a lawyer and a New York City Police Department detective. Crowley Jr. is the second of four siblings. Crowley Jr.'s paternal uncle Walter H. Crowley was a New York City councilman, and is the namesake of Crowley Playground in Elmhurst, Queens.

Crowley attended private Roman Catholic schools in the city, graduating from Power Memorial Academy in Manhattan in 1981. He graduated from Queens College in 1985 with a degree in political science and communications. Crowley was inducted into the Power Memorial Academy Hall of Fame in 2011.

Crowley was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1987 to 1998, sitting in the 187th, 188th, 189th, 190th, 191st and 192nd New York State Legislatures. Because of his Irish roots, he quickly became involved in Irish-American politics throughout New York.

Democratic Congressman Thomas J. Manton announced his retirement from Congress in 1998, having already filed for and circulated petitions for reelection. He withdrew on the last day it was legally possible to do so and arranged for Crowley, his chosen successor, to replace him on the ballot. Crowley was not aware of this until Manton phoned him to tell him his name would be on the general election ballot.

Crowley, who had been named as a potential successor to Nancy Pelosi as House Leader or Speaker, sought re-election in 2018.

Backed by the organization Brand New Congress, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez challenged Crowley in the Democratic primary. Ocasio-Cortez, who had been an organizer in Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign, was the first primary challenger Crowley had faced since 2004. Most observers concluded that Crowley would win the primary, citing his strong support from elected officials and his large fundraising advantage.

In her campaign, Ocasio-Cortez said that Crowley was not progressive enough for the district, and also accused him of corruption, stating that he was using his position as chair of the Queens Democratic Party improperly. Crowley significantly outspent Ocasio-Cortez prior to the primary election.

On June 26, 2018, Crowley was defeated in the Democratic primary by Ocasio-Cortez. Ocasio-Cortez received 57% of the vote in what was seen as a massive upset. Crowley remained on the general election ballot under the Working Families Party line. Ocasio-Cortez defeated Crowley and Republican Anthony Pappas in the November 6 general election, with Crowley receiving just under 7% of the vote.

Prior to redistricting for the 2012 election, Crowley represented the 7th District, which encompassed portions of Queens and the Bronx. It included neighborhoods such as Woodside, Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst, and College Point, in Queens as well as the neighborhoods of Castle Hill, Co-op City, Parkchester, Throgs Neck, Morris Park, Pelham Parkway, Pelham Bay, Country Club, and City Island in the eastern Bronx.

After 2013, Crowley represented New York's 14th congressional district, which includes the eastern Bronx and part of north-central Queens. The Queens portion includes the neighborhoods of Sunnyside, Astoria, College Point, East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Corona and Woodside. …

After leaving Congress in 2019, Crowley joined the Washington, D. C. lobbying and law firm Squire Patton Boggs.

In February 2019, Crowley resigned as chair of the Queens Democratic Party.

In May 2019, Crowley joined the board of Northern Swan Holdings Inc., an investment firm focused on hemp and marijuana cultivation in Colombia, along with former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.

Crowley was named a fellow at the Georgetown University Institute of Politics and Public Service. Crowley is a member of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, which is charged with planning and executing the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Crowley is an honorary co-chair of the Pass USMCA Coalition, an umbrella organization working to pass USMCA, the Trump administration's replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement.

In 2022, Crowley left Squire Patton Boggs to move to the Dentons Law Firm, also based in Washington, D.C.

Crowley is married to Kasey Crowley, a registered nurse. They have three children: Cullen, Kenzie, and Liam. He is the cousin of former New York City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley.

Joe Crowley has a brother in-law named Ramon Martinez, who was a chief of staff at the New York City Council. Joe Crowley also has a nephew named Patrick Martinez.

Crowley sat on the board of directors of All Hallows High School in the Bronx, New York.