Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch died early Friday morning. He was 88. A Bronx native, Koch was sworn in as mayor in 1978, leading the city out of the grim 1970s by rescuing it from bankruptcy and using a tough-on-crime platform. But he left an uncertain legacy: his third term was marred by corruption and internal scandals as well as the lasting legacy of the AIDS crisis in his own neighborhood—not to mention questions about his own sexuality. After leaving office in 1989, Koch spent two years as a judge on The People’s Court and practiced private law.
