The New York City Council held its final session of the year Thursday. The meeting marked the last time Speaker Christine Quinn presided over the legislative body, and emotions ran high.
The New York Times reports nearly every council member individually thanked Quinn for her leadership, despite any animosities they may have had during her eight-year tenure.
“The crappy days, the hard days — they were on behalf of New Yorkers, on behalf of my colleagues and I’ve loved every minute of it," Quinn said.
A video from Wall Street Journal reporter Joe Jackson shows a teary-eyed Quinn leaving City Hall Thursday as her colleagues applauded her:
Quinn was the first female and first openly gay Speaker to be elected to the position. In March, she announced her bid to run for mayor and was widely perceived as the Democratic frontrunner, garnering endorsements from the city's top three newspapers.
Quinn was ultimately defeated by rival Bill de Blasio, who will take office in January.
Political analysts largely attributed Quinn's unsuccessful campaign to her close ties with Mayor Michael Bloomberg, as well as her vacillating stances on key issues like stop and frisk.
Thursday's three-hour long meeting also saw the passage of legislation to include e-cigarettes in the city's smoking ban, and to pave the way for a ban on plastic foam containers.