He was born on January 15, 1898, in
Buffalo, New York. He attended
Canisius High School and
Canisius College. He graduated from
University of Buffalo Law School, and practiced law in Buffalo. Borkowski was a
Republican member of the
New York State Assembly (Erie Co., 5th D.) in
1921,
1924,
1925,
1926,
1927,
1928,
1929 and
1930. He was Chairman of the Committee on General Laws from 1927 to 1930. He was
Clerk of the New York State Assembly from 1936 to 1964, officiating in the
159th,
160th,
161st,
162nd,
163rd,
164th,
165th,
166th,
167th,
168th,
169th,
170th,
171st,
172nd,
173rd and
174th New York State Legislatures. In January 1965, Borkowski opened the proceedings for the election of a Speaker in the
175th New York State Legislature, as the outgoing clerk traditionally did. This was the first time since 1935 that a Democratic majority was elected to the Assembly, but due to a split into two factions—one following Mayor of New York City
Robert F. Wagner, Jr., the other following U.S. Senator
Robert F. Kennedy—no Speaker could be elected. Borkowski presided over a month of deadlock until the election of
Anthony J. Travia as Speaker on February 4 with the votes of the Wagner men and the Republicans. Subsequently the Assembly was organized and Democrat
John T. McKennan was elected to succeed Borkowski. He died on December 1, 1992, in
Buffalo, New York; and was buried at the St. Stanislaus Catholic Cemetery in
Cheektowaga. ==Sources==