Clintons Attend Funeral in East Hampton

A funeral today in East Hampton for Thomas A. Twomey, a lawyer and community leader who died on Sunday, was attended by former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and former President Bill Clinton.

Mrs. Clinton, who was among those who gave tributes to Mr. Twomey, described what she said was his "political genius" and said that his deep concern for others and involvement in a range of causes was "uniquely American."

Recalling her time running for United States Senate, Mrs. Clinton spoke about how Mr. Twomey had taken her to get to know the "real people" of the East End of Long Island — meeting North Fork farmers and sitting down to dinner with Montauk fishermen.

Also attending the funeral at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in East Hampton Village were Representative Tim Bishop, East Hampton Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell, Southampton Town Councilwoman Bridget Flemming, and many others. An overflow crowd filled St. Luke's adjacent Hoie Hall, where the service was shown on a video feed.

Among the other speakers were Ruth Appelhof, the executive director of Guild Hall, of which Mr. Twomey had been a board member, and former East Hampton Town Supervisor Bruce Collins.

One of Mr. Twomey's law partners, John Shea, said that Senator Kirsten Gillibrand had sent a U.S. flag that she had asked to be flown over the Capitol on Friday.