[1] She was hired as a legal assistant to Assemblyman Ray S. Ashbery, and ran for his Assembly seat when he retired.
[1] Cook drafted a bill expanding abortion rights, together with Democratic Assemblyman Franz Leichter of Manhattan.
In the Assembly, the bill was amended to allow women to have abortions until their 24th week of pregnancy, or at any time to protect the life of the mother.
Cook took the matter to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC/EEO) that issued a decision favoring Schiess.
[1] In November 1976, Ned Cole, the bishop who had blocked Schiess' ordination, indicated that he would have her ordained in ceremonies to be held in January 1977.