His family immigrated to the United States from Ireland when Michael was five, and they settled in Brooklyn.

When the American Civil War broke out Michael joined the navy on the Monticello gunboat.

In 1893 he was elected to the New York State Senate the same year that all other Democrats in Kings County were defeated.

In 1901 he was accused of "treason" by the establishment and he was expelled he argued a case to the Court of Appeals and was reinstated.

During his time in politics, he was rivals with Hugh McLaughlin who was the boss of the Democratic Party in Kings County.