Al D'Amato facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Al D'Amato
Official portrait, c. 1990s
Chair of the Senate Banking Committee
In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 1999
Preceded by	Donald Riegle
Succeeded by	Phil Gramm
United States Senator from New York
In office January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1999
Preceded by	Jacob Javits
Succeeded by	Chuck Schumer
Personal details
Born	Alfonse Marcello D'Amato (1937-08-01) August 1, 1937 (age 87) Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouses	Penelope D'Amato ​ ​ (m. 1960; div. 1995)​ Katuria Smith ​ ​ (m. 2004; separated 2017)​
Children	6
Education	Syracuse University (BS, LLB)

Alfonse Marcello D'Amato (born August 1, 1937) is an American politician. He was a Republican United States Senator for New York. He served in the Senate from 1981 to 1999.

During his time in the Senate, he led the Senate Banking Committee. After leaving the Senate, he became a lobbyist, working to influence government decisions.

Early Life and Education

Alfonse D'Amato was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1937. He grew up in a small village called Island Park, New York. His family has Italian roots.

He went to Chaminade High School. Later, he studied at Syracuse University. He earned a law degree there.

D'Amato has six children. He has four adult children from his first marriage. He also has a son and a daughter from his second marriage.

Starting a Political Career

Alfonse D'Amato began his political journey in Island Park. He was active in the local Unity Party. This party managed village elections.

He became the village attorney. Later, he joined the Nassau County Republican Party. He was appointed Public Administrator for Nassau County. This role involved managing money for people who died without a will.

D'Amato then became the Receiver of Taxes for Hempstead. He later served as a town supervisor in Hempstead. From 1977 to 1980, he was also vice chairman of the Nassau County Board of Supervisors.

Serving in the U.S. Senate

President Ronald Reagan presenting Al D'Amato and other New York leaders with a check for Westway Project Funds, September 1981

In 1980, D'Amato ran for the U.S. Senate. He won the Republican primary election against Jacob Javits. Javits had been a senator for a long time.

D'Amato then won the general election. He defeated Javits, who ran as a Liberal Party candidate. He also beat Democratic U.S. Representative Elizabeth Holtzman. This victory was a surprise to many.

He was re-elected in 1986 and 1992. However, he lost his re-election bid in 1998 to Chuck Schumer. As of today, D'Amato is the last Republican to represent New York in the U.S. Senate.

D'Amato was sometimes called "Senator Pothole." This nickname came from his focus on helping everyday citizens. He worked hard to solve their individual problems. Some people used the name to criticize him. Others saw it as a good thing, showing he got things done.

D'Amato with President Ronald Reagan in 1986

He is known for some long speeches in the Senate. These are called filibusters. In 1986, he spoke for 23 and a half hours. He even read from the phone book during this time. In 1992, he sang a song during another filibuster. This was to protest a bill that might cause job losses.

D'Amato supported making Martin Luther King Jr. Day a federal holiday. He also voted for the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987. This law helped protect civil rights.

He was part of a special group. This group looked into aviation security after a plane bombing in 1989.

D'Amato led the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. He was also on the Senate Finance Committee. In these roles, he helped with important financial matters. He also helped Holocaust survivors try to get back money from Swiss banks.

He was very important in New York's Republican Party. He helped George Pataki become the Republican candidate for governor in 1994.

D'Amato was generally a conservative politician. However, he sometimes agreed with the other party. For example, he voted to allow gay people to serve openly in the U.S. military in 1993. He also supported a law to prevent job discrimination based on sexual orientation.

D'Amato, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Pete Domenici, Jack Reed, Paul Sarbanes, and Daniel Patrick Moynihan announce an agreement on mass transit funding legislation in 1998

He often sided with Democrats on issues related to workers' rights.

After the Senate

After leaving the Senate in 1999, D'Amato started a company called Park Strategies. This company works as a lobbyist firm.

He also wrote a book about his experiences. It was called Power, Pasta and Politics. He became a writer for George magazine. He also worked as an analyst for Fox News.

D'Amato is the chairman of the Poker Players Alliance. This group works to protect the rights of poker players in the United States. They also support the right to play poker online.

He has also been involved in presidential elections. He supported Fred Thompson and John McCain in 2008. In 2012, he endorsed Mitt Romney. For the 2016 election, he supported Ohio Governor John Kasich.

In 2020, D'Amato was hospitalized with COVID-19. He was released from the hospital after five days.

See also

Images for kids

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  Fred Thompson, Mike Long, and D'Amato in 2007.