Mario Biaggi
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Mario Biaggi (October 26, 1917 – June 24, 2015) was an American politician, attorney, and police officer. He served as a member of the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
from
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
from 1969 to 1988. Prior to his political career, Biaggi became one of the most decorated officers in
NYPD The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, established on May 23, 1845, is the primary municipal law enforcement agency within the City of New York, the largest and one of the oldest in ...
history; he killed two criminals who attacked him and was injured 11 times in the line of duty. He then became an attorney at 49 years of age. First elected a U.S. Representative as a
Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...
from
the Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
in
1968 The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide. Events January–February * January 5 – "Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. * Januar ...
, Biaggi was subsequently re-elected nine times, seven times with more than 90% of the vote. In 1987 and 1988, he was convicted in two trials of receipt of unlawful gratuities, and, facing the prospect of
expulsion Expulsion or expelled may refer to: General * Deportation * Ejection (sports) * Eviction * Exile * Expeller pressing * Expulsion (education) * Expulsion from the United States Congress * Extradition * Forced migration * Ostracism * Persona non ...
from the House, he resigned from Congress in 1988.


Early life

Biaggi was born in a tenement on East 106th Street in
East Harlem East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem or and historically known as Italian Harlem, is a neighborhood of Upper Manhattan, New York City, roughly encompassing the area north of the Upper East Side and bounded by 96th Street to the south, F ...
in
Upper Manhattan, New York City Upper Manhattan is the most northern region of the New York City borough of Manhattan. Its southern boundary has been variously defined, but some of the most common usages are 96th Street, the northern boundary of Central Park ( 110th Street), ...
,
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
to poor Italian immigrants from
Piacenza Piacenza (; egl, label= Piacentino, Piaṡëinsa ; ) is a city and in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, and the capital of the eponymous province. As of 2022, Piacenza is the ninth largest city in the region by population, with over ...
in
Northern Italy Northern Italy ( it, Italia settentrionale, it, Nord Italia, label=none, it, Alta Italia, label=none or just it, Nord, label=none) is a geographical and cultural region in the northern part of Italy. It consists of eight administrative regions ...
. His father, Salvatore Biaggi, was a marble setter. His mother, Mary (née Campari), worked as a
charwoman A charwoman (also chargirl, charlady or char) is an old-fashioned occupational term, referring to a paid part-time worker who comes into a house or other building to clean it for a few hours of a day or week, as opposed to a maid, who usually ...
. He had two younger brothers. Biaggi graduated from P.S. 171 in East Harlem. Subsequently, in 1934 during the height of
the Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagion ...
, he graduated from
Haaren High School Haaren High School was an American high school located in Midtown Manhattan, New York. The school was noted for its vocational program including classes focusing on internal combustion engines. The facility was constructed in 1903 to house DeWitt ...
in Manhattan."Biographies of Witnesses, Foreign Assistance for Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland; Hearing and Markup Before the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Its Subcommittee on Europe and the Middle East, House of Representatives, Ninety-ninth Congress, Second Session, on H.R. 4329,"
March 5 and 6, 1986, Vol. 4, United States Congress House Committee on Foreign Affairs, 1986.
In 1940 he married Marie Wassil (who died in 1997), and they moved to the Bronx and had two daughters, Barbara and Jacqueline, and two sons, Richard and Mario Jr.


Career


Mailman

After working as a shoeshine boy and a stint as a factory worker, at age 18, Biaggi became a substitute letter carrier for the
United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...
, for 65 cents per hour.Emily Langer (June 25, 2015)
"Mario Biaggi, N.Y. congressman convicted of corruption, dies at 97,"
''The Washington Post''.
Later, he became a regular letter carrier; his mail route included the home of one of his heroes, New York City Mayor
Fiorello La Guardia Fiorello Henry LaGuardia (; born Fiorello Enrico LaGuardia, ; December 11, 1882September 20, 1947) was an American attorney and politician who represented New York in the House of Representatives and served as the 99th Mayor of New York City fro ...
. He served nearly six years with the Post Office and, in a preview of things to come, became an activist in Branch 36 of the
National Association of Letter Carriers The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) is an American labor union, representing non-rural letter carriers employed by the United States Postal Service. It was founded in 1889. The NALC has 2,500 local branches representing letter c ...
.


New York City Police Department

In 1942, Biaggi joined the
New York City Police Department The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, established on May 23, 1845, is the primary municipal law enforcement agency within the City of New York, the largest and one of the oldest in ...
(NYPD), at 25 years of age. He wanted to join the US Army, but police were exempted from the US military at the time, and the fact that his two brothers were in the armed forces was an additional factor. His police career spanned 23 years, until 1965. He was wounded 11 times. Biaggi received dozens of citations for valor, including the police department’s Medal of Honor (its highest award) and the National Police Officers Association of America’s Medal of Valor, becoming one of the NYPD's most decorated officers. Among his many exploits was his rescue in 1946 on Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan of a girl on a runaway horse, which dragged him 90 feet and trampled his right leg before he subdued it, causing a permanent limp. He used a cane for the rest of his life. In 1944, he shot and killed a man who tried to stab him with an
ice pick The ice pick is a pointed metal tool used from the 1800s to the 1900s to break, pick or chip at ice. The design consists of a sharp metal spike attached to a wooden handle. The tool's design has been relatively unchanged since its creation. The ...
, and in 1959, he shot and killed a man who tried to rob him at gunpoint; he himself was wounded in the shootout in the Bronx. In 1952, he was promoted to Sergeant. He retired from the Department in 1965, with the rank of Detective Lieutenant.


Legal career

At the age of 45 and near the end of his police career, Biaggi entered law school. The
American Bar Association The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. Founded in 1878, the ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of acad ...
granted him a special dispensation to study law due to his distinguished police career, even though Biaggi had never gone to college and a college degree was a prerequisite for law school. Dean
Daniel Gutman Daniel Gutman (July 1, 1901 – September 1993) was an American lawyer, politician, judge, and law school dean from New York. Early life Gutman was born on July 1, 1901, in New York. He attended Boys High School. He received his degree from Broo ...
offered him a full scholarship to
New York Law School New York Law School (NYLS) is a private law school in Tribeca, New York City. NYLS has a full-time day program and a part-time evening program. NYLS's faculty includes 54 full-time and 59 adjunct professors. Notable faculty members include E ...
, after hearing him speak at a public event. In 1965, he graduated from the law school with an
LLB Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the China, People's Republic ...
. In 1966, at the age of 49, he was admitted to the
New York State Bar The New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) is a voluntary bar association for the state of New York. The mission of the association is to cultivate the science of jurisprudence; promote reform in the law; facilitate the administration of justice; ...
and founded the law firm Biaggi & Ehrlich. He represented a Queens woman who was denied the right to be an
umpire An umpire is an official in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The term derives from the Old French nonper, ''non'', "not" and ''per'', ...
in minor league baseball in 1969, and won her case at the
New York Court of Appeals The New York Court of Appeals is the highest court in the Unified Court System of the State of New York. The Court of Appeals consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge and six Associate Judges who are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by t ...
in 1972.


U.S. House of Representatives

In 1968, the U.S. House seat in became vacant when eight-term
Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
incumbent Paul A. Fino resigned to become a justice on the
New York Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in the New York State Unified Court System. (Its Appellate Division is also the highest intermediate appellate court.) It is vested with unlimited civ ...
. Biaggi ran for the open seat as a Democrat with the endorsement of the
Conservative Party The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right. Political parties called The Conservative P ...
. He won the 1968 election to Congress with 60.5% of the vote in what had previously been considered a traditional Bronx Republican stronghold. He was 51 years old. Author Gerhard Falk wrote: "Few members of the House of Representatives have ever achieved the popularity of Mario Biaggi." He was easily re-elected in 1970, as a nominee of the Democratic, Republican, and Conservative Parties, with a vote of 130,000-8,000. He won the 1970 election defeating former Bronx Borough President Joseph F. Periconi, the 1972 election with 93.9% of the vote, the 1974 election with 82.4% of the vote, the 1976 election with 91.6% of the vote, the 1978 election with 95.0% of the vote, the 1980 election with 94.5% of the vote, the 1982 election with 93.7% of the vote, the 1984 election with 94.8% of the vote, and the 1986 election with 90.2% of the vote. In the redistricting after the 1970 census, Biaggi's district was renumbered the
10th 10 (ten) is the even natural number following 9 and preceding 11. Ten is the base of the decimal numeral system, by far the most common system of denoting numbers in both spoken and written language. It is the first double-digit number. The rea ...
, and included part of
Queens Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...
. In the redistricting after the 1980 census, his district was renumbered the 19th, and included part of suburban
Westchester County Westchester County is located in the U.S. state of New York. It is the seventh most populous county in the State of New York and the most populous north of New York City. According to the 2020 United States Census, the county had a population o ...
. From 1972 onward, he was nominated by the Republicans as well. In 1968, 1970, and 1972 he also received the
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...
nomination. From 1978 onward he got the
Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...
nomination. Biaggi was known as a law-and-order Democrat, socially conservative, economically progressive, and tough on street crime, and led the institution of a federal ban on armor-piercing "cop killer"
teflon-coated bullet Teflon-coated bullets, sometimes colloquially, also known as "cop killer bullets", are bullets that have been covered with a coating of polytetrafluoroethylene. History In the 1960s, Paul Kopsch (an Ohio coroner), Daniel Turcus (a police sergean ...
s, a major concern of police.Kim I. Mills (July 11, 1988)
"Mario Biaggi: Lawman to Lawmaker to Law-Breaker,"
AP News.
He also strongly supported the elderly, labor unions, the mentally retarded, hand-gun control, Israel,
Soviet Jewry The history of the Jews in the Soviet Union is inextricably linked to much earlier expansionist policies of the Russian Empire conquering and ruling the eastern half of the European continent already before the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. "For ...
, and peace in
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
, and opposed brutality in US Army camps and
anti-semitism Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism. Antis ...
. Commenting in 1973 during the
Yom Kippur War The Yom Kippur War, also known as the Ramadan War, the October War, the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, or the Fourth Arab–Israeli War, was an armed conflict fought from October 6 to 25, 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egy ...
, Biaggi said: "Israel was attacked in very much the same fashion that
Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the Re ...
was attacked." He was noted for being "a service congressman." John C. Dearie, a former New York State Assemblyman, recalled: "He would do it for the son who needed to get his mother a bed in a nursing home, or the family who needed to resolve a Social Security problem, or the kid who needed help getting a job application at the Parks Department. He would pick up and make the phone call, and when he did, it was like God himself was making the call." During his tenure in office he was Chairman of the
United States House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries The United States House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries is a defunct committee of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries was created on December 21, 1887, replacing the Select Committee on Ameri ...
Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Navigation, Chairman of the
United States House Permanent Select Committee on Aging The United States House Permanent Select Committee on Aging was a permanent select committee of the United States House of Representatives between 1974 and 1992. The committee was created with the intent not of forming legislation directly, but ...
Subcommittee on Human Services, and Chairman of the 120-member bi-partisan Ad Hoc Congressional Committee for Irish Affairs. In 1975, Biaggi introduced a joint resolution of Congress,
Public Law 94-479 In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...
, to posthumously promote
George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
to the grade of
General of the Armies of the United States General of the Armies of the United States, more commonly referred to as General of the Armies, is the highest military rank in the United States Army. The rank has been conferred three times: to John J. Pershing in 1919, as a personal accola ...
and restore Washington's position as the highest-ranking military officer in U.S. history. It was passed and was approved by President
Gerald Ford Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. ( ; born Leslie Lynch King Jr.; July 14, 1913December 26, 2006) was an American politician who served as the 38th president of the United States from 1974 to 1977. He was the only president never to have been elected ...
in 1976, and formalized in Department of the Army Order 31-3 in 1978, with an effective appointment date of July 4, 1976, the
United States Bicentennial The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to historical events leading up to the creation of the United States of America as an independent republic. It was a central event ...
. Biaggi established the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF). It sponsored the
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial is in Washington, D.C., at Judiciary Square, adjacent to the National Law Enforcement Museum. It honors 23,229 U.S. law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty throughout American hist ...
in Washington, D.C. at
Judiciary Square Judiciary Square is a neighborhood in Northwest Washington, D.C., the vast majority of which is occupied by various federal and municipal courthouses and office buildings. Judiciary Square is located roughly between Pennsylvania Avenue to the sou ...
, authorized in 1984, which honors 21,183 U.S. law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty throughout American history.


1973 mayoral campaign

In 1973, Biaggi declared his candidacy for
Mayor of New York City The mayor of New York City, officially Mayor of the City of New York, is head of the executive branch of the government of New York City and the chief executive of New York City. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property ...
. He entered the Democratic primary. Biaggi was a fairly conservative Democrat by New York City standards, and had run on the Conservative line for Congress three times. Conservative Party leaders supported him as the party's candidate for mayor, and planned to make him their nominee regardless of whether he received the Democratic line. Initially, he was ahead in the polls. Biaggi lost the
Democratic primary This is a list of Democratic Party presidential primaries. 1912 This was the first time that candidates were chosen through primaries. New Jersey Governor Woodrow Wilson ran to become the nominee, and faced the opposition of Speaker of the Unit ...
in June, coming in third with 21% of the vote behind
Abe Beame Abraham David Beame (March 20, 1906February 10, 2001) was the 104th mayor of New York City from 1974 to 1977. As mayor, he presided over the city during its fiscal crisis of the mid-1970s, when the city was almost forced to declare bankruptcy. ...
(34%) and
Herman Badillo Herman Badillo (pronounced ''bah-DEE-yoh''; August 21, 1929 – December 3, 2014) was an American politician who served as borough president of The Bronx and United States Representative, and ran for Mayor of New York City. He was the first Pu ...
(29%), and ahead of Albert H. Blumenthal (16%). After Biaggi did not win the Democratic primary, while he remained on the Conservative line in the general election, he gave assurances to Democratic county chairmen in late August 1973 that he would not make a "serious run" for Mayor and thereby pull votes away from Democratic nominee Beame, even though he would remain as the Conservative party nominee inasmuch as New York law did not allow him to withdraw at that stage. He finished in fourth place, behind Beame,
John Marchi John Marchi may refer to: * John J. Marchi John Joseph Marchi (May 20, 1921 – April 25, 2009) was an American attorney and jurist who represented Staten Island in the New York State Senate for 50 years. Marchi (pronounced MAR-key), a Republic ...
, and Blumenthal, with 11% of the vote, as Beame won the election.


Unlawful gratuity convictions

In 1987 Biaggi was charged with taking an unlawful gratuity. He had accepted a payment of a $3,200 spa bill for him and his companion as he vacationed in Florida in December 1984, from his long-time friend former
Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
Democratic leader
Meade Esposito Amadeo Henry "Meade" Esposito (1907 – September 3, 1993) was an American politician who was a Brooklyn Democratic leader and political boss. Esposito served as chairman of the Kings County Democratic Committee from 1969 to 1984. As a leader, h ...
. Prosecutors said it was in exchange for using his influence to help a ship-repair company that was a major client of Esposito's insurance agency. The defense said it was given by Esposito out of friendship, and no favors were done by Biaggi in return. The judge explained that to convict Biaggi of bribery, the jury would have to find that Biaggi accepted something of value with the understanding it was in exchange for Biaggi's influence on official actions. He said that in contrast an unlawful gratuity is like a tip given for services performed or expected to be performed, but requires no ''
quid pro quo Quid pro quo ('what for what' in Latin) is a Latin phrase used in English to mean an exchange of goods or services, in which one transfer is contingent upon the other; "a favor for a favor". Phrases with similar meanings include: "give and take", ...
'' understanding. Biaggi was acquitted of both bribery and conspiracy in the three-week trial. He was, however, convicted of accepting an illegal gratuity and
obstruction of justice Obstruction of justice, in United States jurisdictions, is an act that involves unduly influencing, impeding, or otherwise interfering with the justice system, especially the legal and procedural tasks of prosecutors, investigators, or other gov ...
, sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison, and fined $500,000. Esposito received a
suspended sentence A suspended sentence is a sentence on conviction for a criminal offence, the serving of which the court orders to be deferred in order to allow the defendant to perform a period of probation. If the defendant does not break the law during that ...
. Judge
Jack B. Weinstein Jack Bertrand Weinstein (August 10, 1921 – June 15, 2021) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Until his entry into inactive senior status on February 10, 2020, he mainta ...
said, as he sentenced Biaggi: "If ever there was a Greek tragedy, it is this one. A hero is today struck low, and grief descends." Even after, Biaggi maintained his innocence. The House Ethics Committee recommended that Biaggi be expelled, the most severe penalty. Separately, in 1988 Biaggi was charged by US Attorney
Rudy Giuliani Rudolph William Louis Giuliani (, ; born May 28, 1944) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 107th Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001. He previously served as the United States Associate Attorney General from 1981 to 198 ...
in the
Wedtech scandal The Wedtech scandal was an American political scandal involving the award of government contracts. It was first brought to light in 1986. History The Wedtech Corporation was founded in the Bronx, New York by John Mariotta, and originally manufac ...
with having accepted bribes for assisting the Wedtech Corporation in obtaining federal procurement contracts. The core of the prosecution's case was built around the testimony of four former Wedtech executives who negotiated cooperation agreements with the government, that allowed the executives to plead guilty to lesser charges in exchange for their cooperation. He was convicted of 15 counts of obstruction of justice and accepting illegal gratuities. Prior to his sentencing, dozens of House members wrote letters to the sentencing judge attesting to Biaggi's character and past contributions. He was sentenced to eight years in federal prison. He continued to maintain his innocence. Three other defendants in the Wedtech scandal who were also indicted by Giuliani, and also initially convicted of receiving illegal payments, had their convictions overturned in 1991 by the
US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (in case citations, 2d Cir.) is one of the thirteen United States Courts of Appeals. Its territory comprises the states of Connecticut, New York and Vermont. The court has appellate jur ...
, which held that prosecutors "should have been aware" that a crucial Wedtech executive witness in the Wedtech case lied; the witness had also testified against Biaggi in his trial, in exchange for being allowed to plead guilty to a lesser charge.


Later life and death

Facing expulsion from the House, Biaggi resigned his seat on August 5, 1988. He was at the time 70 years old, and the senior Congressman in the New York City delegation. Since primary election petitions were already filed, Biaggi remained on the ballot for the 1988 Democratic and Republican primaries in the 19th District, though he said that he would not campaign nor run. He sought to be removed from the ballot, but a New York court held that there was no legal means to effect his removal. Biaggi did not campaign, and lost the Democratic primary to then-State Assemblyman
Eliot Engel Eliot Lance Engel (; born February 18, 1947) is an American politician who served as a U.S. representative from New York from 1989 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented a district covering portions of the north Bronx and sou ...
. At the time, the 19th District was one of the more conservative districts in New York City. He was nominated by the Republican Party. In the general election, Engel won with 56% of the vote to Biaggi's 44%. To date, this is the last time that a candidate running on the Republican line has crossed the 40% mark in the district. Biaggi was released in 1991 when he was 73 years old, after 26 months in prison, by the sentencing judge on the grounds of ill health (heart problems, arthritis, nerve damage in his legs, and broken bones from four falls in prison). He would have been eligible for parole six months later. In 1992, at 74 years of age, Biaggi attempted a political comeback. He sought his old seat in Congress, challenging his successor, Engel, in the Democratic primary. The last Congressman to be re-elected after serving time for a felony was
Matthew Lyon Matthew Lyon (July 14, 1749 – August 1, 1822) was an Irish-born American printer, farmer, soldier and politician, who served as a United States representative from both Vermont and Kentucky. Lyon represented Vermont in Congress from 1797 to ...
of Vermont, who ran from jail on 1798 and won. Biaggi was endorsed by the
Patrolmen's Benevolent Association Police unions in the United States include a large number and patchwork variety of organizations. Of those unions which conduct labor negotiations on behalf of its police members, 80% are independent and have no affiliation to any larger organized ...
and eight other police and firefighter unions. He said that many of his former constituents asked him to run, and that Engel had a poor record on constituent service. Despite the enthusiasm of some of his supporters, Biaggi raised little money. Engel, who raised more money and cited Biaggi's criminal convictions, won easily. After the election, the ''
Bronx News The ''Bronx News'' is a weekly newspaper that covers the entire Bronx. Founded in 1975, the ''Bronx News'' is known for its headlines and reporting. News stories range from crime, sports, entertainment and politics. The front page appears in colo ...
'' reported that some of Biaggi's former constituents wanted to vote for him but could not. In the redistricting after the 1990 census, parts of Biaggi's old district that had been his strongholds,
Throggs Neck Throggs Neck (also known as Throgs Neck) is a neighborhood and peninsula in the south-eastern portion of the borough (New York City), borough of the Bronx in New York City. It is bounded by the East River and Long Island Sound to the south and ea ...
and Morris Park, had been shifted to other districts. As the
presidency of Bill Clinton Bill Clinton's tenure as the 42nd president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 1993, and ended on January 20, 2001. Clinton, a Democrat from Arkansas, took office following a decisive election victory over Re ...
closed, Biaggi requested a pardon for his federal convictions. When asked for comment, the United States Attorneys Offices for the Eastern and Southern District of New York each opposed pardon for any convictions, noting that Biaggi received a humanitarian release and had failed to pay his fines. No pardon was issued. Biaggi died at his home in Riverdale in the Bronx on June 24, 2015, at the age of 97.Robert Wirsing (July 3–9, 2015)
"Former Bronx Congressman Mario Biaggi Dies at 97,"
''Bronx Times'', p. 3.
He is buried in the
Gate of Heaven Cemetery Gate of Heaven Cemetery, approximately 25 miles (40 km) north of New York City, was established in 1917 at 10 West Stevens Ave. in Hawthorne, Westchester County, New York, as a Roman Catholic burial site. Among its famous residents is ...
in
Hawthorne, New York Hawthorne is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) located in the town of Mount Pleasant in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 4,586 at the 2010 census. History The village was originally known as Hammond's Mill ...
.


Relatives

In their obituary, the ''New York Times'' noted his survivors as two daughters, two sons, eleven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Since 2019, Biaggi's granddaughter,
Alessandra Biaggi Alessandra Rose Biaggi (born May 20, 1986) is an American politician serving as a member of the New York State Senate since 2019, representing the 34th district, which includes portions of Bronx and Westchester Counties. She is the chair of th ...
, has been a member of the
New York State Senate The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature; the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Its members are elected to two-year terms; there are no term limits. There are 63 seats in the Senate. Partisan com ...
.


Accolades

In 1961, Biaggi became the first police officer in New York State to be made a member of the National Police Officers Hall of Fame. In 1976, he was inducted into the National Italian American Hall of Fame.''Official Congressional Directory''
Vol. 99, United States Congress, 1985.
In 2000, he was inducted into the National Safe Boating Council’s Boating Safety Hall of Fame. Biaggi received the New York City Police Department's Medal of Honor (1960), the
Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity The Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity ( it, Stella della solidarietà italiana ) was founded as a national order by the first President of the Italian Republic, Enrico De Nicola, in 1947, to recognise civilian and military expatriates or ...
from Italy (1961), the National Law Officers Distinguished Service Award (1968), the Columbian Lawyers Association Rapallo Award (1972), the Jewish Identity Center Award for Dedicated Efforts on Behalf of Jewish Causes (1978), the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) Bonner Award (1978), the Order of the Pike Award, the
Ancient Order of Hibernians The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH; ) is an Irish Catholic fraternal organization. Members must be male, Catholic, and either born in Ireland or of Irish descent. Its largest membership is now in the United States, where it was founded in New ...
(1980), and the August A. Busch, III Award (1981). He was nominated for a
Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Swedish industrialist, inventor and armaments (military weapons and equipment) manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Chemi ...
(1982; for trying to halt the violence in Northern Ireland), and received the American Merchant Marine Achievement Award (1983), the
United Seamen's Service The United Seamen's Service, sometimes abbreviated as the USS, is a non-profit, federally chartered organization founded in 1942 to promote the welfare of American seafarers and their dependents, seafarers of all nations, US government military ...
Admiral of the Ocean Sea Award (1983), the
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial is in Washington, D.C., at Judiciary Square, adjacent to the National Law Enforcement Museum. It honors 23,229 U.S. law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty throughout American hist ...
Fund's Distinguished Service Award (1998), the Grand Council of United Emerald Societies Presidents Award (2001), the NYPD Shomrim Society Otto Raphael Award (2005), and the Ancient Order of Hibernians Friend of the Irish Award (2011).Anne T. Romano (2010)
''Italian Americans in Law Enforcement''
/ref>
Fordham University Fordham University () is a Private university, private Jesuit universities, Jesuit research university in New York City. Established in 1841 and named after the Fordham, Bronx, Fordham neighborhood of the The Bronx, Bronx in which its origina ...
conferred an honorary
Doctor of Laws A Doctor of Law is a degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country and includes degrees such as the Doctor of Juridical Science (J.S.D. or S.J.D), Juris Doctor (J.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and Legum Doctor (LL. ...
degree on Biaggi in 1984, for being "widely respected as a Representative of unparalleled responsiveness to his constituents even in the smallest personal matter", and New York Law School held the Inaugural Mario Biaggi Lecture in 1985.Roger J. Miner (1985)
''Book #12A''
New York Law School.


References


External links

* * * * * Mario Biaggi (December 19, 1972)

''The New York Times''. , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Biaggi, Mario 1917 births 2015 deaths 20th-century American lawyers 20th-century American politicians 20th-century criminals American lawyers and judges of Italian descent American police detectives American police officers convicted of crimes American politicians convicted of federal public corruption crimes American politicians of Italian descent Burials at Gate of Heaven Cemetery (Hawthorne, New York) Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state) Haaren High School alumni Lawyers from New York City New York (state) politicians convicted of crimes New York City Police Department officers New York Law School alumni People convicted of obstruction of justice People from East Harlem People from Riverdale, Bronx New York (state) politicians convicted of corruption Politicians convicted of extortion under color of official right Politicians convicted of illegal gratuities under 18 U.S.C. § 201 Politicians convicted of mail and wire fraud Politicians convicted of racketeering Politicians convicted under the Travel Act Politicians from the Bronx Politicians from Manhattan United States Postal Service people